Would you reload this bulged 10mm brass?

**Brian19** · Jun 14, 2021

Since I've had a recent 10mm failure, which may not have been at all related to bulged cases (I'll post that update separately), I have been culling bulged brass. Attached is a picture of brass that I would toss, and I am wondering if I am being overly cautious and what you guys would do with these examples. These cases have been run through the Lee Bulge Buster.

They each “plunk” just fine in a gauge.

Thanks

dredd · Jun 14, 2021

If they fit the gauge & plunk the barrel, load some and see how they feed, cycle, shoot etc.

FROGO207 · Jun 14, 2021

You can remove a wicked bulge with the bulge buster. My question is what were the cases like before you processed them. The severly bulged (guppy belly) brass is the stuff I will not reload as the brass has been stretched in the area of the web and possibly compromised by it.mark any with a marker on the head and inspect well after shooting them and see, if you do use them that is.

milsurpguy · Jun 14, 2021

I would shoot them in a gun that doesn't bulge brass.
For me I pick up lots of bulged 45acp shot in glock or glock clone, then reload them to +P shoot them in a 1911, reload them over and over until the head stamp is gone or they won't fit on a shell holder any more.

dartor · Jun 14, 2021

My reloading motto on questionable brass is "when in doubt, toss it out". My hands and eyes are worth more to me than a few pieces of questionable brass.

Mr.Revolverguy · Jun 14, 2021

Yes sir been there done that bulge buster as was mentioned. I al run a dental pick thru the inside to try and check for case head seperation.

GeoDudeFlorida · Jun 14, 2021

dartor said:
My reloading motto on questionable brass is "when in doubt, toss it out". My hands and eyes are worth more to me than a few pieces of questionable brass.

Yup. This ^^^^ exactly.

Lennyjoe · Jun 14, 2021

Yes I’d resize thru a bulge buster and reload. I have a G20 with a KKM barrel and a HiPoint 10MM rifle in a Bullpup stock that I’d shoot them thru.

What are you reloading them to shoot in? If it’s a Glock is it a factory or aftermarket barrel?

mokin · Jun 14, 2021

Lennyjoe asks some good questions.

I'd take my Dremel to a couple of them. One before sizing and another after sizing. It's not very scientific but it does expose the web and I think it's fun.

CQB45ACP · Jun 15, 2021

mokin said:
Lennyjoe asks some good questions.

I'd take my Dremel to a couple of them. One before sizing and another after sizing. It's not very scientific but it does expose the web and I think it's fun.

And after all that’s what we’re here for otherwise it’d be called work, not forum.

edwardware · Jun 15, 2021

**Brian19** said:
These cases have been run through the Lee Bulge Buster.

Then it's too late to learn much by looking at them.

Look before bandaiding the damage.

Considering that you've demonstrated the high cost of a failed case, and I don't know of a way to detect incipient failure just before it's going to occur, I would ere on the side of scraping any visibly bulged brass.

red rick · Jun 15, 2021

sparkyv · Jun 16, 2021

Just a minor bulge (Gluck smile)? Yes, I would use.
A significant bulge (like FROGO207 called guppy belly)? No.
A cross section as suggested by mokin is a good idea.
Eeek! --> Image from 10mm-firearms forum:

rfwobbly · Jun 16, 2021

Wrong question to ask.

The bulge is telling you that something is wrong.
So the question is... Why are you still shooting loads that bulge the brass ?

Pat Riot · Jun 16, 2021

Forgive my ignorance, I do not load 10mm or really hot .45 ACP or 9mm, but it almost appears to me that this brass has a bulge from resizing where the case is not sized where the cartridge case holder and the sizing die meet. The “bulge” appears uniform. I am not familiar with the Lee Bulge Buster Die.

**Brian19** · Jun 16, 2021

rfwobbly said:
Wrong question to ask.

The bulge is telling you that something is wrong.
So the question is... Why are you still shooting loads that bulge the brass ?

I culled this brass...meaning I separated it for disposal, not to shoot again. I was simply asking if I was being overly cautious. This brass doesn’t have a guppy belly, but I can still see a slight bulge. Here’s a picture before running through the sizing or bulge buster.

Lennyjoe · Jun 16, 2021

Doesn’t look abnormal after being sized. The die doesn’t size the brass all the way down the case. The die stops when it hits the shell holder and there will be a small area unsized. Looks like that’s what your calling a bulge.

