Reloading Tips

[alfsauve]

After 38 years of reloading, I finally got around to making some much needed improvements.  Up until recently I didn't do any volume and I was pretty well confined to .38/.357 and .45ACP.  Now I've added several more calibers and have started reloading bottle-neck rifle as well.  I'm shooting more now and these things really help.   I thought I'd share two things I FINALLY got around to adding to my bench.

First is a "penny" rail.  The term is used in theatre and means a little lip at the edge of the stage to keep things from rolling into the pit.   It's only about 1/4" high though it looks larger in the photo.  I'm so proud of this.   It keeps bullets and brass on the table.  (Why oh why didn't I do this years ago?)




The second thing I've done this fall was add a mount to my powder measure that lets me remove it quickly to dump the powder back in the container.   This too is one of those, "Duh!"   The bolts are spaced wider than the powder measure stand.  I use 3/4ply 'cause I had scraps on hand.  Just loosen the wing-nuts, slide the whole measure out, dump the powder, slide it back under, tighten and you're good to go.

[Big Frank]

A couple of good ideas Alf. You must have been wearing your thinking hat.

[m25operator]

That is a good idea, Alf, and I look forward to implementing it. Here are a few of mine for bench set up.

1) I have mounted all my presses, ( 5 ) to 1' x 1' 3/4" plywood or compressed board, and C clamp them to the loading bench with 2 big clamps, If the powder measure is on a stand, it will clamp very well without the wood, when not in use, they are C clamped to the shelf beside the bench to be out of the way, but ready to go.

2)  I load a lot of the same stuff for pistol, so I usually leave my powder measure with powder in them, so I took my business cards and put all my powders on the back, EG... WW231, and I drop the appropriate card in the powder measure with the powder and if it's 2 days or 2 months, when I come back, I can see what powder is currently in the powder measure.

3) Probably a lot of us do this, but I have one old plastic bullet box and 2 heavy magnetic tool holders to hold all the hex keys, and wrenches, screwdrivers and pliers necessary to adjust or tighten anything on any of the equipment on the bench.

4) Lots of accro bins, for current bullet storage, during loading, and big tupper ware, bins with lids for brass, I mark mine in the caliber that go's in it, and have 2 for each caliber, clean and dirty, out of the tumbler into the clean, out of the range bag and into the dirty bin.

5) It's good to take an inventory every once in a while, All your powders and how much, all the bullets and how many, all the primers and how many for each application. I do mine on a legal pad, hanging off the bullet, powder cabinet. If my printer would connect to my PC, I could do a spread sheet and x out things as I use them. Work on that later. I keep a small memo pad next to the bench for initial load developement, jot down what I'm starting with, so if I'm lazy at the range and don't shoot my 10mm for 6 months, I know where I started, as labels come unpeeled etc, from the cartridge boxes sometimes.

[alfsauve]

[snip].. so I took my business cards and put all my powders on the back......and I drop the appropriate card in the powder measure with the powder....

Great idea m25.   I'm considering getting a second dispenser  (One for rifle and one for pistol) in which case using the card would be double insurance.

[FRANK] When it comes to some of these things I'm a bear of slow wit.  I've owned this bench for 30+ years and just now figured out how to keep things from rolling off.

[Big Frank]

I don't have a reloading bench, just a cheap work bench that I made out of a wooden door and other scrap lumber. I nailed a 2-1/2" strip of paneling on the back edge so it sticks straight up about an inch. I have 2 toolboxes and their trays pushed back against it. It keeps stuff from faling off that side but I still knock lots of hardware and tools and stuff off the front. A strip of wood on the front would be in the way some times but really help other times. Now I'm thinking about putting something on with clamps or just a few drywall screws so I can take it off quickly.

[Sponsor]