Best Bullet Puller - ?

[JohndeFresno]

The Smart Reloader SR1750 comes with several collets - they have holes that are small to large.


I think that this device is the best quick bullet puller in my collection.

I purchased one quite a while ago just to have on hand if my RCBS Inertia (Hammer type) Bullet Puller cracked.

I have rarely needed to use one. But recently I needed to disassemble some .45 Colt SWC Keith type cartridges. The big semi-wadcutter bullets with their large front shoulder proved to be an obstacle for the collet, and usually caused it to fall apart into its three pieces. Reassembly, with its tiny rubber band, is a chore using my big ol' fingers.

I ended up putting the base of the cartridges through, backwards, which was time consuming.

Then I pulled out the little yellow feller. It comes with several different collets! With one of its collets that has the biggest entrance hole, the job was a snap. And its aluminum shaft seems to provide better balance when striking the device on a cement floor - two moderate raps generally dislodged the crimped projectiles.

Great product!

[milton]

That is great to know,I have destroyed two different pullers and their collets trying to pull everything from 32 H&R to 45 ACP. Actually the rounds that broke my bullet puller in half was some 32 H&R that a friend had loaded and I broke down.I will have to see about buying one of these-Thanks!

[AJMD429]

Found it here - http://www.smartreloader.com/smartreloa ... -3748.html but they are 'sold out'. Hopefully other sources or they will replenish.

[JohndeFresno]

You are welcome!

Natchez has it right now for 11 bucks:
https://www.natchezss.com/smartreloader ... uller.html

[66GTO]

My wife made me give up on the hammer puller . This is what I use now and have never looked back. RCBS Collet Bullet Puller:
http://media.midwayusa.com/productimage ... 680804.jpg

[Griff]

I have both the collet & inertia pullers. I prefer the inertia puller. When the rubber band on collet of my RCBS inertia hammer gave way, I bought a set of four collets (I think from Midway), that fit, and work just right.

[JohndeFresno]

...RCBS Collet Bullet Puller...

Good for jacketed rounds, but how does it handle cast bullets without damaging them?

[66GTO]

...RCBS Collet Bullet Puller...

Good for jacketed rounds, but how does it handle cast bullets without damaging them?

I haven't tried it on cast bullets, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

[6pt-sika]

...RCBS Collet Bullet Puller...

Good for jacketed rounds, but how does it handle cast bullets without damaging them?

I haven't tried it on cast bullets, but I don't see why it wouldn't work.

I have used it on cast and I was perfectly satisfied .

Like most I also have an inertia puller and to be honest I don't use it anymore then absolutely necessary . To much trouble and even with foam rubber in the bottom of the chamber it still deforms bullet points .

[JohndeFresno]

I have used it on cast and I was perfectly satisfied .

That surprises me; I thought that the cast bullets would be deformed.

I guess I'll have to get out my collet puller and try it out on some dummy (cast) rounds.

Thanks for the info.

[Griff]

I have used it on cast and I was perfectly satisfied .

That surprises me; I thought that the cast bullets would be deformed.

I guess I'll have to get out my collet puller and try it out on some dummy (cast) rounds.

Thanks for the info.

I suspect it depends on how hard the cast bullet is.

[Chuck 100 yd]

In 55 years of reloading ammo, I have never owned a bullet puller. " That is what the powder is for!!!"
In the rare case, when I have needed to pull one or two, I put them in the shell holder of my press.
Run the ram up to the top of the stroke ,without a die installed, grab the bullet with a flat sided wire stripper or side cutter, carefull not to damage the presses threads, lower the ram to remove the bullet.
The bullet will be damaged beyond use but who cares.
There are tools (specialy made to pull bullets without damage) to be used in the same way.

Once a friend loaded a bunch of CAS .38 ammo and discovered he had used powder charge data for heavy .357 mag. Loads.
He bought an RCBS impact puller and brought it over to my shop to use my anvil to smack it against.
The plastic head of that thing shattered into a hundred pieces on about the third try.
We ended up using my method and just saved the primed brass and the powder. The bullets went into the melting pot.

