Pulling bullets. Is there a faster method?

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  • Shoot them in a blowback like a Sub2k or HiPoint carbine. They'll run just fine and won't cause any issues.

    I don't own either. Besides, i have a rule about shooting other people's reloads. If I don't know you, I don't shoot your reloads. I saw first hand what happens when someone doesn't pay attention. luckily the guy shooting only came away with a few bits of shrapnel in the heal of his hand. He bought reloads from someone who didn't know what they were doing.
     

    Blacksmith101

    Grumpy Old Man
    Jun 22, 2012
    22,163
    Probably been discussed before but I wonder if vacuum chamber would pull a bullet. I have Vac pump and canisters I use to de-gas urethane and find myself wondering if you were able to do it fast enough using a very small canister if it would work. or if the pressure in the case would equalize too quickly given the relatively small air volume remaining in a loaded cartridge. I should probably just google it

    I think the primer would back out before the bullet. The pressure inside the case pushes equally in all directions and the mass of the bullet is much greater than the mass of the primer.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    You do realize you can do the same thing with a pair of pliers... :innocent0

    I have a collet puller and have used pliers on the Iranian 8MM I have lots of. RCBS collet puller slips most of the time and right now takes more time than the kinetic. Pliers leaves marks. I have to beat it pretty hard with the kinetic right now and its loud as hell.

    I also have some Czech training ammo I want to pull and mess around with. Its so light, kenetic does not work and the crimp is also so hard the RCBS won't hold onto it.

    I dont' mind paying the $ for this.
     

    Biggfoot44

    Ultimate Member
    Aug 2, 2009
    32,884
    Observation #1 - Different bullets of same weight and general shape will have different nose shapes , ie some are pointier, some are more hemispherical . The important factor is how far the base protrudes into the case , the OAL is an indirect indication , unless you are using the exact same bullet .

    Observation #2 - 3.8gr Universal is a Start Load ( per Hogdon ) with pressure of only 26,300 psi ( with SAAMI level of 35K ) .

    OK , I get it , some people categorically will only shoot ammo they personally loaded . But since I percieve an implication that the level of confidence was sufficient to consider shooting it , I'd look at little further .

    Spot check enough rounds to see if the charge is consistently 3.8gr .

    Using a gun rated for at least occasional +P , I'd feel enough margin to fire a test round .

    If no visable pressure signs , case head expansion in normal range , and velocity in expected ballpark , I'd probably shoot it .
     

    Atlasarmory

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Mar 2, 2009
    3,360
    Glen Burnie
    I think the primer would back out before the bullet. The pressure inside the case pushes equally in all directions and the mass of the bullet is much greater than the mass of the primer.

    Interesting. Considerably less surface friction on the primer as well. Primers would likely pop first. :thumbsup:
     
    Observation #1 - Different bullets of same weight and general shape will have different nose shapes , ie some are pointier, some are more hemispherical . The important factor is how far the base protrudes into the case , the OAL is an indirect indication , unless you are using the exact same bullet .

    Observation #2 - 3.8gr Universal is a Start Load ( per Hogdon ) with pressure of only 26,300 psi ( with SAAMI level of 35K ) .

    OK , I get it , some people categorically will only shoot ammo they personally loaded . But since I percieve an implication that the level of confidence was sufficient to consider shooting it , I'd look at little further .

    Spot check enough rounds to see if the charge is consistently 3.8gr .

    Using a gun rated for at least occasional +P , I'd feel enough margin to fire a test round .

    If no visable pressure signs , case head expansion in normal range , and velocity in expected ballpark , I'd probably shoot it .

