What to do with live fired ammo?

[Wrage]

A friend of mine gave a bunch of once fired .270 brass - as I went through it I found 3 live rounds that he attempted to fire but they did not go off (he did tell me about this beforehand). The primers have been hit by the firing pin and are visibly dented.

I have thought about maybe trying to fire them in my .270 to see if they fire - but what should I do with them? If they fail to fire is it safe to use a bullet puller? These were new factory rounds that failed to fire, not reloads.

 

[jcwit]

Pull them, unless you REALLY trust your friends reloading.

Frankly I ONLY trust my own, and NEVER reload for anyone else.

 

[towboat_er]

Factory loads...Shoot em if they'll fire. Pull em if they dont.

 

[A-FIXER]

Pull them why would you chance a squib, blowing up your barrel... or something worse its JUST NOT WORTH IT!!!!

 

[FROGO207]

IMHO those look like good hard primer hits on those rounds. You say that they are factory loads so you could try firing them again. If they were reloads and not mine I would NOT try to fire them either. I personally would pull them apart fertilize the lawn with the the unknown propellant, remove the bad primers and reload as usual reusing the brass and bullets. Just use your kinetic bullet puller (if you reload you should have one IMHO) and save what you can, I always do that with any recovered ammo that is suspect. Not worth hurting yourself or your firearm.

 

[Whiskey11]

If you are uncomfortable using a Kinetic puller, you should try the brass method, take a fired (and preferably in bad shape) case in the same caliber, slide it over the bullet, and gently apply pressure like you are breaking a stick in half between your hands, do this to all the sides and the bullet should pull (or fall) out. I've done this with several .308 rounds and reused the brass afterwords. if you work it gently you don't damage the fired case in the process, it can be sized like normal. Probably not a bad idea to re anneal those cases before reloading em just in case it stretched the brass out too much. That is, if you don't want to use a Kinetic for fear of setting them off...

 

[Wrage]

Thanks for all the replies! Yes I am certain they are factory loads (my friend told me he bought the ammo himself and doesn't reload and only shoots what he buys)

My main concern was whether these were dangerous in a kinetic puller because the primers were already dented - that was why I was thinking of trying them in my rifle first, but if they can be taken apart safely in a kinetic bullet puller - I will just do that rather then trying to fire them first.

So the kinetic puller should be ok?

 

[Hondo 60]

Kinetic hammer is just fine. That's what I would do.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Pulling the bullets poses no danger, you're not hitting the primer at all.

 

[Nevmavrick]

I hesitate to use a kinetic puller on a dented live primer. If it DID go off there would be a pop from the primer, and the powder would catch fire and startle you somethin' fierce, but wouldn't be overly dangerous.....probably.
Put a few grains (30 or so) on a plate and light it with a match, and that'll be pretty much what'll happen.
Anyway...you can usually put the loaded cartridge into ahell-head holder in the press, and run the ram to the top, without a die in place, hold the bullet with a set of dikes (diagional-cutter or pliers) and bring the ram back down. That'll pull the bullet.
As a factory round, I'd pour the powder in to a glass. If the powder looked strange (some of the kernals have the graphite "blown" off) I'd throw it into a toilet, and flush it. If it looks OK, I'd resize the case and pop the primer and replace with a new one(any regular primer will work) replace the primer, and bullet, and shoot it. All you'd be doing, tho', would be making noise. You can just as well reduce it to components, and reload as usual.
When you pop the primer, don't slam it...just ease the case into the die...The primer is STILL live, just not as sensitive or powerful.
Have fun,
Gene

 

[Pistol Ranch]

What exactly is "LIVE FIRED AMMO"

P.R.

 

[gamestalker]

I'm probably over cautious and wouldn't use a kenetic puller. I would slip another case over the bullet like was suggested, put it in the shell holder and when the ram is at the top, put a pair of vise grips on the case neck that is over the bullet, then gently lower the press arm. This will help preserve the brass for future reloading.
Or if you have a collet type puller, just pull them.

 

[NCsmitty]

If you have a loading press, run the bullet up into the open press and grab the bullets with side cutters and lower the press handle and they'll slide the bullet out so you can salvage the case. Spread the powder on your lawn.



NCsmitty

 

[Wrage]

I like the press idea - I will give that a shot tonight...if you don't see any more posts from me you will know it didn't work

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[BeerSleeper]

What exactly is "LIVE FIRED AMMO

My thoughts exactly. I think the OP meant "dud rounds"

 

[Wrage]

Worked great with the press and the vise-grips - thanks all.


Yes I meant dud rounds...sorry for the incorrect terminology. I tried explaining it as best I could, and thanks for pointing it out.

 

[hiker44]

Pull the bullets, deprime, clean, resize, reprime and reload.