Replacing bullet on surplus M2 ball ammo

[fitter]

I am new to reloading and have a question. I have a bunch of Greek surplus M2 ball ammo and have been shooting at paper targets but would like to shoot steel also. Bullet has a steel jacket with copper cladding over the steel so cant be used with steel targets. Can I just pull the bullet and reseat a fmj bullet of same type and weight keeping everything else intact?

 

[Mountain]

Personally I would do that if in your shoes. You have to decide for you. If your FMJ's are a close match for profile and same or slightly lower weight you should be good to go at the same OAL. I find HXP (I assume what you have) to be slightly hotter than necessary for a Garand though it works just fine. I would definitely NOT load a projectile that is heavier with that same powder charge. Also before you hit the bang button, be sure that your FMJ's do not engage the lands when chambered. I don't think that is likely but it is well worth checking.

 

[jpm]

Does your club actually prohibit a bi-metal jacket or are they talking about steel core ammo?

You can get an M2 profile bullet (150gr spire point flat base) and swap it with the bullet that's in those rounds now. Just seat to the same depth and you should be good.

 

[fitter]

Does your club actually prohibit a bi-metal jacket or are they talking about steel core ammo?

You can get an M2 profile bullet (150gr spire point flat base) and swap it with the bullet that's in those rounds now. Just seat to the same depth and you should be good.

Club doesn't care but the owners of the steel do. Manufacturers of the steel I have looked at say it will damage it unless it is far enough away that velocity is greatly reduced. I only have 150yd so a no go.

 

[fitter]

Personally I would do that if in your shoes. You have to decide for you. If your FMJ's are a close match for profile and same or slightly lower weight you should be good to go at the same OAL. I find HXP (I assume what you have) to be slightly hotter than necessary for a Garand though it works just fine. I would definitely NOT load a projectile that is heavier with that same powder charge. Also before you hit the bang button, be sure that your FMJ's do not engage the lands when chambered. I don't think that is likely but it is well worth checking.

Yes, I am going to try to find as close a match as possible for the projectile. Not trying to make match ammo out of it, just for plinking.I have to look into how to check land engagement as I understand it varies firearm to firearm. Plan to use these in a Garand and 1903 Springfield

 

[greencobra]

have to look into how to check land engagement

you would start a bullet into an unprimed neck sized case, close the bolt firmly. the bullet pushes itself into the case when it hits the rifling. you can use this dummy round as a template when you set up your seating die. if you're not after tack driving ammo and want plinking ammo as you say, there's really no need to do it.

 

[jpm]

if you use the HXP cartridge as your template, measure the OAL and just seat your new bullets to match that length and you won't need to worry about it hitting the lands.

If they're too long you'll have trouble in the Garand

 

[76Too]

you would start a bullet into an unprimed neck sized case, close the bolt firmly. the bullet pushes itself into the case when it hits the rifling. you can use this dummy round as a template when you set up your seating die. if you're not after tack driving ammo and want plinking ammo as you say, there's really no need to do it.

do this, but don't jam the bullet into the rifling...be gentle. then take the case over all length measurement and subtract .0002" to get your 'measured' seating depth off your lands.

if you don't feel like doing all that, i believe most of my manuals list 3.3200" for case over all length...should be fine for plinking.

 

[jpm]

do this, but don't jam the bullet into the rifling...be gentle. then take the case over all length measurement and subtract .0002" to get your 'measured' seating depth off your lands.
if you don't feel like doing all that, i believe most of my manuals list 3.3200" for case over all length...should be fine for plinking.

That's great if he's just using it in one bolt gun but he's also using it in a Garand so he should seat to the same overall length as the original HXP ammo which is designed to be used in Garands and bolt guns.

 

[mac1911]

With PPU M2 ball at .68 cents each shipped i cant see putting the effort into pulling the bullets, sizing the necks and reseating with new bullets. Unless of course your sitting on a bunch of 150 grainers you got when they where .08 each or so.
Im still sitting on a bunch of those "milspec" brand that the Old wideners was pushing at .05 cents each. years ago.

