Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles bullet pullers??

any recommendations on bullet pullers?
I may have loaded a few rounds with the wrong amount of powder and need to check! grrrrr.

are there any real differences or are they about all the same?

thanks.

I have a Forster collet type puller that I really like. Also have a Hornady collet type that does equally well. I have used the inertial type pullers in the past but I don't like them nearly as well. After I got the collet puller, I threw the inertia type in the trash can.

PaPa260

Go with the collet, I got an rcbs from a friend, but I'd likely go with the hornady if I was getting another one.

I wouldn't waste my time on an inertia puller. Buy the collet and be done with it. I've been using an RCBS with good results. It will mark some thin jacketeted bullets but I can live with that.

thanks guys.

just ordered a hornaday with the proper insert.

Smart move.

I started out with an inertia puller when I started reloading more than 3 decades ago.

I used a friend's collet puller once, ordered one for myself, and I am still using that same puller today.

One small tip -- if your loads do not pull easily, rather than really tighten up the collet and possibly deform a bullet, run your cartridges through your press with your bullet seater adjusted to just push the bullet 1 mm deeper. Then, put your collet puller in the press and start pulling -- this trick makes almost any load very easy to pull.

In a .22-250 which was quite accurate, I have reloaded many bullets pulled this way and they shot the same as "virgin" bullets (i.e. under 0.75 MOA).

My bullet puller is an RCBS, but I have heard that the Hornady Cam-Lock puller performs just as well but faster.

John

I find this very interesting. A similar question is posted up over at castboolits forum and the recommendations are pretty 180 degrees different. Go with the "hammer type" as they call it, they complain about mangled bullets and broken handles with the Hornady and RCBS collet pullers. I think it may have to do with "farmer tight"...I use a Forster Universal puller on my Forster Co-Ax press and have good success without mangled bullets. I had to D&T the locking ring so that it didn't slip on tightening because the bolt/screw for the locking ring is so small that I can twist it off with less than 10 in/lbs of pressure of the slotted head. Works great now!

I bought the hornady one at first and then bought a 500 s&W and they don't have a collet large enough for it so I bought the rcbs as well. either one works well

Great thread. I'm going to have to look into the hornady collet type also.

I used the RCBS inertia puller for years. I recently got the Hornady cam-lock. I'll never use the "hammer puller" again if I can help it. The collet puller is SO much quicker, simpler, and cleaner. It doesn't leave any marks at all on the bullets if used correctly (follow the instructions!)...

Thats good to know. I tried to use the RCBS inertia puller. Tried being the operative word . I've never had to pull a large amount of bullets, for what the OP needs to do (check a couple of loads for powder charge) I've just used a washer and set of vise grips and throw away the couple of bullets. However I do need to pull a couple hundred 8x57 military bullets out of their cases and reload them into some new brass for my dad and the hornady looks like the ticket. I know you guys will laugh, but this is what I've done a couple of times (of course you can't reuse the bullets). It works good for just checking if you think you made an OOPS....:

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The inertia puller has been known to explode so be careful. I threw mine in the trash and use the Hornady.

Yep, mine "exploded".

I had both, the RCBS collet puller and the hammer type. If I only had to pull one or two because of a powder issue or seating depth mistake, I would just get the inertia hammer out instead of swapping dies out. One day, I banged a couple of times and heard an odd and slightly louder "POP" and noticed the hammer was somewhat lighter in my hand. The threaded cap that holds the cartridge in placed had busted and sent the cartridge flying across the shop. Now I have a spare press and just keep the bullet puller mounted a most of the time.

rcbs will send you parts for the inertial puller if it breaks

I think Groundhogs are good for that....