Collet puller for jacketed bullets ?

[Jack Stanley]

I'd like to remove the bullets from some surplus 303 British ammo . Can anyone suggest a collet type puller ? I'm leaning to the Hornady offering but all I see in their collet selection near the right size is thirty caliber . I'm guessing the puller can be adjusted to pull them as well ?

Thanks , Jack

[BIGRED]

I have been using the rcbs for a while now. It does a fantastic job pulling brass of of the bullet. I have pulled 3-4k and the collet looks brand new still. I have pulled 7.62 x 39 and 303 bullets with no issues.

[Blammer]

rcbs collet puller, get the one for the cal you want and go to town.

[Westwindmike]

Same here. The RCBS does a great job. Pulled 600 8mm Mausers in a couple of hours.

[Randy C]

I have never tried the Hornady it looks like it has a lock in and out feature, that could make it faster if it will let go of the bullet with out un screwing the to top, the others you have to screw them in and out and it slows things down little.

I would bet it would work if it is like the forester or RCBS style, are trying to save the bullets, I have pulled 243 bullets with my 223 collet. I wonder if the will fit my forester they look the same, I don't think forester is in business any more.
Randy C

[Jack Stanley]

I would like to save the bullets and ease of use of the puller is what I want . It looks like Westwindmike is getting good speed in his operation , I was looking at the Hornady offering with the lever thinking it would be fast as well , maybe faster .

How many can one reasonably expect to pull in an hour with the RCBS ? I know they make good tooling .

Jack

[462]

After many years of using an inertia puller, I decided to go the collet route. Did the usual research and read that Hornady's cam lock is prone to break, so went with RCBS. While the Hornady method may be a second or two faster per bullet, the RCBS method is indestructible.

Don't have an idea of how many bullets the RCBS can pull per hour, but it is fast and easy, and have never seen any markings on the bullets.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

RCBS !!!
I've pulled a large quantity of 8mm bullets from 50 year old mil surp.
without too much coffee, on average, I was pulling over 100 per hour. This was also taking the time to keep the bullet and powder and cases separate as I go.
when you have a large lot of the same size bullet, you only need to turn/crank the handle about half a turn..."back" to lock on the bullet...and "forth" to unlock th bullet after it's been pulled. If you go as fast as you can, and just dump powder/cases/bullets in one bowl, you sure can go faster.
Jon

[Guardian]

I agree with the RCBS recommendation. I used one a couple nights ago to break down a bunch of 308 from a commercial reloader after a blown case head. It is surprisingly fast to operate.

I was using it with a Hornady LNL bushing. That wasn't the best setup, as the bushing unlocked every time I unlocked the collet. Live and learn.

[Jack Stanley]

Thanks guys , the RCBS sounds just about bullet proof , it should do everything I want it to . Wouldn't ya know it , I just checked Midsouth and they are out of stock for the thirty caliber collet . Maybe I'll call and order anyway perhaps they haven't fixed the sight and they do have them . I want to get a couple other things anyway .

Thanks for the help !

Jack

[spfd1903]

[I would bet it would work if it is like the forester or RCBS style, are trying to save the bullets, I have pulled 243 bullets with my 223 collet. I wonder if the will fit my forester they look the same, I don't think forester is in business any more.
Randy C[/QUOTE]

Forster is still in business. (Just a few miles away).

[n10sivern]

forster is definitely in business as nearly all of my reloading equipment is forster. that being said, i got rid of the forster bullet puller and switched to a hornady and haven't looked back. perfectly happy with the hornady cam lock puller and I've never had problems with it

[fguffey]

Pulling bullets that are 303 surplus. Sounds like a great ideal, but, count on crushing the bullets before pulling the bullet then there is that pouring the powder out, not easy, most of the propellant comes with cords, seems they install the cords then form the the shoulder and neck. They also sealed the cases with tar.

Attempt seating the bullet first then attempt pulling the bullets. I did not need the bullets and had no interest is shooting the ammo, I lost interest in a hurry.

I have a Hornady cam lock puller, I wore it out three times, I spent more time waiting for parts than I did using it. Then Hornady informed me I made too many mistakes, I went to visit them and while I was visiting I would remind them how I came to own their puller, then they blamed their metal hardening contractor, for free I offered to visit them. Then Hornady claimed they changed contractors. Once the new batch of replacements parts arrived they sent me another set. I placed their cam lock puller in a drawer and now I use the RCBS type collet puller, on the RCBS there is nothing to ware out.

F. Guffey

[TheDoctor]

+1 on seating the bullet just a touch first. Collets only work about half the time if you are trying to pull a Gold Dot. Whack a mole method seems best for plated bullets.

[Jack Stanley]

I was at a local shop today and they had a RCBS thirty caliber collet . Now when the puller body gets here I can get to work .

I think Greek ammo is regular powder not cordite but I think I'll find out , I could always start pulling down those cases with the WCC headstamp ;-)

Jack

[Randy C]

[I would bet it would work if it is like the forester or RCBS style, are trying to save the bullets, I have pulled 243 bullets with my 223 collet. I wonder if the will fit my forester they look the same, I don't think forester is in business any more.
Randy C

Forster is still in business. (Just a few miles away).[/QUOTE]

Yes I was told wrong, I went to midway after posting and was surprised to see they had them. Thanks for the heads up for all of use with there equipment.