Collet Pulled v. US Pulldowns

[civilian75]

I am shopping around for cheap M80 plinker bullets for my new 300 BKL SBR. I have found "collet pulled" and "US pulldowns". What is the difference? Which one has a better chance to be in good shape?

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[deadshot2]

"US" most likely refers to the Country of origin.

Bullets are pulled by either a collet that grips the bullet, or by kinetic energy that causes the bullet to free itself from a moving case when it's abruptly stopped.

Some marketers of pulled bullets also use the term "air pulled" but there doesn't really seem to be much difference in overall quality over the "collet" pulled. The bullets will still have sealer, case/crimp marks and the various dings and dents from handling huge quantities. Most sellers will be a little generous in their count to allow for any damaged bullets.

For "Plinking", unless the bullets have large noticeable gouges, pulled bullets work fine. Once the bullet enters the bore it pretty much takes a new shape and the dings/scratches are ironed out.

For precision shooting, pulled bullets aren't on the menu.

 

[AMProducts]

Collet Pulls are done with a collet... something that grabs the bullet, and then tightens up, usually these look better than "US Pulldowns". The US Pulldown stuff is done with a tractor pull machine that has two knurled wheels, so typically the bullets are slightly out of round, and usually have pull marks that are about 1/8" wide, in two patches one on each side of the bullet starting most of the way down the ogive. Either way, you want bullets that are "sized" afterwards... usually run through a push-through sizing die that returns them to round and knocks off any high spots and corrects some of the distortion. I've shot a lot of both over the years, and if you're looking for a low cost bullet... go with the low cost bullet, usually the collet pulls look better, but the tractor pulls are cheaper.

 

[AMProducts]

"US Pulldowns" refers typically to a specific pulling machine they use at a few different arsenals, that has two wheels that pulls the bullets by dragging them out with the wheels. It leaves little tractor marks on either side of the bullet.

 

[civilian75]

Well, thanks. I am familiar with inertial and collet pulled (I do the latter). Tractor pulled, I've never seen. If anyone has a link to a pic, that would be awesome.

Who's got the cheapest un-pulled M80 bullets around? Not asking to start Googeling. Been there, done that, and can keep doing. i am hoping for that little well-kept secret. I picked 100ea on the last Hillsboro gun show for ~ $12. Now I wished I had cleaned up the guy.

 

[AMProducts]

Try River Valley Ordnance Home

 

[deadshot2]

Try River Valley Ordnance Home

Are these guys back in business? Last time I contacted them about 5 years ago they never returned e-mail, answered phone, and couldn't leave messages as the "mail box is full" message was all you could get. Most everyone thought they'd either gone on a multi-year vacation or just out of business..

 

[millwrt52]

Beware of RVO unless you're looking to wait up to a year or longer. A friend of mine went that route only to receive his primed and shoddily prepped brass after one yr of no correspondence. Others haven't been so lucky. Do some research.

 

[foxmeadow]

I dealt with them years ago, happy with the product and service. In December I ordered bullets by phone and was told they'd be shipped shortly. Two days after I ordered, my credit card was charged. By the end of January I had not received the shipment, so I called them and found their phone to be disconnected. I referred the situation to my credit card company, who credited my account and went after RVOW for fraud.....