Pulling Big Projectiles Stuck in Cases

[M8owner]

What do you do when your 100mm Russian HE shell won't come out? I had to do this with a KwK 43 88mm also.

 

[HAZORD]

Have you thought about making a ring to catch the rim of the case, sticking the whole round inside a piece of pipe, and dropping the other end of the pipe on a hard surface to let inertia pull it out of the case? Put some padding inside the pipe at the projectile end, so when the projo comes out the padding catches it. Basically an oversize inertia bullet puller.

 

[M8owner]

I have tried the inertia method on large projectiles without good results. This is the best technique that I have found so far. That is a 1000 pound cable puller, and it was maxed out to get that one to pop.

 

[HAZORD]

How did you manage to get a round with so much neck tension? What does it do to the automatic transmission of your Chevy?

There is also the "fill the case with liquid through the primer hole, and use a porta-power to hydraulic it out."

 

[M8owner]

I pressed the projectile into place with my shop press - If I recall. I probably did not expect it to be that hard to remove one day. I am not aware of any transmission issues, and having tried hydraulic methods on large cases in the past, I do not believe your last suggestion to be practical.

 

[HAZORD]

Another method is to remove the primer and use a steel rod to push on the base of the projectile through the case.

 

[US-Subs]

Another method is to remove the primer and use a steel rod to push on the base of the projectile through the case.

When I was overseas we had a puller that we used for large caliber items, typically German. Heavy base that locked over the head of the cartridge case, then a heavy two piece top that had about 6-8 bolts which locked around the projectile. Welded plates between the two gave surface area for two hydraulic jacks. You need different assemblies for each caliber or round design, but it worked like a charm. I don't have the same needs here in the States, but we have built up a couple of much small assemblies, one for 20-30mm and one for 40mm (L60/L70) rounds that works well also. For these we went with two heavy threaded rods to do the work, driven by an electric drill. Afterwards (powder removal) with just a little tinkering we can use the same assembly to press the projectiles back into the cases.

 

[pzgr40]

Hi US Subs, you means this thing I had built for Joop?

 

[NCbullet]

pzgr40, what would be the cost to construct one of these? I have been looking for a lg caliber puller commercially available but have not found anything. Thanks. H.

 

[pzgr40]

I have no idea. I consructed this device myself in the evening ours after work at the shipyard I worked. So it did not cost me a penny. I assume however if you go to a machineshop with this drawing and have it made it will cost you a few thousend dolars on materials and hours.

 

[US-Subs]

Here is what we started with for 20mm and such. Then we did one for 40mm. We has since improved the design of the 20mm to use an electric drill, much faster and, with some care I also can reverse it to use it to re-seat the projectile after dumping the powder.