Pulling bullets

[pwc]

I've never used a collet tool, just the whack'm bullet puller "hammer". Noisy, but always worked except it deformed the balistic tips causing them to be modified into 'not hollow' hollow points.

Does the collet deform / mark the bullet? What is the collet set up, how does it work.....I know, I know, it works fine.....please elaborate. Thanks in advance.

[country gent]

There are several collet type pullers available now. all work with a simple collet tightened with a draw bar of some sort. They work good and may leave a faint ring on bullets where they are tightened down. They don't work as good on some ammo that is loaded to the ogive with little to no full bullet dia available. Another issue is they may not work on the RCBS or Bonanza Coax ( or other presses with top linkages)
Forester made the super fast bullet buller that was caliber specific but work quick and easy. It is a housing with a flat spring collet the bullet pushes thru it to the case mouth and spring collet slides open and up the sides when the ram is lowered it cant collapse flat grips pulled the bullet the next round pushes this bullet out and repeats. Quick simple and no tightening of the collets. A small package that works very well on any press.

I made several of these several years go and modified them by splitting the flat jaws into 4 pieces completely so only the weight of them produced drag on the bullets worked great.

I made the body from 4140 1 1/2" round stock x 2" long ( cold rolled will work) drilled and reamed a 9/16 hole thru the center.

Turned and threaded 7/8X14 threaded stub 1 5/8" long leaving 3/8" at 1 1/2 dia. This was bored 1 1/4" X .250 deep.

The .060 flat spring stock was heavy banding turned 1.490-1.495 dia round and quartered with a jewelers saw.

A ring was turned 1.252- 1.253 and one side was cut to a 20* angle. It was bored to 1" The flat spring collet was inserted and the ring pressed in with the tapered face towards the flat collet tight to hold the collet. A hole was the drilled I used .300 for a .308 bullet.

The outside of the 1 1/2 boss can be knurled. Break all sharp edges. This is a close copy of the Forester super fast bullet puller the 4 piece collet is a modification that reduces the scraping effect. I faced the top to where the ring and body were a flat surface and matched for looks A light bevel on the inside top of the ring saves scraping of the fingers also .060 X 45*.

[pwc]

Thanks Gent.

[BK7saum]

If you put a foam ear plug in the base cavity of the kinetic puller, it will help protect the plastic tips. Also, I'd you figure out the rhythm of the pulling, you can hit 2 or 3 times firm, then lightly tap to release the bullet.

[BK7saum]

I haven't had much luck with a collet puller on cast boolits. I've pulled some with side cutters in a single stage press and had to recast the lead.

[str8wal]

I haven't had much luck with a collet puller on cast boolits.

Ya, the collet can't get a good grip on naked lead.

[Hardcast416taylor]

I`ve used E.A.R. foam earplugs in the bottom of my inertia puller for years. Robert

[lightman]

I've found the collet type puller to work better on rifle bullets. Some pistol bullets don't have enough straight side exposed for the collet to get a good grip. Most of the rifle bullets that I've pulled show very little or no evidence of being pulled except for some scratches from the case neck. Some padding like suggested above will help protect you bullet from damage in the kinetic puller.

[mdi]

To add to the suggestions above; I use a lead ingot as an anvil when using an inertia bullet puller. Yesterday I pulled some .44 Magnums with a heavy crimp and used one of my "pucks" in the palm of my hand and smacked it with the hammer puller (I often use a muffin pan for ingot casting). Much quieter than hitting the bench or floor and the lead did not soften the blow enough to hinder bullet travel.

[country gent]

When using a kenitec puller I have a piece of oak tree trunk that's around 2 ft in dia and 20" or so tall (its just the right height for me to hit on it when sitting) This provides a big enough solid surface that gives the right bounce back to pull bullets. It not really loud and unlike concrete or steel it dosnt seem to wear on the puller near as bad. I have broken one puller where the handle and head came together. Once you learn to let the puller rebound from the blow pulling bullets is a lot quicker. I wonder if one made with a outer caseing separate from the inner and filled with lead or steel shot ( like a dead blow hammer) would improve the tool. It would increase weight of the tool and also make for a solid blow with little bounce back and concentrating the force or the blow.

[TNsailorman]

I have used an inertia bullet puller for many moons now(since 1963) and prefer it. I bought and tried a collet puller but ended up selling it; I just did not like it as well although it is easier to use. It left small marks on the bullet and I did not want that. I have a Quinetics inertia puller but do not use the little collar that came with it(threw it in the trash). I use the appropriate shell holder to hold the case---works much better. I cut to proper size a rubber stopper and put it in the bottom of the puller. Works like a dream. I have been using a 2x4 to strike the puller on but I like the idea of a lead slab and I think I will try that and see if it works better. james

[BK7saum]

SInce this is mainly about the kinetic bullet pullers,

Is it normal for the crimped brass to scrape the swaged knurling off of cast bullets? I have read often in the past of guys having to pull lots of bullets due to an oops with the powder charge, but never read about having lots of damage to the pulled bullets.

Most of the time I've seen knurled lead bullets, they were swaged and not cast. They were also out of soft lead. So yes, I expect the knurled surface to be swaged/smoothed out from seating, neck tension and crimping. And yes, when pulled, the crimp can sometimes remove some of the knurling.

I typically don't save/reuse cast bullets that have been pulled. They get recycled into the scrap bucket to be recast. My alloys are on the softer side and I don't need to worry about reseating undersize bullets in a new case. Unless they are a really hard alloy, they will have been slightly swaded by the neck tension or the crimping die or by the crimp when pulled.

[country gent]

Also pulling bullets with a puller there is no pressure to expand and open the brass up like when being fired. This allows the brass to rub and scrape the bullet

[FlyfishermanMike]

The real question is, how many do you need to "undo?"

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