38 spl seated too deep

akinswi · April 12, 2023, 07:09 PM

I was setting up my forster co ax to load some 158grn Lead Semi Wad Cutters, When I set up my seating die , I didn’t screw the seating stem out far enough and I seated the bullet with just the tip protruding out of the end of the case. There is 3.5 grains of Bullseye Powder in there.

My question is would it be ok too shoot this out my S&W 586 not have to worry about it damaging something.

Again its not seated just a little too deep its alot too deep almost wad cutter deep. Its only 1, The rest are fine

Recycled bullet · April 12, 2023, 07:36 PM

Use your collet impact bullet puller to walk the bullet back out.

**44 AMP** · April 13, 2023, 12:56 AM

Quote:

My question is would it be ok too shoot this out my S&W 586 not have to worry about it damaging something.

NO!!!!!!!!!!

IF you don't have a hammer type inertia bullet puller, get one!! Use that and pull the bullet.

DO NOT SHOOT IT!!!!

Someone with the the right tech support might be able to figure out how much you reduced the powder space and there by increased the pressure if you fired it. OR get the computer's best estimate. I have no way of knowing and since I don't I can't say the isn't over the guns ability to handle it.

Feel like buying a new gun, or a finger or an eye? Its one round right? Shooting it as is, with the bullet that deep is barking stupid, and a totally unneeded risk.

Pull the bullet, return it to your bullet stash (done right the pulled bullet will be undamaged).

If you are 100% sure what the powder is, dump it back in the can. IF only 99.9% sure what it is, toss it. 3.5gr is piffle....

I would FL resize the case and if ok, reload it, but that's just me.

DO NOT SHOOT IT with the bullet so deep in the case only the nose peeks out.

Nick_C_S · April 13, 2023, 10:25 AM

This:

Quote:

NO!!!!!!!!!!

And this:

Quote:

DO NOT SHOOT IT!!!!

Can't stress it enough.

It shouldn't be done with any propellant; but especially Bullseye. Bullseye is highly energetic and unforgiving.

armoredman · April 13, 2023, 01:07 PM

Agree with the above - pull that bullet.

akinswi · April 13, 2023, 01:19 PM

pulled

ghbucky · April 13, 2023, 09:01 PM

When you are setting up your seating depth, use an unprimed case. Once you've got the depth you want, you can hang onto your dummy round to use it to set up your dies again if you need to.

olduser · April 14, 2023, 08:52 AM

+1 on the dummy round advice. I make up and keep a dummy round for each bullet type I load. sure makes setting up the seating die easy.

gwpercle · April 14, 2023, 10:42 AM

Right now is a great time to run out and pick up a kinetic bullet puller ... the hammer kind is kinetic ... not very expensive and if you do any reloading ... they come in so handy .
Too deep ? ...just grab the puller a couple whacks and you can use the bullet , powder and primed case .
I bought one 50 years ago when I did what you did and never have regretted it .
Collet and Die pullers can't pull deep seated and lead with out damage to the bullet .
Go get a Kinetic Puller and never worry about removing bullets ...
I have pulled 500 rounds of WWII 30-06 machine gun ammo with it ...they can pull bullets !
Gary

gwpercle · April 14, 2023, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by olduser

+1 on the dummy round advice. I make up and keep a dummy round for each bullet type I load. sure makes setting up the seating die easy.

YES ... For sure do this and keep dummies in the box with dies !
Gary

ghbucky · April 14, 2023, 02:09 PM

Quote:

I have pulled 500 rounds of WWII 30-06 machine gun ammo with it ...they can pull bullets !

Unless you turn it around and whack the wrong end. Then they SEAT bullets....

Don't ask. Just don't.

**44 AMP** · April 14, 2023, 07:18 PM

Here's a tip to help pull down milsurp ammo where the bullet is sealed into the case.

Run them through your seater die, set to seat the bullets about .1 or so deeper, FIRST. This breaks the seal and makes pulling them easier.

smee78 · April 14, 2023, 08:28 PM

Nice tip 44 AMP, thanks for sharing

Nathan · April 15, 2023, 06:01 AM

Please don’t take this wrong. If you had to ask that in an open forum, I would ask that you reevaluate how much you know about what you are doing. Might be worth some reflection. Just because there are sooooo many things we can accidentally hurt ourselves reloading.