This case is definitely bulged with a Glock smile so I wouldn’t reuse this case in any way.

**Brian19** · Jun 16, 2021

Lennyjoe said:
Doesn’t look abnormal after being sized. The die doesn’t size the brass all the way down the case. The die stops when it hits the shell holder and there will be a small area unsized. Looks like that’s what your calling a bulge.

This case is definitely bulged with a Glock smile so I wouldn’t reuse this case in any way.
View attachment 1005353

Agree. Though not as noticeable, the brass I show is indeed slightly bulged from my unsupported barrel. With a higher charge, I’ll get brass that look like what you showed. Here are some loaded rounds, also culled as I'm not comfortable with their appearance, although they plunk just fine in a gauge.

Lennyjoe · Jun 16, 2021

My fully sized brass measure .4130 thru the center to .4180 just at the bottom section. But the .4180 is uniform with no variation around the case.

twarr1 · Jun 16, 2021

It's been said many times, but here goes again; The brass is stretched where the bulge is, you run it thru a Bulge Buster to make it fit back in the chamber, BUT, it does nothing about the fact the metal was overstressed in that spot. Reload it, shoot it again, and the previously bulged spot loads in a supported position - the shooter thinks they solved a problem. They didn't. They just got lucky. Repeat until the bulge happens to load in the exact same, unsupported position and get a Kaboom!. Then spent lots of time and effort trying to "figure out" what happened.
Lather, rinse, repeat endlessly
IMHO Bulge Busters are 2-purpose tools;1) Make the case fit back into the chamber, 2) Give the reloader a false sense of security. The 'plunk test' only reinforces the trick. It tells you absolutely nothing about the condition of the case except it will fit.
Ask yourself this question; If you had some bottleneck cases with the prominent ring around the head indicating an imminent head separation, would you run it thru a 'bottleneck bulge buster' (if there was such a thing) and shoot it? ? ?

Rule3 · Jun 16, 2021

twarr1 said:
It's been said many times, but here goes again; The brass is stretched where the bulge is, you run it thru a Bulge Buster to make it fit back in the chamber, BUT, it does nothing about the fact the metal was overstressed in that spot. Reload it, shoot it again, and the previously bulged spot loads in a supported position - the shooter thinks they solved a problem. They didn't. They just got lucky. Repeat until the bulge happens to load in the exact same, unsupported position and get a Kaboom!. Then spent lots of time and effort trying to "figure out" what happened.
Lather, rinse, repeat endlessly
IMHO Bulge Busters are 2-purpose tools;1) Make the case fit back into the chamber, 2) Give the reloader a false sense of security. The 'plunk test' only reinforces the trick. It tells you absolutely nothing about the condition of the case except it will fit.
Ask yourself this question; If you had some bottleneck cases with the prominent ring around the head indicating an imminent head separation, would you run it thru a 'bottleneck bulge buster' (if there was such a thing) and shoot it? ? ?

Exactly. I am sure many of us have taken a thin piece of metal (any kind) and bent it back and forth and if by "magic" it then breaks in half,

"There Endeth the Lesson"

Lennyjoe · Jun 16, 2021

In the end the decision is up to you. Resize and shoot or buy new.

Mark_Mark · Jun 16, 2021

Throw them all out!!! Better yet, I’ll recycle them for you. Put in a flat rate and mail it to Seattle!

FROGO207 · Jun 17, 2021

As stated above the risk is using them in an unsupported chamber multiple times. That is when it is not worth it. Using range brass with mild bulging that will be utilized in a fully supported chamber you will probably get away with it at least for a while. Your brass your choice!

sparkyv · Jun 18, 2021

I see nothing wrong with these. I'd load and bulge bust if needed.

**Brian19** said:
I culled this brass...meaning I separated it for disposal, not to shoot again. I was simply asking if I was being overly cautious. This brass doesn’t have a guppy belly, but I can still see a slight bulge. Here’s a picture before running through the sizing or bulge buster.

Not comfortable? Cull as you've done and move on. PM if you're selling them.

**Brian19** said:
Agree. Though not as noticeable, the brass I show is indeed slightly bulged from my unsupported barrel. With a higher charge, I’ll get brass that look like what you showed. Here are some loaded rounds, also culled as I'm not comfortable with their appearance, although they plunk just fine in a gauge.

View attachment 1005367 View attachment 1005368

Would you reload this bulged 10mm brass?

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