Bullet Puller Recommendations

[Lurch37]

I'm tired of using my plastic hammer type bullet puller and looking for recommendations for what to use in my press? I have read a few reviews on the RCBS, Hornady, and Forster brands.

I noticed that Hornady states their model is not intended for pistol bullets? Are the other 2 able to handle pistol bullets?

Looks like all 3 are not recommended for lead bullets, as well as all use some sort of a specific caliber collet that is purchased separately.

On Midway the RCBS gets a 4.8, the Hornady a 4.6, and the Forster a lowly 3.6 rating, with 5 being perfect.

Are there other brands that I'm missing?

Thanks!

 

[Jim Watson]

My Hornady would pull most jacketed pistol bullets; I broke down a lot of water damaged 9mm and .45 with one. Some loads I had to resort to the inertia puller.

 

[tangolima]

What press do you use? A coax press would be tricky. Doable but tricky.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Shadow9mm]

I have the hornady. The others i looked at work the same way. I can pull pistol bullets but you are more likely to damage them. The rifling bullet are generally longer and more tapered giving the puller more to hold onto. With pistol bullet they round over so fast there is generally not much to grab onto right about the case

 

[44 AMP]

I have the RCBS collet type puller and a selection of collets (purchased separately), and used it for years with varying degrees of success.

Worked pretty well to pull jacketed rifle bullets from handloads, less so for everything else, and not at all for any lead bullets.

Might just have been me, but I found that regular "hand tight" frequently let the collet slip and it could take multiple tries to actually get a bullet pulled. Using a "cheater" to really tighten the collet generally worked but was a pain to "break loose" once the bullet was pulled.

My RCBS collet puller has been in its box on a shelf for decades now, since I bought a Lyman "orange hammer" inertia puller,

The hammer works great for me, pulls everything, including GI 7.62 Nato with relative ease and damages nothing. Its a bit less efficient with small light bullets (.22s) because they have less inertial, but it will pull them, too.

Pulls even soft lead slugs so they are undamaged, and completely reusable, something my collet puller can not do.

If you are pulling some kind of pointed soft point, cut a small section of foam earplug and put it in the nose of the hammer cavity, and that will prevent damage to soft lead tips.

I've used both, and it's a big thumbs up to the hammer and thumbs down to the collet from me.

YMMV

 

[Nick_C_S]

I'm tired of using my plastic hammer type bullet puller

Yeah, me too. I got mine (RCBS) in 1984. Got tired of using it by early '85. Still have it. Still use it - on rare occasion.

See for me, the solution is to spot and avoid situations where there's a probability of having to pull bullets in the first place. I proceed slow with my work ups - lots of trips to the range with only a few rounds to test at a time.

About the only time I use it is if I seated a bullet too deep and have to nudge it back out - that sort of thing. Early last year, I loaded a batch of ammo with propellant that had gone bad: 75 rounds went in the dumpster.

That said, for pistol bullets, I don't know of a better tool. Not looking for one either.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I have had a Hornady L-N-L puller for about 15 years, and an RCBS collet puller for 4-6 years.

Hornady is not difficult to set up, but is best used with constant hand pressure on the toggle arm - NOT cammed over, like most people want to use it (and break it). Once adjusted, it is quick and easy to run dozens, if not hundreds, or rounds.

RCBS is quicker to set up, and has some collets available that other brands do not (or did not when I needed them -- like .475" and 17 cal). The RCBS tool mutilates bullets much easier, but will pull many cast bullets that the Hornady will not. The RCBS collet puller is *slow* to use.


No matter which puller(s) you may have on hand, you'll still find things that require the whack-a-mole hammer to pull. And, you may find yourself like many of the rest of us, grabbing the hammer when there are only one, two, or maybe three bullets to pull.
Hammer is fastest and easiest for singles, in most circumstances.

 

[L. Boscoe]

When I got back into reloading 3 years ago, I mistakenly ordered two bullet pullers, the hammer style. Last month I evidently did not have the cap screwed on tight enough, and the cap broke-a hole in it- I was sure the round had gone off, but no, it just broke.
Now I tighten the hell out of the cap to be sure. Weird to say the least.
Let's hope the 2nd one lasts.

 

[jetinteriorguy]

I have the Hornady collet puller and have, unfortunately, pulled a lot of pistol bullets in 9mm, .38/.357, and .41mag with only one problem. I had some 115gr RN Hitec coated bullets seated right to the beginning of the Ogive that the jaws of the collet just couldn’t get a grip on.