Good luck. That said, I appreciate the question. We can all learn from it and this will help 2-3 others learn.

akinswi · April 16, 2023, 06:54 AM

@ Nathan then why even mention it. Be careful what you say, if you appreciated the question you would have not made that remark.

“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.”

Albert Einstein

Recycled bullet · April 16, 2023, 07:27 AM

How strange did it look

Nathan · April 16, 2023, 10:22 PM

Quote:

@ Nathan then why even mention it. Be careful what you say, if you appreciated the question you would have not made that remark.

I’m ok with what I said. Forums are a great place to chat, share ideas, get some ideas.

Wadcutters seat almost flush. SWC’s seat with about 1/3 of the length out. That much additional burn space being eaten into, you should expect a significant pressure increase. My guess is 10000psi boost. I’m just estimating, but I’m a deep enough study of this subject that I’m comfortable calling it excessive in my hand.

What if like 10 posts all said, “shoot it, you’re good”?

April 12, 2023, 07:09 PM	#1
akinswi Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2012 Location: Bowling Green, Ky Posts: 709	38 spl seated too deep I was setting up my forster co ax to load some 158grn Lead Semi Wad Cutters, When I set up my seating die , I didn’t screw the seating stem out far enough and I seated the bullet with just the tip protruding out of the end of the case. There is 3.5 grains of Bullseye Powder in there. My question is would it be ok too shoot this out my S&W 586 not have to worry about it damaging something. Again its not seated just a little too deep its alot too deep almost wad cutter deep. Its only 1, The rest are fine Last edited by akinswi; April 12, 2023 at 07:14 PM.

April 14, 2023, 07:18 PM	#12
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,916	Here's a tip to help pull down milsurp ammo where the bullet is sealed into the case. Run them through your seater die, set to seat the bullets about .1 or so deeper, FIRST. This breaks the seal and makes pulling them easier. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

April 14, 2023, 08:28 PM	#13
smee78 Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2008 Location: South Carolina Posts: 2,921	Nice tip 44 AMP, thanks for sharing __________________ We know exactly where one cow with Mad-cow-disease is located, among the millions and millions of cows in America, but we haven't got a clue where thousands of illegal immigrants and terrorists are

April 16, 2023, 06:54 AM	#15
akinswi Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2012 Location: Bowling Green, Ky Posts: 709	@ Nathan then why even mention it. Be careful what you say, if you appreciated the question you would have not made that remark. “The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing.” Albert Einstein Last edited by akinswi; April 16, 2023 at 07:09 AM.

April 12, 2023, 07:36 PM	#2
Recycled bullet Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2022 Posts: 345	Use your collet impact bullet puller to walk the bullet back out.

April 13, 2023, 01:07 PM	#5
armoredman Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 5,306	Agree with the above - pull that bullet.

April 13, 2023, 01:19 PM	#6
akinswi Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2012 Location: Bowling Green, Ky Posts: 709	pulled

April 13, 2023, 09:01 PM	#7
ghbucky Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2020 Posts: 1,177	When you are setting up your seating depth, use an unprimed case. Once you've got the depth you want, you can hang onto your dummy round to use it to set up your dies again if you need to.

April 14, 2023, 08:52 AM	#8
olduser Senior Member Join Date: August 10, 2020 Posts: 100	+1 on the dummy round advice. I make up and keep a dummy round for each bullet type I load. sure makes setting up the seating die easy.

April 14, 2023, 10:42 AM	#9
gwpercle Senior Member Join Date: November 30, 2012 Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana Posts: 1,754	Right now is a great time to run out and pick up a kinetic bullet puller ... the hammer kind is kinetic ... not very expensive and if you do any reloading ... they come in so handy . Too deep ? ...just grab the puller a couple whacks and you can use the bullet , powder and primed case . I bought one 50 years ago when I did what you did and never have regretted it . Collet and Die pullers can't pull deep seated and lead with out damage to the bullet . Go get a Kinetic Puller and never worry about removing bullets ... I have pulled 500 rounds of WWII 30-06 machine gun ammo with it ...they can pull bullets ! Gary

April 15, 2023, 06:01 AM	#14
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,349	Please don’t take this wrong. If you had to ask that in an open forum, I would ask that you reevaluate how much you know about what you are doing. Might be worth some reflection. Just because there are sooooo many things we can accidentally hurt ourselves reloading. Good luck. That said, I appreciate the question. We can all learn from it and this will help 2-3 others learn.

April 16, 2023, 07:27 AM	#16
Recycled bullet Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2022 Posts: 345	How strange did it look