Hammer Type Bullet Pullers

[AJ]

I have an old RCBS (about 25 years ago I bought it) hammer type bullet puller. Are any of the newer manufactured pullers any better? Just pulled 300 rounds of .308 and wore a blister and hand was sore. Looking for something better if they make them now. Old is not always good..........

 

[rockquarry]

I think they all of the kinetic bullet pullers are about the same. Technology hasn't changed that I know of. I've used them for many years. I have some collet-type pullers that are used in a loading press. They're just as much trouble. I prefer the kinetic type.

 

[Rule3]

I have an old RCBS (about 25 years ago I bought it) hammer type bullet puller. Are any of the newer manufactured pullers any better? Just pulled 300 rounds of .308 and wore a blister and hand was sore. Looking for something better if they make them now. Old is not always good..........

All the hammers are pretty much the same, all work the same.
Quinetics CLAIMS to be better, I don't know.


Ultimate Kinetic Bullet Puller — Quinetics Corporation


Pulling 300 rounds is pain.


How and where you strike the hammer makes a BIG difference,

Using a press mounted collet type for jacket bullets is a lot faster and easier, for large numbers there is no comparison to a hammer

 

[AJ]

I think they all of the kinetic bullet pullers are about the same. Technology hasn't changed that I know of. I've used them for many years. I have some collet-type pullers that are used in a loading press. They're just as much trouble. I prefer the kinetic type.

Had that feeling. Thought maybe the handles may be better. Thanks.

 

[AJ]

All the hammers are pretty much the same, all work the same.
Quinetics CLAIMS to be better, I don't know.


Ultimate Kinetic Bullet Puller — Quinetics Corporation


Pulling 300 rounds is pain.


How and where you strike the hammer makes a BIG difference,

Using a press mounted collet type for jacket bullets is a lot faster and easier, for large numbers there is no comparison to a hammer

Yes, pulling 300 rounds is a pain. Was given 1500 of someone else's reloads and don't shoot other's reloads. However, the pieces/parts are worth the effort to save. 1500 JHP rounds cost a fair chunk of change to go out and buy.

Tried a press mounted puller and no dice. The slugs are seated/crimped to tight to use that type. It just slides off the slug. Even with a hammer it takes as many as 10-11 whacks to get the slug to come out. I am using a 50 pound bench mounted vise for the impact point for the hammer.

 

[Skeet 028]

A little bit more of a pain...but with heavily crimped rifle bullets Use a seating die with the stem turned down a 1/16 or so..seat the bullet a bit more and much easier to pull..especially military....with either tool

 

[k22fan]

For jacketed bullets the best bullet puller is ... (drum roll please) ... a pair of wire strippers. I learned this trick from an exceptionally good bench rest shooter. All the serious competitors at the bench rest matches he often won shot groups under 0.2" at 200 yards. While working up loads he often pulled his unfired bullets then put a more promising charge under them. The wire stripper's mark's did not affect accuracy enough to be relevant to him. Of course pulling his reloads took less force than pulling GI Joe machine gun cartridges but wire strippers have worked on all the jacketed bullets I've wanted to pull for 30 years. While pulling the wire stripper lays flat on top of a single stage press like a Rock Chucker. Experience with the individual batch of cartridges will teach you how tight to pinch the sides of the bullet. Lower the ram and out she comes.

It also works on most cast bullet cartridges but some times gripping a soft lead bullet tight enough distorts the bullet.

Now ask yourself why would a manufacturer of bullet pullers put this trick in their reloading manual?

 

[ajgunner]

A good pair of well fitted gloves and a limit of 50 per day will almost eliminate the blisters.

Teaching a kid and paying a penny a piece also works.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I save up my mistakes and pull them in a single "sitting", I found that sitting on the concrete floor in the basement or garage works better than on the vice on the bench. I pad my butt with a piece of carpet, it still take a while!

The components in 1500 308's is quite a bit of money! I agree it is worth the effort!

Ivan

 

[Rule3]

Yes, pulling 300 rounds is a pain. Was given 1500 of someone else's reloads and don't shoot other's reloads. However, the pieces/parts are worth the effort to save. 1500 JHP rounds cost a fair chunk of change to go out and buy.

