Brass counter for reloading press

Very cool.
Do you mind posting what the cost was?
And how much effort it took to get it setup and working right?

I have made some out of old pedometers and magnetic switches etc.

But it’s pretty hard to beat a mechanical counter for ease and longevity.

Connect the thing to something that can pull on the spring and go. Easy to reset, no wires to get messed up or batteries to die.



And they cost about $5.

https://skycraftsurplus.com/5-digit...MIjYiK5f654AIVCsRkCh23SQgYEAQYBiABEgI90_D_BwE

I liked the mechanical counter on a Loadmaster . Hook it up to the chain from the powder charge . Then it only counts the actual cartridges that are being made . You Guys are fantastic at making things ! Way over my head to do !

I think the best thing about the electric ones I have done is where I can place the display. Easy to put it front and center.



Then again I have also done some that not only count up for the total but also count down primers too. That’s nice to know on the automated ones.

That'll work, but when I kept count, I kept the primer box labels. Kept track of primers for a few years, found I averaged about 12000/year for a while. It seems like I only do 1000 or so a year, but looking at the stack of primer boxes I haven't bothered to throw away, Im about 4000/year.

There is another way of doing it.


Hornady did it for you. A counter, Low primer alarm, primer slide, power hopper level, and case power alarm. And the good thing about it everything is out of the way the only thing that sticks out is the monitor.

The only drawback is the price. But an air mattress is a lot cheaper than a bed. But eventually, you are going to get tired of the air mattress.

Now, full discloser: I have never had the primer slide, powder hopper, or case power alarm go off. But it is comforting knowing that it is there.

First of I didn't knock you for doing something cheaper. If you notice when you came out with your cheap 3D printed case feeder I didn't have one post. The reason is that I know that everyone knows that Hornady makes a case feeder, and I didn't need to point it out. But not everyone knows that Hornady makes the Delux Control Panel and they need to know that it exists.

Now you think I have two Ammo-Plants to be cool. Let me in on something. I have FOUR Ammo-Plants. Not to be "cool" it's because I have had two strokes and a broken back. And my left side of my body just doesn't work the way it did when I was twenty. But I find no problem pulling the handle with my right hand.

You stated you "never understood the need fora primer alarm". Well, both Dillon and Hornady saw the need. Then you added, "same with powder, if your not looking at the measure cycle while loading your not paying attention." Well Dillon Hornady and RCBS saw a need for one.

Now, if you think you are the only one to come up with cheap fixes you need to go to the post "What clever little things have you "invented or discovered" that you can share?". You will see that I have four suggestions on just the case feeder alone. And all fixes cost under $20.00 and require just plane tools found in any garage. Oh, three of my suggestions have been adopted by Hornady with small modifications.

I'm not cool enough for a counter....I just let empty primer trays pile up & at end of run count those Or, more often, I know I want to run X amount, so will pull that many primers - when they're all gone, my run is finished & I have the amount of loaded rds I intended - minus any wasted primers along the way.

I LIKE how someone posts something and others show how they go about doing it. If nothing else it's interesting, but often gives you better overall picture of what would be best for your own setup if you'd like to do it.

I like the 8-ball handles too They look more comfortable. Any issue from the extra weight at end of handle?

The empty primer boxes work unless your just sizing/depriming and trimming, or other processes where you are not priming but would like to know how many cases are ready for the next operation. Like my roll sizers.

CMV said:

I'm not cool enough for a counter....I just let empty primer trays pile up & at end of run count those Or, more often, I know I want to run X amount, so will pull that many primers - when they're all gone, my run is finished & I have the amount of loaded rds I intended - minus any wasted primers along the way.

I LIKE how someone posts something and others show how they go about doing it. If nothing else it's interesting, but often gives you better overall picture of what would be best for your own setup if you'd like to do it.

I like the 8-ball handles too They look more comfortable. Any issue from the extra weight at end of handle?

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The Black 8 ball clashes, It should be a Red 3 Ball like mine

I didn't think about counter being useful for pre-processing stuff. Yeah, that would be helpful knowing there's X in that box already trimmed or whatever.

I did find counting loaded rounds is real easy with my postal scale. I know 1/2 the bin I use is X amount of loaded .223 or Y amount of 9mm, so I can quickly eyeball and fill it to appx 1/2 full. Then, set to weight in grams, I know exactly how many weigh X amount. It's sensitive enough that 1 round at a time changes displayed weight. My spot checks have demonstrated it's a very accurate count as long as counting all same bullet weights. Scoop up half a bin, weigh it, add/remove a few rds as needed to get target weight number, I know I have exactly 100. Repeat. It's really fast and a lot more accurate than just filling a can & saying "there's about 1200 9mm in that 30 cal can". I store loose in cans so I'm not counting filled plastic case boxes like a lot of people can.

I put 100 primers in the tube. When it's empty I have a count.

Unless there is a need to track number of rounds on the press so you know when to change the oil, filters and rotate something.

I need a round counter for my guns, so when I sell one and some asks "how many rounds through it" I have no idea!

I've been playing with these counters for a number of years. While a magnetic sensor is great I wanted something more precise that only activates when I've primed the round. (I sometimes miss one ;( ) I put my counter in a box and added a reset button and an "primed" light. There's also an anti-falsing circuit so that once it's been activated it won't count any more until it's reset. There's a micro switch at the top of the stroke to do the reset.

Rule3 said:

I put 100 primers in the tube. When it's empty I have a count.

Unless there is a need to track number of rounds on the press so you know when to change the oil, filters and rotate something.

I need a round counter for my guns, so when I sell one and some asks "how many rounds through it" I have no idea!

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Just say "LNIB, only one box of ammo through it" regardless of actual # or overall condition. That's the way EVERY used gun around here gets advertised

I hate that when someone asks about round count. I just say "a lot". I couldn't even guess reasonably close on any. I have a few ARs I built & a 1911 that I haven't gotten around to shooting yet - I know those are at 0. everything else.....I couldn't even tell you how many rounds on the current barrel, let alone the gun

Rule3 said:

I put 100 primers in the tube. When it's empty I have a count.

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My problem was I'd put 100 primers in, but end up with more or less number of rounds.

Okay, maybe I'm the only one this ever happens to. Maybe I'm doing it all wrong.

But my solution was the primer light/counter. If the green light don't come on then the round isn't primed. If I run out of primers and the counter doesn't say 100 (or visa-versa) then there's a problem.

Muddydogs said:

In the half a dozen or so look at what I built post over the last couple weeks there always has to be someone that shoots them down with my way is better, cooler or cheaper. It's a shame that we just can't say that cool and leave it at that or not say anything.

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But isn’t that why we come here? To share ideas and information? Maybe learn something?