Least Favorite Task

roy reali · May 27, 2008, 09:32 PM

There are many steps involved in reloading. Many things have to be done to get from empty case to a new loaded round. I enjoy most of the steps in this process. There are a couple of steps I I don't enjoy. There is one step I wish I could skip. That is adjusting the powder measure to throw the correct charge. On light loads I'll even use a Lee Dipper to get around this.

What is your least favorite task in the reloading process?

amamnn · May 27, 2008, 09:54 PM

Mine used to be the same as yours, until I got a digital scale/powder dispenser combo. Now I can go from one size drop to another just by restetting the dispenser and entering the new drop data. That takes about 3 seconds.

joneb · May 27, 2008, 10:18 PM

Ball powder

Sevens · May 27, 2008, 10:26 PM

Setting up a powder measure can get annoying, but there's nothing worse in all of reloading than cleaning primer pockets. Seriously, that's a suck job.

That's why I quit on any/all/every handgun round I will ever load.
I will continue to do it for rifle rounds.

I can sort brass for hours. I probably have more fun chasing down brass at the range than most people. (well, when it's free left brass... if it's my brass, then it's annoying)

But cleaning primer pockets beats everything.

Hook686 · May 27, 2008, 10:31 PM

Loading my .357 & .44 magnums with W296.

DWARREN123 · May 27, 2008, 11:01 PM

Checking the brass for useability.

Darren007 · May 27, 2008, 11:37 PM

Case prep...all of it!!!!

Its not that bad it just gets tedious after awhile.

Wildalaska · May 27, 2008, 11:59 PM

I hate case prep

WildespeciallytheanalityofitAlaska TM

dipper · May 28, 2008, 12:11 AM

For some reason, I hate trimming to length--don't mind the other stuff.

Dipper

rg1 · May 28, 2008, 02:02 AM

I enjoy it all but in small amounts. Seems the case prep on a thousand rounds of .223 get's very tiring. I can load a 100 rounds of anything and don't mind any or the process but large lots tire me. Not enough to stop though. The best part is charging and seating the bullet and having a loaded round ready for the range. I still use a single stage presses and have 3 lined up and use them for separate operations.

45Marlin carbine · May 28, 2008, 06:05 AM

I use dippers to load through the Lee powder-thru-expander die (pistols). fine powder seems to give the Lee measure fits. but stick powder it's fine with.
I have 2 single presses set up in tandem, so when loading many pistol rounds I usually have a shooting buddy run the seating/crimp operation after I get it set. not near as fast as a progressive but we can knock out 300 in a short while. I quit cleaning primer holes for range ammo (pistol and rifle - just a look-see for blockage) except for hunting and s-d ammo.
seating primers is a pain IMO.

SL1 · May 28, 2008, 07:53 AM

A lot of case prep can be done while watching TV or chatting with the wife. It does not require much attention. So, I can wipe cases, clean primer pockets, trim to length, and even seat primers by hand while doing something else that keeps the boredom from setting in. There are always batches of cases in various stages of prep that allow me to make some progress while otherwise engaged, and that tends to leave me with a bunch of clean, sized, flared and primed cases when I am ready to get serious and charge powder and seat bullets.

Charging powder is my least favorite task, because it requires strict concentration and is hard to "mechanize" reliably for several of the powders and charges that I use. For small pistol cartridges with fast powders, I don't even like my digital scale. It does not seem sensitive enough to change when I trickle another 0.1 grain onto it, then jumps. I have to nudge the darn thing a few times before I believe the reading. So, I use the balance and trickle when 0.1 grain counts. I'm still trying to get my powder measure to throw 3.8 grains of Clays with only +/- 0.1 gr. Maybe someday.

SL1

dodgestdshift · May 28, 2008, 09:32 AM

Case trimming.

Sevens · May 28, 2008, 10:07 AM

I've found that I can't do as much away from the bench (and in front of the TV with the wife) as I'd like. For these reasons:

--cleaning primer pockets and especially trimming cases is dirty work that spread dirt everywhere. To combat it, I bring up a huge rubbermaid tub from the man-cave and attempt to drop all the dirty stuff in it when working away from the bench. Still sucks.

