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pulling light weight bullets


lcss

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I have over 500 pounds of reject and seconds, all pistol rounds , everything from 380 to 45 acp that I would like to break down and salvage. About 80% of the the cases and 90% of the bullets look good. I am working with an inerta puller but the bullets are copper frangible (85 grain in 9mm) and don't want to come loose. Anyone have an idea?

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I have over 500 pounds of reject and seconds, all pistol rounds...Anyone have an idea?

500 lbs! The best idea I have is go to the local day labor spot and pick up a few guys.

Your elbow will thank me later.

Edited by jmorris
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4 things:

1) Get a collet bullet puller

2) Frangibles may not take kindly to a lot of hammering

3) Hammering can damage primers.

4) Get a collet bullet puller

A little more data on 3. A while back I salvaged some cases from some .40 frangible loads. At 1.155 OAL, the bullets were set pretty deep. It took quite a few whacks with the inertial puller to get the bullets out. When I reused the primed brass I got a squib. Then another. I sort of noticed some powder all over the chamber. On the third one, I stopped and opened the gun very carefully. I found a rounds worth of unburnt powder in the case/chamber. After a little more research, I discovered that some of the cases had missing primer compound. This was from a lot of primers that I had used for quite a while with no issue. My conclusion is that the primer compound cracked from repeated pounding.

I have looked for a collet type puller with no joy. Hornady is the only one I know of but can't seem to find one or in this case several cause I will need at least three 9, 40 and 45. Wheredo I find these things?

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/680804/rcbs-collet-bullet-puller?cm_vc=ProductFinding

You can also order multiple collets. Once you use one, you will wonder why you waited so long...

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Be gentle when using a collet puller to pull frangible bullets. Too much clamping force and it will break the bullet tip off and leave the base of the bullet stuck in the case.

And if that happens, don't bother trying to hammer them out since there is not enough mass. Shoot them out if possible to save the case. They make nice little wad cutters ;)

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