    26300 when set for an overall cartridge length of 1.15 in. I did some research before I post it this thread and it looks like the pressure increases greatly with just a slight decrease in overall length. 1 reloading forum that I went to for research said that with a decrease of just one eighth of an inch the pressure goes from 27 300 to almost 63000 PSI.. that seems extreme but I'm not willing to take a chance on damaging my firearms let alone damaging my hands. I make my living with my hands. I ordered the horn day bullet puller and Colette for 9 mm. I'm going to see how it works. If I don't like the results I'll just use the kinetic puller and do a few here and there until they're all done. It's not like I'm hurting for 9 mm ammunition. I've reloaded several thousand over the last few months and still have about 10,000 cleaned cases ready to be reloaded
     

    John from MD

    American Patriot
    MDS Supporter
    May 12, 2005
    22,734
    Socialist State of Maryland
    For you guys who pull military bullets, if you press the bullet into the case first, it will pull easier using a kinetic puller. The reason for this is that many military bullets have a sealant applied to the bullet. If you don't break the seal, you may break your kinetic puller before the bullet comes out. ;)
     

    BeoBill

    Crank in the Third Row
    MDS Supporter
    Oct 3, 2013
    27,064
    南馬里蘭州鮑伊
    I don't own either. Besides, i have a rule about shooting other people's reloads. If I don't know you, I don't shoot your reloads. I saw first hand what happens when someone doesn't pay attention. luckily the guy shooting only came away with a few bits of shrapnel in the heal of his hand. He bought reloads from someone who didn't know what they were doing.

    That's a wise decision, IMO. No reason to take the chance.

    You could try using pliers, first padding the jaws with thin felt or thick cloth to prevent marring the jacket. Just a thought...
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    I used to shoot a lot of 303 brass in 30/40 rifles and the brass was always short. I would strip the cartridges and check chamber fit but if your not sure of the loaders competence and cant ID the powder/charge your probably better off pulling them.
    If pre-op checks seemed OK and cartridge fit was ok I would probably just shoot them.
     

    Melnic

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    15,282
    HoCo
    My Grip n Pull came in and it does very well for the 8mm mauser.
    Plus no longer using the Kinetic, I don't have to sift through the powder for the bullet.
    I can just dump the bullet in the box, then dump the powder out. Definitely speeds things up
    No significant scratches on the bullet.
    the smaller size one ends at 30 cal and I'm mostly doing 8mm so I got the bigger 8mm. I did try the tool on a 30 cal wrapping a cleaning patch around the bullet and it worked fine.

    edit: went through 50 rounds last night and man, way faster for mass bullet pulling with the grip n pull. overkill (cost vs value) if you are doing just a few though.
     
    Last edited:

    LRoberts

    Retired Master General El
    Oct 22, 2017
    241
    SM County
    Ken, do you have one of these grip and pulls? Wondering how much damage (if any) the collet causes on the pulled bullet? Curious, as that's been the problem with the collet pullers I've seen.

    This is what I use
    61lGKp4jA-L._AC_UL320_ML3_.jpg
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I think the primer would back out before the bullet. The pressure inside the case pushes equally in all directions and the mass of the bullet is much greater than the mass of the primer.

    Mass is not the issue.

    The issue is the amount of area the air inside the case is pushing on and the amount of force required to remove the bullet or the primer.

    IMO, primers are typically seating with more force required than bullets, plus the bullet has a larger surface area (base) than a primer.

    Max force applied is 14.7 pounds per square inch. Assuming no air can leak out until the primer or bullet comes out.

    9mm bullet is 0.0989798 square inches so, 1.455 pounds of force applied to the base.

    A small pistol primer is 0.0240528 square inches or 0.3536 pounds of force.

    I don't think a vacuum with pull either one.

    But then, let's thing about it, there are guns on aircraft. they fly high, I have never heard of a aircraft round disassembling itself. :D

    Air pressure at 40,000 feet is 2.72 pounds per square inch.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    As others have mentioned the COAL versus case volume, I would pull ON, and compare the bullet length to the bullet in the loading manual.

    If it is short, it may be OK.

    But I do understand the caution about other people's reloads. If I wear sure the person loaded X powder, I would pull maybe 10% and check the charge weight. If OK, I would be comfortable with shooting them.
     

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