Will Inertial Bullet Puller Ruin Primers?

[Gearhead Jim]

I have about 200 rds of .380 that I need to break down with my inertial bullet puller.
If the primers will survive the smack of the puller, then I can remove my decapping pin and reload the primed cases and pulled bullets.

If the impact of the puller will damage the primers, then I'll just trash the primers.

I could reload a bunch and see, but someone here has probably been through this before...

 

[Targa]

I won’t say it can’t but I have broken down a number of rounds the way you are describing and haven’t damaged a primer. I will say that if I had that many bullets to pull I would get a collet bullet puller, makes things much less impactful.….

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

Same here never ruined a primer.

 

[1KPerDay]

Never ruined a primer. Ruined some tables and desktops though

 

[mcb]

I did 400+ rd of 40S&W once. I reloaded all the cases using the original primers without issue.

 

[LiveLife]

No.

And you can remove the depriming pin to resize the case to reload again.

 

[Rule3]

No it will not. A tip. Get a piece of 2x4 or 4x4 and whack the hammer on the end. I have one that is tall enough I can stand, put on the concrete garage floor. It's all in the rebound, not how hard you hit it. Tap tap tap Makes life easier,
200 is a lot, if they are jacket bullets you may want to buy a collet puller.
10 per day 20 days
20 per day 10 days

 

[Gearhead Jim]

Thanks for the replies, I do plan to remove the decapping pin and just reload normally using the pulled bullets.
I stand there and can break down 3 rds per minute, rapping the puller on the anvil of my bench vise.
The bullets are plated, and I didn't want to change the setup on my Dillon, hence the inertia puller.

 

[Scooter22]

No never had an issue. Another tip if it is surplus military you can run the rounds through a seating die to break any sealant that is on some and crimp. Just seat the bullets a little lower. I've done that with surplus 8mm Turk when I down loaded it.

 

[PWC]

It's all in the wrist....cock the puller back and hit with a snap of the wrist. It's like at the fair; strong man can't ring the bell, but little guy can.

 

[gwpercle]

No Damage to primers will happen ... 50 + years and never poped a primer .

Big Tip that makes pulling even military ammo down much easier ....

Break the crimp ... the cases grip on the bullet by seating it just a little deeper into the case .
It doesn't have too be much ...just 1/32" or 1/16th inch ... just enough so the case isn't holding it so tight .
Even military cases with bullets crimped and black sealant on the bullets will pull much easier after breaking the crimp .

Military A-P (armor piercing) 30-06 will drop free in 3-4 medium hits on a solid surface ... that machine gun ammo (from linked belts for aircraft ) was almost impossible to get broken down unless you broke the seal ... after that it was walk in the park ...no more having to beat your brains out .
I still have 500 primed cases ... I bought 1000 rounds of Mil-Surp 30-06 ammo ...in belts ...really really dirt cheap because no one wanted linked belts of ammo from WWII - Korea and my brother knew someone !

Any way I pulled all 1000 bullets for the primed brass , break the seal and use medium hits ...trying to pull a bullet in one big whack just isn't the way to do it . Never a primer did pop .
Gary

 

[derek45]

when the hammer swings downward,.....the primer should be toward the top, not bottom of the hammer head

LOL

 

[PWC]

By the way, when the rubber ring holding the 3 segments eventually breaks, ask your dentist for some of the orthodontic bands used on braces. Even easier of you have kids with braces.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I think the design of the Primer and case Primer pocket keeps it secure like a bank vault

 

[CQB45ACP]

By the way, when the rubber ring holding the 3 segments eventually breaks, ask your dentist for some of the orthodontic bands used on braces. Even easier of you have kids with braces.

Good idea! I had two boys with braces so those rubber bands cost me a fortune! But all we hear is repay school loans, what about orthodontic loans?

 

[starnbar]

In over 40 years of reloading and pulling bullets never had that happen but I won't say it couldn't happen.

 

[SingleActionAndrew]

I believe it's possible to affect the primer, but can't speak to what end. The Frankford pile driver wall mount inertial puller dislodged priming compound from the large pistol federal gold medal case of bricks I worked through last year.These primers didn't have foil over the compound. My collection bottle quickly took the neon yellow color of the primer and most rounds would leave not just primer dust but also a pin head sized chunk or flake of compound. I haven't tested yet do can't speak to how/whether this affected further loads reusing the primed brass.

Aside: I don't recommend that puller. Reinspecting the device I didn't feel it's design with plastic pins under so much force is safe for my use.

 

[Blue68f100]

The only time I ever heard of one going off was when the person was using a Shell Holder vs the 3 jaw. A shell holder does not hold on the brass tight, 0.010"+ play. This allowed the brass to move that distance which set off a primer. Only for this to happen the primer had to be high so on impact the primer moved it setting it off.

Like earlier said, it's all in the wrist/grip action. You want the driver to bounce on impact to give it the quick change in direction. If your gripping tight your limiting it's bounce.

 

[Bwana John]

By the way, when the rubber ring holding the 3 segments eventually breaks, ask your dentist for some of the orthodontic bands used on braces. Even easier of you have kids with braces.

Or…
Just use the appropriate case holder instead of the 3 sided chuck held together with a rubber band, much faster.

never had a primer go off using the case holder, but the previous poster has, so YMMV.

 

[JimKirk]

My friend has a primer stuck in the ceiling of his shop ....hammer type with a shell holder instead of the normal holder .... probably would have stuck in his head if it had been close ..

 

[epags]

Put some cotton or paper towel in the bottom of the puller to keep from damaging the projectile,

 

[Jim Watson]

Foam earplug.

For one or two ordinary rounds, I whack the end of a brace on my bench.
For tough cases or a number, I sit on a low stool and beat the concrete garage floor.

 

[rg1]

I resize and expand after pulling bullets with an impact puller. Removing the primer punch to leave primers in place. I reseat the primers from pulled resized cases just to make sure the primer didn’t move either from impacts or pressure the sizing die may have exerted on the primer from compressed air? Probably not needed. I’ve pulled several batches of pistol and rifle ammo with no issues.

 

[Hikingman]

It would be revealed in countless handloading forum discussions if it was a common occurrence. My fear when using the tool is ensuring that the puller will last for many years like the rest of my gear, and be restored to its shelf when the pulling is done.
Otherwise, no worries for me.

Foam earplug.

For one or two ordinary rounds, I whack the end of a brace on my bench.
For tough cases or a number, I sit on a low stool and beat the concrete garage floor.

Yeah, earplugs for sure.
I use a short piece of 1x4 or 2x4 wood to whack, and it might be less of a tool breaker (solid yet not hard as a rock) vs. hitting a tile floor on concrete or an actual concrete floor as some of you prefer. And, 2-3 whacks usually does it.

 

[AK Hunter]

I have worn out three of those inertial bullet pullers by pulling so many bullets. They are not my mistakes I pick up all of the dud rounds from my local club range & break them down to make them safe.
So no you won't hurt the primers the case will hold the primer stable. The only way you can set off a primer is the punch a dent in the center. If you need the remove the live primer you can use the sizing die & slowly push the primer out & catch it with a primer arm or a small cup of some kind. I have pushed out thousands, the only ones I have had go off were .45 LPs that had been struck once already.