Collet bullet puller for 5.45x39 Russian ammo

[Hickok]

Trying to pull bullets from Russian 5.45x39 cartridges to make up some "Mexican Match" ammo, as I have a Lee .221"sizer and am sizing down .224" bullets to use place of the FMJ steel jacketed bullets.

My problem is I can't pull the bullets without a lot of damage. I seated the bullets deeper to break the bond/seal between case and bullet, and then used a Kinetic bullet puller to try and hammer the bullets out,....no joy, no go. I hammered on a piece of hard wood, then tried a piece of steel on concrete, bang, bang, bang, still no bullet movement.

A pair of side-cutters (or vice-grips)used on top of my RCBS press will pull the bullets, but they get pretty cobbled-up. I never had any type of cartridge/bullet combination that was so hard to pull bullets. Even with the side cutters, you have to really put a lot of grip and pressure on the press and bullet to get them to come out.

Just wondering if the RCBS collet-type bullet puller would work with the .224 collet? These 5.45 bullets have a long tapering ogive, and look like they would be difficult to get a "bite" on with collet.

Anyone have any experience or ideas. I really would like to save the pulled bullets and have them in fairly good condition after pulling.

[country gent]

If you can find one of the forester bonanza super fast pullers in 22 cal it may do the job. If there is a parallel section on the bullet the rcbs may work. Another way would be to pick up a cheap wire stripper and open the closest hole to 223 dia and lightly chamfer the one side to thin the jaws. then use it on top of the press to pull the bullet. Thin the jaws to where the parallel section is .010-.020 wide.

[Mica_Hiebert]

The .22 collet puller should work fine