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Among the many gears that a veteran reloader has, one of them is this hammer-looking thing that seems to be out of place. It’s not a hammer to knock things in, but a bullet puller to pull things out. And as much as you might have doubt in how this kinetic puller works, you will think otherwise at the end of this article. Others prefer the less savage style, the reloading press extension type.
A bullet puller is typically simple to use but effective and even a must-have for people who have been reloading their own ammunition for years. There are various reasons that you want to get the powder out, be it to retrieve the powder back or because the cartridge has corroded.
Bullet pullers from the different company have a different style and we’d love to review 5 best bullet pullers. From the ease of use, portability to their durability, these are all important if you are about to invest something that you will use in the long term.
Top 5 Best Bullet Pullers Reviews in 2019
1. Frankford Arsenal Quick-n-EZ Impact Bullet Puller
The Frankford Arsenal Bullet Puller is the classic, best bullet pullers every reloader knows. It has a natural blue color and is made of poly carbonate for the plastic tube and solid metal shaft with the same material on the grip area. It comes with the hammer-shaped puller, 3 expandable collets of different sizes and 4 o-rings.
So, for this puller, the rubber rings are inserted into the collets, allowing them to expand according to the size of the bullet. You slip the ammo through the collet, put it in the hammer and lock the end with the cap, making sure it’s tight. Then you hit it hard till the bullet fall off and you get your powder out.
Pros:
- The bullet puller comes with three different collets that will pull almost every bullet from .22 Hornet to 45-70 whether they are rimmed or rimless.
- It also comes with 4 o-rings, making sure that you one extra if you actively use all 3 different sizes of collets.
- Portable – many other bullet pullers work great with a reloading press, but this guy can be used without any press and is very light in comparison.
- Affordable at less than $20, you get three different collets and the bullet puller itself!
Cons:
- Tiring if you have 300 .9 mm bullets to hit and you might just spend the whole night doing this.
- Plastic material doesn’t seem as strong as it should be (compared to steel materials from different puller types).
2. RCBS 9440 Bullet Puller without Collet
The RCBS 9440 Bullet Puller is the best partner to any reloading press. If you hate hitting the floor hard for hours on, your best bullet puller of choice should be this guy. It can be installed to the press, adjusted for the size of bullets and allows you to pull tons of them quickly, without tiring yourself out.
Make sure to have the collet that looks like a steel cylinder with 3 gaps around it. These gaps will be pressed later to get a good grip on the bullet and when you pull it, the bullet will be off and you can salvage the powder inside without messing it up.
Pros:
- Neat because a bullet that is pulled out will still have its powder in the cartridge and you can pour them into a jar back. The inertia style has all the powder burst out inside there, although you can hit a couple of them before pouring them all out of it.
- Quick – no need to open the cap, detach the collet, put the bullet through the collet, reseal the cap and repeat the process for approximately 300 times.
- Durable material – the steel firmly grips the bullet and will run for thousands of bullet pulls.
Cons:
- Expensive as the bullet puller doesn’t come with any collets, so you have to purchase them separately. The puller itself costs more than a typical inertia bullet puller.
- Don’t grab too hard because the grip can break the bullet if you turn it too hard. Turn it just enough to grab the end bullet.
3. Lyman Magnum Inertia Bullet Puller
The Lyman Bullet Puller is similar to the Frankford Bullet puller but comes in a striking orange color. Similarly, it comes with 2 collets for various bullets sizes and will expand to grip the bullet. You put it through the collet, put it in the hammer and lock it with the cap. Make sure it’s tight and you can start whacking it out.
Pros:
- Comes with two collets that will pull any bullet out from Tiny 5.7 x 28FN to the biggest magnums.
- Portable – many other bullet pullers work great with a reloading press, but this guy can be used without any press and is very light in comparison.
- Ergonomic handle design that will let you get a good grip while you hammer through rounds of bullets.
- Affordable in comparison with additional collets included.
Cons:
- Tiring if you have to hammer out hundreds of bullets out.
- Fragile if you hit it on the strong surface like ceramic floor or walls.
4. Hornady 050095 Cam Lock Bullet Puller
The Hornady Bullet Puller works on the reloading press from Hornady and is very easy to use once you get the hang of it. In fact, it’s the best one to get if you have loads of rounds to pull out and you can’t be bothered with hammering down each of them.
The bullet puller has to be installed with the right collet first and adjusted at the right point. There are videos of tutorial that will be easier to understand from. You insert the collet that you want, screw it down, install it on the press and make sure it’s tight. Adjust the clamp at 45 degrees or less and you’re set to go.
Pros:
- Quick and easy once everything is installed, pulling off a bullet is as easy as pushing the bullet up and pushing the clampdown, making the whole process less time-consuming.
