How do you charge cases?

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Axis II

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What is your preferred way to charge a case? I was watching outdoor channel and they had Larry from midwayusa.com doing his little commercials and i noticed he carried the loading block full of cases over to the powder measure and charged the cases while they were still in the loading block. This got me thinking that instead of me reaching over case by case and charging them why don't I load them in the block, charge them and then use the flashlight to check each one. I only see one downside to this and that's how do you reach the cases in the center of the loading block?

Just looking for a faster way then i do now.
 
I've done it that way, using my RCBS Uniflow. You need a loading block that is not too wide to keep you from being able to reach the center row of cases, but you also don't want them spaced too close together, either. You could make a mount for the powder measure that has enough reach-over for the size loading block you have.

I've gotten to the point that either I use a press-mounted powder measure for my bulk ammo (progressive press or LCT), or I use my Chargemaster for precision ammo.
 
All of my brass is sized, deprimed, and trimmed.

Pistol, I have my priming arm, expander, funnel, and scoop ready. Ram down to prime, ram up to flare, pour a scoop, and set the charged case in the block to await seat and crimp.

Rifle, I have my priming arm, powder measure, and seating die ready. Ram down to prime, pull case, charge, reset case with bullet, ram up to seat. I do checks every so many rounds for charge weight, then dump the charge back into the case.

Like you, I don't see how my universal loading block (50 each of 2 different sized holes on the face) could work to charge all of the cases on my Lee PPM.
 
RCBS Uniflow and this stand... I can reach to the middle of a block... then turn the block around and reach the other side....

Powder-stand.jpg

Clarification ... I only use this method with pistol/revolver loading ... rifle is from block to measure by hand ...placed in another block ... weighing at intervals(depending on the powder in use)
 
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I use two loading blocks. Uncharged in one block. Take an empty case out, charge it, and place it in the other block and continue. I usually look in the case as I place it in the charged block just to make sure it looks the same as the others. This has been my method for years. Slow but I've never undercharged or double charged a case that way. I've never found a need for speed in reloading.

I've built a power measure stand with an articulated arm to place the measure where it is the most comfortable to use and it would permit me to use the Larry method but that isn't something I want to do.
 
Just to clarify a bit.

I made the comment about speeding things up-I don't speed load anything. In fact, rifle is all weighed and trickled it just takes forever doing things such as 38spl, 44mag and 45-70.

I usually size, flare, take the case out and charge it or use an empty 45-70 case when ones available and throw in the funnel on the flare die, seat and then crimp at a later date or separate step. I don't like using the pan as it sprays all over. With time being limited I tend to size some brass and set it aside and then flare another day and charge and seat another day and crimp another day. I only have 30-40min a week now days to load so I liked Larry's idea of charging and then right to bullet seating. I would think it would go a hair quicker if I had my prepped brass awaiting in the block, charge them all and then start seating in one of my 30min sessions. I only caught a quick glimpse of Larry charging them so didn't see the measure but now it makes sense after seeing Jimkirk's post. There is no way I can charge in a block with the LPPM. Charging in the block just seems faster instead of back and forth on the measure.
 
Usually I use a dillion progressive, when I single load I am weighing each charge, then I charge each case while it is in the loading block, then double check I din't miss one. then load all cases.
 
When I first started out with a single stage I used a uni flow powder measure. For higher volume stuff I would stand my cases up in a loading block and would hold the powder measure in my left hand and set it on each case to dispense charges. For rifle stuff I would drop a charge in the scale pan and trickle up.

The two methods I use now are either the autodrum measure mounted on top of dies in my turret or progressive, or a Lyman electronic powder dispenser. I've no time to deal with single stage or loading blocks anymore. The brass goes from the bucket to the press and doesn't come out till its a finished round.
 
I've never been comfortable putting a block full of cases under a powder measure and pulling the handle 50 times. I have never been in a hurry so I charge each case individually; primed and ready cases are in a plastic sandwich container, one is removed, charged with powder and placed in the loading block. For a load work up, I will often weigh each charge, but normally I'll weight every 5th to 10th charge depending on how well the powder meters. When all the cases are charged, I'll use my mini-mag and look in every case, then seat/crimp. I had a squib in 1970, none since and never a Kaboom...
 
mdi said:
I've never been comfortable putting a block full of cases under a powder measure and pulling the handle 50 times. I have never been in a hurry so I charge each case individually; primed and ready cases are in a plastic sandwich container, one is removed, charged with powder and placed in the loading block. For a load work up, I will often weigh each charge, but normally I'll weight every 5th to 10th charge depending on how well the powder meters. When all the cases are charged, I'll use my mini-mag and look in every case, then seat/crimp. I had a squib in 1970, none since and never a Kaboom...
Click to expand...
You know it just dawned on me that if i did as Larry and charged them all i cant weigh every 5th-8th like i normally do. Well i guess this is out of the question. :(
 
Empty primed cases in loading block
Pick up case and charge from drop, or use a funnel and pour from ChargeMaster pan
Immediately seat bullet so I dont double charge
Put completed round in ammo box
 
My RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme press kit came with a flat 'bar' where you can mount the drop in one end and use a die to secure the opposite end in the press.
Gives you enough room to fill a RCBS block around underneath the drop.

