Reloading equipment I bought and didn't like

[DirectDrive]

MEC shotshell case head re-sizer.
Never could get that to work with AA's for a Model 37.

For case trimmers, the L.E. Wilson design is the apex.
Manual or power.

 

[HighlandLofts]

I have a Lyman case trimmer and bought a RCBS case trimmer from a guy on another forum. The hand crank on the RCBS trimmer is screwed in so I made a adapter and set it up to be used with a cordless screw driver to power it. It has the collets to hold the casesn CAN'T STAND THE COLLET SYSTEM.
The Lyman has the cam lock system to hold the cases, a whole lot bitter
But the handle is secured with a like a pressed pin. I had a friend take it out and drill & tap it 10/32 so my little adapter for my cordless screw driver will work on it. I have to pick up a piece of 2x6 and get it set up.
Here is a picture of the RCBS trimmer.

 

[bbbass]

I almost bought a Lil Dandy but the rotors didn't come close to the loads I wanted. So I bought a set of powder scoops instead.

RCBS, I have a Jr... never primed on it. Have always hand primed after watching a friend use his Rock Chucker it just seemed easier to prime a bunch all in one swell foop... RCBS hand primer, I like being able to use the same shell plates as in the press, but that means I have to switch them around or buy extra, I bought extra, but I also have a Lee hand primer which is not near as much a klunge as the RCBS hand primer, which has the screw lock always loosening and the silly arm falling out as I'm using the danged thing.

One of those old pressed that screwed down to perform each stage, what a PITA!

RCBS Uniflo powder measure, doesn't do cylindrical powders as well as I'd like, IMR 3031, 4064, etc. Seems to always cut a grain. But it's even worse with flake powders like Red Dot. No consistency at all. I know... those flake powders weren't meant for pistol reloading and I never had any complaints when I used them in my shotshell adjustable powder bar.

On the other hand, my RCBS powder trickler works fine. Yeah, it's a little light, but I have it set right next to the scale cup, so that all I do is twist the knob a little and get the fraction of a grain accuracy that I want. I never move it once set up. No worries.

 

[Pepe-lepew]

RCBS press primer pocket swagger. Cases got stuck so hard on the mandrel, I had to beat the press handle to pop them off.

Lee FCD for pistol cases. Bought one because it was recommended. Realized loading ammo correctly with the right tools you will not have the problems it fixes.

I understand the little dandy comments. I had a couple and full set of rotors. It is expensive for what it does. Money is better spent on a micrometer adjuster for a standard powder measure. Most of my measures have micrometer adjusters.

 

[Pops1911]

Reloading is an Adventure in seeing what works for you!

Amen to that!

 

[Caveman Jim]

One of us has celebrated to much because that doesn't make any sense. I like it anyways

Hey you mentioned "CAVEMAN"....

 

[oremike]

Back in the day I had to try a lee load all 12ga loader Best I can say is it wasn't Mikey tough and I broke it before getting 50 rounds made.
Recently I bought a Lee breach lock Pro progressive press. All I wanted this machine to do was de-prime brass with a universal de-priming die. Lasted a couple months but towards the end the case feed and indexing had to be done by hand. Again just not Mikey tough.
Now the only shotgun shells I load I use an old set of dies that work on my rock-chucker and my de-priming is done on a extra Hornady Lock and Load.
I liked the old Lee hand primer, the one with the round trays but don't care for the one with the square trays. I just started using their bench mounted primer and so far so good but I've seated about 500 primers with it so far so we'll see how it fairs after a couple years.
I have but don't use the RCBS powder trickler, I also have a 10-10 scale that I don't use much because I've gone digital.
I don't care for the Lee primer pocket tool or the RCBS little wire brush, using instead the lyman tools.

 

[gmerkt]

I liked the old Lee hand primer, the one with the round trays but don't care for the one with the square trays. I just started using their bench mounted primer and so far so good but I've seated about 500 primers with it so far so we'll see how it fairs after a couple years.

You're dead right about the old, round tray model being better than the new, square tray model. The new model is way more fiddly and fussy than the old. Lee says the new one is safer, that's why the change. I say, the lawyers told them to do it. Whatever. I too have gone to the Lee Auto Bench Prime, which is easier to use as to the handle design. I just mounted it on a piece of 1x4, don't even have to clamp it down. I can prime while watching TV, kinda. More like listening to TV. One of the few reloading tasks I do while sitting.

Re. the new Lee Auto Prime tools, I don't know what you call this part. The clear plastic thingy with the springs in it that lifts the primers up from the tray to the capper. They come in two sizes, S (small) and L (large) and are so marked. I find that these are critical. This is the part that makes or breaks proper function. I have several, the duds are marked with a black X so I won't confuse them with the good ones. Still, the new Lee Auto Prime tools are fiddly in the best of times. I have to be real careful not to get a primer turned upside down just before it's seated. Or sideways. Too much TV?

