RCBS Collet Bullet Puller - What Am I Doing Wrong?

[danielj]

I'm using subject collet bullet puller to dismantle some unsafe-to-use reman ammo (.223 and 9mm). Use of one lock ring lets the whole assembly (die, ring) rotate loose when I try to drop the pulled bullet. Any less force to lock down on the bullet and the bullet doesn't pull. I'm using two lock rings--one on top of the press and one below--in order to stop the die from turning loose. While this works, it's obviously not the intended use. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

[Unclenick]

I don't recall having that issue. I would disassemble it and put a slurry of JB Bore Compound mixed with a Teflon bearing lube, like Break Free CLP, or a little Teflon bearing grease like TW-25B or Tetra (maybe 10% by volume) and plain gun oil on all the surfaces that rub when closing the collet. This will be the outside of the collet fingers and in the threads that pull the collet closed and and between the die body and head that the handle goes through. Just don't get any on the inside of the collet fingers where they grasp the bullet. This will burnish Teflon into the surfaces its on, causing them to slip more easily. Anyway, just run the handle in and out of the body in short back and forth motions with no complete circles that don't back up before progressing further. This will smooth the sliding surfaces considerably and should end the problem.

If the problem persists, repeat with fine valve lapping compound. After flushing that clean with mineral spirits, repeat the JB and Teflon treatment.

If none of that works, get a Hornady Cam Lock puller. Having owned both, I can safely say the Cam Lock is truly a better mouse trap and way faster. The handle that closes the collet swings up and down, so no rotation is involved.

[hartcreek]

You will damage the bullets. If you use the plastic kinetic puller you ca get a rythm down ad save the powder and bullets.

[Vance]

I broke a plastic kinetic puller. Haven't broken the rcbs collet bullet puller.

[Unclenick]

It's also a speed thing. I can pull at least 5 bullets with the Cam Lock tool in the time it takes me to get one out with an inertial puller. Damage to the front of a modern bullet design has no appreciable effect on ballistics until you get to very long range. It's the base that has to be kept pristine.

[danielj]

I'll do some lapping as you suggest, but might just get a Hornady cam puller, too--they look pretty slick. I didn't get the Hornady puller because I'd read lots of comments regarding poor construction of the handle--they may have fixed that, though.

[Unclenick]

I can see how someone overtightening and being ham-handed with the handle could cause an issue, but mine has held up fine. The main thing is with military ammo that has a pitch seal or with very old ammo that has cold-welded to the case, you need to use a seating die first to push the bullet in an extra hundredth of an inch or so to break the bond before pulling. That loosens the neck's grip. Indeed, it occurs to me that I just assumed your loads weren't that old, but if they might be, try that trick first.

[F. Guffey]

I'm using subject collet bullet puller to dismantle some unsafe-to-use reman ammo (.223 and 9mm). Use of one lock ring lets the whole assembly (die, ring) rotate loose when I try to drop the pulled bullet. Any less force to lock down on the bullet and the bullet doesn't pull. I'm using two lock rings--one on top of the press and one below--in order to stop the die from turning loose. While this works, it's obviously not the intended use. What am I doing wrong? Thanks!

One hand, two wrenches.

F. Guffey

[rg1]

You have to use a wrench to lock the collar tight to the press.

[reynolds357]

I have broken a few kinetic pullers. RCBS keeps replacing them for free.

[BumbleBug]

I don't know what you're pulling, but you might try seating the bullets a little deeper to break any adhesion seal. Then they might pull easier. If that fails, I'd call RCBS. Perhaps you have a bad collet.

FWIW...

...bug

[Vance]

From the OP's post, I got that he gets the bullet pulled, but then he can't get the collet loosened without the die coming loose from the press. I think he is not getting the lock ring tight enough.

[F. Guffey]

One hand, two wrenches.

From the OP's post, I got that he gets the bullet pulled, but then he can't get the collet loosened without the die coming loose from the press. I think he is not getting the lock ring tight enough.

I purchased a Hornady cam lock on their advise, I spent more time waiting for parts than I did using it. Then I got the RCBS collet puller.

The OP must get the jam/lock nut jammed or locked or he must hold the die with one hand then turn the 'T' handle with the other.

F. Guffey

[wogpotter]

I'd grease the screw threads in the handle, keeping it away from the collet jaws.
I'd tighten the lock ring with a wrench as has been remarked & I'd try not using quite as much Oomph when tightening the collet on the bullet.
I'd also wipe the inside of the collet with a degreaser just in case it had somehow gotten lubed & so needed more gripping to grasp the bullet fully.

