What clever little things have you "invented or discovered" that you can share?

some shell holders hav a bigger hole. IIRC Lee does but I am not at home now. I’m not telling anyone else to do it but I’ve done it for quite some time. I just make sure that I don’t have a high primer and keep the cap tight.
Lee press shell holders have a hole larger than the primer (slightly) because the on-press primer arm must fit through it when priming. It seems like they might work.
 
some shell holders hav a bigger hole. IIRC Lee does but I am not at home now. I’m not telling anyone else to do it but I’ve done it for quite some time. I just make sure that I don’t have a high primer and keep the cap tight.

And that's the key, no high primers to have an edge to slam into when you hit the tool to the concrete......be careful.

Lee press shell holders have a hole larger than the primer (slightly) because the on-press primer arm must fit through it when priming. It seems like they might work.

All shellholders have holes larger than the primer.....otherwise they couldn't fall during sizing, when the depriming pin deprimes. The problem lies in the fact that a shellholder is made to slide a case in......if it slides in, it can slide out enough to catch the edge of a proud primer. How many of us have had a case stuck in a shellholder because a primer was pushed out only part way? I'll bet most once or twice.....or you will.

Using the case holder in a bullet removal tool allows such slippage if you aren't careful. That's why I made "keepers" in my h.m. tool to lock them up in the center of the hole, where nothing but air can touch the primer. I have a picture of a "keeper" somewhere....but haven't found it yet.....I'll look on my old computer.

I have the whole How-to thread in THR, but the pictures were stolen by Photobucket, when they trashed all my old threads.....and now they ruin all their photos with their advertising logo in the middle of them...disgusting the way they treated their users....I use Postimage and Vimeo now....much better companies.
 
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P1020654.JPG P1020655.JPG P1020656.JPG P1020657.JPG Well after reading thru all 64 pages which is alot of useful info here is my contribution. 1st picture is a piece of coat hanger in the primer tube of a 550 which has a bit of insulation on the end where it touches the primer and is color coded on the top at the 5 primers to go mark, when you run out of primers it locks the primer bar in the primer pickup position. Which will immediately be noticed by the operator as you go to seat the non existent primer. #2 Next $10.00 counter from Amazon mounted on 550 with spring held by mechanic wire to linkage arm of press and mounted on homemade bracket so angle is right to be able to see numbers. #3 Wrench made from busted socket section cut off and welded to sacrificed wrench,thin flat washer cut in two and welded to other end of wrench to disengage powder measure return rod from shell plate ram mechanism. Socket is sized for lock-rings on Dillon dies. #4 knob from Ace for powder adjustment. No picture but stick a small Neo magnet on move-able side of primer catcher on 550 at the bottom edge, extra weight helps to keep it functioning along with using nail in stead of cotter pin as pivot point. Hope some one finds this helpful. 1 Cor 2:9
 
I found myself needing to de-prime thousands of pistol cases so they could be pin-tumbled & cleaned. I modified a case to fit into a shell holder to make this process much easier & faster. I cut the head off of a .45 ACP case leaving just the shallow web of the case left. Then using tape as a shim on the head, I forced it tightly into a shell holder. This adapter is much faster to use than just the shell holder. As a side benefit, this also allowed creation of a super-simple case kicker. This video should explain it all.


BTW: I made my 2nd adapter from a cut-off .45-70 case & it handles both 9mm & .40 S&W just fine.
 
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I found myself needing to de-prime thousands of pistol cases so they could be pin-tumbled & cleaned. I modified a case to fit into a shell holder to make this process much easier & faster. I cut the head off of a .45 ACP case leaving just the shallow web of the case left. Then using tape as a shim on the head, I forced it tightly into a shell holder. This adapter is much faster to use than just the shell holder. As a side benefit, this also allowed creation of a super-simple case kicker. This video should explain it all.


BTW: I made my 2nd adapter from a cut-off .45-70 case & it handles both 9mm & .40 S&W just fine.


I got to give you credit for this but if I had to deprime that many cases with my Rock Chucker rather on my LNL with case feeder I’d go insane. You have far more patience than I do.
 
For kinetic/hammer type pullers; you can ask your dentist for a half dozen rubber bands he uses on braces. Fits in the collet groove and works just fine.
 
