20 cal bullet pullers

[Tokimini]

Does anyone know of a good bullet puller that will work with 20 caliber rounds? Everyone I've looked at online is for 22 cal and above. Like a bonehead I loaded about 100 rounds of necksized brass fireformed in my old barrel and it will not fit in the new barrel.

[Rick in Oregon]

I gave up on the collet pullers, as they ruin the bullet for a 2nd loading. Been using my old Quentics inertia puller (hammer-type) now for over 25 years with no complaints. I've done my .17 Mach IV's with it, all my 204's and 20 Vartarg, besides lots of 223's and the like. Just be sure to strike a wooden surface with it. I just use an old piece of 2x4 in the garage to smack.

The collet pullers will not pull a deep seated bullet such as a 204 round loaded to factory OAL....not enough surface for the collet to grab. Every bullet that comes out of my inertia puller is perfectly suitable for loading again. I put a piece of cork in the bottom of it to protect the lead tip of spitzers, otherwise, no mods, it just works.

Not sayin' it's the panacea of pullers, but it's been working for me for a very long time.

[Jim White]

I'm pretty much the same, Rick. The one thing I've added to my inertia puller is I've stuck a foamy ear plug down into the bottom. It helps with any deforming if the plastic "ballistic-tip".

[broper]

I've got an old Herter's collet type bullet puller that I've had for about 45 years. The RCBS collets fit and work in it. I haven't had any problems pulling bullets and re-using them. Sometimes it leaves a ring around them but I haven't found any problem with that, usually just as accurate as before pulling. I have pulled .204 bullets with it also. I think mostly it's just a matter of what each person likes and get used to using. I've never used the "hammer" type pullers so can't really make a comparison.

[futuretrades]

I have a Hornady collet bullet puller. I, myself cannot get it to work on the 204 bullets. I bought the inertia type puller when I first started to reload. For me, this tool is invaluable. It does work better with heavier bullets, but with a few more "smacks" I can pull even the 32grn bullets. I tried the 2x4 thing on my bench, but with the 204, I just made wood pulp out of it. I found a rock outside that works very well. Weighs about 4lbs and kinda flat on top and bottom. It sits on a cabinet in my reloading room, out of my way, but easily accesable when needed.

[RAMOS]

So, from those in the know, who makes a good inertia type puller?

[sharps45-120]

RCBS makes a good inertia puller. I also have the RCBS collet puller in all calibers from .17 thru .30 with no problems pulling bullets or reusing them for rats or chucks thus far..

[Rick in Oregon]

Like our friend Sharps above, I'm also using an old RCBS inertia puller. Quinetics makes them for RCBS, also offers their own. I've also got the RCBS collet puller with all appropriate caliber collets, but I must not be as talented as some, as most bullets pulled with it are deformed just enough to make me not want to use them for peak accuracy applications. Dunno....maybe it's just me.

[sharps45-120]

No Rick, It is not you. I simply relegate the Collet pulled bullets for rats and chucks, can't see letting them gather dust. Besides, with the shortage - uh- impossible to find bullets, powder, primers and brass I hate to not use them. . If I am working on Pin Point accuracy I DO NOT use the Pulled ones. I find it hard to see anything you are wrong about Rick. JMHO.

[Bodei]

I have a "Cabela's" puller and it comes with a piece of foam at the bottom already, so far saved every bullet...have used it many, many times. Make sure you get a wood or nylon block to pound it against.

[RAMOS]

I just figured I would knock it against my skull. No sense ruining a good piece of lumber!

[tbates]

I have a RCBS collet puller that works OK. Have not had any luck with the hammer type.. Maybe I'm not doing it right. My brother has the same puller I have. He loaded 150 rounds only to discover that he had used the wrong powder charge and had loaded them too heavily. He pulled all 150 rounds with his RCBS collet puller and only lost a couple of bullets. He too has tried the hammer. We both have had to beat the crap out of something to get it to work.

[bow shot]

I had a Forster puller, and went back to the Inertia style.

Just pretend its Gov's Cuomo's face your smacking with your little green hammer, and you will turn a slightly tedious task into fun that the whole family can enjoy!!

[futuretrades]

Just pretend its Gov's Cuomo's face your smacking with your little green hammer, and you will turn a slightly tedious task into fun that the whole family can enjoy!!

LOL, Thats some funny stuff. Next time I have to use my hammer bullet puller, I will think its govn'r MOON BEAMS face!

[jo191145]

Once again, No Rick its not you. I've used both and only use a collet puller now but It does deform the bullet no matter what the eye says. They are not to be used again for accuracy.
Even tho once in my 6BR using pulled 68gn Barts I developed a load at standard seating depth which had changed dramatically with pulled bullets I found a hummer of a load. Much better than my normal load. So nice in fact I seriously considered loading all the pills normally, pulling them all with the collet and reloading them.
I tried fairly hard to duplicate that load with unpulled bullets. Never did but the 6BR is good enough anyway. Just can't forget how well that gun shot with pulled bullets.

Although I use hammers daily for a living I never could get a hang of the kinetics. Too close to shattering for my tastes.