If the bi metal jacket is damaging your steel your targets are soft steel . Bi metal jackets may attract a magnet so people and clubs go by the magnet attraction is a no go . Because they dont know for sure if its the jacket or steel core or AP if its not clearly Identified. Bi metal jackets are soft as shit, somewhere on you tube theres a few vids with testing and the Bhn on the bi metal is very low.
Heck i would just buy my own 12" 1/2" thick AR 500 steel and blast away.

have to ask, what did you pay for the surplus and what did you pay for the bullets you plan to replace with?
You could probably find someone to buy the HXP .75 each and then buy PPU
what you should do is just reload your current empty HXP

 

[pastera]

If you don't already have all of the equipment to reload and a collet puller then it's probably cheaper to just buy more ammo
Or get a cheap reloading setup***, shoot what you have, then reload to what you want.

*** - contrary to NES lore, you can setup to load rifle for less than $200 with room to spare

 

[mac1911]

If you don't already have all of the equipment to reload and a collet puller then it's probably cheaper to just buy more ammo
Or get a cheap reloading setup***, shoot what you have, then reload to what you want.

*** - contrary to NES lore, you can setup to load rifle for less than $200 with room to spare

$200 you sure can ......but man its hard not to spend more especially if you like tools and gadgets.

 

[Arto]

don't be surprised if your copper jacketed or plain old store-bought 30-06 blows a hole through steel plate....

 

[NavelOfficer]

I don't understand why more shooters don't consider frangible bullets, especially for steel plate use.
Granted, they aren't going to be 150-175 grain in weight, but I've used the 110-125 grain Sinterfire bullets with great results on steel.
My friend with a Garand uses them with good results.
If using them consistently, you can dial them in for other target shooting.

Come to think of it, I had a shooter with a DPMS .308 run a few of the 125g SF bullets and they shot right where his 168g SMK were printing.
Of course, I can't guarantee this will be your result.

 

[fitter]

With PPU M2 ball at .68 cents each shipped i cant see putting the effort into pulling the bullets, sizing the necks and reseating with new bullets. Unless of course your sitting on a bunch of 150 grainers you got when they where .08 each or so.
Im still sitting on a bunch of those "milspec" brand that the Old wideners was pushing at .05 cents each. years ago.

If the bi metal jacket is damaging your steel your targets are soft steel . Bi metal jackets may attract a magnet so people and clubs go by the magnet attraction is a no go . Because they dont know for sure if its the jacket or steel core or AP if its not clearly Identified. Bi metal jackets are soft as shit, somewhere on you tube theres a few vids with testing and the Bhn on the bi metal is very low.
Heck i would just buy my own 12" 1/2" thick AR 500 steel and blast away.

have to ask, what did you pay for the surplus and what did you pay for the bullets you plan to replace with?
You could probably find someone to buy the HXP .75 each and then buy PPU
what you should do is just reload your current empty HXP

If I just pull the bullet and reseat a new bullet is resizing the neck necessary? My thought process was with a single stage press, two steps is easier than the whole reloading process for my plinking needs. If I need to dump the charge, resize etc. I might as well reload the empties.
I bought a bunch of the CMP's HXP surplus when it was $.50/rd.. I did not buy fmj bullets yet

 

[pastera]

42 grains of 4895 is about 0.18 plus 0.03 for a primer - 0.21/round
You're not saving a lot for a decent amount of work and a chance of a bad unknown load

 

[Mountain]

Honestly, I'd just shoot the HXP. The brass is great for reloading.

 

[mac1911]

If I just pull the bullet and reseat a new bullet is resizing the neck necessary? My thought process was with a single stage press, two steps is easier than the whole reloading process for my plinking needs. If I need to dump the charge, resize etc. I might as well reload the empties.
I bought a bunch of the CMP's HXP surplus when it was $.50/rd.. I did not buy fmj bullets yet

Tou can but your going to loose some neck tension for sure
Thing is tou paid 50 cents each if your lucky you might find some 150s for .15 cents each. So your makeshift loads are now 65 cents and less thsn ideal for your time spent.