Further re. the new Lee Auto Prime tool, the square trays are plastic, the top and the cover are one piece. The top folds along a line like a hinge to close. I keep wondering how long that fold will last. How many openings and closings will it stand? I haven't found out yet. But like a kid who wants to cut wire and doesn't have wire cutters, you just wiggle it back and forth enough times and it will break.

 

[gmerkt]

I like the Little Dandy, look at the powder -rotor chart and pick the next bigger one and am set more often than not. I've found I can charge 100 cases with the Little Dandy in less time than it takes to adjust my other measures.

I'm glad to hear you like yours. It's basically a sound design. The times I've used it, yes, you can charge powder loads quickly. It just doesn't lend itself to how I do things. After decades of single stage loading, I recently got a Dillon 550 progressive press which makes the Little Dandy even more redundant on my bench.

Unless you get them second hand in some kind of deal, the rotors are expensive. I think RCBS takes advantage of the proprietary nature of these tools and charges accordingly.

I haven't had my Little Dandy all that long. I wanted to set it up on a bracket like my RCBS powder measure. Then I found out they no longer make that bracket. The only bracket that RCBS makes, they say in their literature "does not fit the Little Dandy powder measure" or similar verbiage. So I bought a Lee stand for it which worked well enough. I don't like dumping powder to change rotors, which of course is necessary. And, I found the change-out to be a little fiddly. The lock screw for the rotor is hard to get at when mounted on any of the stands that i own. That's why I think this device is best suited to someone who shoots a lot of the same cartridges consistently. But that's just my opinion.

Funny story, a little. When I first got the Little Dandy, I was setting it up. I put the rotor with the knob side facing right for dominant hand use. When I began using it, something didn't seem right. So I stopped and looked at my RCBS Uniflow powder measure. I've had the handle on the left side of that for decades. I hold the charging block in my right hand, operate the lever/handle on the powder measure with my left. For some reason, because I'm right hand dominant. I've got my press handles on the right hand side. I let the knob stay on the right side of the Little Dandy because it takes wrist action, not whole lower arm action like the Uniflow.

 

[CJWinOR]

I'm glad to hear you like yours. It's basically a sound design. The times I've used it, yes, you can charge powder loads quickly. It just doesn't lend itself to how I do things. After decades of single stage loading, I recently got a Dillon 550 progressive press which makes the Little Dandy even more redundant on my bench.

Unless you get them second hand in some kind of deal, the rotors are expensive. I think RCBS takes advantage of the proprietary nature of these tools and charges accordingly.

I haven't had my Little Dandy all that long. I wanted to set it up on a bracket like my RCBS powder measure. Then I found out they no longer make that bracket. The only bracket that RCBS makes, they say in their literature "does not fit the Little Dandy powder measure" or similar verbiage. So I bought a Lee stand for it which worked well enough. I don't like dumping powder to change rotors, which of course is necessary. And, I found the change-out to be a little fiddly. The lock screw for the rotor is hard to get at when mounted on any of the stands that i own. That's why I think this device is best suited to someone who shoots a lot of the same cartridges consistently. But that's just my opinion.

Funny story, a little. When I first got the Little Dandy, I was setting it up. I put the rotor with the knob side facing right for dominant hand use. When I began using it, something didn't seem right. So I stopped and looked at my RCBS Uniflow powder measure. I've had the handle on the left side of that for decades. I hold the charging block in my right hand, operate the lever/handle on the powder measure with my left. For some reason, because I'm right hand dominant. I've got my press handles on the right hand side. I let the knob stay on the right side of the Little Dandy because it takes wrist action, not whole lower arm action like the Uniflow.

I use it primarily for small batches of cartridges using hard to meter powder. Most often, I use it with Red Dot powder, for 100 rounds of .44 Special. I have the primes and belled cases in blocks, then hold the Little Dandy in one hand, turning the rotor know with the other, moving from case to case never taking them from the loading blocks.

 

[gmerkt]

using hard to meter powder

I used an RCBS beam scale for over 30 years before I got an electronic scale. I didn't know how well off I was with the beam scale. My little electronic/digital scale is only what I call a "dope scale," cost very little. But it is very exact. Maybe too exact for my shooting skills and standards. For all those years, I didn't know when I was off a tenth of a grain. But now I know. And to know causes a need to do.

Now I'm thinking of one of those electronic powder measures. One that both weighs and dispenses.

 

[P7M13]

Now I'm thinking of one of those electronic powder measures. One that both weighs and dispenses.

Bought a used one of those older RCBS Powder measures (2 parts). I got tired of over-shot and set it aside - wouldn't buy another one. Bought a Hornady electronic feed, and I like how you can program the accel/decel, speed and shutoff. Works great.
Lee newer hand primer, square tray. Suckage.
Have the RCBS and Hornady ones. Those are both good.