Tried a press mounted puller and no dice. The slugs are seated/crimped to tight to use that type. It just slides off the slug. Even with a hammer it takes as many as 10-11 whacks to get the slug to come out. I am using a 50 pound bench mounted vise for the impact point for the hammer.

I recived a "gift" of 1500 reloads. several differnt calibers. I ordered a RCBS Collet puller with several inserts. 44 mag. 45 acp, 359 mag. These rounds were CRIMPED so hard. Some took a few tries adjusting the puller but it worked


As to taking 10 raps of the hammer , that shouldn't be.?? Regardless of the crimp



Hit the hammer on the floor (I used a thin piece of indoor outdoor carpet on the concrete or use the end grain of a 4/4 or 2/6 wood post and hit on that. Makes a World of difference. Do not pound on the bench (to much rebound)


It's "all in the wrist"


If I was to every pull bullets again ( I am not gonna!) I would try this tool.


GRIP-N-PULL - The Best Bullet Puller in the World



Yes, heavy glove helps also,

 

[dr. mordo]

I have the Hornady Cam Lock Bullet Puller (050095) and have very impressed. One stroke of the press handle and the bullet is pulled. I'm pretty confident it would make short work of those 308s.

In fact - which press mounted puller did you try?

 

[Drm50]

The secret of hammer puller is to hold it loose and strike it on a
"Dead" heavy surface, the end grain of a chunk of 6x6 or cut
a section of a small log. This directs the inertia to pulling the
bullet. Hard surfaces such as vice or concrete will eventually
break the hammer. Some loads will pull better in collet if there
is enough parallel surface to grab. I have used pliers/ strippers
to pull on press. I have 22 & 30 cal modified Chinese pliers to
use on press. The steel in them is so soft you can drill it easy.
Drill through jaws and polish out. Makes a pair of grippers that
won't gouge the bullet, sized for caliber you are pulling.

 

[jwk]

Golf or batting glove on hand doing the swinging. Still allows dexterity and saves on blisters. I've felt your pain!

I laughed at the comment about paying a kid then thought about how much that would make my son NOT want to learn to reload.

 

[AJ]

I save up my mistakes and pull them in a single "sitting", I found that sitting on the concrete floor in the basement or garage works better than on the vice on the bench. I pad my butt with a piece of carpet, it still take a while!

The components in 1500 308's is quite a bit of money! I agree it is worth the effort!

Ivan

Will try the floor for the next go around of pulling. The 50 pound steel vice sets on a bench top of 2 3/4 inch sheets of plywood and directly over a 4X4 leg. I realize that concrete is solid, but what I described in not flexible.

Using a glove now and will only do 50 at a time.

 

[gman51]

How efficient the hammer puller is depends on what you are slamming the hammer down onto. Slamming on anything but solid concrete in my opinion and experience is asking for poor results. You don't want to hit anything that will absorb the hammer shock. I put many a dent on my wood work bench without moving the bullet. Went outside and slammed down on a concrete stepping stone pad and out came the bullet first try.

300 rounds I bet could cause a blister. Wear a glove for sure.

 

[DWalt]

For many years I have used my inertia bullet puller with a heavy block of lead as the striking surface. Easier on the hand as the lead absorbs the bounce, also most bullets will require only one or two strikes to remove. I generally pull only a few rounds at a time but a couple of years ago I had to pull about 200 9mm bullets at one sitting. I frequently use my inertia puller as a light hammer on things I don't want to mark up.

 

[Rule3]

One should not be "slamming" it is not like driving a concert nail Brute force is not the method.



It is more of several rapid tap tap. It;s inertia that extracts the bullet. Like bullet creep shooting a revolver, The case slams into the breach and the bullet is pulled forward.

 

[Nevada Ed]

As a note;

I added a peace of foam inside my hammer to keep damage to
the rifle lead tip from being damaged, on impact.

300 !!

Wow.

 

[Rule3]

As a note;

I added a peace of foam inside my hammer to keep damage to
the rifle lead tip from being damaged, on impact.

300 !!

Wow.

That "foam" comes as standard equipment" on the RCBS

 

[HorizontalMike]

Whack-a-mole hammers have their uses and I occasionally still use mine (yesterday I removed 8 bullets from bent brass). HOWEVER, when I had over a hundred to do, I opted to switch over to a collet puller.

Much faster and with no excessive powder spills.