Bullet Pulling Tools
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Big Cholla
Member
Lead pistol bullets are easily 'pulled' using an inertia hammer. Almost everything else requires the 'collet' type puller mounted in a good reloading press. There are a few makers of the press mounted collet puller. I have and use both the RCBS and the CH sets. I tried and junked the Lee version.
If you are pulling military rounds be aware of the sealant used which will cause an extraordinary amount of force to be needed. That will also cause the collet to be extra tight. That will deform the bullet so as to make it unusable for most anything but 'plinker' loads. Military rounds will dictate the use of a good quality press. ...... Big Cholla
If you are pulling military rounds be aware of the sealant used which will cause an extraordinary amount of force to be needed. That will also cause the collet to be extra tight. That will deform the bullet so as to make it unusable for most anything but 'plinker' loads. Military rounds will dictate the use of a good quality press. ...... Big Cholla
If you're talking about handgun ammo and a few rounds here and there, a kenetic puller works usually fine. If you're dealing with rifle you might want to move on to a 'collet' style press mounted. The collet styles don't do well with lead bullets I'm told cause the squeeze them and don't get a grip.
For the kenetic ones two things to improve your results/safety. If you've crimped the rounds, use a bullet seater die to push them in a bit more and break the crimp sort of. And don't go the sloppy method of using a normal shell holder with them. If you don't use the supplied collet types holders with a kenetic and instead use a normal shell holder, you risk a potential of the round going off. Not real pleasant results that way.
For the kenetic ones two things to improve your results/safety. If you've crimped the rounds, use a bullet seater die to push them in a bit more and break the crimp sort of. And don't go the sloppy method of using a normal shell holder with them. If you don't use the supplied collet types holders with a kenetic and instead use a normal shell holder, you risk a potential of the round going off. Not real pleasant results that way.
mkk41
US Veteran
I've been using the same Quintetics(?) hammer puller for 25yrs. It's pulled hundreds of duds and 'dooh's.
I use a Hornady cam-loc puller. The bullet comes out easily as long as the profile allows it to get a bite (which my bullets do). Then it is easy to dump the powder right back in the hopper, and reuse the primed brass when my Dillon delivers an upside down primer.
Inertia bullet pullers are great, as long as the bullets have some weight to them. If you use really light bullets with a firm crimp, you might have a surprise coming. Collet pullers might work with lead, or they might draw the bullet down until it looks like a nail.
9mm, 115 gr...They should work with a kinetic puller, most auto cases have to use a taper crimp and aren't rolled into the bullet. You just have to swing them faster sometimes to get lighter bullets to pull. If you do go with the collet type make sure the bullet profile is suitable for the purpose.
Thanks JB. The genesis of this thread is a 439 that worked flawlessly eating 115gr over 3.6 clays.
Then I added about 4 ozs of metal in the form of mount and scope to the 439 slide. OOPS..now the 439 will not eject..period.
So maybe the load is a bit light, but with 115gr, and Clays, 3.9 is the "Not to exceed load". Not even sure if a heavier load will move the slide. Which got me to Bullet pullers. And asking questions about weight on slides...
Thanks
Then I added about 4 ozs of metal in the form of mount and scope to the 439 slide. OOPS..now the 439 will not eject..period.
So maybe the load is a bit light, but with 115gr, and Clays, 3.9 is the "Not to exceed load". Not even sure if a heavier load will move the slide. Which got me to Bullet pullers. And asking questions about weight on slides...
Thanks
Or a lighter recoil spring for those loads.
w2kbr, where did you get your loading data? I'm going to guess Lees Reloading Manual. According to Hodgdons 2007 annual manual, they list the min. to max. charges for a 115 gr. Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point with Clays as 3.7gr. to 3.9gr. with a COAL of 1.125. If your OAL is 1.125 or so, or longer, I'd go ahead and shoot them.
I don't think I've ever seen a scope mounted to a slide, only to the frame. You might have to go to a heavier bullet.
A good bullet puller is still a handy item to have.
I don't think I've ever seen a scope mounted to a slide, only to the frame. You might have to go to a heavier bullet.
A good bullet puller is still a handy item to have.
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Skip Sackett
US Veteran
I have a friend that is a tool maker. He thought he would be cool and make his own, out of carbon steel!
Needless to say, what something sparked, not sure what, as he pulled a bullet, he was digging metal out of his hand and leg.
Use the plastic ones. No sparks!
Needless to say, what something sparked, not sure what, as he pulled a bullet, he was digging metal out of his hand and leg.
Use the plastic ones. No sparks!
SWID
SWCA Memebr
I used the same kenitic puller for about 35 years and one day it broke. So now I have an RCBS one and it works fine too. I have used it to remove bullets from military 30-06 ammo. I wack it on a piece of railroad rail.
My original (I think Lyman, but I'm not sure) one had little clips that you slipped into the extractor groove or washer like things for rimmed cases. The RCBS has a universal gripper but it does not work so well for belted magnums. It does work, but it can be tedious.
My original (I think Lyman, but I'm not sure) one had little clips that you slipped into the extractor groove or washer like things for rimmed cases. The RCBS has a universal gripper but it does not work so well for belted magnums. It does work, but it can be tedious.
You're right, you might be a little too deep in the case if you seated them to about the same depth as the Gold Dots.
Why would a rnd go off using a reg shell holder in a hammer style puller. I have an old RCBS one and there is nothing to dent the primer.Am I missing something? I usually take apart lead pistol bullets, and I whack them on a concrete bench top.
Yep!..well I tested them today, and inspected cases after. Look OK, but I now feel the answer is to re-spring the 439, use the original 3.6 load, and unload the "hot" rounds.
And I think you mentioned the LEE book...turns out I can't find a single listing in that book for 9MM where CLAYS is the powder, for any weight bullet. Strange I thought?!?.....OTOH, CLAYS is not a powder of choice, I guess....
Thanks
R
Hope there's no problem with posting a link elsewhere.
Here was the post where I first heard about it being dangerous.
Inertial Bullet Puller Warning - Shooters Forum
I was only guessing Lee becuase of the term "never exceed load" and their loads are a little light sometimes because they are based off of their powder handling equipment.
I checked a lot of data sources I have on hand and there is very little using Clays with a 115 gr. bullet, even if other bullet weights do in the same manual. That could be an indication it's not very well suited to to the task.
I checked a lot of data sources I have on hand and there is very little using Clays with a 115 gr. bullet, even if other bullet weights do in the same manual. That could be an indication it's not very well suited to to the task.