 

[Rudedog]

My RCBS trimmer sits on the shelf in a seized up condition. It still makes me p.o.'ed

 

[DizzyJ]

My RCBS trimmer sits on the shelf in a seized up condition. It still makes me p.o.'ed

 

[po18guy]

Have not found a manual primer pocket cleaner that works as it should. Maybe a tiny little Dremel wire brush...

 

[po18guy]

My RCBS trimmer sits on the shelf in a seized up condition. It still makes me p.o.'ed

I have found that RCBS customer service is second to none. Call or email them. Actually, Lee and Redding have also gone above and beyond the call of duty.

 

[Oohrah]

I'll kick this one off.

Biggest lemon I have had, a Lyman Turbo turret press. I never could get to like this one. Handle throw didn't work for me. Press didn't have enough leverage to size a 9mm in an undersize carbide die. I tried to like it, couldn't.

Lyman was a pretty big name in reloading equipment years ago. RCBS tipped Lyman's playhouse into the water, and after that others came into the field. The orange brand isn't innovative or popular much these days. I got a deal on the Lyman press and it didn't work out so I found another home for it.

Something I bought when I first started 35 years ago, an RCBS powder trickler. For me, totally worthless. Won't do anything a simple plastic powder dipper from Lee will do.

On-press priming equipment with single stage presses. Awkward and tedious, you're way ahead of the game by getting a cheap hand priming tool like Lee makes. I've used the Lee Auto Prime tools for decades, now the Lee Auto Bench Prime. Somewhere along the line, I bought an RCBS hand priming tool because it took shell holders that weren't made for the Lee (which takes its own design). The RCBS cost quite a bit more than the Lee and was more awkward and cumbersome to use. It mostly still sits in the box it came in; I don't think I've touched it in years.

It took me a while to decide how best (for me) to trim cases. My first tool for this was a Pacific trimmer, made by Hornady using old Pacific tooling after they bought the latter company. I guess it served its purpose while I was using it, but there are better ways to trim than using those little mini-lathes.

Oh, I can't forget this one. The RCBS Little Dandy power measure. It takes steel rotors with pre-set cavities drilled into them. I don't know how many different rotors there are, about 30 I think. You use a chart to determine which number rotor drops a given amount of powder. Theoretically, you could use multiple rotors and do multiple passes in powder dropping to get a given charge of your choice. Which is some trouble considering the change from one rotor to another. The cost per rotor is relatively high. If you reload a lot of different cartridges and bullet weights, you can have a lot of money in rotors. If you are a target shooter who shoots one load and only one load, might make more sense.

I got the Little Dandy measure as part of a package deal of used stuff. It came with two rotors; I was tempted by it, so bought several more rotors. My use of it has been very scanty. The powder chart for these is updated once in a great while, but is always out of date because new powders come along (you can through your own experimentation determine correct rotors for charge weights of your powder of choice). Now my Little Dandy sits, unused and unwanted. This is one item of reloading gear that I happen to know is close to wasted money. Resale value is very low. Which says a lot about its utility.

 

[Rodrob]

Good thread. I'll be interested to hear what others have to say.

I'd have to say for me, steel dies for straight walled pistol cartridges. One I went carbide, I never looked back!

I couldn't afford the pricey Lyman or RCBS presses, I settled for a 3 position turret from Lee. I must have 7 sets of dies: 308, 7x57, 5.56, 45, 357/38spl, 300 BO, and 9mm. All those dies fit in their own turret, just change turrets and you're in business. I like the simplicity of the Lee systems.

 

[Oohrah]

I have found that RCBS customer service is second to none. Call or email them. Actually, Lee and Redding have also gone above and beyond the call of duty.

My very first reloading experience was a Lyman 310 Nut Cracker to load for my $14.50 1903A3 30-06. It was an all steel handle then. Loaned out, and had to replace it. The new one Aluminum handles with steel insert for the cartridge body. Still have it and three or four sets of various dies. Antiques by now!

 

[Oohrah]

RCBS yes on it too, but to tell the truth, I haven't had to call for help! Also have old Herters stuff of which I gave away to some just starting out. Remember early days of little store by the Oriville dam for RCBS. Brought in a chamber cast of an unknown rifle someone had spend a lot of money on customizing. The XXX walnut stock alone I'm not sure would be easy to find. Custom 25 caliber barrel and action...Mexican Mauser and unmarked except for a Las Vegas Smith. Turned out to be a 25-308, or 25 Super according to PO Ackley. RCBS Cut me a set of dies from my chamber cast, and I was good to go. Otherwise I just had an expensive club! Now since the 7mm08 is popular, a simple matter to just run it through my sizing dies and check to trim for a good to go! Not a clue of the cost now, but bet spendy as hell. Then I think the only ones who would do custom dies. I also had them do a set of 30 Gibbs, and before they were adopted by Remington 25-06 and a 6mm Remington. All were without out a hitch, but had a learning curve to learn while loading them. New enough back then, and no one seemed to share information, or else they were struggling too. Most of those old timers are gone now!