Reloading Hacks

J

JTReloader

Inactive
I'm new to the forum and reloading but not to shooting! Looking through the forum the best I can (still trying to figure things out) I can't find anything related to "reloading hacks". I hope I didn't post this in the wrong spot.
I've heard little tricks like a dryer sheet in your tumbler to reduce dust. As a new member, I'd like to start a discussion regarding "Reloading Hacks". It'll help me out as I literally just finished my bench and I'm sure many others will find something new.
To start things off with the only real hack I know of,

Dryer sheet in tumbler- reduce dust
 
Welcome to the forum!
This is an interesting topic so good job.

It may be better served in the reloading section but that's not up to me.

As for the dryer sheet, remember, it must be a used (in the dryer) sheet. A new sheet will leave gooey residue on the brass. As for a useful hack, I can't think of any but I'm a by-the-book kinda guy in the reloading room.
 
You can look up all kinds of stuff for reloading, there are sites that show you how to make your own tumbler, annealer... Turn your fingers loose on Google and you can find any DIY reloading projects.

For loads you can Google that also, I like to use www.loadswap.com to look up loads besides using a manual.
 
The term "hacks" tends to make me think of hinky shortcuts ..... which should be kept far away from the reloading bench, IMO ......

But if you mean time-saving tips?

-Lee's case trimming tool: putting the lock stud into a 3/8 drill's chuck and you can clean a sized bottlenecked rifle case, trim to length, chamfer and deburr in about 10 seconds ..... no need to tumble.
 
It depends on what you have for gear, I think. Me, I like to perform repetitious tasks in an orderly and by-the-numbers manner, safety is paramount and shaving moments off of some task is only secondary.

Break your reloading down into a series of tasks, and, given 500 pieces of brass to process and turn into loaded ammunition, perform the tasks one at a time, inspecting, depriming, resizing, loading, checking, weighing, etc., etc.

If you don't want dust in your reloading room, go to the stainless steel media and water.
 
Thanks everyone! I wasn't sure how to post on here and tried finding the new thread button in a reloading section but guess I failed at that! As for the "hacks" part jimbob86, I'm not meaning cheesy shortcuts but rather little tricks. Like adding a dryer sheet to reduce dust or chucking up a tool as you mentioned.

Larryh1108, that was good to know as I would've used a new one!
 
I'd like to start a discussion regarding "Reloading Hacks
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Just my perspective. I would have worded it differently and not used "hack". Maybe my age showing but "hack" in my world is a person the is a "jack of all trades" and disaster of most. Someone that is a butcher at what they do, being no good at it an should be doing something else.
Now to answer you, fine liquid polishing compound at the automotive store is great to add to the media and much less expensive than what all the gun/reloading suppliers sell
 
useing dryer sheet...wipe the inside of your plastic funnel with sheet ...reduces residue powder from sticking due to static electricity
 
As akin to "lifehacks". Tips, tricks etc.

I learned a new one not long ago. 1part lanolin to 8-10 parts 99% isopropyl alcohol, shake up well, put un a spray bottle. Makes great spray on case lube for sizing.
 
The only reason that I am not astounded by the use of "Hacks" is because I have daughters who are all in to the "lifehacks" thing. It doesn't mean taking dangerous shortcuts, it really means using something that you normally wouldn't think of to make a job easier or go smoother. For example, the dryer sheet in tumbling media.

BTW- I use liquid scratch-x car polish in tumbling media. It reduces dust and cuts the time needed in the tumbler in half. I have seen some here post pictures of a custom powder dipper they made out of a cut shell casing. I thought that was nifty. I've also seen a picture of a hook attached to the primer arm on a lee press for use when loading rifle rounds. On the down stroke the hook would push the shell off of the holder and into a bucket. He could then grab another charged case and projectile without having to physically remove the loaded round. It was kind of cool, but honestly I see that saving about 30 seconds per 100 rounds loaded... it will take a lot of rounds to equal the amount of time he spent thinking up and making his hook contraption, but pretty cool none-the-less.
 
I learned a new one not long ago. 1part lanolin to 8-10 parts 99% isopropyl alcohol, shake up well, put un a spray bottle. Makes great spray on case lube for sizing.
Click to expand...

