pulling bullets in M2 .30 cal

[joem]

I have to disagree Maury. If used correctly there are no pull marks on the bullets using the collet type puller. The ones with pitch, after pulling, I soak outside in a bucket of gas then tumble. Very old bullets ( looking corroded) are soaked in viniger and salt soultion then run through the timbler. They come out like new and shoot as good as they did when made.

[Maury Krupp]

Well, I did say "...maybe with pull marks..." but my real point was more about the "...shoot as good as they did when made..." angle.

Those M2 Ball bullets will never be good for anything better than what they are now as loaded ammo. So what's the point in pulling them?

They aren't and were never intended to be more than 2-4MOA bullets to begin with. They're not really worth reloading for anything but can blasting or Standing practice. They can be used for that right now.

If better ammo is needed, instead of Mexican matching where you're left with a pile of semi-useless bullets, shoot 'em up then reload better ammo with the once-fired brass.

Maury

[Jim in Salt Lake]

You can shoot them quicker than pulling the bullets. You're probably not going to reuse the powder either. So you shoot them for the cost of new primers, get the offhand practice everybody needs, and reload the brass with better quality bullets and powder. I used up all my CMP Lake City and HXP shooting Springfield and Garand matches with help from the juniors. I'm prepping all that brass now and the thought of pulling all those bullets makes me glad we shot it all up. The Greek HXP was actually more accurate than the Lake City.

[Chris W.]

I vote for shooting them as well. You did say M2 ball ?? ( that is a 152gr. boolit, not the M1 ball 172 ) Second option would be the RCBS collet puller on a press. ( not your 550 ) You are never going to get much better than 2 MOA out of the 152 gr. why not just shoot them, get the trigger time. If you end up pulling them down you will also notice they weren't that fussy about the powder charge either. That M2 is old powder, old primer, old bullet in a great case. Easier to just fire and start fresh and get some great practice doing so.
Chris

[Ltdave]

didnt plan on reusing the powder without at least re-throwing for consistency...

large rifle primers, processing brass and dealing with the crimp is more than i wanted to play around with for Garand matches...

any reason not to use the bullet puller on my 550?

i dont have time to shoot my garand for trigger time because my trigger time (non-competition shooting) is devoted to my AR...

[Hefights]

He's intending to use the primed cases to put a better bullet in. I guess if the cases are in reasonable shape and not warped by pulling, you could make more accurate loads with better quality bullets and maybe more accurate and/or different powder charge.

But looking at OP I have another question. Given the challenges discussed, would you use a Dillon 550 to pull the bullets? I woudn't use mine for that.

[Parashooter]

I hope you realize that plenty of Garand matches have been won with GI M2 ball ammunition. With a good M1 rifle, a competent shooter can usually keep 'em in the 3.5 MOA 10-ring of the SR target used in such matches conducted under CMP rules. Even at the nationals, these events are often won on points, not X's.

[Johnny in Texas]

I agree that shooting them out is best and most fun way to remove them unless you need the powder and primers.
I shoot a lot of M2 ball and accuracy at least 2.5 MOA or better is common with USGI LC 54, SL 56 LC 66 LC 67 LC72
I use a Winchester Model 70 bedded in a in a marksman stock with a 16X Unertl to accuracy test my M2 Ball.
The LC54 and SL56 will shoot under 1.5 MOA

[Chris W.]

I wouldn't use the 550 with a collet puller because of the top insert block being made from Alum and having to apply the load pulling opposite of the design of the press. The shell holder wasn't designed to work in that direction. Finger access is harder than a single stage. Pulling on a 550 could, and most likely would, screw it up. A cheap yard sale single stage press would work much better, a 550 is anything but cheap. A call to Dillon is free, give them a call and ask, bet I know the answer.
Chris

[joem]

I have a Lee C frame press which is just about the lightest press and is set up as my bullet puller. It has pulled many many thousands of bullets in at least a dozen calibers both pistol and rifle with no damage. Most times I save the powder and bullets to reload. Why poo poo a idea if you haven't tried it?