Questions about surplus bullets

[jagdpanzer347]

Greetings all. With the high cost of 5.56 and 7.62 NATO ammunition I'm looking to get back into reloading. I plan on trying some SMKs or similar for accuracy work, but want to load most of my rounds for inexpensive practice/plinking use.

What should I look for when buying surplus bullets? I usually see either collet-pulled or machine-pulled bullets for sale. I assume collet-pulled is hand-pulled?
I also assume this causes less damage to the projectile? Are all surplus bullets generally re-sized? Any hints/tips/information would be greatly appreciated.

-jagd

 

[nicholst55]

Do a Google search for surplus bullets, and you'll find several sources for them. Some advertise that they size their pulled bullets, and some don't. Being a skeptic, I doubt that all who claim to actually do resize their bullets, but that's just me.

Right now, there is a definite shortage of surplus bullets, and prices are increasing daily - they're just almost as expensive as bulk factory bullets right now! Unless you just must have surplus, I'd look for the cheapest source for Remington or Winchester bulk bullets.

If I was ordering surplus bullets online, I'd call to verify that they actually have them (goes for surplus brass and powder, too) in stock.

You can't go wrong with Pat's Reloading, or Jeff Bartlett.

 

[RustyFN]

I haven't bought anything here but they have surplus.
Rusty
http://www.iidbs.com/hitech.zkb

 

[donttellthewife]

I 've gotten thousands of 308 CBC 147gr tips form Pats reloading when they were $144.00 per 3000, they are great for plinking. I think they are all pulled using machinery just different methods. All the tips mentioned had tarnish and tar sealent still on them so I cleaned them up before loading. The fastest way I found to clean them was to run the tips through the tumbler. I did this outside on a warm day in the sun, add corncob media and tips to tumbler, turn on tumbler with lid off, add acetone, walk away until it evapotates in about 15 min. and shazzam, clean tips and clean tumbler. As far as resizing, isn't that what my rifle barrel does
I see that your in Ohio, for whatever reason most of the retailers of surplus components are in your state, lucky you.

 

[Khornet]

I've used

pulldown M2 bullets from Bartlett Reloaders (www.gibrass.com) with good plinking accuracy in my M1. They're not as accurate as Hornady 150 FMJ though.

Got a bunch of pulldown 55 gr FMJ for my AR 15, and they are about the same.

Winchester bulk 147 gr FMJ .308/7.62 bullets were relatively cheap the last time I got them from Midway and are accurate. Bulk Hornady bullets are a good buy, and I think the best bet overall.