--I don't have a hand primer, I use a press mounted primer and I'd rather go that way. Already have a full set of shellholders -- don't want to have to buy another full set for some silly hand-priming tool, I'd rather use the press.

--Don't care to lube brass away from the bench either, because it doesn't size as easily when the lube dries. Tough to be diligent and run down to the bench as soon as I have 50 or 100 cases lubed.

As for measuring small pistol charges and getting annoyed with the 0.1 grain inconsistencies with scale reads, I hear ya. In my opinion, there's one best method for this-- setting up a volumetric powder measure as best you can and roll with it. IMO, better than hand-weighing each charge. Sure, you may not have 3.8 grains in each case... maybe it's 3.7 or 3.9, but using a sturdy volumetric tool (even better with a baffle) and it gives you the best chance at consistency which should translate to the tightest groups.

The only possible way I could imagine being more consistent would be to spend $1000 on a better scale, or count actual powder granules. (which would obviously be the work of a madman)

Crimp · May 28, 2008, 10:43 AM

About all I do anymore is handgun ammo, and I don't have a major problem with any of the steps.

Manual primer-pocket cleaning is a pain in the, uhhh, hand, but I don't do it very often. Setting up the powder drop isn't too bad. I use a Lee micro bar and spherical powders and log the number for each load. It's a pretty quick setup with only minor adjustments to get on the money.

All in all, I'd rather be reloading than going to work...

sargenv · May 28, 2008, 10:49 AM

I think my least favorite task to do for reloading is Swaging military primer pockets on 223 brass. The only good thing about it is that you need only do it once to the brass.

Wildalaska · May 28, 2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

The only possible way I could imagine being more consistent would be to spend $1000 on a better scale, or count actual powder granules. (which would obviously be the work of a madman)

Really?...I think I am quite normal thank you.....

WildmanyofussittherewiththetweezersAlaska ™

putteral · May 28, 2008, 02:19 PM

Primer Pocket Cleaning first then seating the primers with my Lee Auto Prime.
Have a little arthritis in my hands.

Scorch · May 28, 2008, 02:25 PM

Deburring and chamfering cartridge case necks. Makes my fingers sore.

primlantah · May 28, 2008, 03:10 PM

smashing my finger between cases and dies. it seems like a necessary step for me but i hate it.

CPTMurdoc30 · May 28, 2008, 03:23 PM

Cleaning primer pockets then trimming. my trimmer can't be mounted on my bench as 75% is already alocated to reloding as it is and it is suposed to be a do it all bench weedwacker, lawnmower, toy, and gun repair and reloading. So I have my trimmer located on a small kitchen cabinet where my tumbler is I have to either bend way over hurting my back or sit which hurts my back as well......

gandog56 · May 28, 2008, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Setting up a powder measure can get annoying, but there's nothing worse in all of reloading than cleaning primer pockets. Seriously, that's a suck job.

I just chuck a Lee primer pocket cleaner into my electric drill. Half a second, it's done.

DFrame · May 28, 2008, 04:18 PM

I HATE applying and removing case lube. I cant understand why no one can make a set of dies(maybe with more than one carbide ring) for bottleneck cases that doesn't require lube. I've gone so far as to avoid bottle neck cases just so I wont have the hassle of lubing and cleaning.

Big Caliber · May 28, 2008, 05:30 PM

Case trimming

Hawg · May 28, 2008, 05:57 PM

Quote:

or count actual powder granules. (which would obviously be the work of a madman)

Been there, done that. Don't compete anymore so no need to now.

Quote:

I HATE applying and removing case lube.

Likewise. I'd rather pick powder granules with tweezers.

May 27, 2008, 09:32 PM	#1
roy reali Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2005 Posts: 3,248	Least Favorite Task There are many steps involved in reloading. Many things have to be done to get from empty case to a new loaded round. I enjoy most of the steps in this process. There are a couple of steps I I don't enjoy. There is one step I wish I could skip. That is adjusting the powder measure to throw the correct charge. On light loads I'll even use a Lee Dipper to get around this. What is your least favorite task in the reloading process?

