Pulling bullets

[ShaneG.]

I loaded up some 175g M118 pulled bullets with some surplus WC846. The rounds I loaded in RP brass@46 grains were just a touch too hot showing very slight sighs of cratering.

I loaded some more in surplus brass@ 44 grains and well It took a few love taps on the bolt to get it open and it would not extract the case.I had to use an old cleaning rod and give it a tap as well.

Anyway what is the best way to pull the bullets so I can reload them to more friendly levels?

Should I get a collet puller for my press or the hammer inertia puller keeping in mind i want to reuse the bullets and powder.

Ok looked at the collet style and any one ever use the rcbs or forrester brand?

[stevec]

I have the RCBS version and it works well. Takes a couple of tries to learn the difference btween tight enough to hold the bullet and loose enough not to damage it. The kenetic "hammer type" works well also but I wouldnt want to pull very many with it.

Steve

[davemuzz]

I'm with Steve on this one. I have the Hornady collet puller.....no real difference between that and the RCBS.

I just have this "mental block" about putting a live round in something and then whacking it on my bench to "undo" it. But.....that's just me.

Dave

[laportecharlie]

I have a couple of both types of bullet pullers. For bullets as heavy as you want to pull, the hammer type might be best. Completely safe and no marks on the bullets. The hammer type does not work well on light bullets as they don't have enough mass to get things moving.
Charlie

[ShaneG.]

thanks for the replys.

IS it a mess to reclaim the powder with the hammer type?

[Uncle Jack]

Not really. Just have a container (a bowl or coffee can) close by and dump everything into it, pick out the bullet and go on to the next one. If you know for sure what the powder is put it into a sealable container and label it when you're through. If you don't know what the powder is, go fertilize your lawn tomorrow. (I'm still trying to find out how much to use.)

uj

[Slowpoke Slim]

I have both kinds, the RCBS collet, and the original "Quinetics" (sp?) hammer. I mostly use the collet puller, it's easier, and quieter. Sometimes I need to pull bullets on a caliber I don't have a collet for, and the hammer works great for that. You can smash up the tips on lead tipped bullets using the hammer style. I poked a cleaning patch down in the inside end of my hammer many years ago to stop that from happening. It works great. They're right about light bullets not pulling well with the hammer type puller. The worst for me was when I tried to pull down some 7.62x39 garbage ammo (the plastic core crap I think) that someone handed me a box of to dispose of. That liked to wear out my arm trying, and I never pulled one. It also helps if you bang the hammer on a cement floor.

[EFBell]

It helps to push the bullets in a hair with a seating die to "break the seal" before beating it to death, it works. Collet puller is much more efficient but for 3 or 4 here and there the kinetics work ok. Also handy for moving bullets a little bit if you seast them too deep, then hit em again with the seating die to get the length you need.

[pbcaster45]

I just got a Hornady Cam-Lock Bullet Puller and it works great! I'm pulling the bullets from some M118 Nation Match (1968). Those old 173 gr FMJBTs don't very well in my .308 Winchesters so I'm pulling them to use in my 30-06 (it has a 4-groove, 1-11 twist barrel). Much easier to pull bullets with the Hornady Cam-Lock. Yeah, I'm seating Sierra 168 gr HPBTs to make "Mexican Match" - should have something to write about and hopefully no one will fall asleep...

[davemuzz]

Yeah, I'm seating Sierra 168 gr HPBTs to make "Mexican Match" - should have something to write about and hopefully no one will fall asleep...


I like to read this. But I am interested in knowing what a "Mexican Match" is. I've never heard of that.

