How to pull 7.62x45

[Rooster]

I've got several thousand cartridges of this type that I want to salvage the components. Has anyone tried to pull these? I have tried a RCBS 30 cal. collet but the collet won't grab enough of the projectile to work. I also tried the pliers and running it up and grabbing the proj. but, again, the case won't go high enough in my RCBS RC to be of use. Any suggestions here? They are only taking up floor space in the reloading bunker so I'm not in any great rush to do the deed.

[RU shooter]

Do you mean 7.62x25mm? Just asking cause a rd. that long(45mm ) sticks up fine through my RC. If it is the smaller 25mm rd. how about an extended shell holder?and forget the pliers try a cheap set of multigauge wire strippers ,grip the bullet in the largest wire size setting and lower the ram on your press,slips alot less than the pliers

[frkelly74]

To loosen them up, if the lacquer has the bullet " glued " in you might seat them a little deeper to break the bond. Then take needle nose vice grips and hollow grind the pointed end to a chisel point across the jaws so that when the cartridge is in the up position with the point of the bullet sticking out the top of the press you can grab the bullet and then lower the cartridge and pull the bullet using the press leverage. be careful not to booger up the threads at the top of the press. should be a low impact method and not damage the bullets too much.

[gew98]

I had the same problem years ago with my RCBS collet puller and the 7,62x45. I used the kinetic hammer on each one to get them started out more than pulled them wiht the collet puller. But after a couple dozen rounds I felt it was too slow going. Not caring to save any of the steel cases I just took a dremel and scored the caseneck just so and they twisted right out , then dumped the powder out.

[JIMinPHX]

Is there some reason that you don't want to use one of the kinetic bullet pullers?

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=630146

[Rooster]

Thanks for the quick replies!

It is just that there are so gawdawful many to do I might go batty in the belfry. I've also thought of taking a dremel to them gew98, but I would like to reuse the j-words. I forgot to mention the Forster puller with the steel "fingers". I thought that one would work but it lacked a smidge more travel to get a good grip on the round and if I seat them deeper it makes it worse.

RU, good suggestions that I'm going to try. The wire stripper one is my next attempt as I have several cheap ones around here somewhere.

Is the extended shell holder caliber specific or is it an adapter for the regular issue SH? I've never used one of them before.

Thanks again everyone!

ETA-Rereading gew98's dremel method I was thinking a longitudinal cut as opposed to a cut down the length of the bullet shank and case neck. That sounds doable, slow, but doable.

[frkelly74]

The dremel might just light one up. Caution!

[gew98]

Guys ; If you score the case neck and don't get heavy handed you won't damage the bullet and the likelihood of setting it off with heat is so small to be not worth mentioning because of where the dremel cut off wheel is used.
It's considerably easier to score the case neck and use a couple fired cases to pop the cut and save bullet and powder this way then using the dang kinetic hammer. I can't tell you how much steel and brass cased surplus not worthy of shooting I have done this to for sake of time and ease when you don't want to save the old berdan brass.

[Andy_P]

If it's more than a few cartridges, and you don't care about the brass, the easiest and fastest approach would be:

- obtain a 12" or so long piece of steel, aluminum, or brass at least 1" wide and 1/4" thick, and drill a 5/16" hole in it (the 5/16" hole is a bit larger than the bullet, but smaller than the neck O/D);
- clamp it to a sturdy table with the hole overhanging the table by about 6";
- simply insert the cartridge bullet-first into the hole from below and wiggle it back and forth a couple of times;
- remove it, pull the bullet out with your fingers, dump the powder into a waiting container and the brass into another; and
- repeat.

Once you get the hang of it, you can do 10+ rounds/minute with no bullet marking or damage.

[Fredx10sen]

I've got several thousand cartridges of this type that I want to salvage the components. Has anyone tried to pull these? I have tried a RCBS 30 cal. collet but the collet won't grab enough of the projectile to work. I also tried the pliers and running it up and grabbing the proj. but, again, the case won't go high enough in my RCBS RC to be of use. Any suggestions here? They are only taking up floor space in the reloading bunker so I'm not in any great rush to do the deed.

Any interest in selling some of those? My VZ 52 could always use some more of those rounds. [smilie=1:

[Uncle R.]

Any interest in selling some of those? My VZ 52 could always use some more of those rounds. [smilie=1:

That's what I was thinking too. For the Luvva Pete if the cartridges are in good condition SELL them - they're getting scarce and expensive. A lot of the 7.62 x 45 that remains on the marrket is pretty ugly with corrosion.
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Uncle R.

[uscra112]

Roger that. Sell it! Besides, what is the value of what you've salvaged? The cases are Berdan primed and corrosive, and very few of them are brass and thus reloadable anyway, the powder you don't know enough about to use safely, and the bullets are poor-John at best. Sell it! Or not. If you destroy it, that just makes my own stash more valuable......