bullet puller

[chief99]

Anyone ever use the RCBS collet bullet puller. I have to pull quite a few 165 gr. 40 cals. I have the hammer type puller but these rounds are so tight it takes 10 or 12 whacks to drop the bullet. Would there be enough actual bullet on the 40 for the collet to grip. Have read different opinions. The info I have says it does better on jacketed bullets. the ones I'll be pulling are copper plated.

 

[JWH321]

I have one that I use with 9mm. I pull Berry's copper plated bullets with it all the time. It is very easy to use, the casing remains upright in the press so there is no powder spill at all. Once you get t he feel for it, you will not even leave marks on the bullets.

I reload only 9mm, so that is the limitation of my experience, but I don't see how 40s would be any different. I would suggest that you not even consider the hammer type devices. The RCBS is the real thing.

 

[Rangemaster]

It's much faster than the hammer type.
I recommend the RCBS collet puller.

 

[LightningMan]

I used one with great sucess for .556 & .308 bullets, but not any pistol calibers yet, but wouldn't think you would have a problem. The only thing I could thing of with the .40 S&W caliber is that most bullets I've used are of Truncated Cone in shape and if you have seated them right up to the start of the Ogive, it could be tough to get a grip on the bullets. But I can't say for sure, cause I've never tried it. LM

 

[tightgroup tiger]

If there is enough straight side of the bullets above the mouth of the case you won't have any problem. You don't need that much either. I've pulled bullets that had less than an 1/8" of straight sticking out and was able to pull it.

They work very well on plated, it just takes a little time figuring out what is bullet and what is case mouth when you first try to use it.

 

[kerreckt]

I use the Forster collet bullet puller and it works great on everything I have used it on. Mostly, rifle rounds. My inertia puller has always worked on handgun rounds. I am not shy whacking it against the concrete floor in my loading room. Rarely, takes more than two whacks. I pulled 300 .357 rounds which had a pretty good crimp with no problem.

 

[Swampman]

Originally posted by: chief99

I have the hammer type puller but these rounds are so tight it takes 10 or 12 whacks to drop the bullet

Try running the bullets into your seating die and seating them slightly deeper, it usually makes them much easier to pull with a kinetic.

In general I've had better luck pulling rifle bullets with my RCBS collet puller. Some handgun bullets don't seem to have enough bullet sticking out for the jaws to grab.

 

[gamestalker]

I've not had any problems pulling .40 cal. with either the collet, or the kinetic puller.

The trick with the kinetic puller is to smack it hard and on something solid, such as a piece of steel plate, or concrete. It generally take 2-3 whacks. Most that have problems with these type pullers, is primarily the result of smacking it on a wood surface or other similar surface, which of course absorbs some of the kinetic energy. Also, after each whack, check the shell holder to make sure it hasn't loosened any, that too can be counter productive to the kinetic energy transfer.

As for the collet puller, I have the RCBS, and it works fairly well for non roll crimped cartridges, such as 9mm, .40 and such. But, I don't know how well it will perform with plated bullets. But I had terrible results with jacketed .357's, I ended up deforming the bullets cause I had to apply so much tension to the collet to get a good grip on them. However, on Gold Dots it was a totally different story, they didn't exhibit any deformation. So the only way to know is to give it a try on those plated .40's and see if it will work, I would think it would considering they are only a taper crimped round.

GS

 

[hartcreek]

I use a kinetic puller exclusively. Technique is everything. The strikes need to be square and against something solid such as concrete. Yes it may take eight strikes with a rifle cartridge......so what the bullet will not be damaged.

Turn on your TV ad DVD player pop in a flick and when the flick is over you should have the lot of cartridges undone.

 

[DC_art]

I've pulled many 155 gr plated 40 bullets with a success rate in the high nineties, using a Hornady collet puller. Hopefully, you'll have the same luck with the RCBS.

 

[hartcreek]

I had to pull 300 44 special cases that I had loaded up with reduced charges of 296 and my Lee 240 grain gas checked bullets. I might have lost five gaschecks off the bullets so I just reused them with Unique.

 

[dickttx]

As stated above, the collet will work if you have enough of the full diameter of the bullet above the case mouth. Otherwise, as you tighten the collet on the ogivy it just tends to push the bullet further into the case.

 

[chief99]

Thanks for the replies. I have been using my kinetic puller on wood, going to try it on cement to see if I have better success. If not , I'll spend the $40 for the RCBS collet puller and the 40 cal. collet.

 

[GunSlanger]

Here is a trick I use with my bullet puller. Instead of using the collets that come with the puller use your caliber specific shell holder that comes with your dies. It works awesome!!!

 

[bergmen]

Here is a trick I use with my bullet puller. Instead of using the collets that come with the puller use your caliber specific shell holder that comes with your dies. It works awesome!!!

When I tried that it beat the crap out of the rims of the cartridges. I went back to the three piece collets.

Dan

 

[gamestalker]

I tried using my shell holder also once, and it did beat the rim up pretty badly.

GS

 

[jcwit]

Here is a trick I use with my bullet puller. Instead of using the collets that come with the puller use your caliber specific shell holder that comes with your dies. It works awesome!!!

There is a reason the manufacturer supplies the three piece collet for the kinetic puller.

Using a shell holder its possible for a round to go off, not likely but possible, I happen to like my fingers and other body parts, 70+ years with them and fondness grows stronger with age.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

I have used both and prefer the collet puller hands down - it leaves the case upright with powder in the case. Simple, fast, effective and professional.

I have not had problems with bullet deformation on lead, plated, not jacketed.

Highly recommended.

VooDoo

 

[chief99]

Thanks Gamestalker and Hartcreek for the advice on using my kinetic puller on something , such as steel or concrete . Used it on the front porch cement steps today to pull those tight 40's. Worked great. No more than 2 strikes on each round. So I'll stick to my kinetic puller for the time being. One question. I reloaded one of the casings . In order not to waste the primers I skipped the resizing and decapping die. Put it in the expander, powder drop die and then seated the bullet. It seated fine and was the same OAL, about 1.123. Is this ok ? This is why I love reloading. Everytime I sit down at the bench or go on this forum, I learn something. Thanks.

 

[oneounceload]

The strikes need to be square and against something solid such as concrete.

NOT concrete that will shatter the hammer, but a solid piece of 4x4 wood can do the job, especially if you let it 'bounce" with the kinetic energy

 

[guncheese]

here is the ticket
http://www.titanreloading.com/gripnpull

 

[Walkalong]

Those are cool. If I ever buy a bullet puller I might get one of those. I pull the occasional one or two bullets with pliers.

 

[jcwit]

Problem with most concrete is the fact it is not smooth and create small dents in the fact of the puller. Dents, especially sharp pointed dents create stress points which lead to cracks.

Regarding the use of a shell holder versus the 3 piece collet, check this. I know it's another site but very informative.

http://www.shootersforum.com/handloading-equipment/50347-inertial-bullet-puller-warning.html