Mexican Match

redshooter

redshooter

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Hey all! Sorry if the ref sounds a little degrading, I pref to see it as a nod to how resourceful our friends south of the Rio Grande can be.

When I say Mexican Match I'm refering to a trick Hi-Power shooters supposedly used to improve 7.62 Nato Match. They pulled the bullets tweaked the powder charge to their rifle and reseated the bullets. All you reloaders out there will understand that the right load for your rifle is to a degree the right load for YOUR rifle. It may work in others but it's tweaked for yours. Watching the video for the .22 LR Waltz die I got a little excited. Not for the die but the shell holder.

First before I get alot of "why that's dangerous", no zhit. Part of my plan is to create a shield to deal with the enevitable boom. If it can happen it will...

To the point.

Just because I can...maybe...

I want to pull the bullets on 17 HMR and add my own powder. I can see many dangers in this, but none that can't be accounted for. A 17 Rem die could be modified in such a way that as your pulling or seating if you set off the primer that the blast could be contained (lol, in my head anyway). It seems to me the hazards could easily be contained unless I'm underestimating the power of that puny charge. There's an array of fast pistiol/shotgun powders out there, I'm betting you could tweak the load for your HMR just as easily as you'd do it for your 17 Fireball. Once you figure out how to pull/seat them safely that is...
 
Personally friend, I don't think doing this is worth the risk for any reason. Please don't entertain the thought of accually carrying this out. Crap happens.
 
This type of cartridge manipulation if fully covered in the Master Darwin award manual. :onCrack: Google Darwin awards and apply to be admitted, your experiment sounds like it has a good chance of being accepted.
If you want to tweak a load get a center fire cartridge and have at it. On second thought maybe you should just stick to factory ammo and spare the hospital the trauma training:slap:
 
redmist25 said:
If you want to tweak a load get a center fire cartridge and have at it. On second thought maybe you should just stick to factory ammo and spare the hospital the trauma training:slap:
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lol, Not a rookie reloader boys.

If the case isn't supported it's going to go off like a firecracker not a bomb (granted a large firecracker with bits of metal flying off it). I'm not down playing the risk of flying hunks of brass, but really man, to qualify for the Darwin awards I'd have to stand a good chance of killing myself. I'm not proposing to use pliers and teeth...
 
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See easy...

Happy now Nannies...

IMG_2631_zpscaea9ba8.jpg
 
In all seriousness, I'm not making light of the risk. I thought I made that clear. I've been reloading for years and to be honest I'd be much more concerned about a double charge or wrong powder. Protecting yourself would be as easy as a small sheet of plexiglass.

Now ##### me out for giving inexperianced guys bad ideas, that I'll accept.
 
I just can't see it being worth the hassle and fiddling about with tiny pieces. Loading for my 22k hornet is bad enough.

Seems a bit unlikely that you will be able to improve much on the factory loadings. They aren't loaded down for safety in 100 year old 2 inch barreled pistols like 22lr might be and the powder is probably optimized for rifle length barrels.

Getting a rifle in 17 hornet or similar will have a lot more potential and be more satisfying in the long run.
 
Now were talking, the small size makes it more difficult no doubt. A couple of tenths either way could be the ticket to 1/4" groups, but the tiny case capacity could make getting it right a real chore. If this had been done I'd be all over it, but the more I think about it the more trouble it seems. Perhaps I really want a rifle chambered in a .172 Hornet based wildcat and I just don't know it yet.
 
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Sometimes you just have to do it to settle your own curiosities. Id say have at'er, theres only one way to know what the results will be. Just make sure the there is an escape route for the gasses and wear some safety glasses. Ive always been curious myself.
 
redshooter said:
Now were talking, the small size makes it more difficult no doubt. A couple of tenths either way could be the ticket to 1/4" groups, but the tiny case capacity could make getting it right a real chore. If this had been done I'd be all over it, but the more I think about it the more trouble it seems. Perhaps I really want a rifle chambered in a .172 Hornet based wildcat and I just don't know it yet.
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Quarter inch at what distance? There are already rifles that can do this already.
 
100 yds...

Here's where my idea falls on it's face...I think it might be able to already, and I don't expect I can do better.

Just an idea, and maybe not a good one.:D
 
i thought Mexican Match was takineg the FMJ bullet out of the various surplus type rounds leaving the powder in and putting a better/more appropriate bullet in?
 
As I understood it it was just the powder. The bullets wouldn't be the problem. If I'm not mistaken this is something M-14 shooter did. The 7.62 NATO Match rounds they used had something similar to a 175gr SMK (and later versions did I think), out of an M-14 that's about as heavy as you'd want. The idea being to tune the load to your rifle.
 
7.62 will have 40-45 grains of powder where as 17 HMR will have what 3? I doubt tweaking it would improve the load, probably just end up ruining consistency more than anything.
 
cam1936 said:
probably just end up ruining consistency more than anything.
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There lies the real problem, I might get it right but my RCBS 5-10 may not be sensitive enough to do it every time. It'll be like trying to get my 223 to shoot 90gr SMK's all over again (1 in 7"). Thamks for reminding me, that drove me mental.
 
redshooter said:
There lies the real problem, I might get it right but my RCBS 5-10 may not be sensitive enough to do it every time. It'll be like trying to get my 223 to shoot 90gr SMK's all over again (1 in 7"). Thamks for reminding me, that drove me mental.
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Also, do you think pulling and reinserting bullets will give the neck tension some inconsistency?
 
I would first try all the know brands of ammo and see if one was outstanding. f i found a good brand I would try several different lot #s of that brand and then buy a case or two of the best Lot#. SOP for 22 match ammo.
 
It looks like there's a 17 AI Hornet in my future. Thanks for the feed back.

I think we can but this idea to rest. Neck tension!, all that time putting a gentle crimp on my 308 loads to improve consistency and it doesn't even occur to me. It all could be accounted for but for that pesky primer filled rim, too much handling now for me to be comfortable with this.

Next trip to Toronto (or Gravenhurst) I'm going to pick up a selection of factory. I can only get 17gr here unless I order and the local store charges just a little too much.
 
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