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Single Stage for Bullet Puller...


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After another session of banging away with a god-awful kinetic style puller, I finally decided to get a better system.  I picked up the RCBS die and a few collets, but lack a press.  Eventually I could dedicated a 500 toolhead to the process I suppose, but the 550 is on the way to Dillon for a refresh, etc so I will be without it for a few weeks.  So, thinking of picking up a single stage.  I figure it may have other uses as well down the road (loading now on a 1050 for my main calibers and use the 550 for less used calibers). 

First though was to just pick up a Rock Chucker - I see them on sale in the $130 range sometimes, but then I see the Lee Reloader (the "open C" one) press on sale for $39 I think it was.  Probably fine for puling bullets I would assume?  The Lee caught my eye as it was small and it wouldn't be on the bench all the time, so a nice compact little single stage easy to tuck away when not in use.  The RCBS obviously is stronger, but takes up more space.  I guess it depends on how much I would use a single stage other than for pulling...

 

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Dillon sent me a part I wasn't expecting so wound up not having to send the frame in, so set everything back up tonight.  I gave the bullet puller a try, but the lever's too long and hits the primer tube, so cant' turn more than on revolution...  I suppose I could lop off about 1/4" off the handle, wouldn't affect anything, but I may still pickup a single stage.  Always handy to have one around

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On 10/22/2016 at 11:38 PM, 78Staff said:

After another session of banging away with a god-awful kinetic style puller, I finally decided to get a better system.  I picked up the RCBS die and a few collets, but lack a press.  Eventually I could dedicated a 500 toolhead to the process I suppose, but the 550 is on the way to Dillon for a refresh, etc so I will be without it for a few weeks.  So, thinking of picking up a single stage.  I figure it may have other uses as well down the road (loading now on a 1050 for my main calibers and use the 550 for less used calibers). 

First though was to just pick up a Rock Chucker - I see them on sale in the $130 range sometimes, but then I see the Lee Reloader (the "open C" one) press on sale for $39 I think it was.  Probably fine for puling bullets I would assume?  The Lee caught my eye as it was small and it wouldn't be on the bench all the time, so a nice compact little single stage easy to tuck away when not in use.  The RCBS obviously is stronger, but takes up more space.  I guess it depends on how much I would use a single stage other than for pulling...

 

Since I started loading on a rock chucker many years ago, I use it to do large quantities of bullet pulling.  I ended up pulling over 500 9mm bullets after having multiple squibs due to a powder drop issue with an old style dillion powder measure. I also pulled a bunch of old 30-06 bullets to salvage the brass.

 

Jay

 

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On 10/22/2016 at 11:38 PM, 78Staff said:

After another session of banging away with a god-awful kinetic style puller, I finally decided to get a better system.  I picked up the RCBS die and a few collets, but lack a press.  Eventually I could dedicated a 500 toolhead to the process I suppose, but the 550 is on the way to Dillon for a refresh, etc so I will be without it for a few weeks.  So, thinking of picking up a single stage.  I figure it may have other uses as well down the road (loading now on a 1050 for my main calibers and use the 550 for less used calibers). 

First though was to just pick up a Rock Chucker - I see them on sale in the $130 range sometimes, but then I see the Lee Reloader (the "open C" one) press on sale for $39 I think it was.  Probably fine for puling bullets I would assume?  The Lee caught my eye as it was small and it wouldn't be on the bench all the time, so a nice compact little single stage easy to tuck away when not in use.  The RCBS obviously is stronger, but takes up more space.  I guess it depends on how much I would use a single stage other than for pulling...

 

Since I started loading on a rock chucker many years ago, I use it to do large quantities of bullet pulling.  I ended up pulling over 500 9mm bullets after having multiple squibs due to a powder drop issue with an old style dillion powder measure. I also pulled a bunch of old 30-06 bullets to salvage the brass.