 

[Piranha451]

I came across this bullet puller and it looks to be pretty good. It has a lifetime guarantee, too.
https://grip-n-pull.com/

 

[Unclenick]

The Grip-N-Pulls have the same limitation the Hornady collet puller does: if there isn't enough grip surface sticking out of the case mouth, you have to go to an inertial puller to at least start the bullet out.

 

[Lurch37]

Thanks for the ideas, I think I'll try the Hornady model and see how it goes.

 

[44 AMP]

if there isn't enough grip surface sticking out of the case mouth, you have to go to an inertial puller to at least start the bullet out.

Call me lazy if you want (ok I am, a bit ) but if I put a round into the hammer, I'm not going to start the bullet out then take it out and finish pulling it in a collet type press puller. I'm just going to give it enough wacks to pull it, completely.

I'm quite impressed with the Lyman "orange hammer" I got, pulled down 400 surplus 7.62 Nato rounds (powder was going bad) with a LOT less aggrivation and I think a bit faster than I would have had using my RCBS collet system.

Maybe its something some people have a hard time figuring out, but if you swing the hammer the right way, (it doesn't need to be hard, just quick, with a snap) and a good solid impact surface (I use the top of a COLD wood stove. I think it is better than any wood or even concrete) and generally 3-6 wacks pops even glued and crimped bullet free, with no damage or even any cosmetic marks.

 

[tangolima]

I won't lift up a weight unless there is money underneath. My lazy beats your lazy

However I will pull the cartridge out of a hammer and finish it up with a puller, as it is less work that way. Hammer deforms bullet's tip. I need to put in cushioning in the chamber to catch the bullet. Powder will fly out of the chamber if I don't stop right after the bullet dislodges. That loose powder in the chamber, it is messy and quite a chore to manage that with the bullet buried inside. Puller is clean and tidy.

There is at least one thread on a round going off in the hammer. That helped me buy RCBS puller. I have coax press which requires some modifications. Now the hammer has taken a back seat.

-TL

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Woody'sDad]

Not to beat a dying horse but just about everything already posted is correct--
I have the Hornady puller and a couple of hammer types--for a single or just a few I reflexly go to the hammer type-just plain faster and easier than setting up the press type
Try putting a small piece of foam-like a cut off ear plug in the bottom of the hammer type to cushion the tip of the bullet - it works

With any flush seated or nearly so it is like Uncle Nick says- you ain't getting it out with the collet type-hammer is the only choice.

Also be careful when using the collets and grab the projectile not the top of the brass as it is easy to do if you are rushing things- I generally go slow and just try to grab the bullet at the ogive and avoid crushing or marking up the necks and remember the old trick of just pushing the bullet IN a bit to free up any "cold weld" or sealant if you run into a batch of hard to pull troublemakers

Gary

 

[skywag]

These work great for me.


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[44 AMP]

Hammer deforms bullet's tip. I need to put in cushioning in the chamber to catch the bullet. Powder will fly out of the chamber if I don't stop right after the bullet dislodges. That loose powder in the chamber, it is messy and quite a chore to manage that with the bullet buried inside. Puller is clean and tidy.

Either your puller is made differently than mine, or we are using them in drastically different ways.

Yes, the hammer can deform a very soft very pointed bullet tip. The fix is simple, and cheap, and really only needed for those bullets, but can be left in place all the time without issue.

Powder flying out? Mine doesn't do that. Never has. Don't think it can, when correctly assembled. Loose powder and the bullet simply pour out when you dump them. Not messy at all. I use an old coffee cup to catch them, pick the undamaged bullet out, and then pour the powder into what ever I'm using to store it in.

A centerfire round going off in a kinetic puller? I suppose its not physically impossible, but it would be a very, very,very freak occurance.

NEVER use a hammer puller on a rimfire round. Not only is it barking stupid, the instructions tell you not to!

 

[tangolima]

It happens rather rarely, but it does happen. There is at one such thread on this forum about it. Center fired of course. Many different theories. I think sensitive primer in loose pocket with really stubborn bullet could be a bad combination.

-TL

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[RC20]

I have the Hornady with the various collets and generally it works good and much better if more than one or two need to get pulled.

What press do you use? A coax press would be tricky. Doable but tricky.

I have an old RCBS Junior I use (I also take it to the range to work with COAL). That works. I would not abuse the CoAxe rim grippers with one of those, its the one thing the CoAxe is wrong for.

I have enough room on my bench I can have both side by side.

 

[Unclenick]

A centerfire round going off in a kinetic puller? I suppose it's not physically impossible, but it would be a very, very, very freak occurrence.

It has happened to people substituting press shell holders for the collet that comes with the hammer, but that's the only place I've heard of it and seen photos of the result (puller done for and 45 Auto case lodged in the drop ceiling, IIRC).