What's up with my Lyman impact bullet puller?? I must be not bright.

[Tallbald]

Getting back into reloading after 30 plus years, I knew I'd make some mistakes in seating and have a need for a bullet puller. I was correct. I ordered a Lyman kinetic puller ( the orange "Magnum" model) when I ordered my new mold and handle set. The .357 cartridges that needed to be pulled were crimped, but the slug was too deep from adjustment processes. I've never used a puller and followed the instructions to slip the cartridge down into the three piece aluminum collet, radius side up and against the cartridge rim. Inserting the cartridge and collet into the "hammer" portion and screwing the hammer's cap (which has a hole in the center of it) down onto the affair tightly, I pounded the hammer on a bench. The cap keeps loosening. Most times, the whole cartridge I guess bounces against the collet and flies out the hole of the puller cap and launches across the room! I have to keep tightening the cap but it doesn't help. I feel stupid folks. WHy the hole in the cap? To assure there's nothing against the primer? Do all pullers have a hole in the screw on cap? Is it useless to try to pull crimped slugs? Don

PS. On a whim I just finished putting several layers of masking tape over the cap hole. I put a single .357 LSWC load (crimped in place) in the aluminum collet listed for that cartridge, and screwed the cap down tight on this "Magnum Kinetic Bullet Puller". A few raps on the garage floor and tha entire cartridge was bouncing around inside the puller. The rim had stripped the collet. I'm calling the seller tomorrow to see if I can get a refund. Are all kinetic pullers this uh.....impractical for my needs? Thanks. Don.

[boho]

I have the RCBS puller and it hasn't given me any of the trouble you're having. Defective collet? I have pulled many crimped 38's WC & SWC with a few good whacks.

[Cowboy_Dan]

First off, if it will fit, use athe shell holder from your press instead of that stupid collet. Mine works much better that way. Mine is a Frankford Arsenal model, but I think they are all basically the same. The cap (mine also has a hole) even stopped unscrewing when I started using the shellholder.

Second, on crimped rounds, sometimes it helps to seat the bullet a bit deaper to break the crimp. Also works on laquered-in milsurp bullets.

[Tallbald]

I'll try the shell holder trick. Sounds like a wonderful idea. Am I the only one who has experienced the things I described? If so, I really feel like a d####ss. Thanks. Don

[country gent]

I use a big block of oak ( section of a trunk I cut to length I wanted) I set this on the floor and hammer the puller on it. The puller needs a solid oblect to hit against with as little give as possible. Next is to swing with a "limp wristed" hit so puller can get a good bounce back. I have used them and perfer collet types but sometimes it the olny way.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I "think" from your wording, that you are inserting the cartridge into the aluminum collet the wrong way.

This is how I install them, the Lyman works great

Attachment 118091

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Also, I use a dead blow hammer held in the air, and hit it with the lyman puller. Less noise, as well as less wear and tear on the bench.

[Bzcraig]

I too use shell holders. The collets only work marginally even when used correctly. Having said that, there is no explanation for the cap unscrewing or the round coming through the hole in it.

[brtelec]

Turn the collet over. Here is a very good link about kinetic pullers

http://www.castpics.net/subsite2/How...ticPullers.pdf

[Tallbald]

JonB the photograph on the Lyman package shows the cartridge being inserted into the collet the exact opposite way. Here's photos of the actual package as well as the instructions on the back of the card (which refer me to the front picture also). I still happy that in following directions, when the cartridge kept flying out, the round didn't go off..... Guess I wasted my money. Don

[kerreckt]

I have pulled many bullets with several different brands of kinetic pullers. They all have one thing in common. They must be struck sharply against a concrete floor for best results. They will not work, as well, if struck against anything that will absorb any of the shock. Also, the best technique is for your wrist to get into the action to provide the needed sharp blow. The wrist part is hard to described but it is the same technique used by carpenters to drive large framing nails before the widespread use of nail guns. Having framed more than 200 homes, I am very familiar with the technique.

[44man]

I also use a block of oak, never on concrete, they will break. Mine has three sizes of collets, it is a Midway. The rounded part goes up because it is the cap that tightens it.
It sounds like one collet to be universal is not enough for the Lyman.

[USAFrox]

I have pulled many bullets with several different brands of kinetic pullers. They all have one thing in common. They must be struck sharply against a concrete floor for best results. They will not work, as well, if struck against anything that will absorb any of the shock.

What he said. At first I had tried using it on my wooden workbench, but there was too much give in the wood, and it would never drive out the bullets. Then I tried on the cast iron top of my table saw, and it worked like a charm. So that's what I do - hit it on the unyielding cast iron top of my table saw. My puller is RCBS, so there's only one collet to worry about. I do find that about every two whacks I often have to tighten the cap, as it starts to loosen. So my common pattern is" WHACK WHACK (twist on cap tighter) WHACK WHACK (twist) WHACK WHACK... etc.