With that being said,,, My blocks (7) , various powder funnels (!!!) and powder measure stands (2) are all gathering dust.
Almost the same with my Rock Chucker,,,
My LNL AP see's all that work now,,, (Using either the provided powder measure or a Hornady 'powder funnel die' used with a dispenser)
 
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ohihunter2014 said:
i cant weigh every 5th-8th like i normally do
Click to expand...
Get a dispenser and you can weigh every single one,,,
That's what I use for 'loads that matter'.

Consistent 'Mass/bulk' reloads are easy enough to do with most any powder drop when using ball powder.

What powder(s) are you using?
 
I always charge the cases while in the loading block using an RCBS Uniflow, it minimizes the number of hand motions required to fill the cases. After I have filled the cases I look into the cases to be sure each one is filled to the same level. Then I weigh a sample of the cases to be sure nothing changed while loading.

In over thirty years of using this method I have never under or over charged a case that I was not immediately aware of. The key is to establish a cadence when operating the powder measure handle so that you get consistent powder drops.
 
JimKirk said:
RCBS Uniflow and this stand... I can reach to the middle of a block... then turn the block around and reach the other side....

View attachment 809994

Clarification ... I only use this method with pistol/revolver loading ... rifle is from block to measure by hand ...placed in another block ... weighing at intervals(depending on the powder in use)
Click to expand...

Thats a nice looking stand! Did you make it?
 
I've done it the way Larry does in the video. If you do, take an extra good look into all of the cases, looking for either a missed charge or a double charge. If I'm loading an extruded powder I dispense them out on my Chargemaster and dump them into the case with a powder funnel.
 
ohihunter2014 said:
You know it just dawned on me that if i did as Larry and charged them all i cant weigh every 5th-8th like i normally do. Well i guess this is out of the question. :(
Click to expand...

Sure you can. Charge them all in order and weigh the last one in each row. If you leave the loading block on the bench and just bring the measure to the cases you can make really quick work of it. I used to do like 150 cases at a time in like 5 minutes. Your also alot less likely to jostle and spill this way. Just don't bump the trays after they are all full! :uhoh:
 
I have a couple powder measures secured to a shelf at a convenient height along with a Lee funnel with a hole in the handle on rim attached as well. I fill all of them in a loading block (60) at a time flipping loading block around to get cases in back then seat bullets after checking the propellant level is the same in all. This for straight wall ammo. For bottle necked ammo, one loading block with brass primer up to the left. Measure or funnel and dipper in front of me, then dip/drop charge in case after inverting it. Then into loading block to right until all 60 filled. Then check levels with flashlight followed by seat bullet. There may be faster ways to do it but SO FAR in 30+ years reloading no squibs or overcharges. YMMV
 
ohihunter2014 said:
What is your preferred way to charge a case? I was watching outdoor channel and they had Larry from midwayusa.com doing his little commercials and i noticed he carried the loading block full of cases over to the powder measure and charged the cases while they were still in the loading block. This got me thinking that instead of me reaching over case by case and charging them why don't I load them in the block, charge them and then use the flashlight to check each one. I only see one downside to this and that's how do you reach the cases in the center of the loading block?

Just looking for a faster way then i do now.
Click to expand...
Using a single stage press, I use the RCBS powder measure on a stand (talking about pistol brass, not rifle). The block is rectangular and I can get 3 of the 5 rows in one pass and then turn it around to do the other 2. Been doing it that way for 35 years. I use the wooden blocks from Midway that used to be made by a guy in Idaho until Larry took production overseas; they're not as wide as some of the Universal plastic loading blocks and are designed to fit a smaller range of brass sizes.

They look something like this:
mAgkGdmIoeuFIx5h78jgLKw.jpg
 
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Several decades ago, when I loaded on a single stage, I charged everything (pistol and rifle) in the loading block.

Today, I still use the single stage Ultramax and Orange Crusher presses a little, but the amount of ammo loaded is so small I don't mind handling the cases.
 
Depends on the purpose and powder.

Handguns and volume rifle (.223 & 7.62) get done on one of my Dillons using ball or flake powder that meters well through those measures. For standard rifle cartridges I use one of my Harrell's and a flake or ball that meters well. For the extruded powders & precision rounds I use a combination of a Harrell's, tuned RCBS 10-10 scale, an electric trickler and a web cam:

U54zdy6.jpg
 
I use a loading block and a funnel... measure each charge on the 5-0-5, and then dump it in the case, rinse and repeat. I have a stand for my powder measure, but I don't really have the room on the bench, mine is quite small, so I just do it the way I started with waaaaay back in Nineteen hundred and eighty-six. Mass produced cartridges get measured through the Hornady powder drop on the press.
 
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