RCBS Kinetic Pow'r Pull Problems

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d31tc

d31tc

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So, there's a first time for everything. Looking to pull bullets on 7mm RM to reuse the powder and bullets with a different charge weight.

Bought the RCBS power pull.

Of course, I didn't see instructions in the package (I found them later on the inside of the package tag), so I go to the universal answer for everything - GOOGLE.

Of course the first video that comes up, turns out the guy is as much a moron as I am and SPECIFICALLY says to put the chuck in flat side out. Why didn't the RCBS instruction come up first for me on Google, which shows it round side out? Why? Because why would anything be easy. I ultimately found the RCBS video, but it does not specifically say which way the chuck should go. Only after crap went sideways, THEN I happen to see the instructions in the package. With pictures and everything.

Anyway, I effed $#i+ up. When the chuck is backwards, it was catching on the belt on the case, or if it got past that, the rim would just slip past the chuck. I am a little pissed because the chucks I used are damaged as well as aluminum galling (I think?) on the case. Also, aluminum shavings were in the powder. I separated anything I could see out and loaded cases with it.

Such a simple effing tool..... I wouldn't be so mad at myself (and the moron youtuber) if supplies weren't so scarce and hunting season wasn't right around the corner.

So, the big question. Would you shoot these rounds with the aliuminum galling or throw them away?

IMG_7034.jpg IMG_7014.jpg
 
Relax, take a breath, the cases are fine. If the steel wool doesn’t get it all, a small amount of scraping will remove it if you want to. The Al looks kinda neat on the bright brass bling though!
I get that chuck backwards on about 1/4 of the time I use it, so you’re not the only one. Good luck.
 
Brass is fine. I used a kinetic puller once and it broke. Spent the extra money for the RCBS collet puller. Worth every penny and makes pulling a breeze when needed...
 
Demi-human said:
Seems if this didn’t deter you, the cases are fine.:)

Chuck them, gently, by the neck in a drill and spin it off with some steel wool. They’ll be fine. :thumbup:
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Well, it does concern me. You can see the aluminum shaving on my finger. The big ones were easy to separate out when I dumped the powder (4831sc) onto a baking pan. Gently rolled the powder to one side of the pan and then wiped up anything that was left behind on the bottom of the pan with a paper towel. Repeated this (kind of like panning for gold;)) multiple times until I couldn’t see anymore aluminum.

Mind you, my eyes are 54 years old, so that doesn’t mean there isn’t any tiny, tiny aluminum shavings in the powder remaining. That’s what concerns me. My concern is the potential risk to the barrel or am I over reacting? My thought is aluminum cased ammo would have to have some aluminum sent down barrels without harm, but maybe this is different? If I wasn’t concerned, I wouldn’t be seeking sage advice from people more expert than myself:thumbup::). Thanks much.
 
JDeere said:
Brass is fine. I used a kinetic puller once and it broke. Spent the extra money for the RCBS collet puller. Worth every penny and makes pulling a breeze when needed...
Click to expand...
I never screw up, so I’ll never need it…:rofl:.
 
If you are pulling the bullets I take it you are reloading & if you are reloading you have a press with the proper shoe to fit your brass.
Then all you need is something to grip the bullet to pull it out of the case. I use a wire crimping pliers to remove rifle bullets.
bullet-puller1.jpg

If you grip it tight enough all it leaves on the bullet is four small dents & the shoot fine afterwards.
bullet-puller3.jpg
 
d31tc said:
One thing about learning from mistakes, not likely I’ll ever forget.
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No big deal.
True enough though, the best lessons are learned in first person.:)
I have still gotten a bit of aluminum galling on pulling some rounds, even with the puller correctly assembled. Some rifle cartridges are so stubborn I’ll have to tighten the whole thing every whack. I’m honestly waiting for the head to blast off. I’m not gentle with it and it seems every one that needs to be pulled is either cold welded or SuperCrimped.

At least now you know how the puller works and you aren’t afraid to use it.:thumbup:
Double win!
 
