Who makes the best bullet puller?

[dmar]

I just got done pulling a couple dozen rounds that I had in the 'pull' can. I use the RCBS hammer, and find that it works great. Like reloading, in general, you just need to come up with an efficient system if you want to do it quickly.

I keep containers for the pulled bullet, brass, and powder right next to the wooden block on the floor. Unscrewing the holder is pretty quick, gently tilt to get the bullet (it's heavier than the powder, so the powder stays back...), and dump the powder in the container, replace the case, and then repeat. Pretty quick, but I'm sure it would not feel that way if I was looking to pull 600 rounds!

I've been tempted to get a die for this, but really have not seen the need. Maybe some day...

 

[Nemo288]

I have broken 2 hammer pullers (rifle rounds with light bullets).
The RCBS collet setup works great. Sometimes I find I need
the 45 collet for cast 44s. The kinetic hammers make me nervous.
I would not use a primer that has been thru that process.

...Nemo...

 

[ArchAngelCD]

For removing a handful or more rounds I would suggest a kinetic bullet puller but for the number of rounds you have to pull a kinetic puller would be the wrong tool IMO. The RCBS Collet puller linked to by Rule 3 in Post #9 is a good one and the price isn't overly offensive. At $23 for the Collet puller and an additional $12 for the Collet itself you can painlessly take apart all those rounds without damaging the bullets. (or your wrist too)

 

[125JHP]

I see this discussion has drifted a little from the original "Who makes" to "Which Type". Consensus seems to be split with each having their favorite type. After this ordeal you will too.

The OP mentioned he is going to pull plated handgun ammo. He doesn't mention caliber or crimp but in general, my experience has been that this is one of the most difficult types to use the collet puller with. If these are 38 or 44 with roll crimp - forget it and get a hammer puller. If these are semi-auto rounds, First there is little area to get a good grip on the bullet (depending on profile), then the thin plating may be compressed and "break" allowing the soft lead underneath to shear and slip. At the very least the collet may leave a crush ring on the plating. Collets work really well for bullets with a lot of the shank exposed to grab on to, like rifle bullets.

When a bullet disassembles in the kinetic puller I usually can dump the bullet into a small pan and then the powder into another scale pan. There are a couple of advantages to doing this.
1. if the bullet has some lube on it your not dumping it into a pile of powder.
2. if a little powder follows the bullet into the 1st pan you can easily remove the bullet from the pan and dump the powder where you want.
3. Don't dump powder directly into the powder container - use the scale pan or other container you can see into - what if a round with different powder got mixed into your batch?
You might have to throw away the entire can of powder if you dump directly into the mother jug - or maybe get a big surprise some day down the road. By dumping into a pan you can visually confirm it is the same powder you are pulling from the others and if you want you can weigh the load to see if it was too much to start with. If it is a different powder or spoiled then you only throw away a small amount.
4. I have reused thousands of primed cases disassembled with a kenetic puller and have never had one that didn't go bang. I've also been lucky enough to never have one go off in the puller and I have done light strike FTF, Multi Strike FTF Duds, press crushed and upside down primers.

I would suggest that if you are going to be reloading into the future, you get both a decent hammer type and the die and collet for this particular caliber. Try each by itself, and then try the method I described above and I think you'll find it the quickest and easiest and have the fewest oops.

If you can only get one puller then I would opt for the kinetic type. Don't know who makes the best one these days as I have RCBS from 20 or 30 years ago. Midway lists 4 or 5 different ones but the Lyman appears to have a cushioned handle. I would try that one.

I once bought 3 or 4 hundred 308 reloads from an old guy at a gun show for a really good price. He assured they were all the same and gave me a copy of his load data for them - something like 150gr bullet and 43gr of 4895. Not trusting reloads from someone else, I started pulling them to verify his load. By the time I did them all I had 4 different weights (148, 150, 165 & 168) I had Flat base, boat tail, FMJ & soft points, I had at least 2 different stick powders and one or maybe two types of ball powder plus a few Mil-Surp rounds mixed in. Powder charges ranged from 38 to 48 grains.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If I had to disassemble 400+ rounds with a kinetic puller I just might throw them away and forget about saving the bullets. Well, maybe not because I'm cheap but I would think long and hard about tossing them.

 

[Snapdragon]

A kinetic puller will work for all rounds, but a collet puller will trash lead or plated bullets. I have both. I use the collet type when I can and the inertia type when I must.
You need the inertia type if you are going to salvage the plated bullets.

I have broken one kinetic puller but have used my present RCBS for thousands of rounds with no problems.

 

[PattonTime]

Hornady Collet

I used a Hornady collet style for hundreds of 9mm loads.
The bullets were plated, the whole issue is whether you can get a good bite on the bullet.
I never wrecked a single bullet and very few had any mark at all on them.
But, they were 135 grain, I do not know if 115's would have even worked.
There has to be some length to grab, plus semi auto are much easier then a roll crimped revolver round.
See if you can go to a store and look at collet and your round ?

 

[David LaPell]

I use the RCBS puller and I cannot tell you how many bullets I have pulled with it. A word of advice though, instead of using that little 3 piece thingy use a shellholder for the cartridge you are pulling it works great.

 

[Hobie1]

I have both, The kinetic is great for that "whoops I think I need to check that" and a Hornady collet puller for that "crud, I should of caught that a couple hundred rounds ago" moment.

The Hornady works well although the instructions were a bit vague for this ol' man.

Hobie

 

[PERAZZI]

rcbs collet puller. just did 200 "Jim Rock" .357 mag loads with 180 and 200gr hornady bullets...

 

[Nemo288]

I once bought 3 or 4 hundred 308 reloads from an old guy at a gun show for a really good price. He assured they were all the same and gave me a copy of his load data for them - something like 150gr bullet and 43gr of 4895. Not trusting reloads from someone else, I started pulling them to verify his load. By the time I did them all I had 4 different weights (148, 150, 165 & 168) I had Flat base, boat tail, FMJ & soft points, I had at least 2 different stick powders and one or maybe two types of ball powder plus a few Mil-Surp rounds mixed in. Powder charges ranged from 38 to 48 grains.

That was a smooth move Sir. I hope the brass, bullets and fertilizer were worth the price.

I have only bought reloads once. That was from the gunsmith
and mentor that sold me my first rifle and guided my shooting
experience from the start. I soon took up the hobby and have
since viewed shooting as a way to obtain empty brass
God bless you Gary Turk. I still have a few left as mementos.


...Nemo...

 

[rumblebee1967]

I have used the Hornady cooler puller and when adjusted it works very very well. I just hate hammering loaded bullets, the hornady puller is zero impact.

 

[Jedibataru]

I use Hornady Cam-Lock collet bullet puller and RCBS Pow'r Pull Impact kinetic bullet puller. They works very well.

 

[AveragEd]

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

Ditto! They make a kinetic puller seem antiquated. The Hornady cannot damage bullets and their collets cost $9.99.

Ed

 

[rwsmith]

You can get....

You can get a hammer type at the LGS for around $20. If the bullets come out easily with that, I'd try it. But if you have to pound your brains out, it would be worthwhile to go for the collet type.

This is embarrassing but I've gotten some bullets seated so hard I can't get them out with pliers and a hammer type puller was totally ineffective. I was trying a bogus way to taper crimp with a 'touch' of the resizing die. The bullets are still in the cases waiting for me to figure out how to pull them.