Kinetic bullet puller O-ring size?

[km101]

The O-ring that holds the collet together on my kinetic bullet puller broke. I guess I lost it when I unscrewed the cap, and I cant find it to get a diameter or thickness. Its an Old RCBS unit made by Quinetics. Any ideas on size, or what will work? RCBS doesnt sell them any more, so thats out. Any help appreciated.

[Maven]

Those little gum bands orthodontists use for kids' braces are good replacements. You google them or pay a visit to your local orthodontist and ask for a small sample or bag of them. The latter will be a lifetime supply, btw.

[Gliden07]

If you have the shell holder you can use them instead of the collet with the bands. It works good and is way easier to use than those collets!! If you really want the O-rings check a True Value store in the Plumbing Dept they usually have a large selection with differant dia and thickness's, and there usually pretty resonable!!

[beagle]

I'll second that. The shell holder works much better than the collets. Thought most people had gone to them years ago./beagle


If you have the shell holder you can use them instead of the collet with the bands. It works good and is way easier to use than those collets!! If you really want the O-rings check a True Value store in the Plumbing Dept they usually have a large selection with differant dia and thickness's, and there usually pretty resonable!!

[geargnasher]

Collet??? What's that? I'm with Glidden and Beagle. Hardware and automotive parts stores have every conceivable size and diameter of O-ring you could imagine if you prefer the collet. I recommend the Viton automotive air-conditioning O-rings, much better than rubber and they don't rot. Good for Lube-sizer piston seals as well.

Gear

[Dan Cash]

Learn something eveery day. Did not know the shell holder could be used in the inertial puller. Have to give that one a try.

[boltons75]

Learn something eveery day. Did not know the shell holder could be used in the inertial puller. Have to give that one a try.

Me too, just read this and went downstairs and gave it a try. Much easier than those collets .

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

[Gliden07]

Almost forgot if you use the shell holder make sure the opening on the holder points down like the handle, this will prevent any distortion of the rim of the case due to centrifigul force and the sudden stop. It really does work GREAT!!

[Larry Gibson]

If you have the shell holder you can use them instead of the collet with the bands. It works good and is way easier to use than those collets!! ..........!!

+1, haven't even used the collets on mine.

Larry Gibson

[Box13]

Quinetics is still in business.They have a new style collet and band that works real nice.You dont have to unscrew the cap all the way,just give it a twist and the components come out.Slide in another shell and have at it.7.99 plus 2.00 shipping.I got one and it works real well...Robin
http://www.quineticscorp.com/newtwist.asp

[W.R.Buchanan]

Well I just learned something about a tool I almost hate because of that stupid collet.
However mine has a little spring clip that holds the collet pieces together. It is almost useless and I usually end up chasing the parts around on teh floor,,, Which is why I hate the tool!

A regular shell holder?

This sounds way too easy.

Randy

[geargnasher]

Quinetics is still in business.They have a new style collet and band that works real nice.You dont have to unscrew the cap all the way,just give it a twist and the components come out.Slide in another shell and have at it.7.99 plus 2.00 shipping.I got one and it works real well...Robin
http://www.quineticscorp.com/newtwist.asp

I think they're still in business, they're less than a hundred miles from me and were open a few months ago.

The issue I think most of us are having is with straight-walled pistol cases is getting the mouth of the case started in the collet. They need to drill holes in the sides of the pieces and put springs between them to keep them apart instead of clinched together, that way they'd stay in the cap and close down when it was tightened and allow the cartridge to be dropped in. Of course then it would fall completly through unless held boolit-up and supported in position with a fingertip while the cap was snugged, so it would still be a pain. The shellholder is a great solution, and will fit both the Quinetics and the "other" plastic inertial puller design that everyone else puts their name on (RCBS, Frankford Arsenal, Graf & Sons, etc.).

Gear

[km101]

Learn something eveery day. Did not know the shell holder could be used in the inertial puller. Have to give that one a try.

Ididnt either! But now I dont feel so bad, cause others didnt know about it.

