Who makes the best bullet puller?

[photoman]

I've got 400+ rounds with bad powder and/or bad primers. Time to pull the bullets and looking for advice. Thanks!

 

[Rule3]

You want a "die" type or a hammer? With that many rounds I would sure buy a die version if they are fmj. To hammer out that many rounds would be a real PITA.

 

[geddylee10002000]

I would go with a die setup for the amount of pulls you have. Decades ago I bought the RCBS unit with the collets that I needed. Have been pleased with it. Now if I add a caliber then I throw in a collet for that caliber with all the rest of the "must haves" (brass, bullets, dies, etc.). Hornady makes a cam-lock version. Several others out there. I also own a RCBS kinetic puller that is good for smaller batches.

 

[ibthumper]

I have used a RCBS hammer type for many years. Cheep and easy to use.

 

[lebomm]

I'm with geddylee; The RCBS/Quinetix mallet-style inertial puller has worked well for me for decades, but with that many to do, especially if they're jacketed rifle rounds, I'd set up my RCBS collet-style puller in the press.

Larry

 

[jimkim]

I know this isn't exactly what you asked. If they are jacketed rifle rounds you can use a Lee FCD body(you don't actually need the die body, but it will protect your threads if you do) and needlenose pliers.
Take the crimp sleeve out. Put a round in the shellholder and raise the ram. Lightly place the pliers on the bullet and lower the ram. Because of the shape of the pliers they will self tighten and hold the bullet in place. If they have a heavy crimp you may need to run the rounds through a seating die to break the tension. Make sure the pliers are only on the bullet. They will pull pieces of brass from the neck. A multitool works well too.

 

[blujax01]

Once upon a time, I looked at the RCBS Bullet Puller Die (9440). At $25 I wasn't overly offended until I realized it was going to cost an additional $15 per caliber for the collets.

With 4 handgun calibers the total would be $85!

A kinetic hammer was under $20.

The end.

 

[photoman]

Thanks for all the input! This is for FMJ (actually plated) handgun rounds.

 

[Rule3]

Collet Bullet Puller

The Collet type of puller may damage the plating on the bullets and they will be of no use. The hammer will not damage them but as I mentioned that's a lot of work and hassle for that many.

I have the RCBS hammer and it works well, lifetime guarantee should any part of it break but they all work the same way.

 

[debent55]

bullet pulling 101

Hi
No question but to go with the hornady set up.
Great product, faster than rcbs, and cleaner than any impact hammer type.
I have pulled thousands of fmj rnds. and this tool is all i use.
hth

 

[oberon]

I got a Quinetics inertial bullet puller for about $9. Works just fine.

 

[rasmith3442]

Try a Forster collet type. I prefer it over a kinetic type.

S/F,

RAS

 

[Fishslayer]

Thanks for all the input! This is for FMJ (actually plated) handgun rounds.

If they are 400 rounds of taper crimped semi auto rounds the kinetic puller will be fine.

I pulled 300 rounds of roll crimped .357 with a kinetic puller once & it was kind of a pain. Maybe 1/4 of the 158gr SJHP spit out the bullet core & left the jacket in the case.

 

[buck460XVR]

Who makes the best bullet puller?

Generally my wife, but if she's not handy then the youngest son will do.....

 

[125JHP]

I just got done pulling 600 9mm rounds that had too much of an overcharge. I have both the kinetic and the RCBS collet puller. I started with the collet but found that with some the crimp must have been a little stronger and the bullet would constantly slip out. I tried some rosin but that too failed on several. I devised a method that went very quickly and worked on all of them once I got into a rhythm.

I would put the bullet in the hammer puller, give it 2 or 3 good whacks and then partially unscrew the lock-top and slap the bullet out in the palm of my hand. The bullet was usually most of the way out, I then put it in the press with the collet and finished plucking the bullet out. I then could dump the powder in a container without the mess and extra work taking the hammer puller apart and putting it back together. Sometimes I would have to if the bullet came out in the first 2 whacks but usually not. This seemed to work faster than either of them by their self.

 

[sps282]

I've used an RCBS hammer style for years with good luck.....but I've never had to do that many rounds....

 

[Jamie]

I had to do 150 rounds recently, overcharge, don't do 'em all at once. I'd get home from work, knock off a bunch every night or so, by the weekend, you're done.

 

[Bib]

I use a RCBS kinetic puller. It's a lot easier when you use a single station shellholder instead of that 3-piece-0-ringed p.i.a. that it comes with.....

 

[Buckey08]

extended shell holder and a set of side cutters work like magic, or a set of nock pliers for .22 cal bullets. Bullets with small dings still shoot better then most people can hold!

 

[125JHP]

Yeah, that overcharge was a max listing in the powder manuf load booklet back in 1989, which they recently told me was actually 44,000 psi - a little over 9mm SAMMI max, so I decided to pull all that I had loaded.... did em 50 at a time.

I like the collet puller when it works but it is a PITA if the bullet slips out.

The part I find the most time consuming with a kinetic puller is unscrewing the top, dumping the bullet/powder and screwing the top back on. It would be a lot quicker if someone made one with the quick-lock lug or split thread like those quick change die setups. Does anyone do that? Another idea is to have a sleeve at the bottom that turns to an opening that would let you dump the powder w/o disassembling the whole puller each time.