Is bullet setback ok?

[Garandimal]

Unfortunately, I've had this ammo for over 10 years, and most of it has already been used.

As I dry-fire train a lot, and, subsequently unload and reload a lot...

Will generally hand chamber-load the round w/out the mag, gently close the slide, and then hop the extractor over the case head.

Zero(0.0) stress to the "Barney" round.




GR

 

[tipoc]

Unfortunately, I've had this ammo for over 10 years, and most of it has already been used.

This tells you something.

Mostly it's tells ya that you have not had an issue with bullet set back. (Unless you've been ignoring that one round fires like a proper 9mm and the next like a 32 and the one after that like a 44 Mag.)

Bullet setback that causes an issue is rare. This is due to most rounds that have some setback are not setback enough to matter. The major source of setback that can be an issue is, as said, repeatedly chambering a round several times over. The other source is dropping the box of bullets or dropping a single bullet so that they land just right.

I've bought cases of 1,000 rounds where a good many bullets were seriously set back due to the case being dropped on a loading dock somewhere.

When you open a box of ammo look it over. All the bullets should sit at the same height. If they look like trees in a forest, some tall, some short, well look more closely. Any that look like they are a 380 round in a box of 9mm, well chuck 'em. Or take them where you got them from and swap out the box.

 

[Steve C]

Bullet setback is a common condition found in some guns where the ammo has to slide up the feed ramp nose first then into the chamber. I find it to be common in 1911 pistols. Some other types of pistols seem to have a more direct feed into the chamber with little setback. Bullets tightly crimped or ammo with a cannelure at the bullets base generally don't have much of a setback issue.

The problem you can get with ammo that has been chambered several times and the bullet setback is severe will be that the round will subsequently become unreliable when called upon to feed and chamber.

Every time someone posts about bullets being set back or seated short in the case there is a chorus of statements predicting dangerous high pressure and future damage to your handgun. IMO the idea that bullet setback causes any significant increase in pressure let alone enough to cause any damage to your handgun is complete hyperbole with no real world evidence. If bullet setback caused damage to guns and barrel kabooms you would see evidence of it every week or even every day as the internet would be rife with examples.

I have personally shot up several hundred rounds of factory ammo suffering severe setback so I could salvage the cases and have yet to see any sign of over pressure on inspection of the cases or its primer. As a hand loader I have occasionally taken expensive factory self defense rounds that have been set back and would use my kinetic bullet puller to pull the bullet out enough to reseat and crimp heavier in place.

 

[LiveLife]

the idea that bullet setback causes any significant increase in pressure let alone enough to cause any damage to your handgun is complete hyperbole with no real world evidence.

Here is a chart of shorter OAL (deeper bullet seating depth) for same powder charge increasing chamber pressure.

"... effect of overall cartridge length on pressure ... examples shown in this chart represent the dramatic effect a relatively minor change in seating depth may have on ... change in pressure ... 9mm is charged with 4.5 gr of Zip and a 115 grain bullet. The result shows a nearly 20% increase in pressure when the overall length is changed from 1.155" to 1.082"..."​

Below is from Ramshot Load Guide 3rd Edition where 9mm 115 gr round was pressure tested with 4.5 gr of Zip (Red line) from OAL of 1.155" down to 1.082" showing pressure increase from 27,000 PSI to almost 33,000 PSI - http://www.castpics.net/LoadData/Freebies/RM/Ramshot/Ramshot_3.pdf

 

[12Pump]

This tells you something.

Mostly it's tells ya that you have not had an issue with bullet set back. (Unless you've been ignoring that one round fires like a proper 9mm and the next like a 32 and the one after that like a 44 Mag.)

Bullet setback that causes an issue is rare. This is due to most rounds that have some setback are not setback enough to matter. The major source of setback that can be an issue is, as said, repeatedly chambering a round several times over. The other source is dropping the box of bullets or dropping a single bullet so that they land just right.

I've bought cases of 1,000 rounds where a good many bullets were seriously set back due to the case being dropped on a loading dock somewhere.

When you open a box of ammo look it over. All the bullets should sit at the same height. If they look like trees in a forest, some tall, some short, well look more closely. Any that look like they are a 380 round in a box of 9mm, well chuck 'em. Or take them where you got them from and swap out the box.

I did a little experiment last night and checked the newest HP round that I just put in the gun and it wasn't set back. Then I put it in the magazine and chambered it again and again about 6 or 7 times, sometimes normally and sometimes I chambered it more slowly to see if the bullet was hitting something on the feed ramp on the way in. Each time I ejected and checked the cartridge, there was no indication of set-back of the bullet. This cartridge was from the same box of ammo I had the set-back problem with a different cartridge.

 

[LiveLife]

I did a little experiment last night and checked the newest HP round that I just put in the gun and it wasn't set back.

Nice.

In the Handloading & Reloading category, some time back, I started reminding members that it's not the "finished OAL" that matters to accuracy rather "chambered OAL" that matters.

 

[John Joseph]

If the bullet set back enough to be visible after one chambering, I would definitely call/email the manufacturer with the lot number and request a replacement box. Most, if not all, will send a pre-paid label and swap it out. If enough cone in they’ll issue a recall for the lot to get it out of people’s hands.

As the guys stated, setback in smaller cased/high intensity rounds can lead to a spike in pressure with the potential for catastrophic failure and possible injury to shooter and bystanders. Personally, I would pull all of that ammo out of my gun(s) and go with another lot or even a new brand.

Stay safe.

A waste of time with Remington ammo. I've had issues with current production, contacted Remington, and......*crickets*