Inertia Bullet Puller vs. Black Powder Dumb Question

[Foto Joe]

Well, the Brown Truck dropped off my 45LC dies today and I'm gonna take the plunge and start loading 45LC the way Sam Colt intended in 1873. My issue is this:

I haven't loaded cartridges in decades, but I remember when I used to that success isn't assured, only promised through practice. Is it acceptable to use an "Enertia" type bullet puller when a cartridge is loaded with Black Powder, i.e. is it safe??

I really don't want to be pulling pieces of brass and plastic out of my belly after beating on the bench with a bullet puller with Black Powder in it.

I should know the answer to this question, but alas, I'm ignorant.

 

[hawkeye74]

I have used an inertia bullet puller with BP cartridges with no problems.

Just make sure there is nothing to cause sparks.

 

[junkman_01]

Use a collet puller. You'll thank me in the long run!

 

[Oyeboten]

Hi Foto Joe,


Well...take your time...think things out...reherse the steps and moves...you will have fun and do fine.

I have enjoyed loading .45 Colt with 3f Black Powder, and, various Ball or Bullets.

Decide where the Bullet will crimp.

Eyeball where the Bullet base Depth will be once seated and Crimped.

Put in enough BP to be about 3/32nds of an inch or so, above where the Base of the Bullet will be, press the Bullet in by thumb...then use the Press to seat the Bullet all the way, but with no Crimp, ensuring you have a good compression of the Black Powder.

If the compression seemed too easy, add a little more Powder.

If too hard, wiggle the Bullet out, and remove a little Powder.

Once happy with the impirical volume of Powder having a good compression, pour, loosen and pour, the Powder out of the Cartridge, making sure you got it all out, and, pour it onto your Scale, and weight it, to know then your Powder Charge in Grains.

Deprime Cases...

Prime Cases...

Slightly flare the Case Mouths...

Add Powder...

Add Bullet by hand, press in by hand...

Use the Press to seat to full depth for it's Crimp line to br Crimped.

Use the Press to Crimp well.


"Done"


I myself have used Lube Wafers between Powder and Ball. These are about .040 thick, so they displace a teeny bit of Powder. They eliminate fouling, and lube the Bore well also.

I run strips of regular Paper Towels, through molten Bees Wax and a little Olive Oil added...once cooled and dried, I cut out discs which are a little larger than the inside case diameter...using an old Gasket Hole Punch.

Easy as Pie...superb results...easy clean up after shooting, no binding while shooting, etc.


Observe the steps, and you will not need a Bullet Puller.


What kind of Press do you have?

 

[R.Clem]

The only remark I will make about an enertia: make sure to read and follow the directions.
DO NOT use a shell holder to hold the case in the puller. I ave read of people loosing body parts and wreaking havoc with their lives.

Ray

 

[LaserSpot]

The only remark I will make about an enertia: make sure to read and follow the directions.
DO NOT use a shell holder to hold the case in the puller. I ave read of people loosing body parts and wreaking havoc with their lives.

It's too bad you're not willing to explain this. Personally, when someone tells me not to do something but offers no reasonable explaination, I feel an urge to try it and find out for myself.


Here is an explaination:

Ok, I think I solved this mystery ...

First of all, I still think I had a primer that was not fully seated.

And second of all I created an unsafe set-up by not using the proper equipment. Instead of using the collet supplied with the puller, I was using an RCBS shell holder (proper size for the caliber). THis is a common practice that others have used and I myself have used it for several years. The collet supplied has three pieces to it that are held together with a rubber band thingie ... it can be a real pain at times.

When it is fitted correctly into the puller, it grabs the bullet by the rim, and leaves lots of room around the primer pocket and as you can see below, there is little chance of accidental firing of the primer even if it is seated high.

The RCBS shell holder holds the case by the rim as well, BUT it severly reduces the free space around the primer pocket ...

For the rest, see: http://shootersforum.com/showthread.htm?t=50347

 

[blackpowder bob]

When loading a 45LC case with BP, would using a drop tube help as loading a 45-70?

 

[junkman_01]

How on earth does your question relate to using a bullet puller????? :banghead:

 

[R.Clem]

LaserSpot:
I am sorry, I have always understood people read the warnings and the reason given by the multitudes about using shell holders in Inertia bullet pullers. I personally, have never had a problem using a shell holder rather than the collet that comes with the puller (I have never liked the collet design, they quite often allow the case to jump-out of it and spread gun powder in all directions, this creates another problem). I have read many accounts of persons using shell holders with catastrophic results. Whether these rounds had a primer not seated correctly or some other factor has never been stated, but the results always seem to be the same, a loaded round discharging in a plastic tube and sending shrapnel in all directions. One account told of an individual who used a shell holder in his inertia puller to remove the bullets from 300 Win Mag cases, the second round detonated on impact and the resulting shrapnel sent him and his son to the hospital and hours of surgery, not to mention the hours of investigation by the local police over it being a gun related accident.
As for pulling bullets with an Inertia puller, if your slugs are soft or have a soft tip, put some sort of cushion in the bottom of the puller. I use a wad cut from insulation foam.

Ray

 

[badpenny]

i have diassembled many BP cartridges with an inertia puller.never had a problem with it.

 

[junkman_01]

I too have removed many bullets with an inertial puller over 35 years of reloading until I had one shatter and throw plastic pieces all over the place. I never used the collet (only shell holders) and never had a round detonate.
Now I will only use and recommend a collet puller such as the Hornady lever unit. In my opinion, the best puller on the market today.

 

[Twosams]

I posted a similar question on another forum and got similar answers. Even though my can of Goex FFFG states "Handle with care. Avoid impact, friction, heat, sparks and open flame." I was concerned about the impact of the bullet puller. I just pulled 40 cartridges apart using a Midway inertia puller in order to seat smaller bullets and had no problems whatsoever. Just be careful how you strike the puller on a hard surface or you can shatter one. And I agree, if you are pulling soft bullets use something in the bottom to cushion them so you can use them again.

 

[ClemBert]

I've used an inertia bullet puller for BP loaded 45 Colt cartridges on several occasions. I didn't have a problem...and I didn't expect to have a problem. Unless I find real evidence that either an inertia bullet puller is dangerous or it shouldn't be used with BP I will continue to use it.

 

[ClemBert]

LaserSpot, thanks for that link explaining the problem with using a shell holder. I never would have thought to use a shell holder. The collet works just fine for me.

At first that fella didn't own up to the fact that he didn't follow the instructions. In fact he said he did not find the collet and would never again use an inertial bullet puller. Later, we come to find out that he couldn't find the collet because HE NEVER USED IT! Kudos to the fella though for owning up to it in his conclusion and posting his warning and findings on the issue.