Bullet Puller
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Any kinetic bullet puller will leave the bullets good enough to shoot again. I pulled several thousand two years ago and you couldn't tell the pulled ones from the used ones most of the time. They also shot just as well. If you're going to be doing this in volume don't do what I did with the kinetic though. It's quicker to use a collet puller on your reloading press. Caveat....some bullets won't pull very well with a collet if they don't have enough profile to grab ahold of in the die.
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Specifically, the Hornady Cam-Lock bullet puller is fast. I got one from Sinclair when I had a couple thousand surplus rounds to pull. It saves you having to turn a handle to tighten the collet and that makes a big difference time and fatigue-wise.
As Harry Pope said a century ago, "the base steers the bullet". You have to distort the nose a lot more to open groups up nearly as much as just a little base distortion can do. In other words, what is most critical to accuracy is the base of the bullet, which is a part of the bullet that no bullet puller touches. So any bullet puller made should leave you with reusable bullets and they should still be capable of shooting very close to their original precision. A benchrest shooter may not want to use them in a match, but he will use them in practice and not consider it a waste of time.
As Harry Pope said a century ago, "the base steers the bullet". You have to distort the nose a lot more to open groups up nearly as much as just a little base distortion can do. In other words, what is most critical to accuracy is the base of the bullet, which is a part of the bullet that no bullet puller touches. So any bullet puller made should leave you with reusable bullets and they should still be capable of shooting very close to their original precision. A benchrest shooter may not want to use them in a match, but he will use them in practice and not consider it a waste of time.
All right, simple enough. Have less than 100 rounds to pull. Loaded .222 with 17 gr of 4064 (starting load) and got flat primers with the first three that I fired. Saw the suspicious red/brown dust in the powder measure and don't want to shoot any more of them!!!
Thank you very much for the information. 340ka.
Thank you very much for the information. 340ka.
Hornady Cam-Lock Hornady Cam-Lock,
I did not have the same luck with the Hornady Cam Lock. I had to visit Hornady, they blamed me for the failure of the cam lock bullet puller, seems they thought I made too many mistakes. We worked it out, they decided they had a vendor that was doing a bad job of heat treating. While I was there I offered to go by and talk to them but I was informed by Hornady they changed vendors. I still have the Hornady Cam lock, I also have the RCBS collet type puller.
I spent more time waiting for parts to repair the cam lock than I did using it.
F. Guffey
I did not have the same luck with the Hornady Cam Lock. I had to visit Hornady, they blamed me for the failure of the cam lock bullet puller, seems they thought I made too many mistakes. We worked it out, they decided they had a vendor that was doing a bad job of heat treating. While I was there I offered to go by and talk to them but I was informed by Hornady they changed vendors. I still have the Hornady Cam lock, I also have the RCBS collet type puller.
I spent more time waiting for parts to repair the cam lock than I did using it.
F. Guffey
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714 Posts
On the rare occasion that I need to pull bullets, I use my RCBS Collet bullet puller, I have every collet I need except for one in 505, guess I'll have to make one.
I did use an inertia type for a short time, but found the aluminium 3 piece collets didn't last very long, got sick of replacing them and bought the above.
Cheers.
I did use an inertia type for a short time, but found the aluminium 3 piece collets didn't last very long, got sick of replacing them and bought the above.
Cheers.
The RCBS collet puller sits gathering dust on the shelf because of marring the bullets when pulling. The unit takes a lot of exertion on the handle to get enough grip to pull even non-crimped bullets.
The kinetic puller comes with extra collets of varying size. Never have had to use the replacements as the primary ones have worked perfectly for years of pulling bullets.
The kinetic puller comes with extra collets of varying size. Never have had to use the replacements as the primary ones have worked perfectly for years of pulling bullets.
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4,910 Posts
A kinetic is all I will use. I have a collet-type, but it buggers-up bullets that are really hard to pull-- such as .224" FMJ-BT bullets that are crimped-in with a really heavy crimp. I smack the kinetic against a piece of 2x2 stud (about 18" long) that I hold in my hand. I smack the puller sharply against the end of the stud, and allow the puller to rebound off the piece of wood. The flexibility of my arm absorbs the impact and the rapid rebounding of the puller tends to reduce the possibility of breaking it. I've been using one for several years. I'm perfectly happy with it...
