The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hi
I have just started to reload and wondered what people thought was best for taking a loaded round apart. I am thinking ahead for when I make a mistake. The rounds concerned are 7.5x55.
Thanks

The cheapest is a pair of pliers or vice grips, put the round it the shellholder on the press raise the ram till the case mouth is level with the top of the die hole grip the bullet with the pliers resting across the top of the press and lower the ram. Only problem with this method is it tends to damage the bullet, not a problem if you are shooting cast as it will just remelt.

If you only have a few to do then the kinetic hammer types are the next quickest, load the round into the hammer and give it a few dunts on something hard and the bullet and powder fall out into the head for separating. Its the next cheapest, I have a Quinetics that has pulled load of bullets expecially crimped and laquered military ball and has stood up to some hard pounding. It doesn't damage the bullets but it might be prudent to put a pinch of foam in the tip.

The next expensive is the press mounted collet type, a die carrying the appropriate calibre collet goes into the press the round is raised up into the collet and the collet is levered or twisted to grip the bullet, lower the ram and then release the bullet from the collet. Its the most expensive and then you need to buy extra collets for each calibre range but it is definitely the best way to go if you think you will need to pull a lot of bullets at a sitting.

If you just want to check a load or rectify the odd mistake then the Kinetic hammer type are best but it can be hard going doing 50 rounds on the trot with one.

Having tried all three ways these days I have settled on a collet type puller, down side is it would mark the bullet so I uses a small grinder to smooth the entry to the collet slightly and it pulls bullets without marking them. I still have my old Quinetic hammer that is a bit time consuming to use but does work very efficiently.

Your collet marks the bullet, what make is it?

My collet puller is a Hornday and where the bullet enters the collet left a light mark so I just added a small radius and it was fine, I only needed to do this on one size, 7mm from memory however I did the same on all the collets.

It is one of those tools that goes many months between being used.

Its the Hornady I use and really like it, none of the bullets I've pulled have been marked but then I haven't used the 7mm collet. With all these new bullet profiles that are coming out to temp shooters for their cash it must be hard to get a collet that will fit all.

I use the Hornady Camlock collet puller for pulling milsurp rounds for 'Mexican Match.
I also have a home made kinetic puller, made from an old mallet & a piece of ground down perforated strip steel secured with a screw; it works fine. (Scotsman, short arms, deep pockets)

Kinetic hammer for me (Cheap n simple to use & all components undamaged.... I find the collet type a bit of a 'faff') although I had to buy the Lyman Magnum hammer for 338 Lap Mag as the Quinetics wouldn't take the large cartridge.

Just be sure to get a decent lump of end-grain hardwood to hammer against as a softer surface will force you to take too many 'hammers' at it due to impact absorption.

I use the last step into the shed, fair to say I cringe with every blow, somehow it seems wrong to be clouting a hammer with a live round in against the floor. This why I prefer the collet puller, quicker, smoother and it leaves the powder in the case.

I use the concrete firestep into the garage.