Check out my loading blocks...

[dsm]

I am in the process of making myself some new loading blocks. The wood is very old maple(grandfather stashed during his time 40+ years ago!). I have 2 sizes, the smaller one drilled with a 1/2 forstner bit and the larger is drilled with a 9/16 forstner. The large block will hold magnums and the smaller works on .308 sized base. The finger groove is routed with a 1/2 corebox bit. Everything is finish sanded and coated with 3-4 coats of minwax spray on polyurethane.

The finger groove makes a world of difference moving around a full block of cases. No I just need to plane down some oak and walnut. I'm going to have loading blocks out of my wazoo!

 

[GLOOB]

Very nice! I'm jealous of your skills and toolset. Nice work!

 

[critter]

I like that a lot!

 

[Bowfishrp]

Way better than the POS block I did...of course mine was done far too quickly to make it work well. Good job!

 

[Rule3]

Those are really, really nice!

I have loading block envy.

You can sell those.

 

[jcwit]

Good work, keep putting your talents to good use.

 

[biga972]

Very nice.

 

[rcmodel]

Very nice!

Heres a tip.

I have some old Herters plastic loading blocks.
They hold 60, not 50 rounds.

The extra two rows of holes give you room to pick up emptys and set down charged cases a row away from the empty cases that are always in the way.

I much prefer them to blocks with 50 holes.

rc.

 

[floydster]

Yup, rc, I make my loading blocks to hold 60 rounds, the extra 2 rows is really nice.

 

[mcofboise]

****

Now I gotta go make a 30 or 60-round block out of exotic hardwood or birdseye or laminatated acrylic and retire MY POS block for 45-70 that was working JUST FINE until I was stricken with this case of tool envy. Thanks a lot.

mike

 

[floydster]

Mike, chill out, I still use some of my old 50 round loading blocks

 

[floydster]

Some of my 60 round loading blocks.

 

[Tomekeuro85]

I made some for myself a while back.... ALuminum, not wood but I like em. These particular ones are not mine though, someone else bought these and sent a pic

 

[floydster]

Wow, talk about classy!!! Now those are loading blocks!!

 

[mcofboise]

I had to look up those aluminum blocks; found a posting on snipershide for them. Very cool work and he shows a 25 round block with a milled out recess to hold the bullets you're loading.
Hmmm.

And now we've hijacked this thread from the guy doing the most awesome woodwork at the top...

mike

 

[oneounceload]

Midway USA USED to sell a 50 round wooden block made a gent in Idaho; then they stole his idea and had them made in China - I have some of those original blocks, and they looks like yours - very well made and destined to last a long time. That soured me on Midway for doing that to a budding entrepreneur...

 

[blarby]

Very nice stuff ya tooled there !

 

[Walkalong]

Very nice work! Looks great.

 

[Cranky CJ]

I had a scrap piece of trex (synthetic) decking that I cut into 18" lengths and then drilled the case holes in. drilled nice and clean and better yet, the 14 yr old made them which gave him some skin in the game of setting up our reloading outfit. they work well.

 

[flyskater]

You guys are out of my league. You make me feel like I am at the bottom of the food chain.

 

[Blue68f100]

Very Nice in both cases. The Al cost these days would make them real expensive. But may be cheaper if you using some exotic woods.

 

[ObsidianOne]

Very cool

 

[dsm]

Thanks for the props guys! I do want to make a couple more that has 55 or 60 holes so a row of cases can be segregated. I'm almost out of wood and I need to find time to dig more out and plane down.

floydster....interesting design...tell us more about them.

Tom, nice blocks! Wish I had a CNC shop to turn out cool stuff! I hope to get atleast a manual lathe in the near future so I can do my own barrels. And a mill afterwards...

 

[IMtheNRA]

Great job, dsm - those blocks look great!

 

[dickttx]

Repeat, nice job, dsm. I have always admired people who can do things like that, so well. Tying my shoe laces has always been a big fete for me.
+1 on the 60 round blocks. I have a couple of MTM's from the late 60's. Started looking for some more a couple of years ago when I started reloading again and could not find any. Also, 9mm was difficult to find. Ended up with a Lee Classic Turret and didn't need them.