M43 Seperated Bullet --> Revealed

[sixty9santa]

Hi all

I received the 1120rnd case of Czech M43 I orded from Canada Ammo, great people to deal with.
Anyhow, I would really like to know how to safely remove the bullet from the casing.
I'm kind of weary since I don't want it to detonate in the process.
I want to dissect the projectile and Rockwell test the steel core and post my findings.
I assume it's around 21-26Rc if it's unhardened mild steel.

All safe info appreciated,

-sixty9santa

 

[RobSmith]

Kinetic puller should do the trick.

 

[toomanymachines]

The puller works well, but if you do not want to go out and purchase one, you can do it with a little grunt labour.
I would just put the bullet end in a vice, and grab the case with your hand and force it back and forth to loosen the case enough to pull it off. You are not worried about reuseing anything.
I am sure that someone will say that that is crazy and dangerous. My father ran a tire shop for 39 years.. I remember vividly as a little kid (10) of someone with a flat tire in a 7.50x16 michelin 10 ply tire coming in to get it repaired.
It had a live 30-06 shell in it near the edge of the tread. It went in at a slight angle and the edge of the case was all scuffed off from rolling against the road. If it did not detonate from that, some military surplus stuff with tougher primers sure is not anything to worry about

 

[sixty9santa]

I checked this site out:
http://www.gswagner.com/bigreloading/pullers/pullers.html
And after seeing the press mounted collet puller, I think I can come up with something similar but doing it in a mill.
Thanx all

 

[sixty9santa]

Okay, I did it ghetto style (bench vise and vise grips).
I grinded the projectile such to only reveal the different layers.
Here are my findings: copper coated steel jacket, followed by lead and finally followed by the steel core.
The steel core is most likely just a piece of wire.
More to come since I intend on doing a Rockwell test during the week.
Too bad I don't have one in the garage.

Cheers,



-sixty9santa

 

[CZ fan]

I would re-think about the steel wire. There is a big chunck of mild steel in the bullet.

 

[WiserFool]

I'm one of those guys that added up the value of the bullets to be pulled, and the cost of a puller and collets, and looked for some alternative. I ended up putting the rounds in my press without a die in it, running it to the top, grabbing the bullet lightly with padded vise grips, and lowering the ram slowly. Worked fine.

 

[sixty9santa]

Dear CZ Fan: Steel wires come in different gauges. Gauges mean different wire diameters. Gauges also apply to the thickness of flat sheet stock, just look up a chart.