what bullet pullers do you use?

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tightgroup tiger

tightgroup tiger

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I tried to do just a simple job this morning of pulling so all copper .357 caliber bullets out of some nice new starline brass with my Forster collet bullet puller and this is what was happening.
Forster bullet puller.jpg
I couldn't feel the edge of the case and once the collet started down over the case it was all over.
Rough lock.
Only way of getting it back out was to force it out and rip the case in half.
This is what I'm using now.
Forster bullet puller 2.jpg

I need to get a new one that works correctly without all the problems of this one.
What kind of pullers are you using?
I would like to know if the Hornady cam lock puller works good.
Are there any other alternatives other than the kinetic hammer. I have two of them and they hurt my wrists to use them.
I beat these apart with it but it took 10-12 hard swats each to get these 50 COP bullets out of the cases.
I'll be checking in from time to time to see what you guys suggest.
Thanks
 
Honestly it looks like you're grabbing the case, rather than your bullet. I'd check your collet size.

I use two pullers....inertia style for individual errors, I just pop a shell holder in and whack.
Hornady cam lock for those "batch mistakes". Although, since I bought it, the batch mistakes haven't happened... It works great, with the correct collet.
 
I said in my post I couldn't fell the edge of the case and once the collet started over the case there was no pulling it back out. Collet is .358".
The collets in this puller have never wanted to let go of anything when backing off the lever. Mostly I would have to pound a bullet out of the collets every three or four pulls.
I've been messing with this thing for about 10 years, that's about 9 years and 364 days to long.
 
Skgreen said:
I've 'dug too deep' with my Hornady Cam Lock several times w/ several different calibers and it's never 'not let go' when released.
Click to expand...

Does the Hornady get a good positive bite on the bullet?

Has anyone tried one of the pile drivers from Frankford Arsenal?
I would think they would shoot powder all over the place when using one, but I've not seen one being used.
 
I use the same Forstner bullet puller. There is a knack......errr....set of instructions on how to set up / prep the collet before using it. That is done off the bench. Get that right and you can feel the collet slide down the bullet, then come to a dead stop when it hits the edge of the case. Once you get it to that point, you are ready to screw it into the press. Now you can raise the ram......it will stop when edge of collet hits the edge of the case, then tighten half turn or so and pull.

Pulling crimped in rifle bullets is the only task where the LEE breech lock press has come up short. The strain was getting up there and I quit before I broke something......or ripped it off the bench.
 
I use a Lyman. I had an RCBS puller for several years, it was a great tool but it broke the plastic shaft near the head junction. The Lyman has a metal shaft. It operates exactly the same as the RCBS, so far no issues.

Stay safe.
 
I have the Hornady cam lock and I have to watch how far I raise the ram to make sure I grab the bullet and not the brass
 
I use an RCBS collet and meat tenderizer mallot type pullers. Both work fine. No need to dismount the collet, just eyeball the bullet entering the collet and stop when the bullet has fully entered. Tighten the collet then whack the handle. If you run the neck into the collet yer gonna' have problems.
 
tightgroup tiger said:
Does the Hornady get a good positive bite on the bullet?

Has anyone tried one of the pile drivers from Frankford Arsenal?
I would think they would shoot powder all over the place when using one, but I've not seen one being used.
Click to expand...


Mine does.

It might be a question of finding a sweat spot for the die body in your press (See FIG 4, Page 2, of the attached). It looks like the die depth in the press is the key, plus the correct collet. The Forster is definitely different from the Hornady as I have two adjustments to mess with, die body and collet depth.

https://www.forsterproducts.com/pdf/instructions/Standard-Bullet-Puller_ BP1010.pdf
 
RCBS Kinetic has always worked for me - I pulled 40 or so 50AE with it this week. Granted, not a roll crimp. But I haves used it to pull a few 44Mag, 45 Colt, 454 Casull and 460 S&W Mag - with no issues.

I reload in a carpeted/finished basement. I do see some marks on the carpet from this weeks 50AE exercise. Don't tell my wife....:(
 
Last edited:
These bullets I was trying to pull were all copper 140 gr bullets that are longer than Cup and core 180gr. They were roll crimped hard and didn't want to be pulled apart. These have been laying around here over 20 years and I found them the other day with no recipe and I don't know where they came from.
Someone may have gave them to me. This bag was in with them. COP bullets.jpg

My Forster puller will work ok with taper crimp bullets but with heavy roll crimp bullets it's harder to feel the case mouth and like I said, 1/8" to far and it's instant rough lock. You can completely unscrew it and it isn't coming out.
With taper crimp bullets I have to take it apart and punch the bullet out of the collet about every 4 or 5 rounds.

I watched a video on the Pile Driver and it didn't work for him like the reviews on the web site said. For most calibers it is supposed to be once and done.
The video I watched on it, the guy worked it six times to get a 44 mag bullet out. I'll pass on it.
I don't pull enough bullets to justify paying $70.00 for it anyways.

AK Hunter said:
I use the cheapest thing I could find, I think these were on the $3 table.

View attachment 1043002

If you do it right it only makes four little dents & can be reloaded easily.

View attachment 1043003
Click to expand...

I have quite an assortment of wire strippers, I will try some of them, especially the Archer brand from Radio Shack, they were heavy duty. That may be the answer, I guess I don't care if the bullet gets marked.
I may still get the Hornady cam lock puller anyways.
Thanks for the replies.
TT
 
RCBS collet here and you positively feel the brass mouth and bullets drop free with a quarter turn of the lever. I've pulled up to 200 at a sitting.
I would probably buy the Hornady if I was starting over, but I never knew people had trouble with collets.

Edit: oh, I was pulling bullets from somebody else's loads for the components.
 
I have the Hornady... works like a charm with 9mm, .223, and .308.

However, it (or perhaps me) is worthless with my .45ACP 230gr LRN and 200gr LSWC. The collet won't get a grip on either bullet.
 
I don't use one very often, I try not to make any mistakes that require me to disassemble them. I have the Hornady Cam Lock and a RCBS Kinetic . I use the Hornady if I have something to grab and hold onto. Use the Kinetic when I don't want to damage bullets or for ones with nothing to grab.
 
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