Need new bullet puller

[Wrbjr]

My Frankford Arsenal died tonight.

Anyone have any recommendations for a different brand. Not really impressed with the Frankford. Looking at a Lyman.... :coffeecom

[Bullwolf]

I broke a blue plastic Kinetic/Impact Bullet puller while taking apart a large amount of older military 30'06. The exact brand name escapes me, but by looking at pictures it strongly resembled the Frankford Arsenal Puller.

I replaced it with a green RCBS puller, and it's still chugging along fine, so I would give a big +1 to the RCBS hammer style bullet puller.

P.S.
It's always good to remember that you can use a shell holder with a kinetic puller in a pinch. I read that tip here on Cast Boolits, and it was something that I had never thought of trying.


- Bullwolf

[John Boy]

My Frankford Arsenal died tonight.
Call Frankford and tell them it broke. I did. They asked for a jpg in an email. Sent it. Received a new puller

[wv109323]

I have an RCBS Kinetic type and don't like it. I hate the little three section piece that is held with a spring. Mine keeps flying apart. Actually this is my second RCBS. The first gave up the ghost after about 8 years. The two RCBS that I have owned had the aluminum shaft with the plastic handle and head.
I also have a C&H collet type that does not work well. It seems there has to be a lot of bullet exposed before the collet will grip the bullet with enough force to pull it.
With the C&H I could not pull 50 gn. bullets out of .222 Remington brass.
I would like to hear what other people use.

[Bullet Caster]

I have an RCBS hammer style bullet (boolit) puller. It has been a good one. I've used it to pull .30-06 military rounds without a hitch. I did, however, use the shell holder that fits the press instead of the collet with the rubber o-ring around it. The press shell holder works great as suggested here on CastBoolits. I got tired of chasing the rubber o-ring whenever it would fly apart. I think this is the only Green item on my bench. If it ever should break, I'll just send the pieces back to RCBS and get a new one. BC

[Wrbjr]

Thanks for the input.... the screw on cap won't come off of the Frankford.... almost welded on. No idea what happened. I was unloading a few rounds that were a tad short and it just froze.

[dromia]

If you mean the hammer style bullet/boolit puller then I have had and have used a Quinetics one for years, it has stood the test of time and taken some "hammer" and is still going strong.

[kweidner]

I have owned most. They are all about the same. If you get the FA replaced make sure you use collets dome up. it seems to work better that way not as much pressure needed on the threads. None are super durable and only meant for the occasional use. If you want true durability I am afraid the collet style press mounted puller is much better for the longevity. More expensive for sure but will last a lifetime.

[jimkim]

If you mean the hammer style bullet/boolit puller then I have had and have used a Quinetics one for years, it has stood the test of time and taken some "hammer" and is still going strong.

I'm still using the one I bought in 1990. Quinetics is the way to go. Mine has "Distributed by RCBS" written on the handle.
http://www.sinclairintl.com/.aspx/pid=34107/Product/Quinetics-Bullet-Puller

[sabrecross03]

I've been using the orange Lyman kinetic bullet puller and it has performed well. I've pulled rifle rounds as well as several pistol calibers. I'd highly recommend it.

[MBTcustom]

I have one just like the one in jimkim's link. Its older than I am and was my dads. I never bang it on concrete, always on a wood surface (just to be on the safe side). It works well. If I ever have to pull a bozillion rounds, I believe I will just buy a couple of the RCBS ones and go with it. They are cheap so why not just use 'em like a rented mule and if one breaks, send it back to RCBS and carry on with the other one.

[popper]

Don't know, made mine from 1/2" PVC pipe and couplers. Works fine, but don't use it often. Put some rubber padding in the bottom coupler and on top of the shell holder. Just use it for pistol and CB rifle - collet puller for others.

[Markbo]

Mine must be Frankford Arsenal... blue plastic. The hammering tip is all buggered up but it it just keeps chugging along. I started using shell holders here just a while back and dont fuss with the difficult little fixtures at all. Haven't had a single slip or hang up since I started them!

[Reload3006]

I have had the frankford Ars hammer puller for 30ish years. I now had a hornady and rcbs collet type. I still use all of them if I dont want to mar the bullet out comes the Hammer. if I dont care depends on which set of collets i have for the Hornady or RCBS...

[Sonnypie]

If you mean the hammer style bullet/boolit puller then I have had and have used a Quinetics one for years, it has stood the test of time and taken some "hammer" and is still going strong.

Same here.
It seems to be bullet proof. ;)
Last big session was 1600+ rounds of 30-06.
I use the concrete floor in the garage as my "anvil". YMMV

[MGySgt]

I use my press with an old pair of wire strippers.

