Thread: Nice to haves

You can get by without a lot of flash items when you start reloading, but sometimes you just go and get a bit of kit and it works well.
Lets here your whys and what you haves, that make life a little easier.

I'll start with an electronic dispenser.
I was always against these and they are by no means a neccesity, but I have found that they speed up the reloading process and allow me to concentrate on other matters when I am at the bench.
A few observations, level them everytime, warm them up for an hr prior to use. had no drift issues to date. Always weigh 1st charge and at least the last charge depending on how bigger run you do.

drill mounted case mouth chamfer bits.....no a necessity but sooo much quicker when doing brass prep

I have tried most things other than a progressive press,
The two things I think give ‘most time saved per dollar spent’ are;

1-carbide dies

2-case kicker,
video below shows the concept of a case kicker

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dwm-hihp5aw

Originally Posted by dannyb

drill mounted case mouth chamfer bits.....no a necessity but sooo much quicker when doing brass prep

I do case mouth while case still in drill from length check with lee do dad...check length,gets trimmed,then deburred,than polished if feeling really anul LOL.

POWDER TRICKLER...for years Ive used side of teaspoon,which works fine...but inherited powder trickler and it works great now I have bench organised,scales at right height and trickler lined up with pan.

Y'all have passed my 'shit hit's the fan' test.

I can reward you with hunting dogs and tech skills.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

POWDER TRICKLER...for years Ive used side of teaspoon,which works fine...but inherited powder trickler and it works great now I have bench organised,scales at right height and trickler lined up with pan.

Been thinking about one of these for awhile. But can't fault using a fired bit of brass of a DIFFERENT calibre then loading. Brass of different length be best.

Originally Posted by Mackattack

Been thinking about one of these for awhile. But can't fault using a fired bit of brass of a DIFFERENT calibre then loading. Brass of different length be best.

lee spoons take all the guess work out of it....pick scoop below what you want and trickle up last wee bit....tooo mecky bro...too mecky LOL.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

POWDER TRICKLER...for years Ive used side of teaspoon,which works fine...but inherited powder trickler and it works great now I have bench organised,scales at right height and trickler lined up with pan.

Was the first thing I bought that didn't come with my kit.
So easy

A hand primer they are a great bit of gear. I use mine for small rifle shells and the press does the large rifle stuff.

Wet tumbler for cleaning pistol brass and a media separator to sort it out

Forster press, slide dies in and out, bullet pulling plus really tidy priming setup.

I find case trimming a chore and the Little Crow Gunworks “World Finest Trimmer” does a quick and easy job of it.

21st century priming tool is a nice bit of kit too.

Not a necessity for sure(speaking from experience), but an organized, dedicated reloading bench/ area goes a long way to enjoying reloading more

Originally Posted by keengunNic

Not a necessity for sure(speaking from experience), but an organized, dedicated reloading bench/ area goes a long way to enjoying reloading more

Plus 1 to the above plus two items that some may regard as nice to have but I regard as essential. They are decent handloading records and a chronograph. You should be able to positively identify what is in any cartridge you have loaded even years later. The chronograph answers a lot of questions although you may not like the answer sometimes. I could not handload without either of them.
Regards Grandpamac.