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Old June 2, 2006, 01:07 PM   #26
skeeter1
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Not exactly reloading, but related

You'll need targets as well, and you might want to check out this site:

http://www.mytargets.com/

You can print them out for free. I've got a 10 yr. old dot-matrix printer and a giant box of paper down in the basement that I only use occasionally, but this sounds like a great way to save a few bucks.
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Old June 2, 2006, 01:31 PM   #27
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I use toothpicks to clean primmer pockets. Softer than brass and the right size to get in the flash hole.
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Old June 2, 2006, 01:36 PM   #28
Edward429451
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Oh! Those cheap ol aluminum cleaning rods can be put to good use.

Hacksaw off the inside threaded end and drill a 1/8" hole in the front of your load bench or brass working station, and epoxy it in there flush. Then your case neck brushes or primer brushes etc can be screwed right in for a one handed operation to speed things up a little. works great.
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Old June 2, 2006, 05:01 PM   #29
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Now that's cool!
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Old June 3, 2006, 12:06 AM   #30
SDLAW
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I picked up two rubber V blocks (used as a stop for the nose of a boat on the front of a trailer) at KMart....cheep. I screwed them to my bench @ 16" apart with drywall screws sunk into the bottom of the V. I put a nylon strap with a buckle under one of the blocks and ran a screw through it to hold it in place. Lay the gun in the blocks and use the strap to cinch it down and you have a great gun vise for about $15.00. You can also attach the blocks to a 2x4 and clamp it in your bench vise if space is a problem.
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Old June 3, 2006, 09:56 AM   #31
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If you have an inertial bullet puller (the hammer type), hide the stupid rubber ring and 3 piece collet and use your regular shell holder for that caliber. You never have to wonder which collet for which caliber. Or when the rubber ring goes you don't have to replace the collet. Works fine.

PS - The collet is slightly faster for the second and third bullet removal, but if the little difference is important(significant quantities of bullets to pull), you are using the wrong tool to pull the bullets.
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Old June 5, 2006, 10:38 AM   #32
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Additionally, with such pullers, poke a cotton ball or two down in them to keep from dinging up the nose of your bullets.
~z
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Old June 6, 2006, 08:38 PM   #33
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I do most of my bullet casting in the winter and shoot them when the weather is nice. I like to drop the slugs in cold water right from the mold. I have a 5 gallon bucket that I fill with snow (sorry, if you live in Tucson, this ain't gonna work) and some water. Snow is free and plentiful in NY and the bullets get real hard with the supercooled water.
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Old June 6, 2006, 10:01 PM   #34
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Cheap Media separater. By a cat litter box with the [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color] screen. Pour contents of tumbler in and shake, rattle and roll. Then contents of screen into baggie and box into tumbler. I use a slightly larger under the bed plastic storage container for the bottom. I can get wild and sloppy while separating.
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Old June 6, 2006, 10:23 PM   #35
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Tagged for reference
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Old June 7, 2006, 07:59 AM   #36
zeisloft
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Rick, good idea but where do the cats crap?
~z
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Old June 7, 2006, 11:07 AM   #37
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As I don’t have much space for reloading and my workbench has to serve as my reloading bench (2 sawhorses + 1 countertop from The Home Depot), I have to organize my stuff well:

• Put everything I need for reloading in standardized, stackable, transparent plastic boxes from the Container Store ($ 1.59 ea.) which I have to stow away in my garage. 1 box for every step of reloading: case prepping, case charging, bullet seating. As the boxes are transparent, I do not have to label them and see at first glance what they contain.

• Color coded the various calibers I shoot: green for Swedish Mauser, red for 8mm, blue for .308 and so forth. So I can hold apart the respective boxes (e. g. for cases or bullets), folders for targets/documentation and the like by their color or colored dots.

Built an inexpensive mount for my Wilson case trimmer: bolted 2 stacks of rectangular brackets (from ACE, $ 1.79 ea.) counter-L-wise to a plywood board, so that the trimmer fits snuggly between them. The board is clamped to my workbench and vertically held by the pressure I’m exerting on the case holder when I trim the cases with a power tool.
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Old June 7, 2006, 03:34 PM   #38
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In my shoe.
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DW 10mm CBOB, 10mm Experimental, .45 Pointman GD, .45 Patriot CCO. DW 744 VH .44 6", 715 VH .357 4". Fusion 10mm Longslide XM-10 Tactical Hunter. Glock 19c, Browning Buckmark, S&W 686 .357 4", 629 .44mag 8 3/8". Uberti Cattleman .45LC.
http://www.1911auto.org/forum/index.php?referrerid=24
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Old June 27, 2006, 12:48 PM   #39
maggys drawers
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On the loading bench-

I put down a upholstery sample in the work area. It keeps things from bouncing when dropped, can be replaced when it gets dirty and generally contains the crud, dirt and junk that accumulates. I go down to a carpet/upholstery shop and ask for any sample books they no longer use. They are more than happy to get rid of them and the sample size works great- usually about 12x18 inches.