Put the correct shell hold in, run the ram up WITHOUT a die in it, grab the boolit or J-word with the wire strippers (flat across the top of the press) and lower the handle.

J-word you can reload, cast goes in my reject boolit can to go back into the melting pot - already has flux on i!

I also use my RCBS boolit puller when I can't grab ahold of the bullet or boolit

[mold maker]

The secrets in the momentum of the head, not the heavy hand on the handle. Mine is from the late 60s and still going strong.
Striking a heavy end grain piece of hard wood gets the job done with one lick.

[midnight]

I had to get the big BMG collet puller for my 50 but I found it uses standard R8 collet that every machinist knows about. On line I found R8 collets for about $6 ea so I bought a bunch & can use this puller for most everything. I did learn one little trick after I had two linotype BMG bullets break off clean, flush with the neck of the case. Use your seater to seat the bullet you want to pull just a mite deeper in the case to break whatever seal there might be between the bullet and the case neck. Miy bullets had been painted with thinned LLA. All the bullets pulled easily after I seated them a little deeper.

Bob

[Bullet Caster]

Midnight,
That's a really good idea. Never thought of using the press to break any crimp free. Next time I have to pull military .30-06 I'll definitely keep that technique in mind. Thanks. BC

[jimkim]

I use my press with an old pair of wire strippers.

Put the correct shell hold in, run the ram up WITHOUT a die in it, grab the boolit or J-word with the wire strippers (flat across the top of the press) and lower the handle.

J-word you can reload, cast goes in my reject boolit can to go back into the melting pot - already has flux on i!

I also use my RCBS boolit puller when I can't grab ahold of the bullet or boolit

If you have a Lee Rifle FCD you can use it and needle nose pliers. Put the die body in without the crimping sleeve. Place the round in the shellholder and raise the ram. Loosely grip the bullet with the pliers(holding them vertically) while lowering the ram. The sides of the pliers are tapered and will self tighten when they grip the sides of the bullet. It works very well for j-words. I've not found a way to save cast bullets other than using an impact puller.

You don't actually have to use the FCD body, but I don't want to screw up my threads. If the round is short it might not work.

[StratsMan]

Another great, simple idea I've learned from this group that will make things a little easier at the reloading bench... No powder spills from the hammer, either.

Now why didn't I think of that??


I use my press with an old pair of wire strippers.

Put the correct shell hold in, run the ram up WITHOUT a die in it, grab the boolit or J-word with the wire strippers (flat across the top of the press) and lower the handle.

boolit

[Dan Cash]

Keep the aluminum handles from the broken puller. Add a piece of copper pipe with end caps, fill with lead and you have a dandy lead hammer. If your puller end cap died, fill the hole with lead and thump away.

[John Boy]

The hammering tip is all buggered up but it it just keeps chugging along. Make a lead ingot in a muffin tin. Use that to beat on. Doesn't bugger the bottom of the puller

[jcwit]

Get an RCBS. For the reason below!

And for those of you than have an RCBS that has gives up the ghost, call their 800 number and explain what the problem is with the bullet puller to the nice lady on the other end. Then sit back and wait for the mail to arrive.

Remember their guarantee is--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOREVER!

[canyon-ghost]

I have a Frankford Arsenal puller, a set of small needle-nose vice grips, and as a final alternative: A copper tubing cutter that will cut the brass in half so I can dump the powder.

[jimkim]

Get an RCBS. For the reason below!

And for those of you than have an RCBS that has gives up the ghost, call their 800 number and explain what the problem is with the bullet puller to the nice lady on the other end. Then sit back and wait for the mail to arrive.

Remember their guarantee is--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOREVER!

You do know they changed their warranty. I don't remember the heavy font from a couple of years ago. http://www.rcbs.com/general/warranty/

[jcwit]

You do know they changed their warranty. I don't remember the heavy font from a couple of years ago. http://www.rcbs.com/general/warranty/

No mention of the bullet puller that I saw, will call tomorrow.

[oldgeezershooter]

I use a RCBS hammer style and a piece of Trex-Deck to pound on.

[maglvr]

I bought the "smart reloader" brand, because it was $8.99.
I can say it's lifetime was just under 100 357 mag pulls, before the aluminum handle snapped off. aka GARBAGE ;)

[Bullet Caster]

maglvr,
As it is always said, you get what ya pay for. I did a lot of research before I nixed SmartReloader products. I thought to myself, self how long do ya think that will work? Every thread I searched for SmartReloader said to stay away from that JUNK. With that in mind I purchased the RCBS kinetic boolit puller and now I'm glad I did. I don't think those things were made for excessive use...i.e., used in a quantative manner each and every day. I think they were designed to pull an occasional boolit, but then I may be wrong. Just my 2 cents worth. BC

[jcwit]

As it is always said, you get what ya pay for.

