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

[daboone]

I lay a used dryer sheet on top of the hopper and hold it in place with the hopper's lid. That's after all parts of the PM has been washed but not rinsed and dried.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

Yes,the dryer sheet is held around the outside of the powder measure by the rubber bands.

Guessing he means he wraps one on the outside of the tube and secures it with a rubber band or two.

Yes that. Around the outside of the powder measure.

 

[Toprudder]

As a matter of procedure, I always leave a used dryer sheet in the empty hoppers of all my powder measures. Take them out to use, and put them back when I am done. Not sure how much it helps, but that is what I do.

 

[lckdnldd]

I keep one wrapped around my hopper. Seems to work well. I change it periodically.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

I put a 1x2" lengthwise on the floor below my loading bench as a sort of fence to prevent small dropped items from finding their way under my bench. I did not fasten it to anything as I keep my powder bottles under my bench and need access to them.

 

[PWC]

Most obnoxious color fingernail polish I could find; thinned and painted or syringed on primers.

 

[Louca]

Most onnoxious color fingernail polish I could find; thinned and painted or syringed on primers.

Why? What is accomplished by doing that?

 

[PWC]

Easy to tell my brass at pick up, same reason you use a sharpie, unless you have a private range.

 

[Louca]

Easy to toll my brass at pick up, same reason you use a sharpie, unless you have a private range.

Got it. Good idea! Thanks.

I also mark brass, but for a totally different reason: I mark it with a black line across the base to indicate NOT to reload it again.

 

[PWC]

Each time I trim I use a triangular swiss file to cut a small groove in the rim; 4 marks and need to trim = scrap bucket

 

[Skgreen]

Quite sure this tool/usage is nothing new to many folks,,,

Anywho,,,

I reload sitting down,,, I use an office 'task' chair with wheels

I tend to drop pieces of brass,,, (and just about everything else,,,)

Ok, get out of the chair, get what ya dropped, get back in the chair,,,

Been doing that since day one,,,

Had one of these hanging in the garage for months:

https://www.newamstore.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=197889

Figured I'd give it a shot,,,

Works like a charm on brass!!!!! Has a small magnet in the end as well,,,

It now has a permanent place on my reload bench!

(Feeling rather stupid that I didn't think of it earlier! )

 

[glc24]

I don't sit down but that pickup tool would be pretty nice to have!

 

[entropy]

Not exactly original, but I did this back in the day; I re-started reloading 12 ga after a 30 year hiatus, and I actually got a hold of 4 boxes of WAA-12 wads, so I cut two of the empties like this for wads and hulls.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

I use these https://www.performancehealth.com/sammons-preston-sure-lock-reacher and these https://www.performancehealth.com/sammons-preston-feather-reacher-economy-reacher.

I have 5 of them scattered importantly about my home. A true back and knee saver.

 

[oldfortyfiveauto]

https://www.harborfreight.com/easy-sorter-funnel-tray-37081.html

Very handy little tray. Whoever came up with it deserves a raise.

 

[dinoburb]

I have had some problem with the height of the ‘case pusher’ on the new Lee Breech Lock progressive loaders automatic case feeder causing the case being pushed to be flicked out of the pusher. This was caused by the case above had enough leverage on the lower, pushed case to tilt it and out it went. My solution was to make custom pushers to provide as much support on the lower case to reduce the effect of the case above. I now have pushers for 9mm, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 10mm, 45 acp, 45 CS (cowboy special), and 45 Colt. All work like a charm, no more chasing around flying cases.

 

[trixter]

I have had some problem with the height of the ‘case pusher’ on the new Lee Breech Lock progressive loaders automatic case feeder causing the case being pushed to be flicked out of the pusher. This was caused by the case above had enough leverage on the lower, pushed case to tilt it and out it went. My solution was to make custom pushers to provide as much support on the lower case to reduce the effect of the case above. I now have pushers for 9mm, 38 Special, 357 Magnum, 10mm, 45 acp, 45 CS (cowboy special), and 45 Colt. All work like a charm, no more chasing around flying cases.

Any possibility of a photo?

 

[marchboom]

I have had a Sinclair concentricity gauge for a number of years and it works great. But due to pressure from the dial indicator plunger on the case neck the base end of the case would flip up and had to be firmly held down. This resulted in a somewhat jerky reading. This was while using my best Starrett dial indicator. I decided that a test indicator would provide less downward pressure and, therefore, result in a smoother reading.

The test indicator "style" concentricity gauges are rather pricey so I gathered up the parts I had and made my own. The magnetic base has an "on-off" switch which allows for easy movement on the steel plate. The knob on the rod that holds the test indicator allows you to lower the indicator's arm onto the case with very little pressure. A much more accurate reading is the result.

 

[Skgreen]

Here's a simple one:



With scale placed further back:



https://www.harborfreight.com/rectangle-magnifying-glass-37708.html

4X power,,,

I put a little piece of black weather-stripping between the handle and the shelf edge to help it resist rotating downwards. Handle is flat on both sides, so it's a pretty simple install,,,,

 

[Bfh_auto]

Got it. Good idea! Thanks.

I also mark brass, but for a totally different reason: I mark it with a black line across the base to indicate NOT to reload it again.

Growing up the black line meant blackpowder. My dad had a couple Damascus shotguns. He loved shooting them and didn't want to mix them with his brass cases for goose hunting.

 

[HEAVY METAL 1]

Perhaps this has been said before, but I got tired of repeatedly reaching across my bench for some items so borrowing an idea from kitchen organization I put a lazy susan on it and that has saved me a lot of reaching.

 

[Rich 10mm]

What clever little things have you "invented or discovered" that you can share that makes things just that much easier on your reloading bench ?


For me I have used coloured plastic zip ties around my dies to differentiate them in the turret press and also the spare sets that I have for different projectiles.

I also use 9mm MTM case guards to hold .38 HBWC rounds ( wonderful snug fit).

I took my Lyman T-Mag ram linkages apart and fitted fibre washes in the gaps to take out all the play. Made a huge difference in feel with the slop taken out.

I have covered my reloading bench with a sheet of white polymer board (what chopping boards are made out of) http://www.kingstarboard.com/Products/starboard.aspx makes for a terrific easy clean and textured top.

I cut 1" of the top of the thread that holds the lid on my Lyman 1200 pro tumbler. It saves time and hassle not having to wind the pesky lid screw that extra unnecessary 1" all the time.

What can you share ?

 

[Rich 10mm]

I have a Hornady auto progressive press. I didn’t like the powder drop station due to the fact that an accurate drop is determined by the smooth consistent pull. When I’m in auto progressive press one pull; resizes the brass, deprimes, reprimes, bells, charges, and seats the bullet. This causes inaccuratsies with the powder drop with everything going on at once. I use it to resize and bell. Then the cases are hand batched reprimed, charged with the hornady auto charge, verified on a separate scale before being loaded. Anyone else in this situation?

 

[egd]

Not to be a smart ass, but it sounds like you wasted your money on a progressive press. If you're asking if someone invented something to make your reloading easier, the only thing I can think of is the press you already have.
Although I would add, what you do is probably better if you're loading for match quality precision shooting. But I just don't see it for everyday stuff. YMMV

 

[Jeb Stuart]

I have a number of Magnetic trays. Nice for when beaking down guns and do not want to loose a spring. Also some trays I can just mount on the side ways and it holds tools etc. The trays themselves are great for find a lost part.