What Reloading Accessory Has Proven To Be Most Valuable?

[JackM]

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

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Favorite accessories

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

 

[sm]

Regular scales

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.

 

[P95Carry]

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!

 

[g56]

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.

 

[Valkman]

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.

 

[Ala Dan]

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

 

[kimbernut]

Most valuable reloading accessory

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.

 

[J Miller]

I voted "other", for bullet puller.

 

[Third_Rail]

I voted "other", for bullet puller.

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

 

[caz223]

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.

 

[Smoke]

Baby powder

 

[swager]

For me it

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.

 

[MrPhil]

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.

 

[HankB]

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.

 

[Gewehr98]

That paper clip...

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

 

[kimbernut]

Gewehr98

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.

 

[Gewehr98]

No problem.

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.

 

[243_shooter]

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

 

[kimbernut]

Paper clip

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.

 

[1911lover]

Other....broom and dustpan!