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Tenntrapper

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I've been handloading for about 8 or 9 yrs and never had this happen. Thought I would mention it.
From time to time, I've had need to pull some ammo back apart. The very first time, I used my neighbor's inertia puller...that hammer thing. I didn't like that, so I bought a RCBS collet puller. It works wonderfully....up until yesterday.
When I loaded this ammo back in the fall, I done about half of it, then later in the week done the other half.
When I started pulling them, the first part went as smoothly as ever. Then, as I neared the halfway point, I started getting some that would not come apart. By the time I was firmly into the "older" half...none were coming apart.
Today, I contacted @MUP to get suggestions. He told me that they can sometimes weld themselves together. I had never heard of this. During our discussion it dawn on me that sometimes to get a stuck nut/bolt apart, tightening it first can help. I ask about running back through the seater die to break them loose. I decided to try it.
It took a bit more effort to seat them deeper, but it worked. When they broke loose, there was a loud pop with each one...these things were really stuck. I put the puller die back in press, and they came apart...no problem.
Steve also said that this situation, had they been fired, could cause an increase in pressure....I wondered the same thing.
These rounds had been loaded for about seven months...and a week made a definite difference. Any idea what causes them to weld together? That could possibly cause problems for those that run right on the edge.

Any insight would be appreciated.
 
Cold welding can happen when the lube is cleaned from inside the case mouth after sizing. I wipe off the outside of the case but never clean the inside of the case mouth after sizing.


Imperial dry neck convenience pack (dry neck lube and applicator media) is a great way to lube the neck and not cold weld.
 
Never had that happen, but I don't pull down my rounds very often, at least not waiting that long. I have fired many old reloads, and old surplus ammo so if any of them were in that condition I never noticed.
 
I have taken down many, particularly when my Sons began reloading. Oh. And when I may have overloaded a 9mm batch by 2 grains. Used the RCBS that time. Also when I put 55 grain charge on 70 gr .224 bullet.

I use a Forster collet style puller which pretty much eliminates the possibility of a stuck bullet.

Have also used the RCBS Pow'r Pull Impact Bullet Puller when the collet won't grab.

Never had one stick as defined above.
 
I wouldn't think a week between batches would matter unless u did something different. Maybe the case lube dried up or did something when sitting there for a few days that caused the weld
 
I've heard of match shooters flying in from out of state that load their ammo long and finish seating to depth at the match, bc the change in altitude can move their seating depth some, and I believe I've heard them talk about welding happening also during flight?
 
MUP said:
I've heard of match shooters flying in from out of state that load their ammo long and finish seating to depth at the match, bc the change in altitude can move their seating depth some, and I believe I've heard them talk about welding happening also during flight?
Click to expand...
This makes sense. When I drove OTR, there were many times I had to drive "around" a mountain instead of over it. Things like potato chips, ice cream,... anything sealed airtight. Going over the mountain could pop them.
 
Never heard of it myself. I use collet sizing dies 95% of the time and use no lube. But, in almost 30 years reloading I doubt I have ever had to pull a dozen bullets.
 
I've been loading for 36 years. I think I had a real close catastrophe from a similar cold weld. .270 Winchester, 140 Nosler Accubonds. My son's Winchester Model 70. Shot this load for 10 years without issue, and not a hot load. He went to college and didn't shoot for several years. After college I loaded up some new ammo for him to hunt with. At the range we always have the practice of shooting the oldest ammo first. His first shot had smoke boil from the action. The case head was severely cracked, primer flattened, definitely a high pressure situation had occurred.

My first thought was he had an obstruction in the barrel. However he had cleaned it a few days before shooting. After reviewing the ammo we came to the conclusion that the older rounds had been used from a hunt trip 5 years earlier, in the rain. I think those wet conditions along with time created a cold weld on the cartridge that had been chambered during that hunt. Possibly a little unseen corrosion.
All the other old ammo and the new batch have shot perfect since.
 
You will find a whole group of reloade who swear by using graphite in the case neck to avoid this welding issue. The idea is to maintain the same "release" when the round is fired. I actually saw a decrease in ES and SD when I started using the graphite along with an expander mandrel.
 

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