[JohndeFresno]

...He bought an RCBS impact puller and brought it over to my shop to use my anvil to smack it against.
The plastic head of that thing shattered into a hundred pieces on about the third try...

I hear this story again and again and I don't understand it.

I don't live close enough to a rifle range where it is always convenient to just fire off some rounds that aren't acceptable; and there have been times when I've wanted to keep the bullet intact for one reason or another.

My reloading experience has only been about something like 14 years or so - started my bullet load database in 2003, in fact - and have had the same RCBS Inertia Bullet Puller "hammer" since day one. It has never cracked or failed me.

I have used it more than a few times, in fact once I unloaded 50 rounds because I wanted a lighter load but with some lead bullets.

I smack it forcefully onto cement, and have in the past used the anvil head of a cast iron vice. Never a problem with it shattering. Yet these stories seem to abound on the Internet, for some reason.

Owing to what Griff alluded to, some of my .45 Colt bullets are the Hornady swaged fellers, so they are pretty soft. I'm pretty sure that they would be damaged by using direct force (a collet die) on them for removal; but I have yet to experiment with one or two.

Like many here, I would like to cast my own but circumstances are just not favorable for that activity - time and space - therefore I buy my lead. So - no melting pot to throw the damaged projectiles into.

Having noted that 6pt-sika has success with a collet die for cast bullets, I guess I'll need to run an experiment with the swaged and/or softer cast bullets that have a good crimp to see how they fare - whether or not they get deformed in the process. More later.

[Griff]

...He bought an RCBS impact puller and brought it over to my shop to use my anvil to smack it against.
The plastic head of that thing shattered into a hundred pieces on about the third try...

I hear this story again and again and I don't understand it.

Aye, my RCBS inertia puller is some 35 years old... I've pulled hundreds of bullets with it... In fact around 1982 a friend & I bought a can of WWII .30-06 and found that nearly all were duds. We split the can and each pulled the bullets, dumped the powder, punched out the primers and reloaded the bullets using fresh primers and powder. I'm still using it to this day. Ergo, IMO, it is the BEST bullet puller. I whack it on the concrete floor of the shop. I don't whack it like I'm trying to drive a 16p nail in one strike, but if it takes 2 or 3 strikes to dislodge the bullet, no matter.

[Chuck 100 yd]

I am sure RCBS has them made by another company and just sells them. There could have been a run of bad ones?

[marlinman93]

I have two inertia bullet pullers; one RCBS, and another Frankford Arsenal. I also have the RCBS collet puller, and it's too slow, and damages cast lead bullets beyond useful. I prefer either inertia puller, and after years of use, mine are still in great shape. I've figured out how to pull bullets quickly, and not have to totally disassemble the puller to dump bullets and powder as I pull them.

[Griff]

I am sure RCBS has them made by another company and just sells them. There could have been a run of bad ones?

Undoubtedly!

[JohndeFresno]

OK, here is my experiment

1) I put together three sets of .45 Colt lead bullets:
2 Hornady ""Cowboy" swaged bullets of BHN 8-10(?),
2 cast bullets of 11 BHN rating, and
2 cast bullets at BHN 18 rating.

2) I took some nice photos with an appropriate black background and slick lighting, showing the tops of the bullets and the side view (laid over on their side) for later comparison photos. You will note that the pix are not shown here because - -

3) Having rarely used the collet bullet puller, I reviewed its instruction sheet. There was this tidbit of information:
"[The RCBS Standard Bullet Puller] is designed to pull jacketed, spitzer pointed style bullets. Do not pull pure lead bullets or bullets with a large portion of lead exposed at the nose as they will be badly distorted or the Collet may not grip the bullets at all."

4) I noted the temperature in the garage (my secret reloading area - don't tell anybody). It was a balmy 105 degrees.

5) I asked myself - since some of my "Golden Years" meds have unceremoniously taught me "Mr. Heat is not my friend" - do I really want to prove, in this heat, something that everyone at RCBS already knows?

