Bullet puller for 45acp Lead Flat Nose

[akinswi]

Anybody recommend a specific bullet puller for cast projectiles? I have 500 to pull.

I dont care if they destroy the bullet I can just recast them

45 acp 230 Lead Flat Nose

Thanks

[Marco Califo]

I bought one of the "hammer" type with a few collects, as a set from MidsouthShooterssupply.com. $20. You load your cartridge in the collet and bang on something sturdy. I have not used it yet.

[Jim Watson]

I have. It is a slow process but you don't have to do them all at once.
I had a lot of bullets to pull after The Incident and those that a collet puller wouldn't grip, I whacked in small lots, maybe a couple dozen a day.

[Unclenick]

500 is a lot. The Quinetics puller is the hammer style I would recommend because of the modified gripping collets available for it. However, the factory shows them to be currently out of stock. And that's OK because hammer-pulling 500 would be a good bit of work over several sessions. The plus will be no bullet distortion, so you can re-use them as they come out of the puller.

On the other hand, with 45 Auto, you probably don't have any sort of roll crimp on the cartridge cases, so the bullets may be relatively easy to pull with a collet, and for a volume of them, the only collet puller to bother with, IMHO, is the Hornady Cam Lock puller. It is way, way faster, and easier to use than the T-handle style collet pullers sold by RCBS, Forster, and others. The only issue will be, what diameter collet to get with it? If you have a full-diameter portion of the bullet to grasp, as with some RN projectiles, then get a collet that is 0.45 in diameter. But if there is a shoulder on the bullet that starts a very short distance from the case mouth, measure the diameter at that location and call Hornady and see what collet they recommend for grasping that stepped-inward diameter.

[akinswi]

Originally Posted by Unclenick

500 is a lot. The Quinetics puller is the hammer style I would recommend because of the modified gripping collets available for it. However, the factory shows them to be currently out of stock. And that's OK because hammer-pulling 500 would be a good bit of work over several sessions. The plus will be no bullet distortion, so you can re-use them as they come out of the puller.

On the other hand, with 45 Auto, you probably don't have any sort of roll crimp on the cartridge cases, so the bullets may be relatively easy to pull with a collet, and for a volume of them, the only collet puller to bother with, IMHO, is the Hornady Cam Lock puller. It is way, way faster, and easier to use than the T-handle style collet pullers sold by RCBS, Forster, and others. The only issue will be, what diameter collet to get with it? If you have a full-diameter portion of the bullet to grasp, as with some RN projectiles, then get a collet that is 0.45 in diameter. But if there is a shoulder on the bullet that starts a very short distance from the case mouth, measure the diameter at that location and call Hornady and see what collet they recommend for grasping that stepped-inward diameter.

Nick,

Yes 500 is alot, these were a gift from a friend I shot a couple and he didnt size them correctly they jam going into battery in my 1911. When I load my cast that have been sized properly no issues. So I will recycle these . 500 large pistol primers arent cheap. I will dump the powder even tho I know it’s titegroup, and smelt the projectiles for a powder coating project.

I will order the cam bullet puller. I need to order a mold from midway anyways.
But its going take awhile

[44 AMP]

The Lyman "orange hammer" will do the job just fine. Nothing extra needed.

I've pulled 400 7.62 NATO ball with one so I'm sure you won't have any problems if you follow the instructions and use a good solid surface. I used the top of a COLD wood stove, and things worked fine.

Alternately, you could try running (a few to see) those rounds into a taper crimp die and see if that would size them enough to chamber in your pistol.

No need to bother with the press mounted collet type pullets, the RCBS one I have doesn't work for spit, with lead bullets and only "meh" with jacketed ones.

The Lyman "hammer" works great!
and its not very expensive.

[akinswi]

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

The Lyman "orange hammer" will do the job just fine. Nothing extra needed.

I've pulled 400 7.62 NATO ball with one so I'm sure you won't have any problems if you follow the instructions and use a good solid surface. I used the top of a COLD wood stove, and things worked fine.

Alternately, you could try running (a few to see) those rounds into a taper crimp die and see if that would size them enough to chamber in your pistol.

No need to bother with the press mounted collet type pullets, the RCBS one I have doesn't work for spit, with lead bullets and only "meh" with jacketed ones.

The Lyman "hammer" works great!
and its not very expensive.

44amp,

I thought about running it thru my Lee Taper Crimp Die, But he loaded some these way to hot.

I was trying 4 grains of Bulleyes behind a 230gn LRN bullet and shot amazing in my 1911. I then shot 3 of the Flat Nose he made ,and was like nope, way too hot.

