venomballistics
Member
powder brass and primers ... anything else I can make
What to purchase next for reloading equipment?
- Thread starter novalty
- Start date
A cheap plastic sieve and a 5-gal bucket makes a fine separator. No need to get carried away with that issue. Honestly, you've got a pretty good setup already. Reminds me of what I had when I lived in WA. I don't own a bullet puller as I've never had need to pull more than one screwed up round and it was just as easy to trash it an move on.
OP
novalty
Member
SMSgt, you bring up a concern I had too about the bullet puller. Right now I have about 6 test cases between 9mm and 45acp that I would like to pull. Do I purchase a $20+ inertia bullet puller to save $1? The pay back seems very slow. I had also tossed around the idea of purchasing Hornady's Lock N Load bushing conversion for my Rock Chucker, but that kit is $20, and I'd have to buy the bushings for future dies, just to save the time of screwing in a die?
Doing okay on some components. Have about 1200 cases each of 9mm and 45acp, and half of a 1lb container of Unique, and almost a full container of Winchester 231. Have 600 CCI LP primers, and about 200 CCI SP primers.
Doing okay on some components. Have about 1200 cases each of 9mm and 45acp, and half of a 1lb container of Unique, and almost a full container of Winchester 231. Have 600 CCI LP primers, and about 200 CCI SP primers.
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Smith357
US Veteran
The media separator and powder trickler can be made for a just few dollars from things you can pick up at your local hardware store.
I would stock up on primers, powder, and bullets and get another book to cross reference loads.
I would stock up on primers, powder, and bullets and get another book to cross reference loads.
I recommend an inertia bullet puller (hammer style), as it will come in handy many times in the future (did that last case get charged?, double-charged?, wow, this batch of ammo shows serious signs of excessive pressure, better tear the rest down and start over, etc). For a trickler, I use an old Verdant primed 30-06 case, just put powder in it and lightly roll it between thumb and index finger to dispense a small amount. I have a Hornady balance beam scale (similar to your RCBS) and find it more believable than my electronic scale, don't waste your money. Good luck, and have fun!
MDMarauder
Member
I have everything I need, I'll Just buy more components.
ILLWIND
Member
A primer pocket uniformer is nice, makes priming 45 cases easier. i fought the problem of not able to seat primers deep enough for years. Wish I would have bought one years ago.
Trickler? I never use mine. A bullet puller is a great idea. You will need one eventually. If ya hve more time, money and space, casting is always another step. What about more guns?
Trickler? I never use mine. A bullet puller is a great idea. You will need one eventually. If ya hve more time, money and space, casting is always another step. What about more guns?
Argonnakid
Member
I need/want a bigger bench, supplies and components I have, space is at a loss
Fishslayer
US Veteran, Absent Comrade
I'll echo the bullet puller, media separater, nitrile gloves.
If you're happy loading nine & .45ACP on a single stage (I would go nuts) then I would maybe look at another caliber? .38/.357 Magnum?
A set of round nylon engine brushes is handy for cleaning dies & passages in gas operated rifles.
My separater is the Cabela's slotted pan type & I keep two Homer buckets with walnut in one & cob in the other.
Can never have too many ammo trays & boxes, but I scrounge my boxes out of the range trash these days.
Or maybe a big bulk primer order that makes the $25 hazmat fee worth it.
If you're happy loading nine & .45ACP on a single stage (I would go nuts) then I would maybe look at another caliber? .38/.357 Magnum?
A set of round nylon engine brushes is handy for cleaning dies & passages in gas operated rifles.
My separater is the Cabela's slotted pan type & I keep two Homer buckets with walnut in one & cob in the other.
Can never have too many ammo trays & boxes, but I scrounge my boxes out of the range trash these days.
Or maybe a big bulk primer order that makes the $25 hazmat fee worth it.
OP
novalty
Member
Funny you should mention another caliber & 38/357. My father has been hinting around at having me reload for his S&W 686. I can get a huge supply of 38 special brass for free from my brother-in-law (as he was the firearms trainer for Brinks, and they were using revolvers when he started--picked up tons of range brass). So have told my father if he buys me the dies & shellholders I'll reload for him.
Right now I am planning on using my Cabelas points to buy a Brick of CCI SP & LP primers, a Lyman inertia Bullet puller, and MTM 100rd case for 9mm.
Since I have over 1000 rounds of 9mm and 45acp brass that are already cleaned, sized & deprimed. I plan on saving up for the media separater later.
