What one item on your bench you cant do without

[gregj]

Of all the tools and items on your loading bench, what is the one tool or accessory that you feel is so useful, makes reloading easier, etc, that you dont want to do without? I dont mean press, bench, etc, because those basic items are needed. IOW, you can do the same thing with a single stage as you can a progressive press, a beam scale as you can a digital, an analog caliper as you can a digital caliper, a powder trickler as you can a digital powder dispense, a manual case trimmer as you can a case trimming station, etc, etc. The later provide a more effecient (usually) way of accomplishing the same task.

For me, it's my RCBS 1500 digital scale. My son gave it to me for Christmas, and it has made reloading so much less tedious. Working up test loads is a breeze now. My RCBS 505 beam scale sits in the cabinet, on stand-by.

 

[BADUNAME37]

My press.

 

[db_tanker]

Imperial sizing lube

 

[ranger335v]

Goodness, that's sorta like asking which link in a chain is most important isn't it?

Of all the possible links, I find anything digital to be the most expendable. I tried a digital dumpster a few years ago, had no difficulty walking away from it. I'll stick with my conventional powder handling tools, including a beam scale.

 

[gearjammer-2000]

i will second the imperial sizing wax, I found a small can of it at a yard sale a while back and now will not be without it.

 

[BADUNAME37]

I tried a digital dumpster a few years ago, had no difficulty walking away from it.

"Digital-DUMPSTER!"
I love it! LOL

 

[mbruce]

Caliper

some powder measures and presses may be more efficient but the caliper ensures the cartridge will be in position to fire....

 

[MMCSRET]

For me it would be my "coffee cup holder". After several spills over 50 years I finally wised up and mounted a holder that will keep the cup from being knocked over, works for soda cans too!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[cfullgraf]

I would have to say the bench legs.

I tried a digital dumpster a few years ago, had no difficulty walking away from it.

I use my digital dumpster once in a blue moon for working up new loads. It measures while I seat the bullet in the previously charged case. Easy to change the charge weight for the next group in the test.

Otherwise, it sits on the back of shelf.

It is way too slow for general reloading. I could certainly live without it, but since I have it, might as well use it.

 

[jmorris]

I'll go with the presses. Most of the other stuff is put away unless it is in use. The legs are pretty important but they are under the bench.

 

[grubbylabs]

I pod and Speakers. Music is a good thing.

 

[Walkalong]

Press.

Everything else is useless without it.

Everything on my bench could be replaced with another quality item. That is one good thing about reloading. There are so many good options. Favorites? Sure, I have them.

 

[gamestalker]

Wow, what one thing? I can think of far more than just one thing that would put the brakes on the entire hand loading process. Maybe you should change the context of your question some? How about, what one accesory or specialty tool or something along that line.
Probably my kinetic bullet puller. I really love that little jewel for fixing a over seated bullet when I get over zealous with the seater plug.
Or maybe the Dillon spray on case lube, love that stuff.
Or my competition dies, they make seating so much more coecentric.
But then it might be the RCBS priming die I've had since I started reloading almost 30 yrs. ago. That has to be the most consistent priming process I've ever used. certainly not the fast way, but it takes all the guess work out of priming depth.
I don't know if the chronograph counts, but it is a deffinite item I can't live without. It is a big part of the satisfaction maker. Knowing what velocity I'm making, gives a warm and squishy feeling.
My tumbler's are a neat part of my bench. Wouldn't want to be without them.
My reloading room. That's it. I think I did it. I found the one thing I simply can't live without. My reloading room is all mine, and and can't be invaded by Wife stuff, or anyone else. It's my area, and anyone caught in that room is knowingly tresspassing.
Well, I failed miserably at picking just one item I can't live without. Sorry about that chief!

 

[stork]

My 6" Mitotoyo calipers and 1" micrometer. After of course my press', dies, and powder measure.

 

[amlevin]

Storage bins. Without them I wouldn't even be able to see my bench.

