[GMFWoodchuck]

Do you guys have any tips, techniques, or tools that you can't live without?

What are they?

Mine is a "simple" one. Since I use a single stage press (Boss) and usually load 20 at a time I use a "cartridge flipping" technique.

When I load my block with the shells I make sure they are all primer side up. When I decap/size it I put it back in the block primer side down. When I reprime it, it goes back primer side up.This way when I charge them with powder they are upright and I know that it's been done.

The flipping let's me know that the the shell is done with that stage and reduces no charge and double charged cartridges (not that I think I could double charge a bottleneck round anyway as it would spill all over but......)

What do you guys have?

 

[qajaq59]

I've always done it that way. Except that I do 50 at a time. It's just one more thing that prevents a mistake. Especially if you're loading 9 grs of Unique in a 30-30 case.
And when they are all loaded with powder I shine a flashlight in them to see if the levels are all the same.

 

[oneoldsap]

I put the primer up when they are ready for charging for the same reason you guys do . As far as the rest of it I have a certain order in which things are done , that's worked for 40+ years .

 

[Marshal Kane]

After washing cases, I use the 50 round plastic handgun cartridge holders that come with the ammunition boxes to stack the cases mouths down to dry in the sun. There's virtually an endless free supply of these holders as many shooters simply discard them at the range.

 

[pmeisel]

I am primer up until it has powder in it. And I usually put powder in no more that 5 or 10 before I seat bullets.

 

[oneoldsap]

One other little thing I discovered . I decap before I tumble and media gets in the flash hole . I used to poke it out with an allen wrench , but that wasn't much to hold on to and my hand would cramp up . So I discovered that a #7 1/2 Torx bit in a handle and it works perfectly , lots easier on the hand ! necessity is the mother of invention , always has been , always will be !

 

[Jack]

"I decap before I tumble and media gets in the flash hole"
A dental pick will clear flash holes nicely- ask your dentist for a worn out one.
And, of course, if you run the brass through a sizer, the decapping pin will knock any media out of the flash hole, if your sizer has a decapping pin.

 

[Marshal Kane]

. . . And, of course, if you run the brass through a sizer, the decapping pin will knock any media out of the flash hole, if your sizer has a decapping pin.

The only thing I have against using the decapping pin to knock media out of the flash hole is the media collects on the loading tool and also the floor so there's a need to keep these areas clean to avoid accumulation or suffer the wrath of the missus. I tediously punch out the media with a round toothpick with the case over the shut off tumbler while watching tv. The decapping pin will catch anything I miss when I go into the case preparation steps.

 

[kdub]

I've found an old fashioned ice pick to be a handy tool to keep around to punch media out of flashholes and occasionally punch out a fired primer (drilled a hole in my work bench to accommodate) when not wanting to set up the decapping die in the press.

 

[Cheezywan]

I just won't hurry any reloading operation. It all happens at my own speed. Inspection at each step.

Powder charging and bullet seating happen when I can "dedicate" time to get it done in one session (prefer to have the powder exposed to atmosphere near the same for all rounds in a lot).

Crimp is a seperate operation (when needed).

Cheezywan

 

[qajaq59]

Keep the powder container on the bench until you are done loading, so the extra pwder ends up back in the right container. And NEVER have more then one container out at at any one time. If you don't follow any other tip, definitely follow that one.

 

[pfoxy]

I tend to do all my brass prep in stages when I have a few spare minutes.

Clean a tumbler full. Inspect the cases as I'm dumping the media out of them.

If it's military surplus brass, run the whole pile over the crimp remover. Inspect the cases and primer pockets.

Size/Deprime the pile of cleaned brass. Inspect the cases...

Reprime the pile. Inspect the cases...

Flare the pile. Inspect the cases...

Put them all in a ziplock bag until I have an uninterrupted block of time to charge, insert bullets and crimp.

Did I mention inspecting the cases?

 

[5Rmilspec]

I always seat the bullet after chargeing the case.seems to help with double chargeing,and not haveing to look at all the cases with a light.I too even do the flip thing to keep up with where I am when one of the girls come in and stop me for something.no need to do things twice in my book.but always keep safety first.

 

[hailstone]

Having bent several decapping rods over my years of reloading I keep a few spares on hand. Began using one of those for my 17 caliber die set to push the media from flash holes. Recently bought a Dillion media seperator and have noticed since starting its use very few flashholes are plugged with media.

Never done the flip-flop routine cause my reloading blocks have sixty holes. Box of fifty leaves ten empty so I just move the shells toward one end of the block as an operation is completed. Herters were ahead of there time in the design of many products. Now days that would be easy profit increaser for a manufacture to lop off those ten extra holes. Unfortunately you destroy the usefullness of that tool. Never encountered any other maker who made reloading blocks with sixty holes. Occassionally I pick up these blocks at gun shows.

 

[unclenick]

The nice thing about loading block design is that you are just a plank and a drill press away from any configuration you want.

 

[mikld]

I like to set a bullet in the mouth of each case as I charge it; pick up case, dump powder, set bullet in case mouth (not seating bullet), drop back in loading block. This way the case does not leave my hand from primed empty to charged and covered. I have yet to get one not charged or double charged.

 

[Marshal Kane]

. . . Never encountered any other maker who made reloading blocks with sixty holes. Occassionally I pick up these blocks at gun shows.

Flambeau Plastics Inc. made the Twin 60 reloading block during the sixties and seventies that takes sixty large cases on one side and sixty small on the other. I happen to be fortunate enough to own three of them so if you run across any bright yellow plastic loading blocks at a gunshow, likely as not they are made by Flambeau.

 

[kdub]

Yup - got one of those myself, Marshal.

 

[oldreloader]

marshall I have two...one for rifle/pistol and one for shotgun