Thanks guys,

Ken

[km101]

I think they're still in business, they're less than a hundred miles from me and were open a few months ago.

The issue I think most of us are having is with straight-walled pistol cases is getting the mouth of the case started in the collet. They need to drill holes in the sides of the pieces and put springs between them to keep them apart instead of clinched together, that way they'd stay in the cap and close down when it was tightened and allow the cartridge to be dropped in. Of course then it would fall completly through unless held boolit-up and supported in position with a fingertip while the cap was snugged, so it would still be a pain. The shellholder is a great solution, and will fit both the Quinetics and the "other" plastic inertial puller design that everyone else puts their name on (RCBS, Frankford Arsenal, Graf & Sons, etc.).

Gear

Less than 100 miles from you? I thought they were in AZ! Learned two new things today.

Ken

[geargnasher]

Quinetics Corporation
701 Hwy 281 Ste. E # 191
Marble Falls, Texas 78654

Gear

[jmorris]

I too use a shell holder but have read threads about folks that lit off a live round, blowing the plastic hammer to bits.

Might chunk it in the trash if the primer is that high, or at least make a bushing so the case stays centered and a high primer couldn't contact metal.

[Light attack]

I don't suppose someone could post a picture of the puller with the shell holder in place. I too did not know about using one.

Gary

[2wheelDuke]

I just picked up an O-ring assortment from Harbor Freight for a different project years ago. A couple times now I've reached for it to replace an O-ring in my kinetic puller.

[Sonnypie]

I think they're still in business, they're less than a hundred miles from me and were open a few months ago.

The issue I think most of us are having is with straight-walled pistol cases is getting the mouth of the case started in the collet. They need to drill holes in the sides of the pieces and put springs between them to keep them apart instead of clinched together, that way they'd stay in the cap and close down when it was tightened and allow the cartridge to be dropped in. Of course then it would fall completly through unless held boolit-up and supported in position with a fingertip while the cap was snugged, so it would still be a pain. The shellholder is a great solution, and will fit both the Quinetics and the "other" plastic inertial puller design that everyone else puts their name on (RCBS, Frankford Arsenal, Graf & Sons, etc.).

Gear

Maybe that is why I never cussed mine much?
I normally use mine for rifle loads, and never needed to completely dismantle mine for each round. I did 1600+ 30-06 rounds 2 summers ago, doing 100-200 a day. (I was surprised the concrete held up to the pounding.)
I have used it for 45ACP as well, but not nearly as much.
I just loosen the collar, and tapped the tool on the edge of a plastic bucket. All fell into the bucket; casing, powder, and bullet.
(I also have case/media separator that fits a 5 gal bucket I use that works great to let the powder drop while catching the case and bullet.)

Good advise on the Viton Rings, Gear. My first though was automotive stores (NAPA Auto parts). But one might find O-rings at the big box stores as well.

My Kinetic's tool has a couple decades on it. And it still amazes me. Tougher than a Timex. :D

[geargnasher]

I too use a shell holder but have read threads about folks that lit off a live round, blowing the plastic hammer to bits.

Might chunk it in the trash if the primer is that high, or at least make a bushing so the case stays centered and a high primer couldn't contact metal.

Hence the advice someone offered above to orient the open side of the shellholder toward the handle so the shell can't slip off-center when swung.

Gear

[mac60]

Here ya go Light attack

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_16526507dfee043301.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=7070)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_16526507dfe47d4c51.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=7068)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_16526507dfe6a4561a.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=7069)

I've had the puller maybe 20 yrs. Threw the collets away 20 yrs. ago. Try it, you'll like it.

[MBTcustom]

Well there ya go. Castboolits.gunloads.com has once again made me feel about as dumb as a rock.
Why oh why am I always ice skating uphill when somebody is explains the law of gravity?
I seriously just had an "oh" moment.
I broke the spring that held my old cartridge holder together a couple weeks ago and actually spent precious time making another one from scratch.........6 inches away from the shellholder mounted in the press.[smilie=b:
All I can say is "WOW"

[dragonrider]

Hence the advice someone offered above to orient the open side of the shellholder toward the handle so the shell can't slip off-center when swung.

