Tips and Tricks

[AzDak42]

I remember watching a master home builder a few decades ago and coming to realize the difference between someone that knows a thousand ways to work smarter and someone like me who could swing a hammer and usually not hit my thumb. Seems to me the masters at their craft have always come up with ways to work faster, cleaner and more efficiently.

I'd love to hear what tips/tricks you might have for reloading that you'd want to share.

The only one I've found so far is that I put a tiny sharpie mark on my seating die knob, so I can more accurately know how far I'm adjusting my die down with each iteration of seating. I also found that for a given cartridge, if I run a few of the first full turns down on the die, I can get an idea of how much deeper I seat with each revolution. So it's easier to keep from over adjusting.

 

[Mountain Goat]

If you use a kinetic bullet puller, try using a shell holder instead of the fragile factory rubber-banded bushing. All you have to watch for is gravity if the open end of the shell holder is facing downward.

I use a press-mounted collet-style puller and like it much better.

 

[muleman]

AZDAK42,
Great topic! I've learned alot just from the manuals and from this forum and consider myself an accomplished novice but I know I have a lot to learn especially the "art" and tricks of the trade that would make us better and more efficient. Here's to all the old pros chiming in.
Scott

 

[dragger201]

I remember watching a master home builder a few decades ago and coming to realize the difference between someone that knows a thousand ways to work smarter and someone like me who could swing a hammer and usually not hit my thumb. Seems to me the masters at their craft have always come up with ways to work more faster, cleaner and more efficiently.

As a master builder I can tell you this.....whether building a home or reloading a cartridge........it's all about the tools. Improvisation is wonderful........BUT only after you have mastered the tools and their uses.

Specifically for reloading one of the most useful tools is my vernier calipers. I measure everything............twice.

 

[338winmag]

What I feel is a priceless tool is the Digital Headspace Gauge from Innovative Technologies.

Thanks
338winmag

 

[FOTIS]

When seating any bullet...

Seat 1/2 way rotate case 180 degrees seat all the way.

 

[DrMike]

Seat 1/2 way rotate case 180 degrees seat all the way.

+1


SOP

 

[C.Smith]

Thats an interesting one, does that help and assure that it is being seated straight? I wish I had more to share on tricks.

Corey

 

[SJB358]

Great topic! I have learned so much since being here, I wished I could give more back!

 

[rick smith]

The rotating 180degrees while seating will not help if your cases don't have good runout and your dies/press/shell holder aren't concentric. Tried it many times and checked with a runout gauge. Time is better spent centering the seating stem in the die.
Polishing the expander balls and using a dry lube on the case necks will make sizing much easier, lessen pulling the shoulder forward and normally gives better runout of sized cases.Rick.

 

[Guy Miner]

From what I've seen, I'd have to agree with Rick Smith.

There might be some improvement with turning the bullet while seating - but the real fix is better control of keeping the case and bullet straight.

This is where some case prep, and quality match-grade dies can help produce that straight, accurate ammo we all want.

 

[Wis65x55]

RCBS powder trickler
Tipped the darn thing over one too many times. Solution, filled the bottom hollowed out cavity with lead shot and epoxy.

 

[Guy Miner]

Hmmm. Never tipped over my powder trickler - but I knocked the cap off my powder measure so often that I finally just taped it on with electrical tape. It needs to be re-taped every four or five years. I can live with that!

 

[ScreaminEagle]

Don't forget to shut the knob on your Hornady lock-n-load powder dispenser after you empty the powder! I don't know how much powder has been dumped on my bench before I wrote SHUT!!! on it with a sharpie. :roll:

Keep your bench clean!

Don't rush. We reload cause it's fun not because it's a chore we need to fly through. You hurry you make mistakey!

Don't get too technical about it when you first start out. You'll go crazy.

 

[widgeon]

Tip 1- Follow this forum. If your questions or concerns are not answered in existing threads, just ask. :mrgreen:

Tip-2 Prior to working up a new load, do as much research as possible, know what you are trying to achieve and boil it down to a short list. This will help prevent buying components that will sit on the shelf, wind up with rounds that aren't used and most importantly... save time.

 

[DrMike]

Don't get too technical about it when you first start out. You'll go crazy.

So that's how I got this way! Now I know!

 

[Wincheringen]

I chased seating the bullet straight for a while. An RCBS Competition seater die is essential for me. It definitely makes those .204s a lot easier and is much easier on .22 Hornet. I practically use it for everything now.

 

[muleman]

Don't forget to shut the knob on your Hornady lock-n-load powder dispenser after you empty the powder! I don't know how much powder has been dumped on my bench before I wrote SHUT!!! on it with a sharpie. :roll:

:shock: You mean I'm not the only one who's done that!

Scott

 

[SJB358]

:shock: You mean I'm not the only one who's done that!

Scott

Oh yeah, same here! I was almost mad enough to throw it! I lost a bit of precious powder till I figured out how to empty it...

 

[RDub]

1) NEVER have more than ONE canister of powder on the bench at one time. This way there is never any confusion with what powder you are working with.. If for some reason you have to leave the bench for a while, or forget to put away the powder that is in the measure.

2) When using a kinetic pullet puller, place a cotton ball in the bottom of the well. This gives a bullet a softer place to land if you inadvertently cause the bullet to fly out too fast.
And when removing bullets in this way, as the bullet is getting closer to exiting the case, start tapping a little softer so the bullet just 'drops' out.. If possible.