More of the equipment that’s earned a place on my reloading bench so far (continued from part 1).

Dies

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The dies you chose (literally) shape your reloads. I tried different brands but found myself using Hornady Custom Grade New Dimension die sets for almost every caliber. They’re not crazy expensive and produce consistent, accurate ammunition. You can order seating stems shaped to suit the bullet style you’re loading–some of the pistol sets come with both round- and flat nose inserts already included.

I also like the enormous, stackable red boxes they’re sold in: plenty of room for a powder metering insert and all the other stuff you may collect.

Pistol sets usually come with three dies: a sizing/decapping die, expander die, and a seating/crimping die. Rifle sets usually have two: sizer/decapper and seater/crimper.

No matter which brand of dies you chose, if they won’t hold their settings you’re in for a lot of frustration; and it doesn’t do any good to carefully tweak those settings if the whole die is moving in the press.

In theory, you screw the die body into the press (or bushing) to get it to the proper depth, then a locking ring holds it there forever–but not all locking rings are created equal.

As soon as I figured this out I removed all the locking rings on my dies and replaced them with Hornady Sure-LOC rings: they don’t mar the threads of your die and they hold their settings tenaciously.

Prompted by a discussion on an internet forum I decided to try a Lee Factory Crimp die vs. the crimper that’s build into the Hornady seating dies. This meant an extra pass through the press for each loaded round but this style of crimp was supposed to provide even more consistent neck tension, velocity, and thus accuracy. They were reasonably priced and my results seemed to bear out the internet claims (for once). I now use them for everything except my bolt gun ammunition, which on the advice of tech support at one of my favorite bullet makers I don’t crimp at all.

Thus emboldened, I went down another internet rabbit hole. These guys claimed that the expander “buttons” you find on depriming pin holders (inside sizing dies) sometimes pull case necks out of true. Since I was already depriming in a separate operation, I decided to avoid the whole issue and remove both the depriming pin holder and neck expander button from each of my rifle dies. Instead I use Sinclair Gen II Expander dies fitted with the appropriate size mandrels.

So to load .223 cases for my AR15, for example, I run each cleaned, deprimed case through a Hornady sizing die (minus its expander button) and then a Sinclair expander die. After priming and filling powder, the bullet is seated in a Hornady seating die (with the crimp ring backed off so it doesn’t touch), then lightly crimped with a Lee Factory Crimp die. That’s four passes through the Rock Chucker for each round–maybe I should’ve looked harder at progressive presses!

My Hornady pistol sizing dies have smooth nitride inserts so the brass doesn’t get stuck in the die. Rifle sizers, however, require case lube. There are lots of choices available but I use Hornady One Shot Case Lube: I put the cases in a plastic bin, spray the lube on the cases, close the lid and give them a shake.

I don’t bother removing the lube after loading; if anything, I figure it helps the rounds chamber more smoothly.* I also spray it directly into the dies when I start to hear squeaks that tell me the brass is in danger of sticking.

*Note: I probably get away with this because most of the lubricant is gone by the time each case makes all those passes through the dies. If you leave excess lube on finished cases they can collect dirt and leave residue in your firearms. Worse, the brass may not be able to properly grip the sides of the chamber as it expands, transmitting more thrust to the rear, i.e., increasing “bolt thrust.” Over time this can damage bolt lugs and lead to catastrophic failure, so maybe a quick swipe with a rag after loading is the better part of valor, after all.

It’s pricey, but the cans last and you can’t beat the convenience.

Unfortunately, accumulated lube, brass shavings, and powder can gunk up your dies in a hurry. In fact, dies frequently arrive from the manufacturer “pre-gunked”; covered in a protective layer of grease that needs to be removed before use.

Your sonic cleaner is a natural for this chore: you’ll not be surprised to learn that Hornady sells a cleaning solution that works for dies and gun parts (again, expensive but you only use a capful at a time). Make sure you rinse and dry the dies off afterwards to avoid corrosion. If it’s not convenient to stop and clean the dies thoroughly, I find a blast of their One Shot gun cleaner and lube works well.

Powder and miscellaneous…

I went with a manual powder dispenser: the Hornady Lock-N-Load Powder Measure. I also ordered the red stand to mount it on. The measure comes with a standard (rifle) rotor and metering insert, so I ordered a pistol rotor as well. The latter has a smaller opening and is easier to adjust for small pistol loads.

