[TexasGunsGuitarsNCigars]

I have a bunch of surplus 30-06 I bought for my cmp Garand.

I'm thinking about buying an accurate bolt gun in 30-06, and am wondering what bullet pulling and re-seating tools/methods are recommended for making the infamous "mexican match" ammo by removing the bullet and replacing with a new match grade bullet.

Thanks

[USSR]

You are going to need a collet-type bullet puller for sure. An impact bullet puller will have a tough time with the bullet sealant used in milsurp ammo. Also, I would weigh your charges before seating your new match bullet.

Don

[Sport45]

What kind of surplus ammo do you have? Some of it is really hard to improve. In any case, save the bullets you pull. There are a lot of us that like them. Don't use a match bullet that's any heavier than the pulled bullet.

USSR is right about the sealant. If you are going to use an impact puller it helps to first seat the bullet a little deeper to break the seal.

[cdrt]

Don't use a match bullet that's any heavier than the pulled bullet.

I'll put a big second on that one. We had a guy on the Navy Rifle team out of Mare Island that took standard 7.62 ball ammo with the 147 grain bullet and substituted Speer 168 grain match bullets. We shot them out of our match .308 M1 Garands that the Navy supplied. Talk about ejection !!!

[mallc]

Found this on another site. Has a section on making Mexican Match.

http://www.zediker.com/downloads/14_loading.pdf

Scott

[strat81]

Why waste the money on match bullets if you're not going to check for consistent powder charges, brass length, etc?

[Sport45]

+1 above.

I believe this process is more commonly used to make hunting ammo. You pull the FMJ and replace it with an expanding bullet more appropriate for the game you're hunting. As I said before, it's hard to improve on accuracy of surplus ammo by just changing the bullet. I personally don't know anybody that changes bullets for poking holes in paper.

[Jim Watson]

I dunno about that, I have pulled the FMJs out of Malaysian M193 copy and replaced them with SMKs.
MOA.

[GooseGestapo]

Ditto what JimWatson said above.......

If you have a loading press and a 3/8" fender washer, and a pair of pliers, you have all you need to pull the bullets.

Step 1; remove any dies from the loading press.....
Step 2; place the appropriate shell holder in the ram
Step 3; place a cartridge in the shell holder
Step 4; place the washer over the theaded die site with the hole in the washer centered over the "hole" in the top of the press.
Step 5; raise the ram until the bullet is showing above the "hole" with the case mouth about even with the washer.
Step 6; grab the bullet with the pliers "tightly". A wire crimping tool or vise-grips will also work.......
Step 7; while holding the bullet tightly, lower the ram on the press.........

Presto, the bullet is pulled..... Place the "de-bulleted" case in a loading block for later re-seating of the desired bullet.

NOTE: this only works if you have enough bullet sticking up above the case mouth to "grab" it with the pliers.....
Like the name "Mexican Match" implies, this was done by some of the early Mexican shooters shooting metallic silhouette matches back in the '60's. You can also replace the FMJ's for hunting ammo.

Be sure the bullet weighs the same or LESS than the bullet you are replacing......

[TexasGunsGuitarsNCigars]

Hmm... maybe I'll rethink this.

My favorite local range does not allow fmj ammo in long guns, and commercial soft or hollow-point 30-06 is pretty expensive, so I thought this might be worth it.

Yes, I already have a press, and the dies for 30-06 (need to get the collet puller, although I'll try the 3/8" washer and pliers trick with a few rounds and see how it works). I'l hafta' check, but I think the surplus rounds I have are 180gr, and I was gonna' replace some with the 168gr Sierra bthp match bullets I bought years ago but never loaded.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.