Looking for a bullet puller for some .45 Colt hard cast rounds. Looked about and found the RCBS collet puller. Got great reviews on Mindway but it's been suggested that a collet puller may be sub-optimal for cast bullets. Not sure why?
Best bullet puller for cast bullets ?
- Thread starter jski
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Hokie_PhD
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I have a Lyman inertia bullet puller. Looking at it when I was buying one, it appears to be the same as many of the other brands. I’d say pick up whatever one is cheapest and you’ll be fine.
As for the collet puller. I’ve seen them but I got the inertia puller when I was just starting and didn’t know about them. So can’t comment if they’re generally better or not but the inertia pullers work and are fairly cheap
As for the collet puller. I’ve seen them but I got the inertia puller when I was just starting and didn’t know about them. So can’t comment if they’re generally better or not but the inertia pullers work and are fairly cheap
Jesse Heywood
Member
I saw that post by rule3. Wish he would respond, because AFAIK the whack a mole is supposed to be the preferred puller for lead. The other option is a collett puller, which can leave the lower half of a lead bullet in the case. I have the big green puller, it broke after a few short years. Rather than paying the shipping for a replacement, I bought a Frankford Arsenal. It still works. The case holders with the rubber bands suck, so I use a case holder for a press.
I've had trouble with a collet gripping a cast lead bullet tightly enough to pull it passed the crimp. The collet slips off the bullet even if tight enough to radically distort the bullet. I have a "hammer puller" that I bought from Graf's in 1990 and it still works fine...
OK.
How does a collet puller work? By tightening the collet around the bullet. This often leaves a mark in the bullet. Super hard lead, maybe not so much. also lead is a bit more slippery than Jacketed, so the collet does not grab it well with out really tightening it.
Can it be used for lead? Yes. But with folks so serious about micro dimensions of lead bullets why mess them up?
I have a RCBS collet in many calibers for when I bought a lot of loaded ammo to pull down.
It and the Hornady work great for a lot of pulling. But you need to buy separate collets per caliber.
Any of the Kinetic wack a mole, hammers work fine for a few mistakes. They all work as far as I know its not high tech. FA, RCBS, Hornady whatever maybe Dillon has a Blue one?
It's all in the wrist and use the end of a 4x4 piece of wood on concrete to hit on. Makes it work much easier.I have the RCBS and they replaced the cap for me as the threads stripped.
PS: The destructions say not for lead bullets.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012943183/rcbs-collet-bullet-puller
http://rcbs.com/RCBS/media/RCBSMedi... (EN)/Standard_Bullet_Puller_Instructions.pdf
http://www.accurateshooter.com/technical-articles/how-to-use-press-mounted-bullet-pullers/
The RCBS has been a good puller for me. I started with the Franklin Arsenal, which was okay, until trying to pull 158 gr. bullets with serious neck tension. After 7 or more whacks with the FA, the bullet was barely moving. 3-4 whacks with the RCBS had the bullet out.
I don't know the quality of any other brands, but I could recommend the Green one.
I don't know the quality of any other brands, but I could recommend the Green one.
The RCBS comes with a padded plug to cushion the bullet.
Navy_Chief
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I will have to check out a green one, my FA kinetic puller drives me nuts...The RCBS has been a good puller for me. I started with the Franklin Arsenal, which was okay, until trying to pull 158 gr. bullets with serious neck tension. After 7 or more whacks with the FA, the bullet was barely moving. 3-4 whacks with the RCBS had the bullet out.
I don't know the quality of any other brands, but I could recommend the Green one.
Jesse Heywood
Member
OK.
How does a collet puller work? By tightening the collet around the bullet. This often leaves a mark in the bullet. Super hard lead, maybe not so much. also lead is a bit more slippery than Jacketed, so the collet does not grab it well with out really tightening it.
Can it be used for lead? Yes. But with folks so serious about micro dimensions of lead bullets why mess them up?
I have a RCBS collet in many calibers for when I bought a lot of loaded ammo to pull down.
It and the Hornady work great for a lot of pulling. But you need to buy separate collets per caliber.
Any of the Kinetic wack a mole, hammers work fine for a few mistakes. They all work as far as I know its not high tech. FA, RCBS, Hornady whatever maybe Dillon has a Blue one?
It's all in the wrist and use the end of a 4x4 piece of wood on concrete to hit on. Makes it work much easier.I have the RCBS and they replaced the cap for me as the threads stripped.
PS: The destructions say not for lead bullets.
I can't disagree. My experiences with pulling lead with my RCBS collet have not been that good. Even with 45 cal I have had the problem of grip due to the short tangent. And with soft lead I have torn some in two. I returned to the whack a mole.
jski, if you are on a budget I will recommend the RCBS hammer, it can be used to pull just about anything. If you have the money, buy the whack a mole and a collet. I haven't tried the grip in pull, but I have used vise grips in a similar manner for bullets that were difficult.
Quick and dirty and cheap.
Use your reloading press, without a die in it. Raise the ram, grab the bullet with channel lock pliers held horizontally, and lower the ram.
It'll put pliers marks on the bullets, but they'll still be usable. Probably much more usable than you think.
Use your reloading press, without a die in it. Raise the ram, grab the bullet with channel lock pliers held horizontally, and lower the ram.
It'll put pliers marks on the bullets, but they'll still be usable. Probably much more usable than you think.
Hondo 60
Member
I use a kinetic puller (the hammer looking thing) with an ear plug in the base so the bullet doesn't get deformed.
It's always worked for me.
Just my 2¢ YMMV
It's always worked for me.
Just my 2¢ YMMV
Blue68f100
Member
I have both Hornady Colet and RCBS Wack-a-mole. The RCBS is what I use for lead or just a couple of jacked. This is an older unit that can use shell holders or the Al jaws. The Al wears down (deforms/shears) over time. With these wack-a-mole it's all in the wrist on impact. You need to allow the hammer end to rebound. Like already said you need to hit on a solid surface. I use the concrete floor.
It always better to catch problems early so you don't need to use these.
It always better to catch problems early so you don't need to use these.
George P
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My original one from 35 years ago didn't; why I use the foam ear plug...And it has pulled both lead and jacketed for years with no issues.The RCBS comes with a padded plug to cushion the bullet.
The FA didn't come with anything either. I tried a few things, not the earplugs, but bullets would come out with nicks and gouges. Glad the earplugs work.
ray15
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I have the RCBS collet puller and a Franklin Arsenal whack a mole. The inertia pullers work reliably if you have a good surface to whack them on. But they are a drag for a lot of rounds, and the powder may end up everywhere. If you don't have all that many to do (like 50, maybe 100 tops) just go that way. You'll get your bullets out in good shape with the ear plug trick. I also remove the Fisher Price collet affair from the puller and just use the applicable universal shellholder from the reloading press.
The RCBS collet puller can indeed work on lead but how well it works depends on a few factors. Your bullets being hard cast helps but the bullet design also matters. If you don't have much bearing surface extending beyond the end of the case there won't be much to grab onto. The bullet type (SWC, RN, FP, etc.) matters too. It's hard to say if the collet is worth trying without more information about the particular bullets to be pulled.
glaizinman
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The Mailman
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I saw an ad for this recently. Anybody have one?
A hint for impact puller users; I cast my own bullets so I have lead ingots laying around the shop. I use one of these ingots as an anvil. It's quieter, and seems to work better than hammering on the floor or a log end. The lead doesn't soften the blow too much to slow/stop the bullet's inertia and it's much easier on the ears. Often I'll puck up a "puck" of lead (muffin pan ingot mold) and hold it in my left hand while I whack it with the puller. Works for me....
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