Gear

I use the shellholder most often but if I only need to pull a couple then I will use the collet. Did not know that trick above, I will use it from now on.

[dragonrider]

Don't be so hard on yourself Tim, youda found it eventually.

[geargnasher]

Yeah, don't feel bad. I learned that trick from someone here years ago.

Gear

[Char-Gar]

Well, I be....Live and learn.

The notion of using a shell holder in the inertia bullet puller never occured to me. I have an RCBS bullet pullers that has been dead for several years due to a lose of the O ring, persky little thing! I slipped in a shell holder and a dummy round loaded with a cast bullet that had been laying on my bench and whacked it a couple of times on the anvil portion of my vise. Sure enough, pulled like a champ.

Thanks guys for the tip.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Here is a perfect example of how a society grows to become greater than the sum of it's parts.

Many of the people here, myself included, have never even considered this idea of using a shell holder ina bullet remover. And yet, many have been doing it as a matter of course for many years without a second thought.

The point is that we as a team can rise above the norm and achieve higher goals than we can as individuals, and all members of the team are valuable. Brainstorming is what they call it, and it works really well.

This works espeically well with technical problems as different view points of a problem contribute to greater understanding and resultant solutions to the individual facets associated with the whole problem. IE we advance the technology.

It is not however the answer to all issues facing mankind, and it is especially not true when dealing with people. When dealing with people, self interest gets in the way and most times the individual has not got a complete grasp of the entire scope of the issue at hand or in many cases doesn't care.

The UN is a perfect example of everyone looking out for their own interests to the point where nothing gets done.

This is where you need a single leader. And sometimes you have to follow that leader no matter how bad the end result looks. The Army is an example. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to in order for the group to survive.

The big thing that comes along with being a leader is "Taking Responsibility for the Outcome of your Leadership!"

That does not mean saying "you take responsibility" when there are no consequences. It means consequences that are commensurate with the level of responsibility you have taken. We see the cheap side of this all the time in politics.

Yesterday we saw Hildegard "take responsibility" for the Lybia incident, except she didn't resign or get fired. [smilie=s:

So exactly how did she take responsibility?

Just some thoughts to ponder while eating your lunch tomorrow. :shock:

Randy

[MBTcustom]

Here is a perfect example of how a society grows to become greater than the sum of it's parts.

Many of the people here, myself included, have never even considered this idea of using a shell holder ina bullet remover. And yet, many have been doing it as a matter of course for many years without a second thought.

The point is that we as a team can rise above the norm and achieve higher goals than we can as individuals, and all members of the team are valuable. Brainstorming is what they call it, and it works really well.

This works espeically well with technical problems as different view points of a problem contribute to greater understanding and resultant solutions to the individual facets associated with the whole problem. IE we advance the technology.

It is not however the answer to all issues facing mankind, and it is especially not true when dealing with people. When dealing with people, self interest gets in the way and most times the individual has not got a complete grasp of the entire scope of the issue at hand or in many cases doesn't care.

The UN is a perfect example of everyone looking out for their own interests to the point where nothing gets done.

This is where you need a single leader. And sometimes you have to follow that leader no matter how bad the end result looks. The Army is an example. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to in order for the group to survive.

The big thing that comes along with being a leader is "Taking Responsibility for the Outcome of your Leadership!"

That does not mean saying "you take responsibility" when there are no consequences. It means consequences that are commensurate with the level of responsibility you have taken. We see the cheap side of this all the time in politics.

Yesterday we saw Hildegard "take responsibility" for the Lybia incident, except she didn't resign or get fired. [smilie=s:

So exactly how did she take responsibility?

Just some thoughts to ponder while eating your lunch tomorrow. :shock:

Randy

You got all that out of a bullet puller? I really need to pay more attention to that tool!!!:kidding: Just kidding Randy!
The truth is, that pearls like this are what keep me coming back here. This sort of thing is what really stokes my fire-pit!
I'm still reeling from this thread and it has not lost any of its wondrous simplicity:
http://www.castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=116741
Still the best thread I ever read. I love it when simple truths replace complex superstitions!!!!!