May 27, 2008, 09:54 PM	#2
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	Mine used to be the same as yours, until I got a digital scale/powder dispenser combo. Now I can go from one size drop to another just by restetting the dispenser and entering the new drop data. That takes about 3 seconds. __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

May 27, 2008, 10:26 PM	#4
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Setting up a powder measure can get annoying, but there's nothing worse in all of reloading than cleaning primer pockets. Seriously, that's a suck job. That's why I quit on any/all/every handgun round I will ever load. I will continue to do it for rifle rounds. I can sort brass for hours. I probably have more fun chasing down brass at the range than most people. (well, when it's free left brass... if it's my brass, then it's annoying) But cleaning primer pockets beats everything. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

May 27, 2008, 10:31 PM	#5
Hook686 Senior Member Join Date: May 22, 2005 Location: USA The Great State of California Posts: 2,090	Loading my .357 & .44 magnums with W296. __________________ Hook686 When the number of people in institutions reaches 51%, we change sides.

May 27, 2008, 11:01 PM	#6
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: January 22, 2006 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 1,758	Checking the brass for useability. __________________ Have a nice day!

May 27, 2008, 10:18 PM	#3
joneb Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2005 Location: Central , OR Posts: 1,888	Ball powder

May 27, 2008, 11:37 PM	#7
Darren007 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,053	Case prep...all of it!!!! Its not that bad it just gets tedious after awhile.

May 27, 2008, 11:59 PM	#8
Wildalaska Junior member Join Date: November 25, 2002 Location: In my own little weird world in Anchorage, Alaska Posts: 14,172	I hate case prep WildespeciallytheanalityofitAlaska TM

May 28, 2008, 12:11 AM	#9
dipper Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2008 Posts: 895	For some reason, I hate trimming to length--don't mind the other stuff. Dipper

May 28, 2008, 02:02 AM	#10
rg1 Senior Member Join Date: November 6, 2001 Posts: 1,125	I enjoy it all but in small amounts. Seems the case prep on a thousand rounds of .223 get's very tiring. I can load a 100 rounds of anything and don't mind any or the process but large lots tire me. Not enough to stop though. The best part is charging and seating the bullet and having a loaded round ready for the range. I still use a single stage presses and have 3 lined up and use them for separate operations.

May 28, 2008, 06:05 AM	#11
45Marlin carbine Junior member Join Date: January 26, 2007 Location: South-Western North Carolina Posts: 1,124	I use dippers to load through the Lee powder-thru-expander die (pistols). fine powder seems to give the Lee measure fits. but stick powder it's fine with. I have 2 single presses set up in tandem, so when loading many pistol rounds I usually have a shooting buddy run the seating/crimp operation after I get it set. not near as fast as a progressive but we can knock out 300 in a short while. I quit cleaning primer holes for range ammo (pistol and rifle - just a look-see for blockage) except for hunting and s-d ammo. seating primers is a pain IMO.

May 28, 2008, 07:53 AM	#12
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	A lot of case prep can be done while watching TV or chatting with the wife. It does not require much attention. So, I can wipe cases, clean primer pockets, trim to length, and even seat primers by hand while doing something else that keeps the boredom from setting in. There are always batches of cases in various stages of prep that allow me to make some progress while otherwise engaged, and that tends to leave me with a bunch of clean, sized, flared and primed cases when I am ready to get serious and charge powder and seat bullets. Charging powder is my least favorite task, because it requires strict concentration and is hard to "mechanize" reliably for several of the powders and charges that I use. For small pistol cartridges with fast powders, I don't even like my digital scale. It does not seem sensitive enough to change when I trickle another 0.1 grain onto it, then jumps. I have to nudge the darn thing a few times before I believe the reading. So, I use the balance and trickle when 0.1 grain counts. I'm still trying to get my powder measure to throw 3.8 grains of Clays with only +/- 0.1 gr. Maybe someday. SL1

May 28, 2008, 09:32 AM	#13
dodgestdshift Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2002 Location: Marilla, N.Y. (outside Buffalo N.Y.) Posts: 113	Case trimming. __________________ The shortest distance between two politicians is through your wallet. Don N.

