What Reloading Accessory Has Proven To Be Most Valuable?

Just like the title of the thread says, "what reloading
accessory has proven to be most valuable" in your
way of thinking? Please go to the polls and vote! :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

My vote goes for dial caliper. Lots of other handy accessories listed there, but I wouldn't be able to reload without a caliper.

Tumbler. I can't believe how many hours I wasted on washing and drying brass before getting a tumbler.

Other: My lubrisizer. It allows me to size and lube bullets I cast with my homebrewed lube that not only works better but costs less than 10% of commercial lubes.

I voted for the Powder Trickler. I have the nice RCBS one. Best 15 bucks I have spent. Saves a lot of time, and makes my loads super consistant.

I think some of the stuff in the poll is really more in line with convienient rather than valuable. To me a dial caliper is valuable because it lets me make sure I'm safely making cartridges. A powder measure or primer feed would be convenience features because they let me load more quickly and efficiently.

Having a knowledgeable experienced friend, or knowing a willing stranger (who will quickly become a friend) is worth vastly more than any gadget.

If you already are a knowledgeable and experienced friend (or stranger), pass it on!

Factory crimp die for me less loaded rejects

The biggest improvement for me in productivity was when I got the powder measure. I never use the trickler any more. The powder measure is accurate enough. Really boosts throughput vs. scooping and weighing individually.

Hand primer is a close 2nd, though.

While I wouldn't put it at the top, my electric primer tube filler is fairly high on the list. Using pick up tubes was extremely nerve racking.

dial caliper gets used for a lot more than just loading .....

Ala Dan ...... huge choice!!!

Being an engineer ... dial calipers are ''part of my furniture'' anyways ... but ya know - it's hard to come down on just one item .. multiple choice here would have been easier!

I voted Factory crimp .. mainly cos since having those I do feel ... rifle in particular - that consistency has gone up. However .. I have so many of the other things that ... these days ... I really would not want to be without, so choice is hard... can I say ALL!

BTW ... a suggestion I have made before ..... it is very easy to make a trickler ... well more a ''shaker'' I guess ....... over flare a 45 ACP case .... and into that insert a 44 mag case ..... one rejected for a small split works best. One needs deprimed .. put some powder in and use like a salt shaker ... pretty much a granule at a time comes out ... does what I need, and always has!

Hey-Hey-Hey Chris P95 -

You and I think a bit alike; cuz I too voted for the FCD.
Makes life a whole lot easier! :D Never thought of making
my own trickler; guess I'm too lazy, uh? :( Use the trickler
mainly when double checking "thrown" powder charges
from a measure. Guess its just habit? But I'm somewhat
of a perfectionist; I like for things to be "on the money"!

Might include the dial caliper, also? Gee, I guess all would
have been the correct choice.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

Other... My collection of loading manuals, books, and my records over the last 30 years.

Tom:D

I had to vote other. The most valuable piece of equipment for me so far has been my bullet puller. Following in a close second is a maximum cartridge gauge.

If we're talking Most valuable accessory, then it'd have to be the regular powder scale of course. I loaded an awful lot of rounds with just press, dies & scale. Pour powder in cereal bowl and tap it into the pan.

Calipers are extremely useful but I've loaded 1000's without one. Just been using them the last 8 or 10 years. Dunno how I got along without them but I shore did.

:p

Labels! I've loaded many different loads in the same caliber, 100s of each. Since they all go into different boxes that look the same, I'd be lost without labels... I have six 7.62x54R loads alone.... :D

I would vote *other* and say the RCBS Trim Mate is the best thing I ever bought. It has allowed me to deburr inside and outside of the case mouth, and de crimp military brass quickly as well as clean the primer pocket without finger fatigue.............Chainsaw

I had to vote "other" as my all time favorite accessory is my 8 year old daughter. I can't even look to the basement where my, "room" is located without her tagging along.....She has a great memory and is a big help to sort various brass, bullets,and the occasional, "oops", I spilled the spent primers all over the floor........As well as my constant companion:D

A lot of the items listed are conveniences, and a lot of them are necessary. But, to me the one thing that is a show stopper for accurate reloading if you don't have one is a scale. I can use a high quality ruler to replace a dial caliper if necessary. I can find work-arounds for many of the other necessary items or they are included in other devices not in the list (e.g., a primer seating device is part of the press), but without a scale, reloading is a guessing game and there ain't no room for guessing.

Dial caliper and scale, wouldn't even attempt to reload without both at hand.

Another vote for the kenitic bullet puller. Would've wasted a lot of componets when I first started out if it hadn't been for that.

Labels: I use Avery removable file folder labels available at WalMart or Staples. Enough room for the data yet they pull off easily. Stick pretty good while you're using them though, I even use them under the hood of my vehicles to record mileage at oil changes.

I voted other.

I load alot of pistol ammo on my dillon and that cheap frankford vibrating primer tube filler is the best thing ever. Man does that save you some tmie and work.

Hi Dan and everybody, I have to weigh in with REGULAR RELOADING SCALES. I can't tell you how many times it's come in handy. Mine is a Texan, going on 40 years old and still going strong. :D

Probably the best $50 I spent on reloading equipment was for my Lyman power deburring kit. The kit includes the rotary tool, large and small primer pocket reamers and cleaners, inside & outside deburring tools, and cleaning brushes. Prior to this, I used manual tools for all these tasks. The Lyman tools cut my case prep time down to 1/2 or 1/3 of what it was and has probably saved me from carpal tunnel problems.