[geargnasher]

Simple things teach great truths.

BIG difference between solving technical issues and humanity issues. This is why I made my carreer solving problems with machines rather than people.

Gear

[W.R.Buchanan]

Me too Gear, in my case, I like most dogs better than I like most people.

Good thing about machines is if they don't work right you can shut them off.

Too bad we can't do that with more people.

Randy

[GT27]

Great question,and answers on this thread,always something to be learned here! Thanks,and right on,GT27

[johnski70]

#67 O-ring, $3 for pkg. of 10 at Home Despot, in the faucet repair section

[Elroy]

If you have the shell holder you can use them instead of the collet with the bands. It works good and is way easier to use than those collets!! If you really want the O-rings check a True Value store in the Plumbing Dept they usually have a large selection with differant dia and thickness's, and there usually pretty resonable!!
I have used the kinetic pullers for years,and never knew that .Thanks

[Tom W.]

And if you put a foam earplug in the bottom you won't damage the nose of your bullets

[kevin c]

I love simple but effective ideas, especially the forehead slapping, "that's so simple and obvious!" ones.

I'll have to remember to orient the cut out towards the handle. I'm just the kind of person who'd learn that one the hard way...

[azrednek]

Guess I’m showing my age, either here another gun board somebody posted photos after he set off a live round using the shell holder. Been 10 or more years ago, it wasn’t pretty, I tried to find the post and no luck. Might have been on the 90’s rec.guns I saw it. I haven’t used the method since.

As a caution I believe the poster mentioned using an old shell holder. The older shell holders especially the black oxide pre Hornady Pacific had smaller holes in the center.

[Petander]

I have used the kinetic pullers for years,and never knew that .Thanks

Another one to confess here. I never even remotely thought of a shellholder here.

A perfect timing to learn this,I'm in the middle of bullet size/alloy/coating test craziness. I pull a lot 38 / 357. I just completed my expander set from .355 to .360. Life is good.

[trapper9260]

Guess I’m showing my age, either here another gun board somebody posted photos after he set off a live round using the shell holder. Been 10 or more years ago, it wasn’t pretty, I tried to find the post and no luck. Might have been on the 90’s rec.guns I saw it. I haven’t used the method since.

As a caution I believe the poster mentioned using an old shell holder. The older shell holders especially the black oxide pre Hornady Pacific had smaller holes in the center.

I had read about the use of the shell holder and that the round went off. I stay with the way my puller is and what the OP is, that is the same one I had got back in the late 80's and did not replace the O ring but now I know where to look for a replacement to have on hand just in case the one that I been usen gose on me.

[quack1]

I used shell holders for years (pretty sure I read about it here). All went well until I used my only Lee shell holder. I broke the lip that holds the rim completely off on the first impact. The break had a granular look that resembled a broken casting. Don't know if it was just a random defect or if all Lee shell holders are prone to breaking.

[kootne]

I saw this thread and my first thought was; "doesn't he know about using a shell holder? I will tell him". Looks like I am at the end of a long line.
Oh well, maybe this next tip will help someone else. Sometimes the impact tools have to be smacked pretty hard to remove the bullet. I can vouch for the fact they can be broken. Somehow, years back, I managed to figure out that holding a chunk of 2x4 in one hand and the bullet puller in the other hand and smacking the 2 together (doubling the impact velocity) I had much better luck with less brute force if the bullet was stubborn. My chunk of 2x4 is about a foot long and I whack it on the end grain.

[1hole]

I've been happily using standard shell holders in my puller for about 40 years. I've read the horror stories of a detonation while using common shell holders in a hammer puller. Can't say it's impossible but I don't see how it could be possibly be true as it has been described (or any other way) because the primer seating punch and its sleeve has to fully enter the largish center hole in a shell holder and that priming hole is big enough that I see no way any part of a properly seated primer can physically contact a shell holder during pulling.