I found myself needing to de-prime thousands of pistol cases so they could be pin-tumbled & cleaned. I modified a case to fit into a shell holder to make this process much easier & faster. I cut the head off of a .45 ACP case leaving just the shallow web of the case left. Then using tape as a shim on the head, I forced it tightly into a shell holder. This adapter is much faster to use than just the shell holder. As a side benefit, this also allowed creation of a super-simple case kicker. This video should explain it all.


BTW: I made my 2nd adapter from a cut-off .45-70 case & it handles both 9mm & .40 S&W just fine.


My kind of mods. Often the simplest tools are the best tools. Great Job and great post!
 
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My kind of mods. Often the simplest tools are the best tools. Great Job and great post!
That's cool, but it also seems to me to make an argument that pin tumbling (or sonic wash) processing creates too much work, if only processing handgun brass, and that assumes that pin tumbling somehow requires decapped primer pockets. My progressive pops out primers without an extra stroke on a press, provided I stick with dry media tumbling. New primers go in easily enough, and rounds go bang all the same.
 
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A friend of mine walks his fields 2-3 times a week looking for rabbits,,,
He hunts with an older single-shot .22 rifle.

He asked me if I would make him a small bullet pouch to hold 10 rounds of .22 ammo.

I had an unidentified pistol mag that held 10 rounds,,,
I fabricated a small pouch for it that held the magazine bullet-end up,,,
He loops it to his belt, shoots a bunny, reaches down and strips one round from the magazine.

I later modified it to have a small flap with a snap to cover the open end of the magazine,,,
He loved the thing and seems to be very happy with it.

I should have taken a picture of it,,,
The next time I see him I will.

Aarond

.
 
That's cool, but it also seems to me to make an argument that pin tumbling (or sonic wash) processing creates too much work, if only processing handgun brass, and that assumes that pin tumbling somehow requires decapped primer pockets. My progressive pops out primers without an extra stoke on a press, provided I stick with dry media tumbling. New primers go in easily enough, and rounds go bang all the same.
yep, I hear you on "pre"- depriming as an added step.
I do it to find crimped primers, deal with them BEFORE the progressive and keep the primer smooge/crud off the progressive, not because I pin tumble.
I use a drill press though, no searching for the shell holder slot, and it goes a lot faster.
FendWashers.JPG
PrmrCupS.jpg
And I pin tumble because the case INSIDE comes out WAY cleaner than media tumbling, much easier for a visual powder check on the progressive.
works for me,
 
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Figured out how to hold a stiff box open to make it much easier to load it up.
View attachment 866705 View attachment 866706
Those pesky self closing boxes are the reason I switched to slip tops.
When full, I store slip-tops upside down and put the label on the bottom, that way the top never slides off when you pick one up.
As stored:
UpSideDnS.jpg
Open, at the range:
OpenS.jpg

:D
 
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yep, I hear you on "pre"- depriming as an added step.
I do it to find crimped primers, deal with them BEFORE the progressive and keep the primer smooge/crud off the progressive, not because I pin tumble.
I use a drill press though, no searching for the shell holder slot, and it goes a lot faster.
View attachment 866814
View attachment 866815
And I pin tumble because the case INSIDE comes out WAY cleaner than media tumbling, much easier for a visual powder check on the progressive.
works for me,
I wonder if you could use a case feeder on a progressive just to decap, like I did when resizing 223 that had been cleaned with primers intact.
 
I wonder if you could use a case feeder on a progressive just to decap, like I did when resizing 223 that had been cleaned with primers intact.
I did that with my Lee ABLP, I simply removed all of the other dies and let the brass run through the empty holes until they got kicked out the other side.
 
That's cool, but it also seems to me to make an argument that pin tumbling (or sonic wash) processing creates too much work, if only processing handgun brass, and that assumes that pin tumbling somehow requires decapped primer pockets. My progressive pops out primers without an extra stroke on a press, provided I stick with dry media tumbling. New primers go in easily enough, and rounds go bang all the same.
I agree with you if I'm loading ammo for myself. I have a source for 1x brass (especially 9mm), so I keep what I want but the rest I clean-up for selling or trading. Otherwise, why bother.;)
 
I got some old makeup holders my wife was going to throw away to hold large-based 8mm lebel shells. they work great for small batches. (see pic) In the picture I have them primed and ready for powder.
I use the new plastic coffee cans like Maxwell House and Folgers for brass. I write the size and times reloaded count on the side with a sharpie. These cans hold hold about one tumbler full. when they are full, it's time to load a batch.
I use crushed walnut shells from the pet store to dry tumble brass. They call it pet litter. I call it a 1/4 price deal over anywhere else.
Boy, this makes me sound cheap! Oh well, I can buy more powder!
 

