PULLING BULLETS - IS IT SAFE

[nimrod]

Is it safe to use an impact bullet puller on live ammo. Is there a chance of detonation?
Thanks, Mac

[Grey Taylor]

I've used one on a number of cartridges with no problems. I think for rifle rounds a collet puller on the reloading press would be easiest but for handgun rounds the impact is the way to go.

Guy

[Frank]

The collet bullet puller is perfectly safe for rifle ammo and have used them extensively. I do not know about the impact for handgun ammo and would take Guy's word on that one. However, on rifle ammo I have seen some difficulty with the impact ones and no longer use them.

Good Luck
Frank

[Passthru]

the impact bullet puller is plenty safe,the only thing taking a beating useing it will be your bench and the bullet as it falls out of the brass,on a rifle you would have to hit the bench pretty daggum hard to get the bullet pulled,crimping makes this even harder.

[jmabbott888]

Passthru, try putting a cottonball or 2 in the bottom of the puller, it seems to keep the bullet tip from getting beat up, but the powder gets in the cotton, so I don't use the powder that sticks to the cotton. change the cotton out when you switch powder, i'm not sure if a few grains would make a difference & the cotton balls are cheap.

[songdog]

Just don't do it on a rimfire and it's perfectly safe. Smaller bullets with little mass (most .17s) can be tough with an inertia puller though. The collet works best for those. You can also take the die out of the press and get a sharp pair of dykes to grab the bullet and then lower the ram. You sacrifice the bullet this way but it works...

[R Flowers]

It is safe to use an inertia puller on live ammo and the responses you have received pretty much sum up the pros and cons such as damaging bullet noses, etc.

I have both types, collett and inertia pullers and pretty much use which ever one I feel like, though fortunately I do not use either one very often.

However, I did have a detonation once using an intertia puller! I was pulling some ammo loaded for a friend's wildcat 6.5 X 300 Win Mag. We had worked up some pretty hot loads and decided not to shoot the highest charges. I did not realize that some of the primer pockets were already loose from prior firings. I think that the primer sitting there jumping up and down in the pocket allowed it to detonate.

Let me tell you, it pretty much scared the hell out of me! The primer detonated and was ejected out the top of the bullet puller. The powder was not ignited and there was no harm to anything except for my composure. I did not use an inertia puller for quite some time after that. http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/afraid_face.gif

So, if you chose to use an inertia puller on live ammo just do not stand over the darned thing. They work fine, for the most part.

R F

[Handcannon]

Yep pretty much the "standard" way of doin it.As far as safety goes with any reloading procedure common sense and proper use should be followed.If danger level was very high NSSF and SAMI would not endorse that product and u wouldn&#39;t find them being produced by such highly respected companies.. Hope this helps Handcannon http://www.jesseshunting.com/forums/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smiley-wavin-yel.gif