AK Hunter said:
If you are pulling the bullets I take it you are reloading & if you are reloading you have a press with the proper shoe to fit your brass.
Then all you need is something to grip the bullet to pull it out of the case. I use a wire crimping pliers to remove rifle bullets.
View attachment 1030621

If you grip it tight enough all it leaves on the bullet is four small dents & the shoot fine afterwards.
View attachment 1030622
Click to expand...

I stole this idea as well. I have a Hornady Cam puller I will sell you now!
F9C16152-13D8-4558-9FAC-2D3DC15EBEBB.jpeg
 
I have the Hornaday Cam Loc puller as well. It works on rifle ammo that has enough of the bullet that is straight so it can get a grip. You also need several size collets for the different sized bullets. I still use the hammer-O- matic on handgun ammo. The pliers work well if you don't mind possibly mangling the bullet when you pull it. With rifle rounds that are sealed put a straight edege across the bottom of the press hole and push the round up enough to move the bullet deeper. This breaks the bullet loose before removing. I have a bushing that I put over the point that protects the tip of the bullet.
 
Another tidbit on using a kinetic bullet puller. Hammer on a hard surface.

I use a farrier's anvil because I have one in my shop but a piece of steel, a piece of railroad rail or something similar will work. Some bench vices have a striking area behind the stationary jaw that could be used.

Wood is a poor surface to hammer on, it gives too much wasting some of the energy in the strike. You have to swing harder to get the bullet to move as opposed to striking on a surface like steel.

Concrete is hard but will spall causing a safety problem and damages the look of the surface.
 
Another view. Works even better on cannelure bullets. It’s not that others don’t work, but if you crimped the bullets the cam pullers slip 1-2 out of every 3.

C18D4B8D-0C66-4470-8440-EE49A8856CE2.jpeg
 
Remember with a kinetic puller do not hold the handle tight like your pounding a nail. You want the head to bounce back quickly as possible. A loose grip works best, it's all in the wrist action.
 
Helpful hint, if you are pulling bullets that were crimped, seat the bullet a little deeper first to break the crimp. It helps. I use a piece of 4x4 to hit mine on and use the end grain, once you get a few hits on it and flatten it down it works great.
 
E28AE8F0-9EA9-4C22-96EC-5F39E6A872C6.jpeg

If anyone needs one. Will come with a 44 collet. 30.00. This should say something about how well the wire pliers work.
 
For about 30 years I ave uses a plain shell holder in my kenetic pullers (4?). I read on a forum once several years ago (2010) about rounds going off when a shell holder was used in a hammer type puller, but no definative examples nor have I heard that since.
 
bluejay75 said:
Another view. Works even better on cannelure bullets. It’s not that others don’t work, but if you crimped the bullets the cam pullers slip 1-2 out of every 3.

View attachment 1030866
Click to expand...
Have you ever quantified any degradation in accuracy with the dimples this would leave on the bullet? Does the cam lock tool leave and marks as well?

I think for most of my rifle rounds and hunting range, any degradation in accuracy would not be significant, but I have been doing medium range hunting (less than 500 yds) with my 7mm RM and wouldn't want dimples to be a factor. I could always set those aside for practice rounds.
 
d31tc said:
Have you ever quantified any degradation in accuracy with the dimples this would leave on the bullet? Does the cam lock tool leave and marks as well?

I think for most of my rifle rounds and hunting range, any degradation in accuracy would not be significant, but I have been doing medium range hunting (less than 500 yds) with my 7mm RM and wouldn't want dimples to be a factor. I could always set those aside for practice rounds.
Click to expand...

Cam locks slip when the bullet is crimped tight. And some won’t pull at all. With the snips I have found that if you’re grabbing in the same spot on the bullet you can fix it on the seating operation. It smooths out the teeth marks.

I tested the bullets I pulled last week and found it didn’t degrade the accuracy for me to tell the difference. On a proven load of 43.6 Varget and a 180 grain Ballistic Tip they still shot better than MOA. As good as that load shoots that bullet.

I have a grip and pull as well. It works on non crimped loads.
 
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