.30 caliber bullets pulled from cases

[M_Lee]

Recently I acquired some reloaded 30-06 ammunition that was approximately thirty years old. Cases were corroded and some corrosion even coming out of the primer and out the case mouth. Some looked okay, but when I fired them had some case splitting whereupon I decided not to shoot anymore of them and instead recover the bullets and reload them into fresh brass, primer and powder. About 100 all together. Pulled the bullets with my inertia bullet puller and observed a lot of green corrosion inside the cases and contaminated powder. The pulled bullets look pretty good overall, some corrosion flecking but what I'm concerned about is the slight narrowing so to speak from bullet seating and what I assume is crimping. Anybody think this will effect reloading them into another case?
The bullets are 165 grain Sierra BTSP and they had been originally loaded behind 56 grains of IMR-4350.
I attached a photo of some of them. Look rough but are intact.

 

[Barry J]

Put them in your tumbler and polish them. When they are clean, they will be easier to inspect.

 

[Gator 45/70]

What Barry said

 

[Expert684]

I maybe would think twice about tumbling. You might end up with flat nosed bullets? I’d soak them in salt and vinegar. Saw it on you tube, rinse in fresh water and dry.
Just my two cents.

 

[gwpercle]

They may not win any 600 yard matches but after tumbling they should do fine for hunting.
When pulled by an inertia puller they aren't damaged and seating and crimping in the old cases was concentric .
Play with seating depth , maybe just above or just below old crimp line and they should be just fine .
In these times of shortage ... take what you got and Choot Em !

Don't soak in salt and vinegar ...harsh acid and the liquid might seep between core and jacket and talk about corrosion !!! Be careful with the nonsense you see on You Tube .
Gary

 

[Gator 45/70]

What Gary said,Hell he helped invent some of those projectiles !

 

[leeshall]

Cleaning them in a vibratory tumbler might round the exposed lead tip a bit but you never see any difference on target and no deer will be able to tell the difference, Walnut media is more aggressive than corn cob and may work better on some of the most grungy bullets. If the bullets are pitted on the base or boat tail, just use them for casual target practice and plinking as their accuracy will be problematic.

 

[Stew15948]

Always good to salvage some bullets.