I just hope the primers are still good, I have a 30 cal ammo can full of these

[Jim Watson]

I would - have done - pulled bullets and run the brass, primers intact, through the press wit decapping pin removed.

[44 AMP]

If its loaded too hot, definitely pull the bullets and toss the powder. Primers should be fine. Size in a carbide die (so no risk of case lube reaching the pimers) without a decapping stem installed. Load normally and all should be well.

[mehavey]

If its loaded too hot,....

FOR THE OP:
- Are they in fact too hot?
- ...and if so, by how much?

[akinswi]

Originally Posted by mehavey

FOR THE OP:
- Are they in fact too hot?
- ...and if so, by how much?

I have a 460 rowland kit and shoot 460 all the time. His loads feels like shooting the 460 or basically shooting a 45 super.

The 460 you install a 25lbs recoil spring and a compensated barrel.

Way too hot.

[akinswi]

Once I pull them, I will deprime them. I have a forster coax so it will collect them nicely.

My target ammo I use all the same brass from same lot. These are all mixed head stamps. So will just use the primers

Interesting I found that the # 1 shell plate on my dillion I use for 30-06 fits the 45acp so thats a plus.

[Unclenick]

A lot of rifle cartridges use the 30-06's 0.473" rim and 0.409" extractor groove combination or something very close to it. It's a result of the design history. The 45 Auto has a wider 0.480" rim and a narrower 0.400" extractor groove, but all those dimensions are maximums, and once you get the tolerances involved, you find a lot of overlap, and that means a lot of shell holders will handle both of them as well as more than a dozen current and obsolete cartridge cases that come close. And this doesn't count the wildcats.

If you are depriming because you need the primers for match ammo, I will caution you that multiple seatings could stress the primer pellets enough to be a bit less reliable. For accuracy purposes, you may be better off using mismatched cases than recycled primers. I've never found the 45 to be particularly touchy about cases. Also, you could turn the old primed cases and bullets into practice fodder.

[Marco Califo]

The 45 ACP, 308/7.62, 30-06, 7MM-08 and all other cartridges based on 308 or 30-06 (243, 270, 25-06, 358, etc.) all also use that shell holder/plate platorm.

[FrankenMauser]

I will order the cam bullet puller.

It is worth a shot, but may not work for your application, depending upon the bullet profile. It doesn't do well at all with certain styles of lead bullets.

That being said...
Don't go caveman with it. Most people that break them set it up with too much camming force.

My personal preference:
Don't set it up to cam over and "lock" on each bullet.
Set it up so the handle stops at greater than 45 degrees, with a fair amount of hand pressure, when gripping a bullet.
Not only does this prevent camming over and locking with too much force, but it saves time and motion, and increases the speed at which bullets can be pulled.


I do like the tool. It is my preferred bullet puller when there are more than a few to handle. But many people can't seem to grasp the idea that it is not a car jack, that can not take 300 lbs of force on the handle, and they give it a bad name. I haven't look for years, so I don't know if such is still the case; but there used to be a lot of reviews and forum posts bath-mouthing the tool, simply because the tool operating it didn't think about what they were doing.

[gwpercle]

45 ACP is easy to pull . Any decent brand of kinetic puller will do fine , Frankford Arsenal , Lyman , RCBS , Quinetics ... they all will do ...
!. Break the taper crimp by seating the bullet deeper just enough to loosen it's hold ..1/32" or 1/16" ...it doesn't take much . This really makes pulling much easier .
2. Use a good fitting shell holder / collet ... sloppy fit sucks rocks . I now use a shell holder from my reloading dies in place of collet that fit nothing .
3) 6" X 6" block of solid wood on concrete slab to strike puller on ...a solid surface is a Must !
4.) 3 or 4 medium hits and the bullet drops free ... watch the bullet and on the last hit ...use a just enough hit to pull bullet free ... Don't go all Magilla Gorilla on the whacks .
5.) Pour powder and bullet into a small container and remove bullet .

The bullets can be reused and the cases should be resized without decapper and re-loaded ...thus saving bullet brass powder and primer .

Gary

[44 AMP]

The 45 ACP, 308/7.62, 30-06, 7MM-08 and all other cartridges based on 308 or 30-06 (243, 270, 25-06, 358, etc.) all also use that shell holder/plate platorm.

Just a bit of history, that common head size first showed up in the 8mm Mauser, in 1888. Then the 7mm Mauser in 1892. And then on LOTS of cartridges since.

I'll say it again, don't screw with the press mounted pullers get the hammer (intertia) type Lyman or RCBS is a good choice. They work, they don't cost much, they don't damage the bullets, and you don't need to buy "extras" (such as collets).

