more stuck bull

[deadeye dick]

as wr400 wrote, I also had the same problem, no powder. took about four duds and stuck bullets to realize it. duh. my question is can you reuse the fired bullets again after being in the barrel about 1/2 inch and knocked out with a hardwood dowel. dont see any distortion other than the rifleing grooves. I'm not cheap, I just don't like to waste anything.
Thanke

 

[longdayjake]

Probably, but you probably won't get a good seal and they may not be too accurate.

 

[kingmt]

What he said.

 

[bucktail]

They'd probably work in a muzzle loader with sabots.

 

[Walkalong]

I am cheap, and I wouldn't do it.

 

[gamestalker]

I am really cheap but I would still not take a chance on trying it. If it has rifling groves in it how are you going to get it to seal in the brass properly? And then if it isn't sealing in the case mouth, as it should be, your going to have to worry about various unpredictable reactions, powder escaping from recoil when other rounds are fired, pressures becoming totally unpredictable because of an improperly sealed round, possible jacket separation is also possible upon ignition. A possible unintended ignition from another round being discharged could also occure when that round isn't in battery. Jeeze, the list goes on as to why you shouldn't use rounds that are groved.
A .20 cent bullet isn't worth the life changing risk at hand. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink!

 

[kingmt]

Sabots. That is a good idea. I done that with some recovered bullets. They flew fine at 25 or30yds I can't remimber. If it's just 4 or 5 is it worth your time? I understand not wanting to waste them. Maybe just put them on the shelf to remind you not to do that again. In a few years from now you might find a purpose they fit.

 

[Mal H]

If it has rifling groves in it how are you going to get it to seal in the brass properly?

Exactly. You can do it, of course, but you might end up with a much dirtier than usual barrel/chamber after shooting only those four rounds.

Essentially you have swaged the bullets to the exact diameter of your barrel. IOW, they are no longer the correct diameter for the barrel (a few thou wider). It's just not worth it.

 

[Steve Koski]

I've reused bullets that I dug out of a stump. I'm cheap too, and not terribly chicken (or maybe the better word is "bright").

It's not worth what? A microgram of extra fouling in a filthy pistol? '

The only real risk is that the bullet sets back, and you have an overpressure event. But you can test that with a little thumb pressure and your calipers.

Koski