Is it safe to fire a dented bullet (pic)

I wouldn't shoot that first case with the groove in it. It looks like it cut a hole in the case. The bullets aren't a problem.

Depression/Scratches - no problem
But that 1st case is the Grand Canyon
Pull & toss....

That brass maybe ok but could split or make a crease. The bullets won't be a problem at all, probably won't see any difference in accuracy.

Would that first one even chamber?

"Normal" handling dents aren't much of a problem, they'll just blow out sort of like fireforming "improved" brass from regular brass. But that one looks too rough to fire and I'd pull the bullet, spread the powder in the garden, pop the primer, and discard the case.

That's a case, not a bullet.

Yes, you can fire it; it will iron out flat, and it might spilt, but it won't harm anything.

Will probably be OK, but 223 ammo is too cheap to take the chance. Some exotic rounds will cost you $5-$10 every time you pull the trigger. I'd be more tempted with one of those.

Don't load the full 60 rounds. 57-58 are plenty and you'll reduce the problems.

I wouldn't shoot it in my 223s. It may split and leak high pressure gas into your chamber which will damage your chamber forever, or it may not. Either way that brass case is going to be junk.
As for the bullet (what you're referring to as the 'tip') it will still fly downrange and probably land close enough to where it should you wouldn't notice any difference. It is indicative of a rather rough barrel extension which might go away after you break it in some. If it's still doing that after a few hundred rounds I'd probably fix it.

Welcome to THR and our shared Hobby (Neurosis?), Steelice!

When in doubt, DON'T

Steelice said:

I have a 60 round mag for my ar15 and the spring is really tight so i think the bullet somehow got dented when i slap the mag in. Is it still safe to fire? Also when i chamber a round and take it back out the tip is all scraped up, is that normal? (Just built my first ar15 - new gun owner)

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I agree that you should toss the round with the dented case. Not worth it for $0.30

Also agree with Advice to download by a round or two. I do that with all mags that seat hard on a closed bolt/slide. AR and Glock mags especially.

edwardware said:

That's a case, not a bullet.

Yes, you can fire it; it will iron out flat, and it might spilt, but it won't harm anything.

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It's a CARTRIDGE. A cartridge consists of the case, bullet, powder and primer. Some of us reloaders get a bit picky about things like that.

Texas10mm said:

It's a CARTRIDGE. A cartridge consists of the case, bullet, powder and primer. Some of us reloaders get a bit picky about things like that.

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The case is dented. The dented case is certainly assembled into a cartridge, but the case is the specific part of the cartridge that is dented.

If your hood is dented, you'd say your hood was dented, even if the hood is still bolted onto your car.

I wouldn't shoot the cartridge with the dented case.

If that's a result of the feed lip on the magazine, then you are overloading your magazine, either by number of rounds, or based on spring tension. If a metal magazine, the lip on the magazines may begin bending. If metal or polymer, I think you are over compressing the springs in the magazine and will likely need to replace the magazine springs early. If you aren't counting how many rounds you are loading, you should be. You might be jamming 61 rounds into a 60 round magazine. Not a good idea. If you are loading 60 rounds, and the feed lip is denting the case that badly, then I would download the magazines to maybe only like 55 rounds.

As far as the beat up bullets, shooting them isn't a problem, but I question why they are so beat up. Something going on with your feed ramp? Is the gun cycling properly?

If in doubt---throw it out !

I wouldn't load that dented bullet into the clip of my new assault rifle.

welcome to one of the better and more "grown up" forums in the "gunz world"

That dented case would bother me. I've shot a lot of dented cases but not that bad. It probably wouldn't hurt anything but, better safe than sorry. The scuff marks on those bullets would not bother me at all and I would shoot them without a second thought.

Ammo is going to have to get a LOT more expensive before I’d shot any of those. Not saying I wouldn’t ever but with the current cost of ammo, nope.

I’ve picked up rounds at the range that were dented and creased like that and worse. I usually pull the bullet and massage the dent out best I can. Really not that hard to do, then full length resize, reload, and shoot. Never had a case rupture on me yet!

How many times was that magazine inserted without chambering and firing the top (dented) cartridge?
This gun runs properly?

-welcome to THR!

Steelice,

OK the dominant opinion, don't fired the round with the dented case. Toss it.

The unanswered question? Why are the bullet tips scratched up? Is this normal in your gun? Is it a mag issue/ Is something scratching the bullet as it enters the chamber or leaves the mag?

tipoc said:

The unanswered question? How?

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It looks to me that the increased spring pressure of the extended magazine didn’t release the cartridge and the bolt lug tore into the case. It also appears the feed ramps and extension are sharp, scoring the bullet.

Pull down or toss the damaged cartridge. Since the ammunition you have is clearly identified as “not match” the bullet scratches won’t matter and the ramps and extension will be burnished smooth with a few hundred rounds.

The magazine should wear in a little as well. Clean and lubricate it, if you haven’t done so. Downloading is fine, use is better. Be sure the mag is seated proper before releasing the bolt, skimming the top will cause problems.
This one will tear a 12 gauge shell straight open if the magazine misfeeds. The springs are huge and tight to keep up with heavy buckshot. They don’t like to seat loaded.

(Hmm, second post of this one today. Time to get her out to play!)