Hornady Powder Measure
Pistol Rotor & Metering Assembly for the Hornady powder dispenser

It’s extremely accurate: when I load pistol rounds I just check every 10th load and it’s always dead on. As a matter of policy I weigh ALL rifle charges, but except for the most obstinate cylinder cut powders that’s overkill.

I eventually bought metering inserts for each caliber I load for so I can just set them and leave them: they go into the rotor with a positive “snap” and hold settings well between sessions.

My only complaint with this powder dispenser was that the original handle was kind of flimsy for my heavy-handed ways and I eventually broke it. Hornady was kind enough to instantly send me a new one, but I ended up fabricating one out of a piece of tool steel so I didn’t have to worry about it any more.

Gorilla-proof handle

Just about every powder dispenser you can buy has the same hard plastic reservoir: remember that gunpowder is corrosive and will score and even damage that plastic if left there for extended periods. It’s important to put away leftover powder when you’re done for the day.

If that seems like a pain in the neck, you might check out this gentleman’s website: he makes aftermarket Pyrex (r) glass reservoirs for different powder dispensers. I haven’t tried one yet but I’m still thinking about it…

Since I was using a mechanical powder dispenser, the RCBS 500 mechanical scale was a logical fit on my bench. It, too, is simple and dead accurate. I ordered a set of test weights to spot check it but over the years I find myself using them less and less.

If you move it to a different spot it’s easy to adjust back to a level “zero.” You want to put it somewhere where it’s clear of breezes from fans, a/c vents, windows, etc., all of which will make it harder to get an accurate measure.

When I get my rifle powder inserts adjusted to where the scale shows I have almost enough powder, I use a Frankford Arsenal powder trickler to top each case off. You fill this thing with powder and rotate the tube to sprinkle it in a steady, minute stream. It’s hefty and stable so you’re unlikely to knock it over.

Rather than try to pour the powder from the scoop on the scale into the little case mouths without spilling it everywhere, I bought this official Lee powder funnel. Since there were (rare) occasions when the red plastic guy didn’t fit, I eventually bought a “universal” funnel kit full of adapters and extensions to replace it.

To tell the truth, fitting the pieces of the “universal” kit together puzzled me excessively: as a result it mainly gathers dust, except when circumstances force me to drag it out. Otherwise I mainly use the Lee funnel I started with.

You’ll also need shell holders for your press.

I ended up collecting Hornady shell holders for each caliber I load. The E-ZEE Trim also uses shell holders, so I bought a set of Lee shell holders to avoid always having to rob them from the die boxes. I decided I wanted ANOTHER set to keep with the hand primer, so I got RCBS shell holders, too. Owning three sets of shell holders may seem ridiculous but I’d be extremely reluctant to part with any of them–they all get used.

Another must-have is reloading blocks. These blocks, or trays, hold your cases while you’re working and can be homemade, by drilling the appropriate caliber holes into wooden blocks, or store bought.

I’ve been very happy with these MTM plastic models: they hold 50 rounds of any of the calibers I load on one side or the other, and stack when not in use. Buy extra! You usually want to have at least two working at a time: “So the ones I’ve already done are in this tray, and the ones I HAVEN’T done are in that tray over there.”

I often find that I get a bunch of cases prepped and want to set some aside to load later. Having a few extra trays gives you a good way to keep them safe and organized in the meantime.

You also ought to have some way to check your finished rounds before attempting to load them in your gun: specifically, case gauges and a set of calipers. I use this orange block from Lyman to check pistol rounds, and Wilson case gauges to check rifle rounds.

I succumbed to snob appeal and went with expensive Mitutoyo calipers. While I cherish them, I have to admit that I could’ve bought a perfectly good set for less than half of what these cost.

I definitely recommend you go with a digital display for ease of use, whichever brand you end up choosing.

Seeking Extreme Precision

If you’re thinking of hand loading ammunition as a means of saving money, some quick arithmetic as you go through all the links I’ve included so far might disabuse you of that notion.

If you load A LOT for just a couple of calibers you could, in theory, amortize the cost of all the necessary equipment in a few years and thereafter pay only for components.

Components run about half the cost of factory ammunition (assuming they’re available at all). So assuming the cost of your labor is zero, you’re looking at half-price ammunition after the initial payoff phase.

