My Hunting partner has a Ruger #1 in 338/378 Weatherby caliber. He has 40 handloaded rounds and now that the season is nearly over and he has his Elk he wants the rounds disassembled as he is going to go to a new bullet. I volunteered to use my inertia bullet puller to disassemble the rounds and save the bullets (that he wants to give me!) and also save the 110 grains of powder in each cartridge. I brought the ammunition home and low and behold the 338/378 Weatherby rounds won't physically fit inside the barrel of my inertia hammer. My inertia bullet puller is at least 30 years old and my question is - do the newer inertia bullet pullers have larger barrels to accept these 378 Weatherby cases - if so I will buy one. If not any suggestions on a tool or method of removing the bullets without harming them. I live in a remote part of Montana and nothing nearby to easily visually inspect. Any and all ideas gladly accepted!
Thanks in advance.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have a 378 WBY. I feel your pain! You need the Hornady Cam Lock Bullet Puller in 338

http://www.midwayusa.com/rewriteaproduct/851547

Pop: Thanks for the info and the quick reply! Does this device go on a loading press? If so I will need a shell holder for that cartridge or drive the 60 miles to my friends house and borrow his. How does it work I guess is my next and last question?
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG,
I just use a shellholder for the 338-378 in the enertia puller, I think you have to open the inside of the hole in the cap up a little for the shellholder base to stick out though. It's been a while, maybe they don't have a hole in the cap at all to begin with, I don't remember. Shellholders are much faster and easier to use in these things too.
A RCBS #14 shellholder works. I just looked at my RCBS puller and it looks like I ran a 9/16" or 5/8" drill bit down into it a ways to open it up for the large WBY case too.
Hope that helps.

I use a RCBS Pow'r Puller. It is cheap and works for all my cartridges including 470 NE and 458 Lott.

I've tried this "hammer" too. On 338 Lapua, 338 RUM, 460 Wby, 416 Rigby, and none of them fits inside this thing.
I have bought myself a RCBS puller too, and I love it. And you are able to keep the powder inside the case too, when you pull out the bullet. Thats nice, since I use 7,62x51 NATO ammo for my match shooting, and I then change bullets in them. I pull out the bullets and replace them with 150 grs.Sierra Match king's, and use the same powder charge.
You can get collets in all different calibers to.

Rcbs shell holder 14 and a drill bit 5/8"(rcbs puller)will do the job.Thanks for the tip...

Thanks Everyone for the great replies and ideas!I think I will try and drill my rig out and borrow the shellholder from my friend. I have been busy being made a fool of by te Whitetails here in SW Montana. My partner has not filled his tag yet and we have been Hunting all day for the last couple a days for them. Saw two dandies today and he missed one and we are back at'em tomorrow and the next day, if need be, as the season ends Sunay.
Pardon my slow thank you reply.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

It looks like the hole in the cap is there to begin with, but something must have been on the inside of it that kept it from holding the shellholder or something, mine looks like I turned the drill on it too from the inside for some reason or another, it's chewed up some from a bit workin it over.

I don't know why RCBS didn't make them to use their shellholders to begin with instead of the POS collet they give us to fumble with.

I like the enertia puller because it leaves the bullet as new, unscared and reusable. I've never used the others, so I don't know how bad the jackets are distorted, but it can't be good on accuracy, can it?

Brent, I have the RCBS collet die and have pulled many bullets with it, reloaded them and shot them with no difference in accuracy. These were usually 338 or 375cal bullets, but they have a very thick jacket to start with.

dunno what it would do to some of the thin jacketed smaller cal bullets, or to ones that were crimped in the case.