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Figured out how to hold a stiff box open to make it much easier to load it up.
Good idea, especially if you want leave the hinge naturally orienting in the "more-closed" position. If however you want the hinge to permanently orient in the "more-open" position, you could try heating the hinge and flexing the cover in the procedure described at this link. Using that procedure, you can set the hinge to naturally orient in any position. I have tried it an it works great. Also, at that link, see my reply at the end for an explanation why the procedure works.
 
I picked up a Lyman S/T press w/o a primer catcher so I made my own because Lyman does not carry any for a press that old. I took an old medicine bottle and cut a window in it. The cutout is just large enough to make a friction fit over the boss where the primer feeder thing would go. At the top margin of the "window" I turned up a lip to prevent primers from popping up out onto the floor. I made a lateral "fence" out of a section of hose clamp and bent it so it clings to the bottle and prevents expelled primers from jumping to the sides hitting the floor. I did the pop can half tube [not shown] to guide the primers straight down. 20191208_111054.jpg 20191208_111113.jpg 20191208_111122.jpg Also see the old toothbrush magnet on the front of the frame that holds the Allen wrench that is needed to lock the shellholder in.
 
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Is that an old "C" press? Tjere is a guy here that 3D prints primer catchers. I have one for my 1940s Pacific C press.
 
Is that an old "C" press? Tjere is a guy here that 3D prints primer catchers. I have one for my 1940s Pacific C press.
It is a 6 hole turret press. I saw the 3D ones, but I wanted a DIY instead of spending $.
 
My LNL AP bullet feeder die (fed with bullet tubes) doesn't like several different brands of inexpensive coated lead.
I have plenty of 'medium' to 'very respectable' quality bullets that flow just fine, but coated lead 'plinkers' were often fussy, at best.

After thinking about it for way too long, I finally broke down and bought a MBF Bullet Feeder Die. (A bit spendy for 'what it is')
As I already had the Hornady tubes and don't mind using them, all I needed was an adapter.

100_0868sml.jpg

Materials include a 1/2" CPVC coupler and a very short piece of 1/2 CPVC pipe inside one end. (Rattle-can finish optional)

I used a Dremel to enlarge the inside of one end of the coupler approx. 30 thou. (Die side)
To hold my Hornady 9mm / 38 / 357 tube (as shown), stick the 1/2" CPVC pipe into the other end of coupler, cut flush.

You'll also need to enlarge the inside of the CVPC pipe a bit to accept the tube.*** (I found this to be the most time-consuming step, due in part to using my somewhat limited selection of Dremel bits suitable for the task)

*** UPDATE: If you have a 31/64th drill, use it instead of the Dremel. I picked up a cheap set of bits at Harbor Freight yesterday. Popped the small section of CPVC pipe out of the coupler and replaced it with a new piece. Took a couple passes with the 31/64th to achieve the fit I wanted, but all around faster and 'straighter' than a Dremel. (Again, 9/38/357 Hornady bullet tube)

I completed 150 rounds of ammo recently and the MBF die dropped every single bullet without a hitch.

The only 'issue' (?) I ran into was repatterning my habits on how to remove the bullet tube from the die. If I don't drop every last bullet out of the die itself, and attempt to remove an empty tube without holding the top sleeve of the die down, the tube will pull the top sleeve up and instantly dump all the remaining bullets..


Other Info:
MBF Pistol Feeder Dies appear to involve 1 die for 9/38/357 and another larger(?) die for 40-45. Everything you see above pertains to the 9/38/357 die, and I do not have the 40-45 die.

If the top outer diameter of both dies are the same, (or close) I have reason to believe that you can most likely use the same CPVC parts for 40/45 as well, and not even need the Hornady bullet tubes as rumor has it just a simple length of 1/2 CPVC works as well. (In my area, Homer Depot stocks both 10 and 2 ft sections of CVPC.)

The fundamentals of my adapter were obtained via 1 video on UTube. The author of that video was creating an adapter to connect a MBF bullet feeder die to his Hornady Bullet Feeder. While it appeared to be a bit more involved and utilized a couple more 'Homer Depot' components, it didn't appear to be difficult.
 
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