Another trick that has saved me a lot of headaches is putting a piece of 1/4 round moulding along the front edge of the bench. Keeps cases, bullets and small gun parts from rolling off the bench.
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Old June 27, 2006, 12:49 PM   #40
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Those semi-disposable food containters with the snap on lids make great brass & bullet storage bins. They stack well and you can see whats inside.

Last edited by maggys drawers; June 27, 2006 at 12:56 PM. Reason: forgot to add
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Old June 27, 2006, 01:44 PM   #41
RevoRick
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As with the cove moulding I used my router to put a 3/8 inch v-groove in the table about 2 inches from the edge. It collects whatever goes rolling towards the edge and eventually the floor.
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DW 10mm CBOB, 10mm Experimental, .45 Pointman GD, .45 Patriot CCO. DW 744 VH .44 6", 715 VH .357 4". Fusion 10mm Longslide XM-10 Tactical Hunter. Glock 19c, Browning Buckmark, S&W 686 .357 4", 629 .44mag 8 3/8". Uberti Cattleman .45LC.
http://www.1911auto.org/forum/index.php?referrerid=24
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Old July 2, 2006, 11:57 PM   #42
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Place a blank label on every 1lb can of powder that you buy. Every time you use powder from that can write down how many grains that you used, that way you always know just how much power you have left in the can and how many rounds that you can load.
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Old July 3, 2006, 12:42 AM   #43
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Keep the plastic boxes that bullets come in. I use them to store small tools (chamfer/deburr, primer pocket cleaner, etc), reloading labels, and a bunch of other little crap that I was constantly trying to find.

Plus they stack, so they make organizing easier. Use a sharpie to label them.
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Old July 3, 2006, 01:02 AM   #44
918v
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The more you size, the more runout you get.

Quickload and RCBS Chargemaster 1500 powder dispenser are absolutely mandatory for any reloading effort.

Expensive equipment is so much nicer.

Use powders that offer 100% combustion and 100% load density.

Even the best of reloads wont shoot if the gun is a POS.
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Old July 3, 2006, 03:56 AM   #45
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I just pick up the can and shake it sako_75. That's how I tell how full the can is. I save money on labels that way.
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Old July 4, 2006, 07:55 AM   #46
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more learning

1) I drop a notecard in each powder measure (I currently only have 11) with the powder and charge weight.

2) My primary bench is carpeted.

3) I use the superb Lyman Reloading Data Record Log, and separate them into ring binders as "under .400"" and ".400" and up". Record EVERYTHING.

4) The LEE chamfer tool and primer pocket cleaner are super-handy; keep a set by each press.

5) An inexpensive Weight Check Set (mine's a $25 Lyman set) are used each and every time I set up my scale; safety first.

6) Number one suggestion for saving both time and money: when developing a load HAVE A GOAL.
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Old July 4, 2006, 01:51 PM   #47
castnblast
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I use Carb cleaner to get the "gook" out of my guns. Cleans w/ out residue. DON'T get it on plastic/rubber. It will eat up an O ring quicker than anything. It cleans powder residue w/ no scrubbing. Make sure to lube well, it dries quick and removes any and all lube.

Last edited by castnblast; July 4, 2006 at 01:53 PM. Reason: added afterthought.
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Old July 4, 2006, 03:48 PM   #48
Swan Hunter
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Use for old Lap Top

As generations of laptop computers pass by, snag one and use it for storing load data on spread sheets.
This is an old computer that may not even have a modem working it in...It is just for storing your keyed in info. Search function are great! I am sure you can buy an old laptop for cheap...
I use mine for gun inventory, powder inventory, load/gun performance testing. Make sure to back up your data...
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Old July 4, 2006, 04:23 PM   #49
Archie
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Shelving...

I've tried several different ideas, and even made my own. No more.

Gorilla racks. Locally available at an office furniture supply and Home Depot. They are self standing and will hold a ton of stuff.

I buy Avery peel and stick labels and use my computer to design and print my own reloading labels.

My blood lead level is elevated. So I bought a mask at Orchard Supply; they're labeled as suitable for lead particulants. It may not be real cheap, but it's cheaper than a funeral.

An old surplus metal desk makes a great reloading bench. Look in used office supply outlets.

BUY IN BULK!

Keep an old plastic bag at your cleaning bench. Rubber band it over the muzzle of rifle or shotgun to catch the dirty patches. Saves on cleaning solvent fumes, too.
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Old July 4, 2006, 08:45 PM   #50
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here is one from lee modern reloading vol2

mix sizing 1 part to 10 parts alcohol and get a small spray bottle and spray the casings before sizing/decapping......stretches the sizing compound and makes sizing a lot easier.
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