I don't think a cartridge loosely held inside a hammer puller could/would detonate anyway. Yes, IF ignited, the powder would immediately burn enough to push the bullet out but that should immediately release the case pressure to near zero and the remaining powder would continue to "slowly" burn away, not explode. Meaning, IF it happened at all, it would be a fire hazard for a few seconds but not blow anyone's hands or head off!

Do as you wish, we're all responsible for our own work. I'm not going to stop pulling bullets with standard shell holders until I see believable evidence that a round has actually done what I've read so far; there has to be a lot left out of the stories (and disaster photos) I've seen.


>> It helps a LOT if we seat jacketed bullets just a few thou deeper before pulling. That will break the chemically bonded metal adherence between the bullet and case neck.

[kevin c]

...I managed to figure out that holding a chunk of 2x4 in one hand and the bullet puller in the other hand and smacking the 2 together (doubling the impact velocity) I had much better luck...I whack it on the end grain.Unfortunately, I'm just the kind of guy who'd whack his hand rather than the 2x4. I've had one surgery there already, don't think I want another. The physics sound right, but I'll leave this technique to those with better coordination.

I do find it helps to have the kinetic puller hit so the cartridge is at right angles to the striking surface (I use an upended 4x4 post cut to just below waist height), and that there's good wrist action in the swing to increase acceleration.

And, yes, I've broken two kinetic pullers. One was the shaft, a sudden failure, and the other a crack in the head that didn't fail after more occasional use over several months.

The collets on my pullers are all rounded and snug up against inside edge of the hole in the threaded cap. No one has had problems with the flat part of the shell holder against the cap?

[dverna]

Glad someone resurrected this old thread. Very informative.

I have a really old model and it uses a round springy thingy to hold the collets together. If is an abomination to use. Spring is constantly falling off. I wound up buying a collet puller for doing .308's. It works well if pulling a lot of jacketed bullets but the inertia puller is handy for a couple of cartridges...it cannot do cast pistol bullets.

Even the O-ring sounds like an improvement but the shell holder idea is one I must try. I am with 1hole on not being able to figure out how a shell holder can set off the primer but my shop is 70 yards away in the cold and I will look at it latter.

[kevin c]

...the inertia puller is handy for a couple of cartridges...it cannot do cast pistol bullets...
I don't recall using a inertial puller on loaded cast bullets, but I have used it on coated (HiTek). Compared to jacketed, it does seem to take a bit more effort or the more precise technique, as I tried to describe previously. Maybe the extra diameter (.002" in my case) increases the interference fit? Maybe more than jacketed, but not as much as traditionally lubed cast?

[dverna]

Kev

Poor grammar on my part. I meant to say the collet puller will not work on cast. I use the inertia "whack a mole" hammer on cast loads.

[trixter]

Going back to the original post, I emailed RCBS about my broken 'O' ring on the medium size collet, and bless their hearts they sent me 3 new ones free of charge. Thank you RCBS, your customer service is great.

[Dapaki]

I tried the shell holder idea too but it damaged the brass and even pulled the rim off .223 cases. I'll stay with the aluminum rings, thank you.

[rbuck351]

I learned the shell holder trick here several years ago. Been using it since.

[John Boy]

Kinetic puller: Put a muffin tin of lead on the work bench (or hit on a concrete floor) - strike the puller straight down - when bullet falls (leave 2 or 3 bullets in the bottom of the puller), UN -tighten the collar tad, lightly strike the puller on an angle. Case heads will be exposed to remove with fingers

[trebor44]

I never liked smacking my kinetic bullet puller on the garage floor. And so a couple of decades ago I made up a striking block from a piece of 4x4, put a scrap garage 'D' lifter handle (saves the hand), to hold the block while hitting it with the kinetic on the end of the block. Over time it now has a 'bowl' shaped indentation on both ends. If pulling a 'stubborn' bullet I can hold it on the concrete floor and not worry about damaging the kinetic puller. I've worn out several collets but the puller is still doing ok. Smacking the kinetic on the end grain keeps the block from becoming kindling!