So I was at the range today and noticed many 100's of copper jacketed projectiles laying on the surface of the ground. These were fired from a 9mm and look practically perfect, unused except, for the groove marks. Can these be reused, or can you suggest anything they can be used for. could you melt them down for reloading? seperate copper and lead?
reclaimed copper jacketed projectiles
- Thread starter bobo1972
- Start date
Ah spring! Bullets everywhere, many of them pointed down range where they came to a stop after being slowed by the snow.
While I'm sure functionally they could be reused, I'm not sure I am cheap enough to risk sending bullets that COULD have microscopic grit embedded in them. But that's just me.
As for recycling, yes the lead can be salvaged. Most of the "copper" you see is not exactly copper, it's guilding material. While I'm not sure there is even a category for it at the scrap yard, it might be worth something.
My 2¢, next!
While I'm sure functionally they could be reused, I'm not sure I am cheap enough to risk sending bullets that COULD have microscopic grit embedded in them. But that's just me.
As for recycling, yes the lead can be salvaged. Most of the "copper" you see is not exactly copper, it's guilding material. While I'm not sure there is even a category for it at the scrap yard, it might be worth something.
My 2¢, next!
bobo - back to your original question. No, they cannot be reused as is, ie reloaded.
OK, before somebody jumps in, technically, you probably could. The problem is that they now all have rifling marks on them, which might screw your obturation, allowing propellant gasses to escape around the bullet. Very possibly they have grit embedded in the jacket and may even be distorted from impact, even if that is not visible to the naked eye. Firing them would at best be a very quick way to ruin your barrel and at worst a very good way to burst your barrel.
If I were in a Warsaw basement in 1944 with Jurgen Stroop closing in, yeah, I'd probably try it. In the here and now, not a chance.
Melt 'em down and toss the jackets - cheap lead for cast bullets. Or use them in a slingshot.
OK, before somebody jumps in, technically, you probably could. The problem is that they now all have rifling marks on them, which might screw your obturation, allowing propellant gasses to escape around the bullet. Very possibly they have grit embedded in the jacket and may even be distorted from impact, even if that is not visible to the naked eye. Firing them would at best be a very quick way to ruin your barrel and at worst a very good way to burst your barrel.
If I were in a Warsaw basement in 1944 with Jurgen Stroop closing in, yeah, I'd probably try it. In the here and now, not a chance.
Melt 'em down and toss the jackets - cheap lead for cast bullets. Or use them in a slingshot.
I agree with you. I took some .38 spl 125gr jacketed soft point that I found in the backstop. The ones that mic'd out as being round I tumbled and loaded them in 9mm cases. IIRC I tried about ten (1 mag full) Didn't seem to harm the barrel but I never continued the practice. Accuracy was mediocre.
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- In the Land of Lies Being Exposed!
lead collecting
I was just out to the range this morning and in the daylight I can easily say there are more like 1000's of these laying around. Baased on training schedule and rounds in course of fire I would estimate 10,000.
Anyway picked up a few but the bending over killed my back need to find an easier way. screening wouldnt work due to the debris you would also pick up.
I was just out to the range this morning and in the daylight I can easily say there are more like 1000's of these laying around. Baased on training schedule and rounds in course of fire I would estimate 10,000.
Anyway picked up a few but the bending over killed my back need to find an easier way. screening wouldnt work due to the debris you would also pick up.
FWIW, a member here from the Revelstoke area about a year ago was mentioning just this. They shoot into snow pushed into berms and reclaim the bullets every spring. They wash them, roll them on a hard smooth surface to check for warping etc. He even mentioned some have been fired 3-4 times. For close up target shooting I can't see the harm and if you were to scratch your barrel a few 1000 of these would save you the price of the barrel.
easyrider604
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- Greater Vancouver, BC
Perhaps you could tumble these recycled bullets before reloading them, that should remove all if not most of the grit.
I've heard of hardy shooters in latin america recycle primers by replacing the priming compound with some match (for lighting cigarettes and such) compound. So recycling jacketed bullets in good shape, which is so much easier and less work....is not so far-fetched.
I've heard of hardy shooters in latin america recycle primers by replacing the priming compound with some match (for lighting cigarettes and such) compound. So recycling jacketed bullets in good shape, which is so much easier and less work....is not so far-fetched.
Pathan along the North West Frontier used to do this to .303 bullets from the LEEs. Lee-Metford didn't mess them up too much, Lee-Enfields did a worse job, but you could always file the rifling marks off and re-use them
They also knew the match trick (old strike-anywhere kind) but the residue is just SUPER corrosive.
They also stole MOVIES that had been shot on cellulose nitrate film, copped them up and used those for powder. The advent of Safety Film (which was not violently flammable) put an end to that.
FWIW, gilding metal is composed almost entirely of copper: 95% in most formulas. The remaining 5% generally is TIN (worth even more than copper), which helps to cut down on your barrel fouling. Some formulas for gilding-metal might have as much as 2% antimony in them.
I have to go the range, see what I can pick up....
Another %%$#& experiment!
They also knew the match trick (old strike-anywhere kind) but the residue is just SUPER corrosive.
They also stole MOVIES that had been shot on cellulose nitrate film, copped them up and used those for powder. The advent of Safety Film (which was not violently flammable) put an end to that.
FWIW, gilding metal is composed almost entirely of copper: 95% in most formulas. The remaining 5% generally is TIN (worth even more than copper), which helps to cut down on your barrel fouling. Some formulas for gilding-metal might have as much as 2% antimony in them.
I have to go the range, see what I can pick up....
Another %%$#& experiment!
