How safe is a inertia bullet puller?

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Eddy19

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Have you ever heard of a cartridge going off while inertia bullet pulling? Maybe it's not a realistic fear but the only thing I haven't done is tried pulling the bullet of a live cartridge especially if it's crimped to any degree. Ever since a primer went off decades ago while using a Lee Loader, I've treated primers with the greatest care. Even while reloading, I wear a face shield and ear plugs. (I don't need anymore hearing loss)
 
I've used an inertia puller for over 40 yrs and never had a problem. I've heard of some people using shell holders to hold the case instead of the supplied case holder and I do not advise doing this. Mishaps have been reported doing it this way.

If you have a lot of rounds to disassemble look into the type of puller that screws into a press and uses a collet to grab onto the bullet. About as safe as you can get.
 
They're pretty safe. Many of us have pulled hundreds or thousands of bullets with them and ever set anything off.

There's a little bit of "give" built into the system (the flexible holder, primarily) to provide a tiny amount of cushion. The primer cup just doesn't have a whole lot of inertia to smash down onto the anvil, and the primer compound itself has less. That tiny bit of give combined with the very small cup inertia means its very, very, very difficult to get enough power to the primer compound to get it to pop.
 
I agree with others. Pretty safe form of pulling bullets. But as with anything reloading related, wear your safety glasses.
 
The only problem that I had with a inertia bullet puller is that the plastic head broke off from the handle. That bullet was really in there!!
I did get it out though.
 
I always think it is funny when people express safety concerns with menial tasks like this one. I saw a post this week where a respondent claimed loose rounds in a soft pack was a safety concern... I can’t help but roll my eyes and pray for human-kind.

Metallic cartridges only go bang when the primer is crushed sufficiently to detonate, subsequently igniting the powder charge. Consider the reality - even a light hammer or striker spring can cause failure to fire.

Inertial pullers don’t contact the primer in any way. They’re made from plastics to eliminate the opportunity to create sparks to ignite the exposed powder once pulled. What risk could there be? A guy can smash a cartridge with a hammer, and as long as the primer is not crushed, there’s no chance for ignition, so how could an inertial puller be a safety concern?
 
Never had a problem with mine. Not sure what would cause one to go off since there is nothing striking the primer in the process.
 
I have heard of problems but never had any issues myself other than breaking a 20-25 year old one. Amazing the plastic lasted that long. I still have #2 though, works as good as the first one.

I hate to admit I still need it from time to time but happy to say I don’t use it as often as I used to.
 
MikeInOr said:
I have never made a mistake reloading so I have never had to use a puller.
Click to expand...
Ha! Yeah, I'll bet!;)
Years ago I broke the head off my first inertia bullet puller. When I did that, I vowed to, like you, never make any more reloading mistakes so that I wouldn't have to replace my puller. A couple of months later I had to replace it.:oops:
And now I have two - one and backup. I've never had a round go off while pulling bullets though.:)
 
Thanks guys! I'm just taking every advantage of your knowledge and experiences, so I ask what maybe be things even with very small possibilities of happening and may seem foolish asking. Better be safe than injured. I'm glad so many have used the puller with no incidents. The bullets I want to pull are just a few left over from the early 90's. labels got lost so no idea what the loads were and not knowing what the specs were, I rather not shoot them. I do have a RCBS collet bullet puller which I've tried but, the cast bullets I want to pull are the SWC type and hard to grip with the collet. I can make a flat spot for the puller to grab I suppose. But not worth the trouble, I just put it in the UNKNOWN bottle.
 
When in doubt, it's good to ask.....

they're safe. I've used them dozens of times (then resorted to a collet puller)

But who am I? A guy who has used live 9mm as earplugs, when for some reason my ears and spare plugs ended up not being in my range bag
 
I've pulled more than I want to think about over the years without a problem including heavily crimped rounds in 44, 357 & 45 Colt.
 
After pulling ~70 38 spl wadcutters I gave up because it wasn't worth it, not because a primer ever went off. And if a primer didn't go off pulling that many wadcutters I can't imagine one ever would.
 
Sistema1927 said:
great stress relief whacking it with gusto ... Foul day at work due to a cranky boss? Whack, whack whack.

Problems with rebellious kids: Whack, whack, whack.
Click to expand...
:rofl::D :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

Sistema1927 said:
Wife has you sleeping in the dog house? ..... Yes, dear, sorry, dear, what can I do dear?
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That's when you should hand the inertial puller to the wife. :)

And when the wife rubs me the wrong way, that's when I pack up and go shooting ... By the time I return happy few hours later, wife had a chance to get her "beauty nap" and everyone is happy again. ;)
 
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I don’t understand “fairly safe “, “pretty safe”, etc. either it’s safe or it’s unsafe. Maybe it’s just me.
 
Varminterror said:
I always think it is funny when people express safety concerns with menial tasks like this one. I saw a post this week where a respondent claimed loose rounds in a soft pack was a safety concern... I can’t help but roll my eyes and pray for human-kind.

Metallic cartridges only go bang when the primer is crushed sufficiently to detonate, subsequently igniting the powder charge. Consider the reality - even a light hammer or striker spring can cause failure to fire.

Inertial pullers don’t contact the primer in any way. They’re made from plastics to eliminate the opportunity to create sparks to ignite the exposed powder once pulled. What risk could there be? A guy can smash a cartridge with a hammer, and as long as the primer is not crushed, there’s no chance for ignition, so how could an inertial puller be a safety concern?
Click to expand...

Somebody, somewhere at some time reported that a round went off. It was posted on the Internet, so therefore the concern spread worldwide. Then there are the reports of using a shell holder and so many of those had rounds went off the concern was even greater Now before the internet this was never a concern,:)
"And So It Began"
 
Ironicaintit said:
When in doubt, it's good to ask.....

they're safe. I've used them dozens of times (then resorted to a collet puller)

But who am I? A guy who has used live 9mm as earplugs, when for some reason my ears and spare plugs ended up not being in my range bag
Click to expand...
That's funny, I'll have to keep that in mind,next time I forget my hearing protection!
 
kcofohio said:
I agree with others. Pretty safe form of pulling bullets. But as with anything reloading related, wear your safety glasses.
Click to expand...
They are plastic. They sometimes break. Wear eyepro. That's the only danger from them.


Virginia Jim said:
I don’t understand “fairly safe “, “pretty safe”, etc. either it’s safe or it’s unsafe. Maybe it’s just me.
Click to expand...
It's you. Air travel is very safe. Much, much safer than driving to the airport. But it is not completely safe so it's not "safe."

Despite the desire to have zero risk in all activities, safety is not a quantum state, but a continuum of risk and mitigation strategies.
 
No way for the primer to be ignited, simple to use.
If you are dismantling pointed bullets, place a foam ear plug in the bottom to protect the point.
 
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