I had to pull a group of bullets I reloaded and was wondering if anyone has experience with shooting "pulled" bullets and the effect on accuracy. I pulled 195 gr Berger Elite Hunter bullets using a RCBS collet style puller. Thank you for your insight.
Does pulling bullets affect accuracy?
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lancetkenyon
Well-Known Member
If it deforms the jacket at all, I would either trash them, or MAYBE only use them as foulers.
I use a kinetic puller when needed, and I have a foam insert down in the end to protect the meplat. I still only use these pulls as foulers.
Unless you pulled 100 or so, keep them separate and use new bullets for your hunting/target loads.
I use a kinetic puller when needed, and I have a foam insert down in the end to protect the meplat. I still only use these pulls as foulers.
Unless you pulled 100 or so, keep them separate and use new bullets for your hunting/target loads.
using the Hornady collet style and only using enough tension to pull bullet has worked well, i use light neck tension and if bullets have been loaded for any length of time i will seat bullets .010-.020 deeper to break any cold welding that will increase the amount of tension to pull bullets.
i have reused undamaged bullets out to 400-500 yds without issue but they are my loads and pull pretty easy. have also used the hammer type with foam and had good success but prefer the collet style.
i have reused undamaged bullets out to 400-500 yds without issue but they are my loads and pull pretty easy. have also used the hammer type with foam and had good success but prefer the collet style.
OFtrash
Well-Known Member
Ive used the Hornady collet style also. The learning curve is a little steep but once you get it figured out it’s fast and effective.
Hugnot
Well-Known Member
No problems if no jacket/core deformation.
If bullet has been seated for a month or so I break any corrosion type bonding by seating bullet 10 or so thou deeper.
Cold weld is a phenomenon that occurs when two similar metals exchange atoms when in contact with no intervening substance is between them, like air, oil, oxides, crud - this is not found in bullet seating. What makes bullets stick is the oxidation (like rust on bolt/nuts) from nitrate (acid) and other residues from previous powder burning.
Bullets seated in new brass will not stick.
Go real easy with any crimping.
Fragile, like paper thin jackets with soft cores might be impossible to collet pull without damage.
If bullet has been seated for a month or so I break any corrosion type bonding by seating bullet 10 or so thou deeper.
Cold weld is a phenomenon that occurs when two similar metals exchange atoms when in contact with no intervening substance is between them, like air, oil, oxides, crud - this is not found in bullet seating. What makes bullets stick is the oxidation (like rust on bolt/nuts) from nitrate (acid) and other residues from previous powder burning.
Bullets seated in new brass will not stick.
Go real easy with any crimping.
Fragile, like paper thin jackets with soft cores might be impossible to collet pull without damage.
I wouldn't shoot them in a match or hunting but if you just wanna bang steel or punch paper with them they should be fine. I've shot bullets I've pulled with that same puller and never had a problem. As others have mentioned don't use to much pressure to avoid deforming the bullet
I reuse them if the bullet is not damaged during pulling. Damaged bullets are used for fouling or plinking. I did see a video on the subject and was surprised that there was little accuracy deviation between pulled and non-pulled bullets.
I never use any of the ones I pull. They go right in the trash bin. As stated using them for fouling shots would be a good use.
K9TXS
Well-Known Member
As others have mentioned, the Hornady Cam Lock Bullet Puller works very well. I have used on several hundred rounds without issues. It does take a little getting use to, but is very fast and bullets are reusable.
When I first started using it I did scar and dent some of the bullets that were removed. I separated them and shot those compared to the clean ones pulled and new bullets.
I don't shoot any kind of competition and I found the scarred and dented bullets shot very well. Did they have the same accuracy as the ones that had no scars and dents or new ones, no they didn't. On paper you could see a little difference in the grouping, however prairie dogs at under 200 yards didn't know the difference.
When I first started using it I did scar and dent some of the bullets that were removed. I separated them and shot those compared to the clean ones pulled and new bullets.
I don't shoot any kind of competition and I found the scarred and dented bullets shot very well. Did they have the same accuracy as the ones that had no scars and dents or new ones, no they didn't. On paper you could see a little difference in the grouping, however prairie dogs at under 200 yards didn't know the difference.
coyote wacker
Well-Known Member
I've been shooting kinetic pulled bullets for over 50 years.....if you're shooting 500 or more yards on a hunt I would much rather use a new bullet....
I have always put a small piece of soft rubber 1/4" thick in the bottom of a kinetic puller to absorb the impact of a bullet impact when pulling it....
I have always put a small piece of soft rubber 1/4" thick in the bottom of a kinetic puller to absorb the impact of a bullet impact when pulling it....
OP used a collet style puller.
Kinetic pulled bullets are a none issue and definitely the best way if you intend to shoot them. But if you've got to pull lots the collet puller is much faster and easier, I've shot them no problem.
Varmint Hunter
Well-Known Member
I've shot pulled bullets (kinetic puller & foam insert) in a benchrest rifle without seeing a noticeable change in group size.
Just recently, I inadvertently seated some bullets on cases that were charged but not primed. Small amounts of powder fell through the flash holes and sat in the reloading block. I pulled the bullets and recharged the cases but did not resize the necks because I was in a lazy *** mood. Groups were noticeably larger and rather inconsistent from group-to-group.
Just recently, I inadvertently seated some bullets on cases that were charged but not primed. Small amounts of powder fell through the flash holes and sat in the reloading block. I pulled the bullets and recharged the cases but did not resize the necks because I was in a lazy *** mood. Groups were noticeably larger and rather inconsistent from group-to-group.
MagnumManiac
Well-Known Member
If you honestly think that a pulled bullet is not gonna shoot the same after being pulled, you can send them all to me…
Just as blems shoot perfectly fine, there is no difference.
Seconds or first runs are a totally different story as size and weight may have changed…
Cheers.
Just as blems shoot perfectly fine, there is no difference.
Seconds or first runs are a totally different story as size and weight may have changed…
Cheers.