I used a press mounted puller for decades, and had lots of frustration, including the fact that lead bullets pulled that way were only good for melting down and recasting. Even some jacketed bullets can be distorted, though usually not more that surface marring.

Got the hammer and wow, eye opening experience. Have pulled bullets from .22 Hornet on up, works well, though .22 cals are the most difficult to pull due to low bullet inertia, but it can be done, and the bullets are unharmed, even soft tip lead. One "trick" is to cut a slice of foam (earplug works) and put it in the hammer head so the bullet has a "soft landing" when it comes loose. (just be sure to leave enough space for the bullet to come all the way out,)

[Paul B.]

" was trying 4 grains of Bulleyes behind a 230gn LRN bullet and shot amazing in my 1911."

I'm not surprised. The original 1911 load for the .45 ACP was 5/0 gr. bullseye and 230 gr. round nosed bullet. I still have fo mark FA 17 and the 2o round box is marked, "Loaded with Bullseye powder." I run 5.0 gr. Bullseye with a 230 gr. Cast round nose bullet and a 200 gr. SWC with 5.0 gr. of Unique. Both loads are accurate in my ColtCommander.
Paul B.

[akinswi]

Originally Posted by Paul B.

" was trying 4 grains of Bulleyes behind a 230gn LRN bullet and shot amazing in my 1911."

I'm not surprised. The original 1911 load for the .45 ACP was 5/0 gr. bullseye and 230 gr. round nosed bullet. I still have fo mark FA 17 and the 2o round box is marked, "Loaded with Bullseye powder." I run 5.0 gr. Bullseye with a 230 gr. Cast round nose bullet and a 200 gr. SWC with 5.0 gr. of Unique. Both loads are accurate in my ColtCommander.
Paul B.

In my Lee loading Manual the starting charge and max charge are both 4 grains of bullseye for that bullet which I found interesting.

My Frankfurt Arsenal Intelli dropper had fits dropping exactly 4 grains. It took 3 calibrations to get it to dropp exactly 4 grains each time.

Love that load not messing with it one bit didnt beat up my hand or gun

[44 AMP]

In my Lee loading Manual....

I don't know if its true or not, but I have often heard that Lee does not test data, they just print data from other sources (and apparently) don't do a good job stating where they got the data.

One thing I do know, is that when loading data shows you only one load, the same load for both min and max, its...unusual...

[akinswi]

Originally Posted by 44 AMP

I don't know if its true or not, but I have often heard that Lee does not test data, they just print data from other sources (and apparently) don't do a good job stating where they got the data.

One thing I do know, is that when loading data shows you only one load, the same load for both min and max, its...unusual...

My thoughts exactly, There were other bullets such as a 230 FMJ and it started at 5 grains. We all know lead is easier to push than a jacketed bullet so I knew the load was safe. But it was unusual to stop at the one load.

But it was lights out . Done no more testing lee got that load right.

[Marco Califo]

I religiously prefer load data from component makers: Powder and Bullet makers. They publish data for the products they sell. Lee does not. Lyman does not make powders or bullets; they make bullet molds, and stuff.
There is a permanent sticky at the top for official online data sources. I use those sources. Here is a good start:
https://www.hodgdonreloading.com/
https://www.alliantpowder.com/
https://www.speer.com/reloading/handgun-data.html
I do have Lyman 50, and Lee does provides data that is better than nothing. Both should be safe, but if you are looking for top performance using modern powders and bullets, you will not find that in those two.

I want to emphasize one more thing: If you select a load from Lee, before you use it, compare to the powder manufacturers data. They may or may not over-lap or be close. I would expect manufacturers data to be 15+ years fresher, and there are most likely, newer powders that will work better and get you a much higher velocity range.

[Jim Watson]

Much Lyman data is pressure tested, which is hard to find elsewhere for cast bullets. Note that the bullet design, bearing surface and seating depth, affect loads a lot for bullets not far apart in weight.

[44 AMP]

Lyman does not make powders or bullets; they make bullet molds, and stuff.Yeah, it's the "and stuff" where their reputation comes from. No, they don't make bullets, but they make molds so you can make bullets, and they make about everything else in the field of reloading tools and accessories, and have been doing that since they were the Ideal Company in 1884.

They became Lyman in 1925, and have been the established "gold standard" since. I began my reloading with Lyman "stuff', press, dies, scale, manual, and so on.

I've never found bad anything with Lyman's name connected with it.

Lyman, I trust, implicitly. Lee...not so much...

[zeke]

Good excuse for getting large frame Ruger BH with 45 acp cylinder.