As far as going nuts reloading handgun on a single-stage press. I don't shoot a large volume, and living in Maine I have several months that I can't shoot as there are not any in-door ranges without driving and an hour-and-a-half one way. So I have plenty of time during winter months to reload for shooting season. Have considered a Redding T-7 turret so I can leave my 2 dies sets & powder measure permanently set up, but the cost & the increased ram-stroke for pistol brass have been the deterent. I know everyone says Dillon, but I have no-where near the volume to justify the equipment cost.
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I'm surprised no one mentioned a little dandy pistol powder measure, once you get your loads worked up this thing will save you hours of time if you reload multiple calibers - more books are good - I honestly don't see what the big deal is with a media separator - I've been reaching in and grabbing brass with my bare hands for 30+years - your right about the cold though I had a hard time shooting yesterday,think I'm gonna skip it today too - keep shooting pard
A bullet puller is fine if you realise you screwed up a powder charge after loading a bunch of rounds, especially if erred to the dangerous side. If I had loaded a box of .45s .2 grains lighter than what I intended, in most likelihood I'd just write it off as a lesson learned and fire away rather then going to the trouble of pulling bullets. I try to use powders that will overflow a case if doublecharged and visually inspect each case for proper levels prior to bullet seating, so overloads aren't much of a concern, at least for me.
I have no qualms tossing a round or two here and there that I've messed up. After all, components are relative cheap. I don't think I've ever tossed enough to equal the cost of a bullet puller, and that's after reloading since 1975. I've got maybe a box of "dummies" loaded over the years for setting up dies for various bullets shapes/weights.
As to changing dies, I don't see the issue. Really, how hard or time consuming is it? I mean, we've all got 24 hours a day to spend doing something, what's a couple of minutes spent changing dies? I size a box of cases (or two) , change die, flare, change die, and then seat/crimp. Once properly set, it doesn't change the seating, etc. I do, however, have issues with Lee lockrings and that useless "o-ring" setup. It's very easy to upset the adjustment. I converted all my Lee dies to lockscrew rings.
I have no qualms tossing a round or two here and there that I've messed up. After all, components are relative cheap. I don't think I've ever tossed enough to equal the cost of a bullet puller, and that's after reloading since 1975. I've got maybe a box of "dummies" loaded over the years for setting up dies for various bullets shapes/weights.
As to changing dies, I don't see the issue. Really, how hard or time consuming is it? I mean, we've all got 24 hours a day to spend doing something, what's a couple of minutes spent changing dies? I size a box of cases (or two) , change die, flare, change die, and then seat/crimp. Once properly set, it doesn't change the seating, etc. I do, however, have issues with Lee lockrings and that useless "o-ring" setup. It's very easy to upset the adjustment. I converted all my Lee dies to lockscrew rings.
OP
novalty
Member
Well as an update, I went into Cabelas yesterday, and what a disappointment. Called on Friday to see if they had in CCI Small Pistol and Large Pistol primers, and the Associate was really helpful, even offered to set aside a brick of each in Customer Service. So get there and pick up the 38/357 carbide reloading dies first when things started going bad, not a single shell holder for 38/357 in the store-no RCBS, Hornady, Lyman or Lee--well they did have one in a Lee pack for $26.99. Next I check on a bullet puller and the only one they have in the entire store is a Cabelas brand. Next I planned to pick up a MTM ammo case for 9mm, and they had hardly any of those in stock--so settled for a Cabelas brand one. They finally called my number at the gun-counter and I asked about a few other products then asked if they had an CCI SP & LP primers--none on the shelf. Oh well at least I have some set aside at Customer Service, so go over there and lady brings out two boxes of CCI primer, top one being 500 Small Pistol, well put them in the cart and head over to see what I can get to reach $150 to use a $20 off coupon. Ended up getting one of their Media separators, a box of 22lr, and a small package of targets. Well I get home and get even more frustrated as I start emptying out the bag to discover the Large Pistol Primers are Magnums. So now I have to hope I can return/exchange them.
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264BORESTEVE
Member
Something I didn't see on your list or in your picture that isn't critical but I find very useful is cheap plastic funnel that will have decent flow for emptying the unused powder out of your Uniflow back into the powder can. I put my powder measure base mount bolts in from the bottom of the bench with a little epoxy to hold them so gravity doesn't make them fall out. Then I secure the base with wing nuts so I can detach the powder measure to empty quickly without having to crank out the remaining powder.
OP
novalty
Member
264BoreSteve, I do have the RCBS funnel on the bench, right now I have been able to stick the bottle of powder up to the bottom of the Uniflow and just crank the remainder of powder back into the bottle. I don't think I could add the bolts like you mentioned to my stand to remove it, do to the baseplate I am using, however, I could just remove the Uniflow from the top of the stand and funnel it back into the bottle, seems like it would be a lot quicker than cranking it charge by charge back into the container.
