Bullet Disposal

[kflach]

I was reloading .45 Colt bullets with black powder. I discovered I'd accidentally used two cases that hadn't been de-primed, so now I have two cartridges with used primers, filled with black powder, and seated bullets. I don't have any kind of bullet puller. I'm tempted to use pliers to pry the bullet out of the case, dump the black powder out, and then throw the components away, but it seems like there's a good possibility that's a bad idea. What's the best way to dispose of these two cartridges?

[Dick Dastardly]

Remove your die from your single stage press.  Put the loaded but unprimed cartridge in the shell holder.  Run the bullet up thru the die aperture and grab the bullet with a pliers and  hold on and run the ram down again.  This usually pulls them for me.  Now, put the extracted bullet back in your melting pot and cast a new Big Lube®LLC bullet from it.  If it wasn't compressed too tightly, you may be able to salvage the powder also.  Of course, the brass is usable again, only prime it next time. . .

Nothing lost but some time.

DD-DLoS

[fourfingersofdeath]

Treat yourself to a Kinetic Bullet Puller, reallllllllllllll handy! Buy the green one with the single three piece shellholder with the rubber band around it. I have had one for 20+ years (probably more like thirty now that I think about it). Used carefully they last well. Hold it at the rear of the handle between your strong thumb and forefinger. Lift it high and strike a hardwood surface with it very quickly. I might take a few whacks. Now and then, nothing but hitting it on cement will shift the bullet. Be careful to make the hammer strike parralel so that the force of the strike is spread across the whole hammer head. If not, one side of the hammer head takes the force and they can split, destroying the hammer. I must do a YouTube vid on this!

In the meantime, DD's system works a treat and is quicker, but destroys the bullets. I have a 100 odd 9mm cartridges which have no powder in them. I had a new Lee powder measure and didn't realise it had a cut off, D'Oh!!! I have been avoiding pulling these for many years now, but I had better get on it before I use them by mistake and jam up the barrel. As I don't use that bullet anymore, I will send the bullets to head office (melting pot).

[litl rooster]

DD's method usually works.  Sometimes if you haven't crimped the bullet you can use an empty case to pull the bullet. Place the unsized case over the pullet and give it a push pull type tug.




Like 4Fingers sed treat yourself to a bullet puller

[Jefro]

Remove your die from your single stage press.  Put the loaded but unprimed cartridge in the shell holder.  Run the bullet up thru the die aperture and grab the bullet with a pliers and  hold on and run the ram down again.  This usually pulls them for me.  Now, put the extracted bullet back in your melting pot and cast a new Big Lube®LLC bullet from it.  If it wasn't compressed too tightly, you may be able to salvage the powder also.  Of course, the brass is usable again, only prime it next time. . .

Nothing lost but some time.

DD-DLoS

I do just like DD does, with a pair of lineman wire cutters and a Lee Classic turret, works great. Good Luck.

Jefro

[Yakima Red]

Things like this happen when you reload. No one is immune from the occasional *whoops*

A complete reloading bench includes a kenetic bullet puller. Go buy one. You won't be sorry.

Load safe.

[RickB]

I agree 100% on the kenetic bullet puller. They are cheap and will come in very handy as time goes on. When you get one you'll be amazed at how simple they are and how well they work. You'll be glad you got one.

[fourfingersofdeath]

I dug my bullet puller out and had a look. It is a 'Quinetics' brand. They are the Rolls Royce (or Caddilac I suppose if you are American) of Kinetic hammers/ bullet pullers.

[kflach]

Thanks for the info. I used DDs method this time but based on y'alls comments I did a little search and found this video on using the Kinetic Bullet puller:



I've seen those in the store and wondered how they work. It's obviously quite simple, so I'll pick one up for future use.

Appreciate it much!

[Abilene]

My kinetic bullet puller doesn't have a name on it; I think I got it from Midway years ago.  It came with two of the collars or collets which  I never liked using.  They had a tendency to come apart when installing over the brass.  Anyways, I read a tip once about using shell-holders instead.  My Lee shellholders work perfectly inside the puller and are easier to use than the included collars.

[Fiddler Green]

Things like this happen when you reload. No one is immune from the occasional *whoops*

I am immune . Well, except for the times I've done it. But not lately...then again, I haven't been reloading lately so I can stand behind my statment at least 45%!

Anyway, Red is right (sounds like an election thing) get a Kinetic bullet puller. They work great!

Bruce

[RickB]

The best thing about the Kenetic puller is that you can reuse all the components once you pull the bullet apart.

[Yakima Red]

Dillon Precision sells a good one. Had mine since '92.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

A small tip, Airdale - - Find a wad of foam (closed cell is best because of its density) and poke it down into the tube.  When the freshly-pulled bullet lands on it, it'll deform less.  Cost is pretty negligible.

Saves a lot of lead or lead-tipped bullets from getting the imprint of the plastic strengthening formed at the bottom of the "hammer."

[Ranch 13]

 If you pay close attention you can see when the bullet is just about to drop from the case, but not quite. Then you can take the cartridge out and pull the bullet by hand and don't have to take the puller plumb apart and sort the bullet from the powder etc, and the collet will last longer..
:POr so I've been told...

[Steel Horse Bailey]

If you pay close attention you can see when the bullet is just about to drop from the case, but not quite. Then you can take the cartridge out and pull the bullet by hand and don't have to take the puller plumb apart and sort the bullet from the powder etc, and the collet will last longer..
:POr so I've been told...

I'll second Ranch 13 ... my idea about the foam "plug" is for when the plan as described above gets a little out of hand.

[Jamie]

This has been a great link, with a few new ideas I haven't tried - ie  the foam plug, brilliant!  One thing that I did was swap out the little three piece rubber banded shell holder for an appropriately sized stainless steel washer, drilled out to the case diameter immediately above the rim.  I had about 200 rounds of 25/06 given to me by a widow whose husband had loaded 2 full grains over max from the most adventurous book I could find.  And no, he died of natural causes.  I quickly destroyed one of the shellholders (light bullets and tight necks - less problematic with heavy bullets in my experience, hence the properties of inertia, right?) and had to go looking for a solution after about one box of 20.  The washer not only worked perfectly, it didn't chop chips out of the top of the plastic "receiver' body of the bullet puller.  I have no idea how many bullets I've pulled over the years.  It's a great tool to use while you watch TV.
Jamie

[kflach]

I agree, this is some excellent info. I'm headed to Cabela's tonight.

[Paladin UK]

Jamie says.........

It's a great tool to use while you watch TV.

I kin jest see Annie `O` sat there whilst I bash out dodgey rounds!!!   NOT!!!!
Paladin (What likes to keep his `bits` where thay are!! ) UK

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Jamie said; "One thing that I did was swap out the little three piece rubber banded shell holder for an appropriately sized stainless steel washer, drilled out to the case diameter immediately above the rim."

A standard shell holder used upside down works great in an inertial bullet puller.