Collet Bullet Puller help....

[etcher1]

Wanting to purchase a bullet puller, the options I have are Hornady or RCBS. I would like the Pros and Cons. Easy of use and quality. Do they have hand gun calibers?
Thanks in advance. :grin:

[Dutchman]

I'm using the RCBS and like it overall. I guess I'm doing rifle calibers only no handgun. I imagine some handgun bullet designs preclude being able to use a collet puller.

I hate those kinetic pullers. You can't use them with anything that may EXPLODE like incendiary military bullets and I do have some of that kind of stuff so I've made a habit of avoiding kinetic pullers.

I also have an older Herter's collet puller. Bought it off fleabay with a 6mm collet. I don't have anything 6mm but I used it as a model to make a couple collets out of Mosin-Nagant barrel.. one was .311". I prefer the RCBS puller over the Herter's.

Can't think of any cons for the RCBS.

Dutch

[300winmag]

I have both the Hornady cam Lock and the RCBS. RCBS collet is my preference. If you do not want the pull marks get the hammer it will work for about 85% of what you will need and alot cheaper.

[marlin39a]

I use the RCBS press mounted collet bullet puller setupfor rifle and handgun ammo pulldown. Works great on jacketed bullets, but not much luck on lead. Have to use the hammer for those.

[etcher1]

Thanks for the input. I have a kinetic puller but was wanting a collet puller.
I think I'll go with the Hornady.

[xd4584]

Is there benifits over the kinetic type to the collet type?

[Shiloh]

Is there benifits over the kinetic type to the collet type?

If you only have to pull a few.

Shiloh

[john hayslip]

John Barsness wrote recently that you can put your cartridge with bullet to be pulled in the shell holder without a die in the press, run the cartridge up til the bullet clears the top of the press and grab the bullet with wire cutters which you brace across the top of the press, then drop the ram, pulling the bullet. I've tried it. If you are careful you can pull a bullet with little or no marking.

[Shiloh]

John Barsness wrote recently that you can put your cartridge with bullet to be pulled in the shell holder without a die in the press, run the cartridge up til the bullet clears the top of the press and grab the bullet with wire cutters which you brace across the top of the press, then drop the ram, pulling the bullet. I've tried it. If you are careful you can pull a bullet with little or no marking.

It would work with rifle bullets. With my press, I can't get the pistol bullets over the top of the machine.

Shiloh

[ROGER4314]

I have the RCBS and Hornady pullers and 3 of the kinetic pullers in various brands.

I like the Speed of the Hornady puller as all you need to do is move the red lever over center to grab the bullet. With the RCBS puller, you twist the handle to screw it down which grabs the bullet.

I broke the Hornady collet for .45ACP after trying to pull lead bullets. Makers of both pullers do NOT recommend their collets for use on lead bullets. Using the collet on lead bullets caused the ends of the collet to break off. You may do as you wish but it didn't work well for me.

I use a Kinetic puller for small pistol rounds up to .44 Mag then use the RCBS and Hornady collet pullers for rifle rounds.

Flash

[prs]

I could not get my Hornady to pull properly seated lead boolitts. The retention is too great, thus the tool just mashes or mangles the lead as the jaws pull out.

prs

[farmallcrew]

If you only have to pull a few.

Shiloh

Your absolutely right, it would be nice if they didn't wear out as fast as they do. Possibly change collet material.

[engineer401]

My RCBS collet puller only works with jacketed bullets. It works very well for that. I use an impact puller for lead bullets.

[David2011]

Yes, the RCBS collets are availble in pistol calibers. I've had limited success using them with cast. They will work with jacketed pistol or cast rifle/pistol if you have enough straight side of the boolit outside the case mouth. With something the profile of .45ACP hardball, SWCs or truncated cones, there's nothing for the collet to grab. They sometimes work with long RN boolits like 125 gr or heavier 9mm RN as they have some parallel side exposed.

I wouldn't want to reload without one, though. If I start shooting another rifle caliber, a collet to match will be in my first order of supplies.

David

[Kevin Rohrer]

You must have asked this question in another forum.

I have the RCBS unit and it works well with jacketed bullets. Doesn't work well with lead pistol bullets, though. You need a kinetic puller for those.

55682

[Sonnypie]

My RCBS collet puller only works with jacketed bullets. It works very well for that. I use an impact puller for lead bullets.

Exactly.
Although I did dismantle over 1600 rounds of old brass (Federal Arsenal) to change out the corrosive primers with an impact tool.
Inertia bullet pullers always leave the bullets pristine. Collet's, eh, not so much. One has to train their hand not to squish them.
And in my experience, a collet never worked out for cast bullits. It mangles them.

77 year old bullets.
As pulled (http://i1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Stainless%20Tumbling%20Media/P9070029.jpg).
After cleaning (http://s1195.photobucket.com/albums/aa382/Sonnypie/Stainless%20Tumbling%20Media/?action=view&current=P9130032.jpg).

[W.R.Buchanan]

I have an RCBS collet puller and the first thing I did before I went to use it is take the collets to the Fuzz Wheel and deburr them. AS it was they would have scared the bullets. Just by light knocking the sharp edges off the collets makes them work much better.

I have also done this exact same thing to Lee Collet style Factory Crimp dies, so they don't goon the case mouths.

This could also be done with jewelers files or some sand paper, but the fuzz wheel works the best.

Randy

[jcwit]

Get an RCBS with the forever warrenty.