Order some PPU M2 ball tou can sell the ammo can for $10-$15 bucks and bring your cost even lower

 

[fitter]

Thanks for the advice guys

 

[DW357]

Yeah I wouldn’t go through that effort. I’m with Mac. Shoot the HXP or sell it and buy PPU.

 

[DW357]

I don’t think I realized HXP is bimetal. Good to know.

 

[84ta406]

If you're worried about the steel THAT much, I might have a 6" AR500 plate I can give you to use. IDC if it gets damaged. I put AR500 through some real torture tests when I was running my business and honestly unless you're hitting it with M2AP it won't do much. All AR500 pits when being used.

Btw M2AP loaded in .308 and .300WM will pass through 3/8" AR500. The .300WM will also go through a 1/2" plate. I have a big piece of 1" and 1.25" cold rolled steel to test soon.

 

[mac1911]

I don’t think I realized HXP is bimetal. Good to know.

yup so your guns are now junk for shooting steel crap through your barrel. !

 

[mac1911]

If you're worried about the steel THAT much, I might have a 6" AR500 plate I can give you to use. IDC if it gets damaged. I put AR500 through some real torture tests when I was running my business and honestly unless you're hitting it with M2AP it won't do much. All AR500 pits when being used.

Btw M2AP loaded in .308 and .300WM will pass through 3/8" AR500. The .300WM will also go through a 1/2" plate. I have a big piece of 1" and 1.25" cold rolled steel to test soon.

if your pushing a particular cartridge fast and it is maintaining some high velocity it will damage or pass through.
Hanging your steel target correctly will help deflect energy. Long loose straps and the steel target face should hang at a angle \ it will help keep the energy transer less into the steel.

 

[84ta406]

if your pushing a particular cartridge fast and it is maintaining some high velocity it will damage or pass through.
Hanging your steel target correctly will help deflect energy. Long loose straps and the steel target face should hang at a angle \ it will help keep the energy transer less into the steel.

Stationary, hanging, shooting uphill, downhill, didn't matter with the .300WM. It passed through easily. I did have a pass through on some 3/4 CR plates too. In contrast M855 didn't do shit.

 

[DW357]

yup so your guns are now junk for shooting steel crap through your barrel. !

 

[mac1911]

Stationary, hanging, shooting uphill, downhill, didn't matter with the .300WM. It passed through easily. I did have a pass through on some 3/4 CR plates too. In contrast M855 didn't do shit.

300 WM .....its what its supposed to do

 

[jpm]

I don’t think I realized HXP is bimetal. Good to know.

@andrew1220 only SOME years is bimetal, not all. If I remember correctly, the stuff from the 60s is not and the 70s is.

@fitter you could swap it for HXP from a different year that is not bimetal. I've seen that happen on CMP

 

[dhuze]

I don't understand why more shooters don't consider frangible bullets, especially for steel plate use.
Granted, they aren't going to be 150-175 grain in weight, but I've used the 110-125 grain Sinterfire bullets with great results on steel.
My friend with a Garand uses them with good results.
If using them consistently, you can dial them in for other target shooting.

Come to think of it, I had a shooter with a DPMS .308 run a few of the 125g SF bullets and they shot right where his 168g SMK were printing.
Of course, I can't guarantee this will be your result.

.50 cal won't go through our steel plates so I have no reason to shoot Frangible.

 

[xtry51]

If you're worried about the steel THAT much, I might have a 6" AR500 plate I can give you to use. IDC if it gets damaged. I put AR500 through some real torture tests when I was running my business and honestly unless you're hitting it with M2AP it won't do much. All AR500 pits when being used.

Btw M2AP loaded in .308 and .300WM will pass through 3/8" AR500. The .300WM will also go through a 1/2" plate. I have a big piece of 1" and 1.25" cold rolled steel to test soon.

3/4" AR500 will stop M2AP and 50bmg non-penetrating rounds @ 100yds.