I also just started using this home brew . It's fantastic and a fraction of the cost . I spent $12 on a 12oz bottle of oil and $1.50 on 32oz bottle of alcohol . I mixed up 2oz of oil to 10oz of alcohol for a total of 12oz in a spray bottle . I have sized 1200+ 223 & 308 case combined and only have used maybe an oz of the 12oz mixture .

So my math says I should be able to do 72,000 rifle cases at a cost of $15 :eek: There is a down side and that is the lube needs to be cleaned off the case as well as the insides of the die . A lot of case lubes on the market also need to be removed from the cases as well . How ever for the same price you only can size 3000-ish cases using commercial case lubes . You can size 24 times that much with the home brew and I believe I'm being conservative on that estimation .

Another "trick" is using Redding completion shell holders to get very consistently sized cases .
 
The term "hacks" isn't the right word. That's something nefarious programmers do. "Dryer sheet in tumbler" is a 'tip'(never seen any need for 'em myself). Lots of tips on this and other forums.
Start by reading your manual. Especially the Reference chapters. Lots of really good info in there.
 
Handloading tip

(1) Dillon powder measure. Add an aftermarket "micrometer" dial and keep a list of settings for your commonly used powders...way easier that contending with the adjusting nut that came with my Dillon measure (that is of course unless the new ones come so equipped). It will allow you to repeat the settins you use with just one weighing to verify.
(2) When your coveted brass cases begin to show expanded primer pockets, the pockets may be tightened by applying an RCBS Primer Pocket Swager. I am sure some here will jump up and say that it is not possible. But, I have done it many times on .308 Winchester and .22 Hornet cases. The RCBS Primer Pocket Swage rod (the part that goes inside the case), is cup shaped and it presses the brass inward (towards the pocket), as it is applied. Note: I will not take credit for this "hack"/trick/hint, inasmuch as I read about it some years ago and found that it worked despite my doubting and suspicious mind.
 
I make no real opinion here, just mussing as it were.

Yea in the gun world Hacks has a poor sound (at least to us older guys)

On the other hand in the 50s and early 60s (maybe a bit latter) Gun Crank was commonly used. Gun Nut also used (now more for Savage guys who change barrel!)

I had an issue with the Axis name and still do. Thought it was a poor choice. Mixed connotation at best and resurrected when GWB came up with the Axis of evil.

More or less we just throw out what works for us and help others when asked for advice.
 
Hadks I don't want a gun that has been hacked or a round that is all hacked. No hack some thing else but not your reloads.
 
Another trick, and again not my own invention: On powder measures where you can look in and see the hole in the drum like an RCBS Uniflow, weigh the first charge, drop it into the empty hopper and then rotate the drum until the powder is trapped between the drum and the hopper wall. Then screw the adjusting stem in until you feel resistance from the powder, back the stem off slightly. The resultant adjustment will be close to what you are looking for and will take less trail and error to get to the weight you want.
 
Rather than "hacks" a Google of Reloading Tips and Tricks will bring up some pretty good material. Additionally, the tips and tricks can be preceded by the words rifle or pistol to narrow the results.

For the Gunsmith types or just those who like taking guns apart and hopefully reassembling them Brownells has a series of old books called Gunsmith Kinks which cover several volumes of how to make doing things easier. Sort of a Gunsmith Tips and Tricks.

Ron
 
Get a headspace gauge for each rifle caliber.
The better headspace gauges have minimum & maximum case/neck lengths ground into them.

Learn to use a headspace gauge correctly!
Throw fired brass into the gauge, use an accurate caliper to tell how far out of specification the brass is getting,
Use that same gauge/caliper to tell exactly when you have the brass bent back into shape to fit that one particular chamber.

A headspace/case gauge will SIGNIFICANTLY speed up die setup.

A headspace gauge will tell you immediately when you have a sized/servicable case.

A headspace gauge will tell you immediately when something went wrong while loading, use it as a 'Last Word' gauge for loaded rounds.
The gauge will catch mushroomed shoulders from over crimping, bent necks from off center bullet seating, rolled mouth lips from failed bullet seating, etc.

A good case gauge is worth its weight in gold, particularly when you first start loading and need something to compair your production against.
 
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