Most efficient way to pull thousands of bullets?

[Bobby and The Devil]

I've got 1800 rounds of .38/.357 and 1600 rounds of .45 that I'm no longer going to use so I guess my only option is to disassemble all the components and sell them off individually. What is the most efficient way to pull the bullets? It seems like the collet pullers are time consuming and I question if the kinetic pullers can survive 3400 rounds. Any other options I'm not aware of? Right now I'm sort of leaning towards getting 2 or 3 of the kinetic pullers and hammering away through the entire MCU library haha

 

[B]

Collet puller will be fastest. .45 can be a bit annoying as there often isn't a lot to bite onto. I used to buy a lot of ammo to salvage, too bad you are a bit far from me.

 

[Bobby and The Devil]

Collet puller will be fastest. .45 can be a bit annoying as there often isn't a lot to bite onto. I used to buy a lot of ammo to salvage, too bad you are a bit far from me.

Just looking at the map, it looks like you're a bit far from everyone! I was going to say I plan to be near Edmonton next month but even that's 5 hours away.

 

[fingers284]

I have never been close to a collet puller as i ask the question as you say your going to resell the components...how does a collet that grips a bullet hard enough not deform the slug enough to remove the precision built into it at manufacture. Slugs need to remain critically balanced to retain stable during flight and i cant see that happening with a collet pulled slug.

Ohh and 3 kinetic pullers might get the job done on 3400 rounds but you yourself will be the defining limiter Im thinking LOL

 

[B]

It's pretty easy to pull bullets without marking them let alone deforming them. It's not a job for a dumb ape, everyone else will do fine. I have done many, many thousands of rounds including nearly every type of surplus that has ever made it into this country in quantity. It's not hard but it can be time consuming.

 

[iron cat]

I have never been close to a collet puller as i ask the question as you say your going to resell the components...how does a collet that grips a bullet hard enough not deform the slug enough to remove the precision built into it at manufacture. Slugs need to remain critically balanced to retain stable during flight and i cant see that happening with a collet pulled slug.

Ohh and 3 kinetic pullers might get the job done on 3400 rounds but you yourself will be the defining limiter Im thinking LOL

I have pulled lots of factory bullet and reloaded them in my match rifles with excellent accuracy.
Cat

 

[Potashminer]

I have never been close to a collet puller as i ask the question as you say your going to resell the components...how does a collet that grips a bullet hard enough not deform the slug enough to remove the precision built into it at manufacture. Slugs need to remain critically balanced to retain stable during flight and i cant see that happening with a collet pulled slug.

Ohh and 3 kinetic pullers might get the job done on 3400 rounds but you yourself will be the defining limiter Im thinking LOL

Maybe depends what you start from - is likely different requirement for a fine Sierra Match grade bullet, versus a milsurp 7.62? Was a type of puller described some time ago on CGN - like "fingers" that hinged - put on your press - ran case up through that - then the "fingers" grabbed that bullet on the way down - I suspect that might have left "dimples" on the bullet walls - but if even all the way around - 4 or 6 - I do not see that "unbalancing" a milsurp bullet to any noticeable extent. I have pulled a lot of bullets from handloads -some were my mistakes and some were someone else's unknowns to me - the case walls most definitely created scratches, etc. on the bullets - so is very visible which one were pulled and which ones were pristine from factory box - might be fooling one's self about what you are actually sending down your barrel, from your hand loads (or from factory ammo for that matter?)

I use an RCBS collet puller - that one needs a specific size collet for each size bullet - so is about NO deformity to the bullet that gets pulled. Might be different if you grab the bullet with a pliers or side cutter to pull it out, though. I have never pulled handgun bullets like OP proposes to do - so might be different than jacketed rifle bullets.

 

[9mmGunGuy]

I've got 1800 rounds of .38/.357 and 1600 rounds of .45 that I'm no longer going to use so I guess my only option is to disassemble all the components and sell them off individually. What is the most efficient way to pull the bullets? It seems like the collet pullers are time consuming and I question if the kinetic pullers can survive 3400 rounds. Any other options I'm not aware of? Right now I'm sort of leaning towards getting 2 or 3 of the kinetic pullers and hammering away through the entire MCU library haha

Why not sell the rounds as is?

 

[B]

Why not sell the rounds as is?

Even listing them as scrap may be technically illegal. On top of that I don't think any buy and sells allow it, factory or licensed reloader only. I have seen guys get away with it but yeah... As I said before I used to buy a lot of this kind of stuff but when the asking price started to get close to the cost of the components it just wasn't worth it any more.

 

[marshall]

I see online auctions selling reloads, while you are taking a chance depending on who made them, I have shot reloads, mind you I knew who they came from, I also blew up a gun with one of my own screw ups ( power prop went haywire) on a progressive.
Of course I would just have shot them all off before you sold the guns.

One thing I will not do is buy power that I don't know what it is.

 

[Potashminer]

Why not sell the rounds as is?

Likely depends where you are and whether there is someone local to buy them? Out in boonies where I live, is about no legal way any more for me to ship loaded ammo anywhere, by mail or courier - even to my grandson - so have to either go illegal - which may or may not have consequences for shipper, or take down to components that someone might buy. Bullets and brass cases can be mailed without legal issue - I have bought and sold many dozens pounds weight of both over past few years via CGN - all that I received were mailed to me - not so much about powder or primers.

 

[nowarningshot]

I have never been close to a collet puller as i ask the question as you say your going to resell the components...how does a collet that grips a bullet hard enough not deform the slug enough to remove the precision built into it at manufacture. Slugs need to remain critically balanced to retain stable during flight and i cant see that happening with a collet pulled slug.

Ohh and 3 kinetic pullers might get the job done on 3400 rounds but you yourself will be the defining limiter Im thinking LOL

Collet pullers work fine. Pulled 100 338 rum once with one. Maybe five had visible marks, even if they did, it's pistol calibers. Inertia pullers are much quicker if your doing three, doing the volume he's talking about would take days or even weeks, probably break several.

 

[RifleDude]

The Hornady cam-lock puller is the best IMHO. However, if the bullet ogive starts right at or close to case mouth, you're pooched. The collet won't be able to grab to bullet properly and your other option would be an inertia puller. I've used wire stripper pliers as well. Just put them on top of the press where the die normally sits and grab the bullet with it. Then pull the press handle up to extract the bullet. You may leave a small mark on the bullet but that doesn't affect accuracy when reloading these bullets, especially pistol bullets. It sounds like a good winter project, good luck!

 

[laurencen]

saw some time ago Frankford Arsenal had a wall mounted setup, may be worth checking

 

[dan belisle]

saw some time ago Frankford Arsenal had a wall mounted setup, may be worth checking

I have one. Works well. - dan

 

[B]

The Hornady cam-lock puller is the best IMHO. However, if the bullet ogive starts right at or close to case mouth, you're pooched. The collet won't be able to grab to bullet properly

Stuff like that I usually start moving with an inertia puller. Once you get a bit more to bite onto the collet saves you the mess.

 

[mbogo3]

Sometimes it helps to push the bullet a little further into the case with a die to break any seal the bullet may have then proceed to pull.

 

[J.Hancock]

Sell them as components. Make sure the buyer is aware they are components only and not to be fire in their current configuration.

 

[mactroneng]

I have the RCBS collet die and the only time I've had noticable marks/deformation was with heavily crimped bullets.

 

[B]

Two things for pulling tough bullets with a Collet puller. Remove the collet and run a brush through it, you want it as clean as it can be. Even if it doesn't look dirty, do it anyway. Then clean the bullet itself as best you can. You can gain a very significant amount of grip without additional tension.