May 28, 2008, 10:07 AM	#14
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	I've found that I can't do as much away from the bench (and in front of the TV with the wife) as I'd like. For these reasons: --cleaning primer pockets and especially trimming cases is dirty work that spread dirt everywhere. To combat it, I bring up a huge rubbermaid tub from the man-cave and attempt to drop all the dirty stuff in it when working away from the bench. Still sucks. --I don't have a hand primer, I use a press mounted primer and I'd rather go that way. Already have a full set of shellholders -- don't want to have to buy another full set for some silly hand-priming tool, I'd rather use the press. --Don't care to lube brass away from the bench either, because it doesn't size as easily when the lube dries. Tough to be diligent and run down to the bench as soon as I have 50 or 100 cases lubed. As for measuring small pistol charges and getting annoyed with the 0.1 grain inconsistencies with scale reads, I hear ya. In my opinion, there's one best method for this-- setting up a volumetric powder measure as best you can and roll with it. IMO, better than hand-weighing each charge. Sure, you may not have 3.8 grains in each case... maybe it's 3.7 or 3.9, but using a sturdy volumetric tool (even better with a baffle) and it gives you the best chance at consistency which should translate to the tightest groups. The only possible way I could imagine being more consistent would be to spend $1000 on a better scale, or count actual powder granules. (which would obviously be the work of a madman) __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

May 28, 2008, 10:43 AM	#15
Crimp Senior Member Join Date: November 1, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 276	About all I do anymore is handgun ammo, and I don't have a major problem with any of the steps. Manual primer-pocket cleaning is a pain in the, uhhh, hand, but I don't do it very often. Setting up the powder drop isn't too bad. I use a Lee micro bar and spherical powders and log the number for each load. It's a pretty quick setup with only minor adjustments to get on the money. All in all, I'd rather be reloading than going to work... __________________ -Montani Semper Liberi- West Virginians: Consider joining the West Virginia Citizens Defense League.

May 28, 2008, 10:49 AM	#16
sargenv Member Join Date: May 29, 2007 Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 72	I think my least favorite task to do for reloading is Swaging military primer pockets on 223 brass. The only good thing about it is that you need only do it once to the brass.

May 28, 2008, 02:19 PM	#18
putteral Senior Member Join Date: May 17, 2008 Location: Homosassa,Florida Posts: 206	Primer Pocket Cleaning first then seating the primers with my Lee Auto Prime. Have a little arthritis in my hands.

May 28, 2008, 02:25 PM	#19
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	Deburring and chamfering cartridge case necks. Makes my fingers sore. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

May 28, 2008, 03:10 PM	#20
primlantah Registration in progress Join Date: November 2, 2007 Posts: 110	smashing my finger between cases and dies. it seems like a necessary step for me but i hate it.

May 28, 2008, 03:23 PM	#21
CPTMurdoc30 Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2008 Location: Stafford VA Posts: 969	Cleaning primer pockets then trimming. my trimmer can't be mounted on my bench as 75% is already alocated to reloding as it is and it is suposed to be a do it all bench weedwacker, lawnmower, toy, and gun repair and reloading. So I have my trimmer located on a small kitchen cabinet where my tumbler is I have to either bend way over hurting my back or sit which hurts my back as well...... __________________ Solving Virginia's Ground Hog problems 50gr at a time.....

May 28, 2008, 04:18 PM	#23
DFrame Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2008 Location: central Illinois Posts: 451	I HATE applying and removing case lube. I cant understand why no one can make a set of dies(maybe with more than one carbide ring) for bottleneck cases that doesn't require lube. I've gone so far as to avoid bottle neck cases just so I wont have the hassle of lubing and cleaning. __________________ Mark Lane to William Buckley: "Have you ever referred to Jessee Jackson as an ignoramus?" Buckley: "If I didn't, I should have"

May 28, 2008, 05:30 PM	#24
Big Caliber Senior Member Join Date: October 10, 2006 Location: S. CA Posts: 421	Case trimming