So - I'm glad that some successfully use the collet die for those rare times that they have to pull their jacketed or lead bullets. As for me, I'll stick with the hammer thing for my cast and swaged rounds, and keep that collet thing in its box until there is an issue with a jacketed bullet.

Experiment Concluded!

[Griff]

OK, here is my experiment
4) I noted the temperature in the garage (my secret reloading area - don't tell anybody). It was a balmy 105 degrees.

5) I asked myself - since some of my "Golden Years" meds have unceremoniously taught me "Mr. Heat is not my friend" - do I really want to prove, in this heat, something that everyone at RCBS already knows?Experiment Concluded!

Amen brother! In the middle of yesterday afternoon, our A/C took a nosedive. Repairman showed up today... bad news... compressor exploded... then caught fire. Luckily the damage is contained in the compressor box. No word on when the new compressor will arrive... It was miserable yesterday, today we experienced one of those wonderful summer storms... the rain and temp dropped to where the "whole house fan" in the attic is able to keep it bearable.

[JohndeFresno]

Wow. Sorry, Griff.
Here's hoping that things sort out soon!

[mikld]

I bought a Frankfort Arsenal inertia bullet puller about 20 years ago when my RCBS collet puller would not grip lead bullets. I soon tired of the ill fitting collets and now just use shell holders (I know, some say the round will go off in the puller if a shell holder is used ?? , but I've used shell holders for over 15 years and have not had that experience).

Since my personal experience with Smart Reloader products, and consequent reading some reports on forums, I won't purchase anything with that name. Normally I give tools a good try, without being prejudice as I worked with hand tools most of my life, and I trust my opinion, but my experience tells me to spend my money elsewhere. I keep a Smart Reloader "C" press on the wall above my bench to remind me...

[JohndeFresno]

... I won't purchase anything with that name...I keep a Smart Reloader "C" press on the wall above my bench to remind me...

Interesting. I never Googled them before, and didn't even know that there was a "yellow" line of reloading equipment.

I just happened to find the Smart Reloader hammer device online (Amazon, I think) and have been very happy with it. I like its heft; it seems easier to give it those 2-3 good raps to knock the bullet out. It bears repeating that I am unaware of any other Inertia puller that comes with several different collars (with varied opening sizes).

Griff and Joe Miller, to name two, can probably validate my experience, for instance, with trying to get a big Keith type semiwadcutter .45 Colt bullet, with its sharp front shoulder, into the collar - without having the dang thing fall apart!

.44 Mags (Keith style) are just as difficult, and other large bore cast bullets like the .45-70 would be, too (although I have never had to pull one of those).

The RCBS puller only has one collar (that's what I'm calling the little 3-part split ring device that you stick the bullet through). If the Smart Reloader puller broke on me, I would still use the little collars on the RCBS puller. I just now checked, and they are totally interchangeable.

To me, the collars alone were worth the 11 bucks!

[Griff]

Griff and Joe Miller, to name two, can probably validate my experience, for instance, with trying to get a big Keith type semiwadcutter .45 Colt bullet, with its sharp front shoulder, into the collar - without having the dang thing fall apart!

Aye, this is true. I don't know where I picked up the set of 4 collars, I thought it was midway, but there's no label on the bag they're in... This set has a different color band for each size.

[Griff]

Wow. Sorry, Griff.
Here's hoping that things sort out soon!

All fixed now. New compressor... $3100!!! Cost to me: $0 Thankful for maintenance agreements!

[Ysabel Kid]

John, you can always make your own...

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47419&p=592452&hili ... 20#p592452

[JohndeFresno]

All fixed now. New compressor... $3100!!! Cost to me: $0 Thankful for maintenance agreements!

Terrific! I recently contracted with American Home Shield in case a similar catastrophe befalls us.

Last month, our Samsung refrigerator's ice maker kept freezing over. Instead of fixing it or replacing the appliance, the refrigerator insurance premium was merely refunded; they would not replace the appliance because of the rash of identical failures in this product that are unfixable. So we were stuck with a lemon.

