New at reloading: A few dumb questions.

[Timmm]

1. Can I reuse bullets that I've taken apart, even though they have creases around them? Note: these are new bullets that I was setting up my press with.

2. Does the shape of the bullet[ RN/HP/FN] effect the powder load or is the weight of the round the only thing that matters?

3. I've have some old 38 specials, they have to be over 25yrs. old, would it be safe to use the kinetic bullet puller on them?

Any help would be appreciated-Thanks Tim

[Low-Pressure]

1. Can I reuse bullets that I've taken apart, even though they have creases around them? Note: these are new bullets that I was setting up my press with.

2. Does the shape of the bullet[ RN/HP/FN] effect the powder load or is the weight of the round the only thing that matters?

3. I've have some old 38 specials, they have to be over 25yrs. old, would it be safe to use the kinetic bullet puller on them?

Any help would be appreciated-Thanks Tim

1. Depends on how deep the creases are.
2. Powder charge are based on weight of bullet, but it the bullet is lead (cast) it uses less powder. OAL (over all length) will sometimes vary depending on the shape of the bullet
3. Have you tried shooting it, they might still be good. Using a kinetic bullet puller should be ok.

[Cowboy T]

If they're jacketed bullets, you should be OK with reusing them. Lead bullets, I'd recast them, due to their softness. The big factor is weight, though bullet shape can certainly affect how deeply the bullet gets seated. Unless you're doing absolute maximum loads, I wouldn't worry about it.

Regarding your 25 year old .38 Specials, why not just shoot them as is? Ammo doesn't really go "bad" unless the case is severely corroded.

[Timmm]

25- 30yrs. ago I had a 357mag. and 4or 5 other handguns but sadly they were all solded to pay bills. Retired last year and caught the bug again, so far just two 9mm a 45. and 700$ of reloading stuff. No 38"s yet. Thanks for your help. Tim

[nine eos]

25- 30yrs. ago I had a 357mag. and 4or 5 other handguns but sadly they were all solded to pay bills. Retired last year and caught the bug again, so far just two 9mm a 45. and 700$ of reloading stuff. No 38"s yet. Thanks for your help. Tim

i hope you arent intending on pulling the bullets so you can use the powder in your other loads.

[Timmm]

No, just want to get rid of them.

Hey! why I'm here, what's a good middle of the road size for a 9mm round?

I'm shooting a Glock 17 and 26, Factory federals are running about 1.150 never had any problems. Lee book has a min. OAL of 1.120 115gr jacketed bullet.

Sorry, I know I've seen this thread before, but most people were using 124 gr.

Thanks for the help

[Tythagoras]

How about 9mm, that's a good size for 9mm. Just kidding.

Never go lower than what the book has for a minimum. The upper limit is determined by the magazine size or your general feed reliability. My Springfield EMP likes longer loaded cartridges. 1.165" for round-nose, and 1.152" for Hornady XTP profile bullets. I've used the same settings for 115 and 124/125gr bulelts, both work fine for me.

[MaHoTex]

1.138" here...

[Munk]

1: Depends on severity of crease. You might just be seeing the cannelure that's built into some bullets. Or some damage. If it snags on your fingernail in a tough way, you may not want to use it.

2. Shape can affect weight, and sometimes load. Use a book that references the various shapes of bullets and their manufacturer with specific load data. I'm a fan of the "one book one caliber" series of guides. they're a compilation of load data from bullet,powder,case, and reloading equipment companies.

3. If it's commercial ammo, it's probably fine to pull. It's rare for primers to be so overly sensitive that they'll go off while being pulled by a kinetic puller. (although you may want to wear gloves and glasses while you pull... strange crap can happen, hell your hand may slip off and the whole puller may come flying at your face lol.)