Couple questions on bullet weld

[Bigeclipse]

From what I have read, bullet weld can happen to ammo which sits for a long time. I'm not new to reloading or shooting but when it comes to bullet weld I have read a lot of conflicting info so I have a few questions as follows:

1. Does it only cause inconsistencies or can it actually be dangerous?
2. I have read neck lubing can help prevent this (graphite as an example). Does it PREVENT it completely or can it still occur?
3. How many rounds and for how long do you keep loaded for your hunting rigs? Reason I ask is I like to have a minimum of 20 rounds going into a hunting season. This gives me some sighters to make sure my rifle is on and then 10 or more for actually hunting. I typically do not have reloads sitting around longer than 6 months and most often only a couple months but I do have some backup rifles for hunting which may not get shot for years. I like to keep rounds loaded but not if bullet weld is possible.

 

[Reelamin]

In to see what info comes out. I have never heard of this. I have hunting ammo I loaded back in the 90's that shoots just as good today. I have reduced the "hunting" ammo a lot. Depending on the rifle after I determine the load I want I like to load 100 minimum and normally 150-200. When I get down to a box of 50 I load them back up. Getting worried with the new (IMO BS) forcing mono bullets on hunters/shooters as I am not a fan of them. Edit.....I pretty much just NS and cleaned with a vibratory cleaner up to a couple years ago. When I went to a water/soap tumbler cleaner I had crazy seating pressure/neck tension variables. Now I vibratory clean after tumbling and my pressure/neck tension went back to normal.

 

[lancetkenyon]

I think some of the issues come from necks being TOO clean. I tumble in walnut, and it is known to not clean the inside of the brass as well as wet tumbling with SS pins. I am absolutely fine with a bit of carbon being left in the neck.
I have some handloads that are 6 years old that only come out during elk season. I originally loaded 350 rounds. I always shoot a few over the Labradar before season for zero verification, and the velocity has never changed. Bullet weld DEFINITELY changes velocity, as pressures spike. Just like too much neck tension can do.

 

[MagnumManiac]

Bullet weld is real because it is a chemical reaction between two differing metals.
To stop it entirely you need a barrier between the two metals.
After exhausting many theories that were wrong, I settled on using very fine powdered graphite which I apply with a calibre specific nylon brush prior to charging the case and seating bullets.
In around 20 years now, I have not had a bullet weld issue. I used to load 200 rounds and store them at the property I would be shooting on. Prior to lubing the necks, I would get bullet weld and some rounds, not all of them, would lock the bolt up upon firing. The weld is a lot stronger than a crimp can be.
On some rounds after firing, there would be green corrosion on the insides of the neck, which I had assumed was from moisture, but it isn't, it's the chemical reaction causing it. The military have known about this since forever and use a sealant which acts likes a barrier between bullet and case.
Fine graphite powder or mica seem to work the best, in favour of graphites slipperiness over mica, that's what I use and recommend. It has to be very fine powder, not like the stuff used for locks.

Cheers.

 

[GLTaylor]

This!!!

 

[milboltnut]

I've pulled rounds I loaded, and experienced ones that pulled way hard over others loaded the same time with no problem. I couldn't understand that. Might have been when I used to used expander balls in my FL die, lube was an issue?

 

[nksmfamjp]

I just had it pulling Bergers out of Peterson brass. Only loaded for about 2-4 months. I had to smack the press handle to break it free.

 

[milboltnut]

I had to seat the bullet a little deeper

 

[MagnumManiac]

I just had it pulling Bergers out of Peterson brass. Only loaded for about 2-4 months. I had to smack the press handle to break it free.

In future when you discover this, it's far easier on your press if you put a seater die in and seat the bullets .010"-.020" deeper then pull them because the seal has been broken.

Cheers.

 

[jimbires]

here is a pic of rounds that pulled the necks off , while I was trying to pull the bullets . I forget how long these were loaded , but I'm sure , it was less than a year .

 

[Bigeclipse]

here is a pic of rounds that pulled the necks off , while I was trying to pull the bullets . I forget how long these were loaded , but I'm sure , it was less than a year .

View attachment 334801

Crazy. How about factory ammo? Ever heard it happening with factory ammo?

 

[26Reload]

I've had some hard to pull...changed the bolts in two of my rifles..decided to test cartridges in rifles..had to pull and reseat all I had loaded..about 100...half dozen bullets took a lot of extra effort to remove from the brass....that was my hunting rifle..next the range gun....

 

[1mechanic]

Different types of metals next to each other or even with a water medium ( like in a cars cooling system ) can cause electrolysis. It's a corrosion of the two metal where they can transfer weld so to speak.

An interesting way to tell if you need to flush your cars cooling system is to take a volt meter put it on dc voltage put the negative lead to the block and the positive lead in the coolant if you read more than a half a volt it's time to change the coolant.

 

[Stammster]

Crazy. How about factory ammo? Ever heard it happening with factory ammo?

Nope, factory ammo is immune. This only happens with reloads, but not all reloads. Only reloads that need to be pulled. More specifically where the brass is wet tumbled for more than 37.3 minutes and then stored for more than 647 days, 3 hrs, and 19 seconds at greater than 82.34 degF.

Also only with brass cases and copper coated bullets. Exposed lead bullets are except. Same with nickel plated brass.

I'm pretty happy it doesn't occur with factory ammo, otherwise we'd all be maimed by all the welded bullets blowing up our guns with the excess pressure created.