[Tallbald]

Thanks everyone. I'll see if I can get a replacement. I can't use the one that stripped when inserted as the instructions told me to do. Oh. From my tool and die career days, I have a steel bench block I use that weighs over 60 pounds and measures about 11 inches square and 2 inches thick. This is my tapping surface. I also have some oak I will soon start using.Don

Post script: Problem solved. I emailed the retailer I bought the Lyman puller from and told them what was happening. They emailed me back and said to give them a call, which I did. The gracious lady said they would go ahead and send me a new puller as well as a prepaid shipping label to return the old one to them. Folks without the help of members here, I would likely have given up on the whole thing LOL. Don.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

JonB the photograph on the Lyman package shows the cartridge being inserted into the collet the exact opposite way. Here's photos of the actual package as well as the instructions on the back of the card (which refer me to the front picture also). I still happy that in following directions, when the cartridge kept flying out, the round didn't go off..... Guess I wasted my money. Don

Well, I'm stymied by your photo's. I don't recall seeing any instructions with mine when I bought it. What 44man said about the rounded portion going against the cap makes sense...BUT ? the lyman puller has worked well for me the way I've been using it, I've pulled hundreds of pistol 'boolits' and a few rifle boolits.

When I took the photo I posted above (last night), I did try to insert a cartridge into the lyman aluminum collet and while just handling it it wanted to slip out...that's not even inserting the colleted cartridge into the hammer.

I have never understand, til now, why so many people use a reloading 'shell holder', if they had problems like you are having with the original supplied collets. I think this warrants a email (with photos) to lyman.

To others, who say to hit the puller on a immovable object, and if the puller is hit on something that gives, it doesn't work as well ...I say to you, just try a dead blow hammer sometime, I can't really explain the physics of it, but it works just as good for me...and my reloading room is a converted upstairs bedroom, no concrete and no garage style bench, so I happy it does work well that way.
Jon

[mold maker]

I'm still using the puller I've had for almost 50 years. It has the hex aluminum handle and is green in color. I can't read its name, as use has worn it away.
Most folks use too much muscle and too tight a grip. It's the momentum of the the bullet continuing to move, when the brass (held in the collet) is stopped and rebounds, that does the job. When you over grip the handle it doesn't allow the head to rebound, and your hand is absorbing the action needed to remove the bullet.
Swing it fast, not hard, with the wrist. Strike a solid, heavy object, and allow it to freely bounce back. I use a comfortable length of hard wood 4x4 resting on the floor and clamped to the bench leg. It hasn't damaged the puller, and offers the necessary weight to absorb the shock.

[sthwestvictoria]

I agree about needing a good surface to whack on. End grain such as the above mentioned roundel of oak or other hardwood is best. You will not get anywhere whacking on side grain with something like a workbench.

The tip about placing the round in the press and using the seating die to push the projectile into the seating die is also excellent for breaking a crimp or seal from old verdigris with jacketed projectiles.

For cast bullets where I don't need to save the projectile I place the round in the shell-holder, run it up on the press ram, grab it with a set of crimping pliers and lower the ram, pulling the projectile out ready to be recycled.

(not my image, borrowed from internet)

[tomme boy]

I had a RCBS one for about 20 years before I finally broke the aluminum handle. It has to be hit onto a cement floor or you are going to be smacking it a bunch of times. One other thing I found is it has to bounce when hit. It works much better. I pulled over 500 223 rounds of the wolf steel case one day. Talk about sore hands. I just pulled about 700 7.62x39 rounds that someone gave me that had rust on the outside. The powder is still good. I replaced the RCBS one with a Midway one and it came with 3 collets. I use the medium one for everything. It is holding up fine so far.

Oh yah. The round head goes against the cap!

[WallyM3]

The best surface on which to tap the puller I've found is a solid tile on a cement floor. I start with one smart wrap, followed by a series of staccato blows until I hear the rattle of the loose bullet. No real effort, just good positive strikes.

Powerful blows just damage the device and don't dislodge bullets. I destroyed two before doing a little research.

I'm going to experiment using a cast iron lapping plate (upside-down) with a piece of solid floor tile attached so I can place it on the bench and not need to crouch or sit on the floor for long runs.

I've done some of the nastiest, old Milsurp stuff with this technique and it works.

Give it a try and good luck.

[parson48]

I use shell holder and strike the puller on the end grain of a thick piece of hardwood. Works fine.

I did destroy one once by hitting a concrete floor.