Well in the case of the Smart Reloader products I agree, plus they are nothing more than chinese made, but then so is the computors most of us are tip/tapping on.

Regarding the "get what you pay for"----note another post I made on another thread


Not always true, I was witness on a car title a number of years ago for a car that had less that 500 miles on it and sold for $10.00. Yes, thats "TEN" dollars, new car, less than 500 miles, and less than 3 months off the dealer lot.

I'd call that cheap and believe me no one cried about owning that car for 6 years.

I watched a 30 foot cabin cruiser sell for 500 dollars with the trailer, the cruiser was less than 2 years old. Cheap price, I say so, no tears shed there either.

Myself, I purchased a Winchester model 52, in excellent condition, complete with the redfielf sights as it came from the factory, all accessories encluding the sling, hand stop, single shot adapter, 5 rounmd and 10 round magazine, even with the hang tags, cost? A cool $50.00
Cheap, yup, havent cried yet.

How about a new Sinclair Arbor Press purchased from Sinclair when they were still in New Haven, IN, just outside Fort Wayne, IN, paid $35.00 cash for it at their store, the ones off the shelf were going for $110.00. Cheap, yup again.

Price of an item is not the measure of quality, value is the measure of quality and usefullness.

All depends if folks wish to shop for price and afford quality, mayhap this was why I was a Procurement Officer for one of the largest RV manufactures till I started my own suscessful business.


There are many times one can get much more than they pay for, deals and values are out there just waiting to be had.

[flounderman]

years ago I shot in a dcm club where the dcm furnished the ammo. we found we could increase the accuracy by breaking the seal on the bullets. I don't remember if we just seated them a little deeper or not. didn't have a bullet puller at that time so probably just seated them enough to break the seal.

[Dave Bulla]

Somebody mentioned putting the domed side of the jaws up. I thought that was the normal way they went in?

Also, if you are having trouble with the 3 piece jaws falling apart, try this.

When you knock the bullet out and unscrew the cap to pull the case, don't pull the case all the way out of the jaws. Only pull it up far enough that the end will be standing proud of the cap and screw it back together loosely. NOW, pull the empty case all the way out and insert the next loaded round with the cap in place by just pushing the nose down through the jaws then tighten, whack and repeat.

Doing it this way will pretty much eliminate the problem with the o-ring falling off the jaws. It usually happens when going past the shoulder or coming off the neck of a case. If you don't ever pull the case all the way out of the jaws when it's not in the hammer, it doesn't fall apart.

[40Super]

I had a couple hundred factory rounds that I needed pulled to get the brass,so I bought a Fostner(I think) collet style.I like that method best,it is slower,but I found with these round the primers were getting flattened and set deeper(thus causing misfires when I reloaded some of the first ones) while using the impact puller,so I went the collet route.Fixed the issue,as long as there is enough flat portion of the bullet to grab hold of.

[Dave Bulla]

I found with these round the primers were getting flattened and set deeper(thus causing misfires when I reloaded some of the first ones) while using the impact puller,

Wow! That sounds scary just to read it.

But I always thought that high primers were the common cause of misfires, not deeply seated ones. When they are in deep, they can't go any farther and the pin hits 'em hard. When they are not bottomed out, the pin moves the primer rather than dents it and energy is lost in the movement so the primer doesn't detonate.

[wallenba]

I use the RCBS when pulling because it's the toughest. I did buy a clear one from Graf's, for when I just want to pull out a bit when I've seated too deep. I can see what's happening.

[daschnoz]

I have a Hornady collet type puller. It's nice when I'm pulling down ammo at 10pm - it doesn't wake up the wife and kids. I did just buy Frankfort hammer for those rounds that I don't have a collet for, or rounds that I can't seem to grip with the collet puller.

Contact Frankfort and get a new one from them. Then, get yourself a collet puller - they're faster.

[jcwit]

Contact Frankfort and get a new one from them. Then, get yourself a collet puller - they're faster.

But thet don't work to well with handgun rounds.

[hillbillyjoe]

MGy Sgt. +1 Have a loading block full of oddballs,& screwups,been needinding to pull for a long time. Got out a rusty wire stripper, VOILA, worked like a charm. Too cheap to buy the RCBS collett puller,glad I waited. Hate banging that plastic mallet & everything else that goes with it. Good tip!! Lots of good info on this site, very knowledgeable people here. Dad said, Keep your eyes & ears open & your mouth shut & you'll learn a lot more. Gettin a little long winded,bettter go, See ya, Phillip.