In my experience if you get the collet all the way down to the case mouth you don't need a lot of gripping torque on the collet.

[danielj]

I'll try all these fixes this evening, starting with tightening the lock ring some more. I mostly use a Co-Ax, and I've got the puller set up in an old Lee single stage, so tightening lock rings like that isn't something I've ever really tried to do. Die spin is an issue with the Forster puller, but the design of the lock ring bolt addresses that.

[44 AMP]

back when I still used my RCBS collet puller it was a chore. Had to use a large crescent wrench on the hex nut lock ring to get it tight enough to hold the die body.

And then, had to tighten the collet a LOT to pull bullets without slipping off. Which meant that often I needed a mallet to get the handle loose!

Sometimes even needed pliers to hold the die body while wacking the handle. And then there are the distorted bullets....

All in all, I was not pleased with the collet puller.

I have one of the inertia pullers, the Lyman (orange) one, and it's never broken. Nor have I ever had to re-insert a round, because the collet slipped.

using an inertia puller isn't about how hard you hit it, its about how sudden the stop is.

[wogpotter]

I must be living right or something. I've never had those problems with my RCBS collet puller.
The worst thing I had was the slots narrowed because I forgot to release tension when putting it away once. I just opened them up with a tapered wedge to fix the problem.

[AKhog]

After using the inertia puller for many years, I finally got an RCBS collet puller.
After using it, I will never go back to the inertia puller at the loading bench, maybe in the field.

[44 AMP]

After using the inertia puller for many years, I finally got an RCBS collet puller.
After using it, I will never go back to the inertia puller at the loading bench

Your version

After using the RCBS Collet puller for many years, I finally got an inertia puller.
After using it, I will never go back to the collet puller at the loading bench

My version.

I'm sure we are both fully correct. If it works for you, there is no wrong answer.

If one doesn't work for you, try the other one!

[Vance]

44 AMP

Your version

After using the RCBS Collet puller for many years, I finally got an inertia puller.
After using it, I will never go back to the collet puller at the loading bench

My version.

I'm sure we are both fully correct. If it works for you, there is no wrong answer.

If one doesn't work for you, try the other one!

I started with a kinetic puller and it worked fine until I broke it. Then I bought the RCBS collet puller and have not had any problems with it either. I will probably get a new kinetic puller eventually as that would be quicker for the occasional 2 or 3 rounds I decide to disassemble.

I still think that the OP just did not tighten the die lock ring enough. I have a habit of tightening things too much, so have not experienced this loosening of the die.

[F. Guffey]

I'm sure we are both fully correct. If it works for you, there is no wrong answer.

I started with 800 rounds of corrosive ammo, something like $4.80 for 70 rounds, each case had 45 grains of powder. that is when I called Hornady. On their advise I purchased the cam lock puller, I spent more time waiting for parts than I did using it. I called them, they informed me I made too many mistakes.

I know, it is not likely anyone can read through the first paragraph to find the mistake I made. So, I went to see them, I reminded them I had plans on pulling down loaded ammo and months after I started I was still pulling bullets on the same ammo. Then they started on there heat treating vendor. I thought while I was there I should go over and visit the heat treating vendor. Then they informed me they changed vendors.

I reminded them I was still waiting for parts. I fixed it, I purchased the RCBS collet puller. I still have the cam lock JIC, I will not need it unless something goes wrong with the RCBS Colet puller.

The 800 cases had Berdan primers.

F. Guffey

[Fox84]

I had never pulled a bullet before until this weekend. I watched a youtube video 10 days ago about the RCBS and ordered one. I stuck it in my rockcrusher and pulled 100 308's. Must be something wrong with the OP"s collet. I didn't lock the ring on the die at all. I did by itself after use. My only issue was I had to push the handle instead of pulling down.

[F. Guffey]

I had to push the handle instead of pulling down.

Of all the help I should get my grand daughter is all the help I get. Not tall enough, she hangs from the handle until the press goes into compound then she reverses her hands and pushes the handle to complete the travel. She uses both hands to lower the ram then changes her grip to get the press in park.

There are presses I will not allow her to use, I have no problem working with a Herter press. Problem: It is a mistake to assume the handle will remain up. I have a few that have a detent, in the later years Herter installed the detent.

F. Guffey

[wogpotter]

I don't have a detent, I just use a small Velcro strap.