But then you have to factor in the cost of equipment upgrades, experimenting with new components, etc.,…no, I think the only reason to consider reloading anything other than an extremely expensive hobby is that you can create loads that shoot better than factory ammunition.

It’s not really fair to the ammunition manufacturers: they have to make something that works well in everyone’s gun, whereas you only have to figure out what shoots best in yours.

At first I was amazed that I could assemble ammunition that worked at all without blowing up my guns. But soon I began to wonder how to improve the accuracy and consistency of my loaded rounds…

I’ve already mentioned using Sinclair expander mandrels vs. sizer buttons, Lee Factory Crimp dies vs. seater crimps, and an LE Wilson case trimmer vs. the fixed-length type. I’ve also experimented with “match grade” bullets and primers and found that top-shelf bullets, at least, make a difference.

My bolt guns yield the best accuracy, so I’ve concentrated my attempts at precision reloading there. After lots of internet research I upgraded those calibers to Redding dies: I chose the Type S Match 2-Die Set.

The “Type S” sizing die uses bushings–sold separately–to achieve the specific neck tension you want for your loads. It sizes the case body in the usual way, all to very fine tolerances. You may have to buy more than one bushing if you load different bullets or different brass. You may also want more than one in order to step neck size down gradually and not induce runout with a big, aggressive correction.

I eventually side-stepped the finer points of bushing selection entirely by taking advantage of the Type S design and leaving the neck bushing out. The die now acts as a body sizing die and lets me use another piece of equipment for neck sizing: the Lee Collet Neck Sizing die. The upside of the collet die is that it gives consistent neck sizing for different types of brass; the downside is that it costs about twice what an individual bushing does and means yet another pass through the press.

I think the star of the Redding Match set is the Competition Seating Die: it loads bullets straighter than anything else on my Rock Chucker–and as I mentioned in part 1, performs neck-and-neck with expensive, caliber-specific chamber-type seaters. I really like the “micrometer”-style adjustments for seating depth–so much so that I went back and retrofitted my Hornady dies with the same setup. If loading low BC bullets like Berger VLDs, you’ll want a VLD seating stem (sold separately) for best results.

Speaking of VLDs, I also replaced the deburring attachment on my Case Prep Xpress with RCBS’s VLD version. It shallows the angle inside the case lip to 22 degrees to allow these long-for-caliber bullets to be seated without damage.

I’ve mentioned “runout”–or lack of concentricity–as having an adverse effect on accuracy. I’ve found that in most chamberings I can see the effect of more than .004″ (total) deflection on target.

Straight bullets fly straighter…

I’ve also discussed some of the techniques I use to minimize runout: “floating” dies and bushings on O-rings, replacing the shell holder spring clip with an O-ring, putting a shallower chamfer into the cases, neck sizing with a collet die–but none of that’s meaningful if you can’t measure it.

For that I use a Sinclair concentricity gauge, or to be more accurate, a Sinclair concentricity gauge base. The base allows the loaded round to rotate smoothly on two sets of ball bearings set in adjustable aluminum blocks.

I bought a (used) Mitutoyo dial-type depth gauge to use with it, but this time my affinity for high-end gadgets bit me: it didn’t fit well with the Sinclair base. I ended up replacing it with an old RCBS gauge my brother sent me. It works perfectly and costs a lot less (even if you don’t have a brother to send you one for free). This is a case, by the way, where an analog display is better than digital: you’re just watching the magnitude of needle displacement.

I mentioned using “match grade” bullets and primers; I’ve found that the quality of the brass you’re using makes a difference, too. Although a lot of smart people talk about uniforming primer flash holes, I think the main culprit here is varying brass thickness, especially around the case neck.

Running the brass over an expander should push all the variations to the outside of the case. However, different thicknesses of brass spring back to varying degrees, which would mean you still have inconsistent neck tension. You can mitigate this by buying expensive, high-quality brass; however, it’s not always available, and sometimes it isn’t even produced in your chambering.

You can also address this by “neck turning” the brass you have to uniform neck thickness, or at least enough to knock down the high spots. After avoiding this EXTREMELY TEDIOUS chore for years I’ve decided to try it and see whether there’s a difference on target that would justify the additional effort and expense. I’ll keep you posted…