 

[Hondo 60]

I agree there's lots more than just one thing I can''t do without.
Press, calipers, scale, reloading manuals.

 

[472x1A/B]

Reloading log book. Can't remember much anymore from week to week. Have to write everything down now to keep things in order. Guess working with too much JP-4 during the war. (?)

 

[gregj]

You guys are funny!

Maybe you should change the context of your question some? How about, what one accesory or specialty tool or something along that line.

This is what I was trying to post. Obvioulsy, a chain is useless without it's links (it's not even a chain any more). So obviously a press, etc, is just as important to the process. But you can do the same thing with a single stage as you can a progressive, a beam scale as you can a digital, digital calipers as you can analog, etc, etc. The digital scale was one of those "Aha" moments for me. I was just curious what others experience was.

 

[fguffey]

The companion tool to the press, the feeler gage, for most when the bolt closes the chamber gets dark and the light goes out, me? I reach for the feeler gage, when I want to control sizing, I reach for the feeler gage, when I check head space? Again, I reach for the feeler gage, if I want to know if a case whips my press and I want to know 'by how much', I reach for the feeler gage, if I purchase A FULL LENGTH SIZER DIE AND WANT TO KNOW IF SOME MISGUIDED RELOADER HAS GROUND THE BOTTOM OF THE DIE OFF FOR REASONS KNOW ONLY TO HIM, I REACH FOR THE FEELER GAGE, when sizing cases for chambers with as much as .016 thousands head space, I reach for the feeler gage, when I chamber a rifle I make gages that are as much as .012 thousands short of minimum length (.016 thousands short of go-gage length) to eliminate not knowing 'WHERE I AM' When I want to road test the rifle before finishing the chamber I size cases for a short chamber, to do that I reach for the feeler gage.



Sizing for long chambers and or short chambers, there is the wild guesstimate or the feeler gage.



F. Guffey

 

[Funshooter45]

A stack of $20 bills on the reloading table is vital. The bigger the stack, the more reloading you can do. When the stack gets small, it is difficult to buy powder or primers or any other newfangled gadget.

I second the notion that Fguffey mentioned about the feeler gauges. Once I finally figured out what he was talking about, I bought a set quite awhile back. Might be the best $6 I spent. They sure beat guessing about adjusting sizing dies to get the perfect amount of headspace. Much better than guessing about 1/2 turn or 1/8 turn or 1/32 of a turn on the die. If you want to move the die up precisley 0.009" (or any other number you want), then just put your appropriate feeler gauge on top of the shell holder and screw the die down until it hits the feeler gauge. No guessing involved. Very simple but overlooked by quite a few reloaders.

 

[swiftak]

My radio.

 

[NRA-Highmaster]

Gracey trimmer

 

[rcmodel]

Couldn't do without:
1. Loading blocks in many and varied sizes.
2. Lots of reloading manuals.
3. Digital or dial calipers.
4. RCBS hand priming tool.
5. Digital & Beam scales. One is very fast, and one is very accurate.

Of lesser importance, but used on every round I load:
1. Case tumbler, walnut media, and Flitz polish.
2. Primer pocket cleaner.
3. Lee "universal shell holder" assortment for RCBS hand primer tool.
4. Three powder measures, so I can leave a couple adjusted for standard loads I use over & over again.

On down the list in importence, but used all the time:
1. Case trimmer.
2. Qt. Zip-Lock Freezer bags for sorted fired brass, and storing prepped & polished brass.
3. Assorted Magic-Markers for color-coded load ID marking on primers.
4. Black Sharpie pen for permanent waterproof box labels.
5. .50 cal GI ammo cans for long-term ammo storage.

rc

 

[Bush Pilot]

You can see your bench? Are you some kind of neat freak or something?

 

[mbruce]

My cat likes to lay on the table while I reload.... she'll paw cases back and forth....

She's my favorite ...gets kinda boring after 2 hours of reloading...