[Bwana]

You do know they changed their warranty. I don't remember the heavy font from a couple of years ago. http://www.rcbs.com/general/warranty/

That is the most they can be legally held to, not necessarily what they are willing to do for their customers.

[Wrbjr]

The secrets in the momentum of the head, not the heavy hand on the handle. Mine is from the late 60s and still going strong.
Striking a heavy end grain piece of hard wood gets the job done with one lick.

Yep! I use a 1.5 foot long 4x4 post and whack it on the end grain. Works great.

[Wrbjr]

If you mean the hammer style bullet/boolit puller then I have had and have used a Quinetics one for years, it has stood the test of time and taken some "hammer" and is still going strong.

I ordered a replacement and I think it was a Hornady model, but it actually says Quinetics on the t-handle. So far so good. Hopefully I won't have to use it too much.... :veryconfu

[reloader45]

I use two methods. If I am only pulling one or two, the RCBS hammer type is the tool of choice. But if any quantity is needed, I simply run the cartridge all the way up in the press and grasp the boolit with a pair of "Crescent" brand of wire "end cutters" and grasp snuggly and run the arm down. In my RCBS kinetic puller, I cut a round piece off the edge of an old car floor mat to a snug fit in the nose of the kinetic puller and it helps when you want to save your slugs undamaged.

[dragon813gt]

After getting powder all over today....a collet style is getting ordered asap.


Brought to you by TapaTalk.

[1hole]

"The secrets in the momentum of the head, not the heavy hand on the handle."

Roger that. The photos I've seen of 'failed' inertia pullers with bent alum handles says some folks don't understand the mechanics of a hammer! And it's also important to keep the cap screwed on tight or the plastic threads can strip enough to firmly lock it onto the body.

I used my original wood handled puller for about 35 years before the head broke off. Replaced it with a Berry's that's lasted about 6 years now, love it.

[bleukahuna]

I've had my Quinetics since '79 with no real problems. I usually use it for just 1 or 2 rounds, or after the collet type puller has failed.
Over the years I've played with pliers, cutters, drill chucks and even the clamp part of a tube flareing tool.

[kenyerian]

I've got an RCBS one that is at least 30 years old and still going strong.

[Moonie]

Doesn't Lee have a new one that should be on the market soon? Looks like a die, you run your loaded round up into it and pull it back out sans boolit?

I saw something about it on here awhile back but can't find it on lee's website yet.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Several years ago at a gun show I bought the Foster collet type bullet puller shown here. I have never been able to use it without a great deal of trouble and little success, so I started using the RCBS inertia puller struck against the end of a block of wood. I use the Lee shell holders from the hand held primming tool to hold the cartridge.

[Sonnypie]

Several years ago at a gun show I bought the Foster collet type bullet puller shown here. I have never been able to use it without a great deal of trouble and little success, so I started using the RCBS inertia puller struck against the end of a block of wood. I use the Lee shell holders from the hand held primming tool to hold the cartridge.

I have an exact same collet puller.
Works great on FMJ Military Ammunition.
I wouldn't use it on cast bullets though.

[geargnasher]

I have an ancient Quenetics and a recent Graf & Son house-brand (solid plastic with rubber handle) I got on sale "just in case". Both are excellent. I use regular press shellholder for speed, but on stubborn stuff you might need the factory collets to keep the whole mess tight and reduce rebound stress on the threaded cap.

As has been mentioned, RTFM when it comes to using one, it is NOT a hammer. I use a large lead block as an anvil, never had a problem.

Gear

[shotman]

the collet type wont pull wad cutters . I use a steel block and never have to hit it more than twice. Have never broke it, its a Pacfic so about 35 or 40 years old

[scarry scarney]

Get an RCBS. For the reason below!

And for those of you than have an RCBS that has gives up the ghost, call their 800 number and explain what the problem is with the bullet puller to the nice lady on the other end. Then sit back and wait for the mail to arrive.

Remember their guarantee is--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FOREVER!
Just like jcwit said, call RCBS, and the new one is on the way. I broke mine after many years of use. Broke it and gave RCBS a call, got a new one a few days later.

[1hole]

For an excellant inertia puller check out a Berry's.

[jeff423]

I've got an RCBS inertia puller, but I replaced it's 4 piece shell holder (3 aluminium sections and an O ring) with one from Qnetics. It looks very similar to the RCBS holder but the 3 aluminium sections are crimped on to the O ring so they don't fly all over.

Jeff