The AHS insurance covers all the appliances in our house at less cost than the crummy Samsung insurance for just the refrigerator. But we had to buy a whole new (Whirlpool) refrigerator first, so that new coverage could start. $$$

John, you can always make your own...
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47419&p=592452&hili ... 20#p592452

Hey, that is clever, YK. Regular pipe fittings to accommodate the ultra long round. Very cool.

[Ysabel Kid]

All fixed now. New compressor... $3100!!! Cost to me: $0 Thankful for maintenance agreements!

Terrific! I recently contracted with American Home Shield in case a similar catastrophe befalls us.

Last month, our Samsung refrigerator's ice maker kept freezing over. Instead of fixing it or replacing the appliance, the refrigerator insurance premium was merely refunded; they would not replace the appliance because of the rash of identical failures in this product that are unfixable. So we were stuck with a lemon.

The AHS insurance covers all the appliances in our house at less cost than the crummy Samsung insurance for just the refrigerator. But we had to buy a whole new (Whirlpool) refrigerator first, so that new coverage could start. $$$

John, you can always make your own...
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=47419&p=592452&hili ... 20#p592452

Hey, that is clever, YK. Regular pipe fittings to accommodate the ultra long round. Very cool.

They will, though I did use the collets from the Midway puller.

The additional mass also helps quite a bit. One whack usually is all it take. Three for a tightly-fitted bullet from a case as long as the .45-120 Sharps.

[mikld]

The best bullet puller I own is my .44 Puma. Unloads those pesky 265 gr RNFP fellers at about 1200 fps...

[Ysabel Kid]

The best bullet puller I own is my .44 Puma. Unloads those pesky 265 gr RNFP fellers at about 1200 fps...

I agree, but I learned my lesson the hard way NOT to do that.

I am a world-class brass-scrounger. I pick it up whenever I can, as much as I can, and horde it. Started back in the day when I could barely afford to feed my firearms, and the habit has always stuck. Along with that, I have had the opportunity to purchase others reloads from time to time. Way back when, I bought several hundred rounds of .44 Magnum at a garage sale after an elderly gentleman passed away (along with powders, primers, and some basic reloading equipment). My intent was to pull the bullets, and reuse the bullets and brass - and possibly the primers, but since no recipe was to be found, I had no idea what powder and charge was used.

Then I got lazy.

I tried pulling these (using an inertia hammer) and the older gentleman really crimped the heck out of each round. Got tired of doing that rather quickly, so set them aside for a few years. Then one say I decided to just shoot them off to reload the brass, figuring my S&W Model 629 could handle them.

Wrong.

They were hot. Very hot. So hot they bulged the cylinder!

I should have stopped after the first round, but no, I had to push my luck.

I figured I was screwed royally, since I wasn't the original owner of the gun, and was using non-factory loaded ammunition. I sent the gun to S&W, waiting for a reply with a large quote.

This was after the S&W debacle with Clinton. Instead of a large quote, or a refusal to work on the gun, I got the gun back, with a new cylinder installed - free of charge. I guess S&W was looking to keep customers after the corner they had been backed into with Clinton. It worked - I'll be loyal to them forever!

But again, lesson learned - I don't shoot anyone else's reloads.

[KeithNyst]

I have used it on cast and I was perfectly satisfied .

That surprises me; I thought that the cast bullets would be deformed.

I guess I'll have to get out my collet puller and try it out on some dummy (cast) rounds.

Thanks for the info.

With my inertia puller, I just tear off a piece of paper toweling, squish it a bit and stuff in in the bottom of it. The paper cushions the landing of the bullet when it pops out.

[ollogger]

Just yesterday I bought the RCBS inertia puller as I had a few screw ups
( like not changing the expanding die to the seating die ) one thing bout it the expanding die
will seat a bullet, the inertia puller did a good job with it, I have had no success with a
collet puller on cast bullets even when they aren't forced to the bottom


ollogger