- Faster than many other bullet pullers
Cons:
- The complicated method of installing the puller makes it hard for beginners to understand
- Pricey considering it doesn’t come with a collet and you have to buy them separately
5. RCBS Pow’r Pull Kit
The RCBS did not stop with their reloading press-based bullet puller. They also came up with the inertia style puller that allows you to hammer like everyone else is doing. It has a jade green color and is different from others with the lack of a metal beam like other hammers. Like how hammers usually work, you find the right collet, put the bullet through and lock it in the hammer with the cap.
It has a slight difference in design, but it basically works the same with every other inertia style bullet puller.
Pros:
- One-piece construction means that no part will fall off or grow loose as you hit your way through, except for the cap.
- Portable – many other bullet pullers work great with a reloading press, but this guy can be used without any press and is very light in comparison.
- Ergonomic handle makes it easy to grip and hit firmly to get the bullet out with less energy. You know it matters when you 100 bullets to pull out!
- Comes with 2 different collets that are expandable to fit into various sizes of bullets.
Cons:
- Considerably expensive if you compare it to other models of hammers with basically the same function
- Durability is questioned because the whole body is made of the same polycarbonate material.
Things to Consider Before Buying a Bullet Puller
There are many kinds of bullet pullers out there and they can be a bit different from one another. There are basically two things you can consider before getting a bullet puller:
- Does your reloading press allow a bullet puller to be installed with it? This allows you to pull rounds of bullets in a short time and is especially great if you are a veteran.
- An inertia bullet puller is simple and can’t go wrong with, so beginners will love to use this type of bullet puller instead for starters.
How to Use a Bullet Puller
Every bullet puller works more or less the same with little differences in how you prepare for them and quality. A kinetic bullet puller usually comes with the hammer, a collet and a collet cap. Some pullers come with different collets for different sizes of bullets while others come with none, so you have to buy them separately.
A reloading press based bullet puller works in a different way but has the same purpose. Instead of putting the whole cartridge in, the reloading press style simply grabs hard unto the bullet and pulls it off from the cartridge.
It’s important to understand the function of the puller before you start hammering or pulling your way out. You might be worried if you will somehow ignite the powder inside if you hit too hard. But understand that a puller generally does not touch the primer. And the primer is the part that pushes and fires the powder inside that will push out the bullet, which is what you want to take off.
Unless you deliberately lift the hammer and hits a nail or something else with a similar shape that will potentially cause ignition. If that’s not the case, you can pull as many bullets out and none will explode.
Now, you need to first identify the type of bullet that you want to pull off. Depending on the size, there is a collet that will fit it in if it comes with one or more. If it doesn’t, you need to look for one that will fit the size of your cartridge. The caliber is not always exactly at the right size, but just enough to hold it in place while you hit it. Make sure you didn’t insert the bullet into the collet upside down.
Inset the cartridge with the collet into the bullet puller for a kinetic style bullet puller. Lock the end with the cap and make sure that it’s tight because you can’t have everything fly out when you hit the hammer hard. For the reloading press style, you need to insert the collet into the hammer first and let it loose. Put the bullet on the press and push it up into the bullet puller. Make sure to tighten the grip of the collet on the bullet.
For the hammer style, hit hard and tighten the cap back every 2 to 3 hits because it will grow loose due to the inertia. It will go off in 3 to 5 hits on a firm wood plank and you will see the powder is out and spread in the tube. If you hit strong enough, maybe one will take you there! Take the cap off and you can throw away the cartridge now.
As for the powder, if you know what it is, pour it in a jar of the same powder. If you don’t have any use of it or not sure with what it contained, you can use it as a fertilizer and spread it on your lawn. Remember, spread, not just thrown in a bunch because you will kill your plants instead.
You can also burn smokeless powder (but not black powder as it will explode) and they will be gone in a blink. Do this outside, far from flammable objects.
Benefits of Having a Bullet Puller
- The USA is a country that has legalized gun ownership for centuries. Sometimes, we find our grandpas keeping a whole stock of bullets and they just lay around unused. If the bullets are still in fine condition, salvaging them is possible with a bullet puller.
- Sometimes, we make mistake when scaling the powder and only realize it after pressing the bullets.
- Sometimes the scale makes a mistake and we end up with a bunch of bad bullets mixed with good ones.
- When you don’t want to use that bullet anymore and want to use the rest of the powder to press for a different bullet.
- For people who like to learn from failures and tests, having a bullet puller is handy when you want to change the content of the bullets after you test them. It’s very handy to carry everywhere with your reloading press and some of them are extensions that can be easily installed when you need it.
Conclusion
It’s never useless to own a bullet puller on your own and depending on your reloading press brand, the company typically has a puller that can be installed with it. They are a little different than the hammer style bullet puller as all you do is adjust and make sure the puller grabs it tightly. But either way, a puller is always useful because mistakes happen and a puller is there to let you fix it!
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