[PapaDoc]

As I start reloading, I'm sure I will have some improper reloads, and maybe some hulls that I won't realize are not good until I've tried to reload. I've also got one FTF factory shell from a recent bird hunting trip. I've searched past threads and gotten some idea of how to dispose, but I would appreciate some newer advice from folks whose expertise I am familiar with.

Thanks for the help

 

[hawkeye55]

buy or make a hull cutter. open the end up to reclaim/remove the shot, wad and powder. then toss the two pieces and (bad) primer in the trash. If the primer is untouched de-prime to reclaim the primer. Only thing waisted is the two halves of the hull you toss or the two pieces and the bad /used primer.

 

[shovelon]

You could harvest the FTF factory shell of the shot and reload with it, and dispose of the rest. I really don't feel comfortable depriming unfired primers struck or unstruck. But your reloads you can harvest the components and try to reload with the new primer without depriming if your machine is able.

 

[dfw_bill]

If you keep records of what components were used in your reloaded shells, all components can be recovered except the hull by opening the crimp or using a shell dismantler as hawkeye55 has advised. I use an "Unloader" by Gary Bulley.

When starting out, you might consider keeping your batch of reloads small. Breaking down a flat of bad reloads is a choir you want to avoid. After gaining experience/confidence you can up the volume of shells reloaded.

I keep the shot and sometimes the primer from the occasional bad factory load and discard the powder and wad.

 

[Southeast TN Hunter]

I use a metal dental pick to open crimps when I get a wonky crimp and reclaim the shot, wad, and powder if I cannot correct the crimp. Sometimes it is possible to straighten the crimp and start over without pulling the powder and wad. The dental pick also helps with removing the wads. I have yet to have a fail to fire, but I suppose I would try to open it and reclaim the shot, wad and powder if I did. I sometimes gently push out live primers, but I would not try that with a struck primer. If your hull is trash, you might as well cut it and dispose of it after reclaiming the guts. I would toss any powder unless I am 100% certain what it is.

 

[sandrooney]

I push out live primers from my reloads, never an issue. I am not saying you should do that or that it is safe to do, I am just telling you what I do.

 

[chairman]

You won’t have many that need to be disassembled if you carefully set up your loader. Squibs and dud shells are rare, don’t spend to much time worrying about it.

 

[PapaDoc]

You won’t have many that need to be disassembled if you carefully set up your loader. Squibs and dud shells are rare, don’t spend to much time worrying about it.

Ah, but overthinking is my default mode.

Thanks everyone for the advice. How do you get the wad out? I put only wads in a couple shells while making adjustments to set-up, and can't seem to get them out.

 

[Blockcaver]

I pull wads with my Leatherman pliers, but any needle nosed pliers should work. Some wads are reusable, others damaged and go into the garbage.

 

[WisconsinBuckeye]

I also pull wads with needle nose pliers.

 

[DEG]

If I have an occasional bad shell I throw it in the trash.

To me, it's not worth the $0.20 the shell cost me to reload to track the bad shell until I get it to my reloading area to cut it open just to salvage a few pennies worth of components.

Ballistics Products sells an Unload-It cutter for $22, but for what I would save from salvaging components it would take me about 75 years just to recover the cost of the tool.

 

[oyeme]

OP: Check for PM just sent.

 

[painter*]

I just use a utility knife. Cut in the wad leg section and save the shot powder, and primer. I the wad legs get cut I just toss the wad, if not, I'll save it.

 

[oneounceload]

I use a hull dismantler that precisely cuts the hull with the wad and shot contained in the top part of the hull and the powder and primer in the bottom half. I recover everything except the hull, even the unfired primers

 

[BCarmon1]

As has been said, I cut mine apart and salvage the components.

 

[oneounceload]

This is a nice one I treated myself to; Gary does an amazing job making these

Home Page

www.theunloader.com

 

[Stargazerwa]

I have a question about FTF primers with a light strike. I have some hulls that were “over sized’ by a new out of the box Supersizer that result in light primer strikes. If I fire these in my garage with only the primer how much noise is it going to make? I live in a subdivision, will it sound like a gunshot? I have reloaded more than 40 years and have never fired a primer by itself.

 

[ohio mike]

I just cut the ridge off the crimp with a box cutter,salvage the shot and wad. If it's a fresh reload I keep the powder and primer too.

 

[joe kuhn]

I have a question about FTF primers with a light strike. I have some hulls that were “over sized’ by a new out of the box Supersizer that result in light primer strikes. If I fire these in my garage with only the primer how much noise is it going to make? I live in a subdivision, will it sound like a gunshot? I have reloaded more than 40 years and have never fired a primer by itself.

Try it at the range some day. I've been tempted to try it as well, but in terms of being completely safe, no, I cannot let myself do it. Let us know how it goes. Of course you'll want to let the range officer know what you're doing and show him each of your shells first. I'd treat them like loaded shells by standing at the line a d fire them from the hip. Actually I've been tempted to try it in my basement, but when you-know-who got a whiff of that, you-know-what would happen.

 

[sandrooney]

I have fired off pistol primers and they sound like a cap gun going off.