 

Jay

 

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11 hours ago, 78Staff said:

Dillon sent me a part I wasn't expecting so wound up not having to send the frame in, so set everything back up tonight.  I gave the bullet puller a try, but the lever's too long and hits the primer tube, so cant' turn more than on revolution...  I suppose I could lop off about 1/4" off the handle, wouldn't affect anything, but I may still pickup a single stage.  Always handy to have one around

I wound up watching a YouTube vid on how it works - so was able to make it work on the 550 without any modification - I guess I'm a bit dense but the printed instructions left a bit to be desired.  Once I saw it in action it was easy to realize I didn't need a full turn on the handle.  So as long as I set up it correctly on the 550 toolhead I had no problems pulling.  The 45 collet pulled jacket/plated fine, but didn't like LRN.  I had also ordered a 9mm collect to use for 45 SWC, which worked great on 200 SWC's, and also was able to pull the 230 LRN by biting into it a bit.  I think they say don't use for lead as it will deform, which of course it did, but for the LSWC coated they came right out.  So overall I am pleased.  I will still likely pick up a SS press at some point, as mentioned always handy to have one, but at least I know I don't have to have it to pull bullets.

And just for info, back to the kinetic puller - I had been banging away on a piece of 2x8 as they said do not hit on concrete, but hitting on concrete pops those suckers right out.  I suspect the no concrete warning is lawyer-speak in case it shatters and causes injury, but it sure works better.

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Gee, the $25 Lee Reloading Press works great for bullet pulling, decapping, and Bulge Busting. I have even reloaded .30-06 on it.

If you want to spend money on a single-stage, get the Forster Co-Ax...

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7 hours ago, noylj said:

Gee, the $25 Lee Reloading Press works great for bullet pulling, decapping, and Bulge Busting. I have even reloaded .30-06 on it.

If you want to spend money on a single-stage, get the Forster Co-Ax...

 

The Lee Reloader is what you are referring to?  About $32 at most places?  Yep that's the one I am going with. :).

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That's it. I got one for free with purchase of a Lee manual and the other one was $15. Only ever saw the official name as "Lee Reloading Press."

It even has an advantage over the RockChucker—it doesn't throw spent primers all over the loading room.

Appears it might be "dead," replaced with the Lee Breech Lock Reloader Press 

It's not a Forster Co-Ax, but it gets the job done, with effort.

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I tried collet style bullet pulling.  Only really worked 100% with jacketed bullets. Plated sometimes didn't work.  Coated and lead never worked even once.  The kinetic hammer works 100% of the time on everything.

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On 10/26/2016 at 9:44 PM, Dr Mitch said:

I tried collet style bullet pulling.  Only really worked 100% with jacketed bullets. Plated sometimes didn't work.  Coated and lead never worked even once. 

I have pulled plenty of coated bullets, things like the Blue Bullets.  It CAN be done effectively.  Usually at some point the collet starts slipping, so you take it out and clean the inside, using the bore brush.  After that it is good again.

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13 hours ago, Foxbat said:

I have pulled plenty of coated bullets, things like the Blue Bullets.  It CAN be done effectively.  Usually at some point the collet starts slipping, so you take it out and clean the inside, using the bore brush.  After that it is good again.

Same here, no issue pulling coated and lead bullets with the RCBS and Lee Reloader C clamp press - only issue is for SWC bullet's its helpful to use the next smaller caliber, ie i use the 9.3 for 45 and 10mm SWC's.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/22/2016 at 11:38 PM, 78Staff said:

After another session of banging away with a god-awful kinetic style puller, I finally decided to get a better system.  I picked up the RCBS die and a few collets, but lack a press.  Eventually I could dedicated a 500 toolhead to the process I suppose, but the 550 is on the way to Dillon for a refresh, etc so I will be without it for a few weeks.  So, thinking of picking up a single stage.  I figure it may have other uses as well down the road (loading now on a 1050 for my main calibers and use the 550 for less used calibers). 

First though was to just pick up a Rock Chucker - I see them on sale in the $130 range sometimes, but then I see the Lee Reloader (the "open C" one) press on sale for $39 I think it was.  Probably fine for puling bullets I would assume?  The Lee caught my eye as it was small and it wouldn't be on the bench all the time, so a nice compact little single stage easy to tuck away when not in use.  The RCBS obviously is stronger, but takes up more space.  I guess it depends on how much I would use a single stage other than for pulling...

 

I use the Lee C press that I picked up a couple years ago for $28.  More than enough to pull bullets, and the open front makes it fast and easy.  This is also my decapping press for nasty range pickups.

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On 11/14/2016 at 2:59 PM, Kaldor said:

I use the Lee C press that I picked up a couple years ago for $28.  More than enough to pull bullets, and the open front makes it fast and easy.  This is also my decapping press for nasty range pickups.

That's what I did, use the C press for pulling, but also wound up buying a Classic Cast to have a full frame single stage available as well :).  

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