Bullet Pulling

[Martin S]

I have a bunch of .223 loaded rounds that I want to pull the bullets.. I don't have a .223 anymore. I have a RCBS bullet puller. It leaves some marks on the bullets. Will this affect the accuracy of the bullet? I will be shooting them at PD at 100' to 400' out of a 22br.

Martin S

 

[expiper]

They shuld work fine...what kinda RCBS bullet puller are you using is it a 'collet' style that mechanically grips the bullet and then you use the press to remove it...or an inertial style --hammer type--slap hammer...if so ...just put a lil' piece of springy rubber in the bottom of the cavity and it shuld mininmize bullet deformantion....Roger

 

[spclark]

Yeah, I stuck a foam ear plug in the bottom end of my intertia puller a few years back. Keeps the bullet tips away from the Lexan edges down there, otherwise they'd get bent hitting bottom too hard.

As for the marks your puller's leaving: if they're just scuffs you're probably OK to use them. If the puller jaws are deforming the jackets AT ALL, I wouldn't rely on them exclusively if I'd planned to use 'em on a long trip to go doggin'.

Make up some loads with them to test against a batch of new bullets of the same type, just in case.... 22BR will push them faster than a 223 would have, so the jacket stresses will be that much higher.

 

[HillbillySniper]

I've pulled bullets before and shot in groundhog matchs never had or seen any problems. I use the hammer style puller as well.

Hillbilly

 

[Sray53TXTN]

I've used pulled 175SMKs in my 284 and shot them with some good results in local matches.
Used my Hornady style Collet puller, no marks (use .002" neck tension). No detrimental affect on bullets in competition or practice use.
I did polish the Collet to make sure fingers did not leave any marks on bullets.

 

[thefitter]

...
I did polish the Collet to make sure fingers did not leave any marks on bullets.

Can you give me a detailed description of exactly how you did this? Thanks

 

[artbosco]

I have a RCBS bullet puller. It leaves some marks on the bullets. Will this affect the accuracy of the bullet?

It may. I reserve my pulled bullets for use as fowlers.

 

[TonyR]

I use a Forster collet-style puller. I have been able to get rid of the marks on the bullets by cleaning up all of the edges of the collets with fine emery cloth. It just knocks the sharp edge and any burr off. As far as I can tell they shoot fine.

 

[Martin S]

Thanks for the info guys. I checked yesterday on how many rounds I have. About 800. To many to pull. Did I tell you that I'm lazy? ;D
Martin

 

[338Lapua]

i would get the hornady or Forster collet-style puller no damage to pulled bullets if you use some care.

http://www.accurateshooter.com/forum/index.php/topic,3753953.msg35892317.html#msg35892317

 

[Martin S]

I have both Forster collet-style and RCBS.
Martin

 

[LongRanger]

If you are into precision shooting, especially at long range, all pulled bullets should be shot separately from newly loaded rounds for a reason I haven't seen here......i.e., every time the bullet is inserted and removed from the case it wears down the pressure ring at the base of the bullet's bearing surface such that pulled bullets will re-seat with less force than a new bullet. I learned this when setting up my Wilson seating dies using the K-M seating force gauge in my arbor press. I had seated/reseated a bullet a few times while adjusting the neck tension to seat and hold the bullet with, say, 5 pounds of force. Then I loaded a new bullet and seating pressure went to 9-10 pounds. What the Hey, over? Didn’t need micrometer to tell what had happened, it showed up on my calipers. Would not have learned this using my Forster or Redding seaters in regular press.

Frank B.

 

[bozo699]

Martin,
As others have said polish the inside of your collet and for stubborn bullets I lock the collet down a few tho above the neck and actually push the bullet further in the case, that breaks it loose and it seems to pull much easier. I don't know where you live but 800 rounds is a lot to pull, have you considered selling them locally and take the $ you make and buy more bullets 80 bullets is a pita, 800 : never JMHO.
Wayne.

 

[Martin S]

Problem solved! I bought my .223 Savage back. Watch out prairie dogs. ;D

Martin