Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Least destructive way to pull bullets?

Have to pull some LRAB and have heard some collet dies will damage the jacket as they are very thin in the nose. I have also heard inertia pullers are bad for accuracy as the jacket core bond gets disrupted. So are there any alternatives? How about pliers with a piece of inner tube for padding.

If they were just seated recently and there isn't a lot of neck tension, a collet die adjusted correctly will work fine. If I were really worried about it, I would use an inertia puller. I guarantee you that the bullet will see significantly higher G forces upon firing than during the pulling operation. It is a bonded bullet, so there will be no core separation. Even a standard cup and core should be able to survive without separation, I've never heard of that before. I usually shove a foam ear plug into the puller to protect the tip of the bullet. It will get deformed if you don't. Pliers is a recipe for disaster, you think a collet will damage but a pair of pliers won't?

I agree with gzig5. Before "pulling" any, seat the bullet a little deeper in the case to break the crimp or neck/bullet bond. Doing this will make the pull much easier, and with a proper collet, not mark the bullet. Word of caution tho...if the bullets are seated so the neck/ojive meet, you may not have enough bullet body to grab with the collet, use an inertia instead, but do make sure the bullets are broken free.
Good Luck

Seat the bullet a tad deeper and use a collet die--just don't wrang down on the handle too tight........there's a sweet spot between squeezing the collet too tight or too loose.

Inertia with a bit of padding so the nose doesn't get nerfed up has always worked for me.

A standard C&C bullet may get disrupted by an inertia puller, but I seriously doubt your going to disrupt a bonded core bullet. As Blacktailer mentions, put some foam or cotton padding in the puller so you don't muck the point.

Collet is faster for me than inertia. And it doesn't mess up the point.

Grip n Pull is a great pullet. The jacket may be scuffed, but that will not affect anything.

That thing is brilliant!

I do like mine, but I pinched my palms with it a bunch whilst learning its limitations.

It greatly helps to bump the bullets a li'l deeper with the seating die, before employing the Grip-n-Pull. There just might be something to that, "cold welding" thing, after all.

FC

On the inertia hammer I cut a 3/4" piece of 5/16" fuel hose and place it in the bottom , the hole keeps the nose from damaging , try it !

On the inertia hammer I cut a 3/4" piece of 5/16" fuel hose and place it in the bottom , the hole keeps the nose from damaging , try it !

Thanks

The grip and pull looks convenient. Didn't think about the bonding so might try the inertia puller until I get a new collet or the grip and pull. Bumping the bullet is a good idea especially older brass and all military loads. I actually broke an inertia hammer with NATO loads. I have mixed collet pulled with virgin bullets and saw no difference in accuracy.

I use a hornady collet puller and it works fantastic.

I use a hornady collet puller and it works fantastic.

When I use an inertial puller I put a single foam earplug in it to keep from battering the poor lil ol bullets' noses.

I'm a bit put off the inertials these days since that post a while back about a primer going ka-blooey while residing in an inertial puller doing its thing, so I think I'll just quit pulling bullets altogether.

I use foam in mine too, doesn’t hurt them at all. I have seen bullets advertised as air pulled. I wonder how they do that?

I use a Hornady Collet puller and it works fantastic.

Cases are subjected to a vacuum. Best and fastest method for pull downs, bullets are almost like new.