I have not used one, but the grip-n-pull (Grip-n-Pull The World's Best Bullet Puller) looks like it would be easy to use and one tool will work for many calibers without additional parts required. I have read reviews from those who have used it on other forums and their opinion has generally been good. If I had a lot of bullets to pull I would try one. For now, if I need to pull the occasional bullet, I have a pair of pliers with parallel jaws that do a good job of gripping the bullet without deforming it. I use the pliers in the same manner as the grip-n-pull, I raise the bullet through the top of the press, grip the bullet then raise the handle to retract the casing and pull the bullet. I usually line the jaws of the pliers with some rubber from one of the pads made to help grip and remove jar lids.
Dennis
Dennis
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1,478 Posts
My reloading bench is very sturdy, but is not is not tied to the floor. Using my collet puller I often lift the entire bench off the floor. And, in particularly, 44 Mag. and 444 Bullets are not held sufficiently tight to pull them out. And, of course, it destroys cast bullets.
I have the simple Lyman kinetic puller and that is all I use any more. Not saying it is the best thing going, just the best thing i have. Apparently, i may be missing something by not trying the Cam-Lock. Will look into that.
I have the simple Lyman kinetic puller and that is all I use any more. Not saying it is the best thing going, just the best thing i have. Apparently, i may be missing something by not trying the Cam-Lock. Will look into that.
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1,063 Posts
FWIW (and nuttin' most of the time); I have read responses to this type question that concentrate on speed. Fine, but I have no reason to hurry/rush anything related to reloading, either pre-stuffing or post-stuffing. I have never been in a hurry to pull loaded rounds because I kept enough components on hand to tide me over. I also believe this quip "There's only one way to eat an elephant, that's one bite at a time". So, when I was pulling a bunch of mil spec. ammo for the brass, I would only do as much as I was comfortable with doing at on setting. Not a drudge, jes a task and the whole can was gone before I knew it...
I tried several and the kinetic will do all and is cheap. NEVER seen a cam or collet that could pull wadcutters
You would have over 100 buck to get the inserts.
Mid way has a universal holder for kinetic that is held by a black O ring and on side it is open. can just insert round form top ,tighten head hit ,and loosen head and dump the powder and bullet and go aging. don't have to take it apart. very fast
You would have over 100 buck to get the inserts.
Mid way has a universal holder for kinetic that is held by a black O ring and on side it is open. can just insert round form top ,tighten head hit ,and loosen head and dump the powder and bullet and go aging. don't have to take it apart. very fast
I have both the Hornady Cam-Lok puller and the kinetic one that resembles a hammer. If I needed to pull a lot of bullets, I'd use the Hornady.
But usually, I only need to pull one, so I use the hammer type. For the hammer type, i use the correct case holder (like you'd put in your press), unscrew the cap, insert the round, do 2-3 solid raps on a vice and the bullet is out.
Unscrew the cap, tip hammer over and out falls the bullet and powder (unless it was a squib). Couldn't be simpler. Like I said, I have the cam-lok, but rarely put it to use. If I had it to do over again, I'd not buy it.
But usually, I only need to pull one, so I use the hammer type. For the hammer type, i use the correct case holder (like you'd put in your press), unscrew the cap, insert the round, do 2-3 solid raps on a vice and the bullet is out.
Unscrew the cap, tip hammer over and out falls the bullet and powder (unless it was a squib). Couldn't be simpler. Like I said, I have the cam-lok, but rarely put it to use. If I had it to do over again, I'd not buy it.
I use a RCBS kinetic hammer . If and when I have to pull projectiles
besides all the usual little calibres it also handles 404,470,500 x 3,25 50/110. & 500 Jeffery.
I had to run a 16mm drill down it to take the 500 Jeffries.
With the larger calibres I use the shell holder to hold the case and tighten the nut on the shell holder. Works for me.
To prevent any damage to the bullet tip I put a foam ear plug into it before I put the loaded round in the hammer.
all the best
besides all the usual little calibres it also handles 404,470,500 x 3,25 50/110. & 500 Jeffery.
I had to run a 16mm drill down it to take the 500 Jeffries.
With the larger calibres I use the shell holder to hold the case and tighten the nut on the shell holder. Works for me.
To prevent any damage to the bullet tip I put a foam ear plug into it before I put the loaded round in the hammer.
all the best
Hum, good idea about the foam ear plug in the hammer - never thought of that. Thanks.
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