But, I've always said the older I get, the less I realize what I don't know. :)

Dave

[pbcaster45]

I first read about "Mexican Match" on zediker.com when learning how to load for my M1A. Match shooters seeking an edge would improve military match ammo by replacing the bullet.

http://riflemansjournal.blogspot.com/2010/04/history-lake-city-m118-special-ball.html

and,

http://www.zediker.com/downloads/14_loading.pdf (page 14)

"If you want to skip all this mess, make up some “Mexican Match” using Lake City Match M118 (that which “falls off the back of the truck” is sometimes available at gun shows, and sometimes “Special Ball” turns up carried in by men in sunglasses). Pull the 173gr bullets and replace with a commercial 168. First seat the original bullets a little deeper to break the seal (you’ll hear a “pop”); this keeps pulling the bullets from stretching the case as much. You may or may not need to resize necks, but check by gently pushing a bullet tip against some wood; it shouldn’t move deeper. [See the “Pinching” bit in a bit.] This stuff shoots! Mex match is roughly equivalent to LCM852."

[Bad Water Bill]

Shane If you go with the hammer do your banging on a concrete floor. When the bullet breaks loose some of the powder grains escape past the screw cap and land on the floor. Not a problem on concrete bot on a bench or carpet it could get flammable.

[ShaneG.]

I'm gonna try to order the hammer type and give it a whirl.Hopefully this won't become a habit,this is the first time I have had to pull bullets since I started reloading so I never needed the tools for it until now.


I bought some WC846 about 12 years ago and have been out of it for a while it is supposed to be close to BLC-2 I bought it to load in my .223 but got some of my best groups with it behind Berger 168's in my .308 so I thought at $90 for 8lbs. I'd give it a try again. Last jug I bought was $64.

Thanks for the input I might end up with both types of pullers before it's over.

[Quickshot]

Get yourself a 12" or so piece of 4x4 or 6x6. Stand it on end and pound the puller on the end grain of the block. Pounding on the cement will ruin your puller in no time if used a lot. Thats the way I do it. Wrap some saran wrap over the hole in the side and then a wrap of duct tape to keep the powder from spilling out. Screw the cap off to dump powder and bullet out when it releases. Not really all that convenient but when we make some dumb mistakes we have to expect to pay the piper. Quick

[EFBell]

If you have a source for it, get yourself a bench plate for such pounding. A piece of 1/2" mild steel about 10 x 10 or so comes in real handy on the bench for such things. Good for a lot of uses besides beating on.

Has a nice ring to it also. ;)

[stevec]

The best thing I found was a Maple stump about 16" diameter. Used it for whacking the bullet puller on, made a good foot rest, but I ran out of fire wood last winter.............


Steve

[Tightgroups]

I have an RCBS puller die, and since I got it, I haven't used the hammer puller once. There cheap to buy, and much faster and cleaner as far as recovering the bullet and powder, and I haven't damaged a bullet yet.
Once you try one, you wont go back to the hammer type.

[rjtfroggy]

I'm with tightgroups I bought the RCBS puller and four collets all brand new for less than $50 on ebay and the hammer hasn't come out of the drawer since.

[snipecatcher]

The Hornady Cam-Lock unit works well enough for me, but the 6.5 collet does not. The bullets will not fall free after being pulled. The .277 collet works perfectly for 6.5 bullets though.
-Dan

[BillPa]

The Hornady Cam-Lock unit works well enough for me, but the 6.5 collet does not. The bullets will not fall free after being pulled.
-Dan


Dan, check and see if a bullet will enter the collet out of the die. Sometimes the segments of the collet are too tight together and need to be opened a bit. To open them insert the blade of a screwdriver between them and gently tap it in to spread them apart. Now don't go smacking the screwdriver with a 10# hammer, you can bump it with the palm of your hand. Work around all four a little at a time until you spread them apart enough until a bullet slides in easily, not sloppy, just enough till it will go in without any resistance.

After pulling a bullet the extra gap between the segments will spring out a bit more to release it.


BTW, these pullers work pretty slick pulling bullets without a crimp. You can get them from Sinclair.
http://www.sinclairintl.com/images/large/DBP-3-l.jpg http://www.sinclairintl.com/product/8324/Bullet-Pullers

Bill