Favorite bullet puller - New info!

[jharry]

Looking at the Hornady and the RCBS bullet pullers. (Press type - non kinetic) Both get good reviews - Any particular good/bad thoughts on this one?

I have the kinetic, but want to re-examine about a hundred rounds.


Thanks

Here's the new info and a sanity check.

So I picked up an RCBS Bullet puller and of course it darn near yanked the skin off the Berry's 158gr FN bullet. I only did one and can adjust my technique and may be able to make that work.

I then got to thinking about what gunboat said about squeezing down the ridge with my sizer. I pulled the decapping rod out and tried the first one and it seemed to work great.

Now for the sanity check here........
I am barely pressing the shell into the sizer, just enough to smooth down the ridge
I next check each one in my Wilson overall sizing gage and it fits nicely (would not fit before)
I am concerned about whether or not I will build up any additional pressure. I loaded with 231 at about 4.1 gr which is mid spec but I am concerned about whether it is too tight on the crimp now.
If I run some of them through a chrono, I should be able to determine some pressures and compare to some others that were correct

Anything wrong with the logic I just went through?

Thanks

[Bill Steele]

I have the RCBS collett puller and like it in general.

The downside is you need a different collett for each caliber (and sometimes more than one, for instance when I want to pull a .45ACP 200gr LSWC I use a collett for a smaller diameter bullet, but when I am pulling a 230gr FMJ it takes the .451 collett, etc.).

Another negative of this style puller is it takes a pretty deft hand not to damage the bullet when pulling, perhaps impossible with softer plated and lead bullets. I had 100 Berry's 185gr HBRN bullets I had to pull after I discovered a powder drop problem. These bullets shot noticably poorer after they were reloaded.

[jharry]

Thanks - That'sgreat to know since these are all Berry's 158 gr 38 spl FN.

I had one of my dies set slightly tight so there is a very small ridge at the top of the brass causing the overall diamter too be slightly to much - better to pull them apart and do it right.

[Sheldon]

I've never had any success with the collet type pullers on lead bullets. The lead is generally too soft to get a grip on. Just stick with the kinetic hammer to get them apart.

On a side note I have the RCBS collet puller and the Hornady Cam Lock one looks easier to use.......not that I have actually tried it, but I like the design concept better.

[wtkaiser]

Pulling 100 bullets will be a PITA no matter how you do it. But since you are using the softer lead bullets (plated, but still soft), you might actually be better of with the old "screw 'em in the head of the hammer" kinetic puller. It's going to take time no matter how you do it.

I'd almost prefer to clean lead out of a barrel than undo 100 bullets. Almost.

[gunboat]

For 100 bullets your trigger finger could be the best puller.
Can you squeeze the ridge down in your sizer?

[Na-vah-duh]

Hope you never need it. Nothing is more frustrating then pulling bullets

[wash]

A friend of mine wound up buying a 5C collet closer block to pull .50BMG bullets with neck sealant.

It's just a Chinese milling machine accessory but it worked better than the collet puller he bought from RCBS or some other reloading company.

Of course, heavy jacket .50BMG is entirely different than copper plated lead bullets.

[j.primo]

I use the Hornady Cam Lock bullet puller. Works great for me. I have 4 collets which covers all my calibers. I chose the Hornady because the collets were cheaper.

[Antihero47]

I have the Hornady CamLock. I pulled 300+ xtreme plated 9mm bullets and if you set up the die to only hold onto the bullets softly you don't see any of the pulling marks usually. I was pretty shocked. Doing it on my LnL wasn't a problem and took less much time then banging the hammer on the floor a few times each round and unscrewing.

I love it.