My kinetic hammer finally broke - actually shattered into a gazillion pieces. I'm really glad it's gone - hated it from day one. Now it's time for a good puller, but need some feedback from those that know. I use both lead and jacketed, and get the impression that I will have problems with the lead - especially the 45 dia. Considering the RCBS puller and collets for .223, 45, 357. Thanks in advance !

I find I need collet & hammer. I broke a hammer once but had
it for years and used it extensively. Trick is to hold them loosely
and hit on a dead end grain of a chunk of timber. Lead pistol
bullets are the worst to pull. I just write off trying to save bullet.
Use single stage press, grip bullet with pliers and pull it on the
down stroke. I have RCBS & Hornady pullers too.

You just need to pay more attention to what you are doing.

Decide on a load and do it.

I use the RCBS one. There may be better ones out there, but what I have works fine. I have pulled a lot of lead and jacketed bullets over the years. The main thing is if there is enough straight part sticking out of the case to get a grip on.

After about 35 years I broke my RCBS kinetic puller, I called them, sent them the pieces, they sent a new one.

I don't like collet bullet pullers as they either won't hold a cast lead bullet or they will ruin jacketed bullets....

D'ats exactly what I'm trying to do. I don't have to pull very often, but anything that isn't to spec gets pulled. But thanks for the reminder.

Almost all of my handloads are w/lead bullets. A kinetic bullet puller hammer works fine w/lead bullets, but as DRM50 pointed out, bang it against solid wood not concrete (ask me how I know that). RCBS makes a great collet bullet puller, but it's pricey; nevertheless, is the best for jacketed bullets & won't work worth a darn w/lead bullets.

Rarely, do I need a puller, but occasionally I'll find test loads are "too much" at the top end, so they have to be disassembled.

Best of Luck, Hank M.

I use a RCBS collet pullet when I need to pull down jacketed. For cast I use a pair of vice grips. Run the cartridge up to the top of the press grab the bullet and pull it down. They go back in the melting pot anyway. I am not sure that even with a kinetic puller there would not be marks.

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Front sight and squeeze

Carpenter humor

Hows your hammer hanging?

I've pulled many rounds, not because of a dangerous mistake, but because either I wasn't happy with the load's performance or I changed my methods/style (like when I PCed 100 bullets for my 30 cal rifles)...

I like the hammer over the collets, One thing I do on jacked bullets ( especially military) is put them in my press and seat the bullet just a dab more. I seems to break the seal/crimp and they come out easier with the hammer. My RCBS hammer is probably 50 years old.
SWCA 892

I have both . Can’t remember when I used the collet. With the green hammer I save the powder and the bullet. The collet almost always ruins the bullet.

MTGIANNI, thank you for the Idea of "Running the
press ram up (with Cartridge in Shell Holder) through
the Press, and using a Vise Grip to grab the Boolit.

Yesterday I seated a Cast Boolit to far in the 44Mag
case. Went shooting to day, and the Cartridge
wouldn't chamber.

Now what? My Hammer plastic screw top busted
about couple years ago. Haven't needed it.

Well read this Thread again in hope of something.

Used my little needle nosed Vise Grip, did what
you said, and no fuss, no problem, was is so
easy, no strain, Boolit came right out. Unbelievable.

Reseated Boolit and crimped in crimp groove, good
to shoot.

Thank you.

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SD social distanc'n since 1889

I stopped thinking about salvaging bullets many years ago. If I must pull down a batch of ammo all I intend to salvage is the brass. Single stage reloading press, pair of vise grips, done deal.

I’ve been surprised with the performance of my collet puller. Only bullet I’ve messed up using it was a copper jacketedbthat had been crimped too much, the reason I was pulling it.

I purchased my collet puller after over-loading 100 rounds of 38s. I messed up just three Hornady XTPs getting the puller adjusted properly. After that, all went well.

I was able to reuse/load both the primed brass and the bullets.

FWIW, I will still use the hammer when I ONLY need to pull one or two rounds.

Thanks, guys for the comments. I'll get both.

There is no collet style puller that works on SWC or WC style bullets. There is nothing to grip with the collet. You need a the Whack-a-matic.

Good luck pulling bullets.

EDIT: And I just broke my 40 year old RCBS Whack-a-matic. The screw on top is in 2 large pieces and the case collet/holder thingy disappeared into the ethesphere of confusion and lost socks. Oh shucks ! ! !

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S&WHF 366

I've had probably 10 of the darn hammers over the years. Never broke one but have bent the aluminum hammer shaft. I have one that a fellow gave me(RCBS) that the cap has a piece of tape holding it together kinda sorta. Only thing I don't like on them is the 3 piece collet with the o ring sucks/breaks/falls out. PITA but I usually use a regular shell holder to hgold the case. Gotta take the bullet and powder out anyway. Oh and for the last 4 or 5 yrs I use a 20 lb chunk of lead to hit the hammer on. Haven't even chipped a piece off the hammer since. I "pulled" more than 600 30 cal match bullets from someone else's reloads for the components last year. Hey they were free. Those bullets cost over 30 bucks a 100. Yep...I am cheep!

"Trick is to hold them loosely and hit on a dead end grain of a chunk of timber."

I've pulled a great many bullets over many years with my Kinetic puller and it still works fine. I have always pounded it on a lead block, produces more of a dead blow with very little bounce. I've never had a failure of the rubber O-ring, same one as original is still there. I can pull most any bullet with a single blow, two at most. I once used a Lyman kinetic puller (still have it) but I didn't like it. That's why I bought the Kinetic. It also works great as a hammer for jarring off revolver sideplates.