Electronic scales are nice, but I got by for a long time without one. Not that my PACT is for sale.
The discontinued Flambeau Twin-60 loading blocks are very nice when I'm loading 50 round boxes of pistol ammo on my old RCBS Jr. Having 10 empty holes makes it easy to keep an empty row between processed and unprocessed cases.
The Whitetail Primer Pocket Uniformers saved a couple of batches of NEW brass from the scrap barrel. They're available from Russ Haydon now.

Bye
Jack

My favorite reloading accessories are my reloading manual library, magnifying goggles and glasses, good lighting, GI Ammo cans, a cement mixer, electrical case feeder, good conversation with a reloading buddy, good music and refreshing drinks.

Fitz

Ala Dan,
If you will allow a danged old shotshell reloader to participate...

-Scale
-Manuals
-Notebook ( pen and paper too)
-Opti-Visor
-Miss my Dazor Lamp
-Good Tunes
-Dog ( hey the dog helped me reload)
-Mentors, friends, and new re-loaders to teach.

Mentors, friends, and new re-loaders to teach Gooed one to include Steve .. wish I had more of that. It is good to share with others and help them along too.

I have friends .... but not enough of the reloader variety!

I voted for the regular scales, but that's really a necessity rather than an accessory, without a precision way to weigh the charge, you can't really do reloading. Some might say you can dip powder, but that's not really an acceptable technique.

My best resources have been reloading manuals and all the help a n00b like me gets here and at 1911 Forums. :) So I'd say my manuals are #1, and dial calipers #2.

Manuals, Notebooks, Ink Pen and Paper

Where would we be without these? Cuz, "the job
IS NOT done until the paperwork is complete"!

Very critical items, indeed. :) I love to keep vey
detailed records. It helps me share knowledge
with others; such as weapon testing data, load
performance, and even reloading secrets that
I've learned over the years!

My manuals and notebooks are full of information
that I've gathered over 30+ years of handloading.
And sharing this information is something that I
have enjoyed and cherished with some very fond
memories.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life member

In full aggreement with "all" sure are nice to have and to use , but I'd have to agree with Chainsaw my RCBS Trim-mate has made life immeasurably easier than any other individual piece of equipment.

I voted "other", for bullet puller.

I voted "other", for bullet puller.

I have yet to find a decent bullet puller....

For me, it was a tie between a powder measure, and a factory crimp die.
But the FC die wins out because it stops a case bulging problem that I'd been having with lead bullets for a long time.
I'd never load without one again.

Baby powder

was the electric casefeed on the dillon 650. That speeded things up. I do .45 acp by the thousands. I started making .308 blanks for a reenactment group also. I waited a long time to buy it, but it was worth it.

Unloading hammer! Really an accessory.
Scales and calipers are necessary. I use the calipers all over the place. I bought a good set long before I began reloading.

I marked vibratory tumbler - I spent a LONG time cleaning brass by hand.

But on reflection, maybe I should have put "Carbide sizing dies" instead. Around thirty years ago I started handloading pistol with ordinary steel dies, and every now and then, I just think back to how much more work it was when I had to lube cases before sizing.

which I formed into a case head stretch ring feeler. Darned good return on the investment. :D

Please es-plain. Did you see something on the cartridge case or in it that made you feel you needed to check further? Is this something you check on all cases when they reach a certain number of firings? Is this something you figured out on your own or did you read about it? Would you listen to the rambling? Sounds like my 5 year old grand-daughter. At 51 isn't it great to have a hobby/life that peaks your interest so much you continue to learn something new every day if you just ask. Thanks in advance.

Some rifles treat their brass poorly. Rimmed bottleneck cartridges are a good example, like the .303 British. I neck-size my .303 British rounds, but over time, the brass will stretch or grow, particularly near the case head. You often will see a bright stretch ring, which is a clue that the case head is about to let go.

But the bright stretch ring may not show, you need to find out for yourself the condition of the brass. Hence a stretch ring feeler, made from a straightened paper clip with a small right angle bend, sharpened to a straight edge to feel inside the case for that stretch ring.

Some gun and brass combinations, depending on their chamber dimensions, load pressure, and headspacing, may allow brass to be reloaded a dozen or so times. My M1 Garands are that way. Others allow only 2 or 3 reloadings before that stretch ring shows up. I've got one Lee-Enfield that does that, although I prolonged the onset of it's appearance by neck-sizing instead or full-length sizing.

Hope that helps.

I'm going to vote for this website, or more specifically the handloading section of this website...

All the latest gee-whiz gizmos are nice to have...

A good bunch of folks with untold hundreds of years combined experience, that are willing to help you out with a question is priceless...

Leo

Helps a lot, Gewehr98. I believe this is something I need to try on my fired rifle cases- on one rifle in particular. An Israeli FN K-98 in 7.62NATO. It headspaces great but I had 2 Winchester cases that cracked most of the way around about 3/8" up from the case head on just the second firing. I'll try it out .Thanks again.

Other....broom and dustpan!;)