Inertia puller, it finally happened.

[Dogleg]

I've been reloading for over 40 years now; which seems sort of unbelievable in a way. Where does the time go?

Anyway; for most of that time I've had an inertia puller around to erase some of those hot loads, salvage components and round two when setting seating dies and the normal stuff that everyone needs to do once in a while, eventually. My normal pattern is to bang the puller on the concrete floor instead of hitting it on the bench, reasoning that there is little to be gained by beating the crap out of something that doesn't need the crap beat out of it.

A couple of days ago I was pulling down a few STWs, and had settled into the old tap-tap-tap- rattle and repeat routine when I was jarred out of my daze by a tap-tap-bang. OK, it wasn't muzzle-brake in your ear loud, but a bang is pretty loud when you're expecting a tap. After looking at the smoking black hole where a 215M used to live and wondering why the powder didn't light; and perhaps speculating on what the ramifications would be if it did I got to wondering where the primer went. Well l looked up, and there was a nice round hole in my 14' high ceiling, more or less above where my head used to be. Oops, time to rethink the lean over from my chair and bang on the floor technique. Even one in a million is a bad bet when it's pointing at your head. Then there's the little 10 pound anvil that could have been on the bench for beating purposes and a lesson in safety glasses that I'll probably not learn.

Anyone else have this happen to them?

 

[1oldfart]

Scary. I was wondering when someone would have that happen.

 

[Hmatt]

Thank you for your experience, I too do this in almost the same manner. Will be keeping this in mind

 

[dead meat]

Good thing that the only hole was in the ceiling. I have one of these pullers, only recently acquired and used for a couple hundred reloads i got for components. Some do need 3 or more wacks, but so far no bangs when i don't want bang.

 

[guy329]

Being uncomfortable with inertia bullet pulling, was the reason I went with a RCBS pulling die many years ago. When I first saw someone using an inertial puller, I thought it was a little odd to be banging a loaded cartridge against a solid surface. I know they work, most of the time, but it just seems a desperate way go save a few dollars compared to the total cost of setting up a reloading bench.

 

[45C]

I find that tapping on concrete floor gives a more positive result opposed to the anvil
About a couple of years back , I had a 2 inch siding nail shoot back and stick in my eyeball, luckily it just missed the pupil.

Safety glasses are so hard to get used to…lol

 

[1oldfart]

losing an eye would be harder to get used to.

 

[Dark Alley Dan]

Holy hell, man. You both won and lost the lottery in an instant. One in a million it'd light, and yet you missed eating a primer.

Very glad you're OK. And nice writing, by the way. Always a pleasure to read something that's well crafted.

 

[iron cat]

WOWZERS!! Glad you are okay Dogleg!
I have never used the interia type pullers much. Bought one and it promptly broke at the handle the first time I used it .
Went and bought an RCBS about 45 years ago after that.
I did have a primer go off I the press once however, things are never 100% safe and safety glasses are a wise choice!
Cat

 

[Hmatt]

I find that tapping on concrete floor gives a more positive result opposed to the anvil
About a couple of years back , I had a 2 inch siding nail shoot back and stick in my eyeball, luckily it just missed the pupil.

Safety glasses are so hard to get used to…lol

Agreed, I’ll sit on the front step and tap them on the concrete while I drink my tea. Haha

 

[mactroneng]

I have both an inertia puller and the RCBS pulling die with collets. I basically only use the inertia puller for bullet shapes that the die collet doesn't easily grip.

One bonus of the collet die is that it makes recovering the components a lot easier since you're not trying to pour out a bunch of powder while trying to prevent the bullet from splashing in the powder and making a mess (or, as I did once pouring the powder directly back into a jub, losing the bullet into the bottom of a nearly-full jug).

 

[barsik]

good to hear you weren't hurt, even something as small as a primer cup can do serious injury travelling at high velocity. I have both puller types, prefer to use the collet type because it is a bit faster and neater. the only time i use the inertia type is if the bullet profile won't let the collet get a good grip. I've always had the thought that beating the inertia puller on a concrete floor would catch me out one day but so far it hasn't happened. been reloading about as long as you OP. may we both be soiling our depends as we churn out loaded rounds in our golden years.

 

[ChiliDawg]

I’ve had 2 pullers shatter over the years.

 

[ZREXER]

I've never had a primer pop in my inertia puller, but I am astounded my 30 plus year old RCBS inertia puller hasn't shattered yet With the amount of pounding it has taken.
I did pop a primer when reloading where I tried to force a primer into a crimped primer pocket that wasn't sufficiently ground out.
A good reminder for safety glasses all the same.

 

[Jay]

Oh wow! Glad you are okay & thank you for posting it as it serves as a good warning to others!

 

[beltfed]

The RCBS inertia puller comes (or at least did) in the Rockchucker complete kit that lots of people including me started loading on.
~25 years later I still use it on occasion, and just the other day I was pounding out some 40 S&W loads that somehow missed getting new primers and I couldn't get the collet to grab.
I too bang them on the floor, at least to get started.

A couple of days ago I was pulling down a few STWs

What's an STW?

 

[Snider shooter]

Everytime I use mine I wonder if it can ever happen. Now I know. As others have mentioned my RCBS puller is over 30 years and seen a lot of use. At least no harm done.
A helpful upgrade to the collet is chucking the wire that holds the jaws together and using a rubber O ring. Works much better, no more bending of the wire.

 

[MRP]

If the primer is not fully bottomed out in the pocket or loose pocket, watch the primer each strike that it hasn't popped up a bit the next swing can be interesting.

 

[Dogleg]

What's an STW?

7mm Shooting Times Westerner, originally a wildcat from the late 80s consisting of the 8mm Rem Mag necked down to 7mm, and at least initially its purpose was to send a 140 NBT about as fast as it could be sent. Some argue that the initials actually stand for Saskatchewan Truck Weapon, and maybe it should. There has been some confusion, with some calling it the #### Tabernac, but that is just something that people with a smattering of French Metis say when they see someone hold on the middle of a 1/4 mile deer and turn its lights off for the first time.

 

[Big bore dinosaur]

If the primer is not fully bottomed out in the pocket or loose pocket, watch the primer each strike that it hasn't popped up a bit the next swing can be interesting.

I concur , same scenario with myself buddies 7mm rem.mag

3 time fired had the half circle jiffy mark indicating primer pocket was getting to be tired. Time for the brass bucket next load if primer pocket if gets loser.
MPR pointed out that slight movement.
Mine detonated on the 4 or 5 wack

Also glad the IMR 4350 didnt ignite, like dogleg I was surprized.
S.T.W.
shooting time westerner.