DaemonAssassin
Why should we Free BSD?
Miscellaneous Reloading Items
What kind of miscellaneous items will you need while reloading? In this post I'll try to list the items that are mandatory for reloading, beyond the press, dies, priming systems, and the bench. It is all about the accessories for this thread. I will do my best to include links and images to the items. In addition I am going to try to stay with one company, to make ordering easier.
JettaRed (co-editor and he helped along the way) brought up a chrony in another thread and HRDWRK asked for a misc. accessories thread to be made, that is why this is being created. I am going to make an attempt to create the most comprehensive list I can for the miscellaneous reloading items you will use while reloading. Like in past threads I've done, input is appreciated, and will be credited. In order to minimize the clutter on the thread after it is finished, please PM me suggestions, on the things I forgot to include.
************************************************** ************************************************** ***********************************
Mandatory items.
At the bare minimum the items in this section will allow you to make safe and accurate ammo at home.
Scales
Scales are a curious thing, in that some people embrace the digital, while some people embrace the beam, yet still others embrace both.
Beam scale
Lyman Pro 505 beam scale. My father has been using a Lyman 505 for more than 30 years now, and it was the scale that I learned how to reload with. There are other great beam scales out there like RCBS, Hornady, and Lee. Just look for one that will fit your requirements.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/78...scale-505-grain-capacity?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Digital scales
There are a lot of digital scales on the market and the price ranges from $20 all the way to $400+. I do not recommend getting one of the $20 digital scales though. Keep in mind that the higher the price of the scale, the more settings and features it will have. There are 2 examples listed below so you can see the drastic differences in the digital scales.
Frankford Arsenal DS-750
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/17...scale-750-grain-capacity?cm_vc=ProductFinding
RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Combo
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/77...dispenser-combo-110-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding
As you can see, the difference between the two scales are rather striking. The FA scale only weighs the powder, while the RCBS not only weighs the charge, but it also can dispense the charge too.
Powder measures (throwers), tricklers, and powder funnels
Powder dispensers are what you use to dispense specific amounts of powder, to be able to put an accurate charge load into the case. Without a powder dispenser, the are of handloading becomes incredibly dangerous, when loading larger quantities of ammo. With all powder dispensers, you can adjust the specific charge weight you wish to repeatedly throw, with a fairly high degree of accuracy with the charge weight. The powder measure I am listing below is one that I learned how to reload with and I also personally own one. It is very easy to calibrate and use.
Powder measure
Lyman #55 Powder Measure
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/703838/lyman-55-powder-measure?cm_vc=ProductFinding
The one I currently use.
The one I learned with.
Tricklers
Tricklers allow you to throw a slightly underweight charge and then slowly add powder at your own speed to get a truly exact charge weight, without guessing how much more powder to add.
Lyman E-ZEE Flo Universal Adjustable Powder Trickler
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/75...justable-powder-trickler?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Powder funnels
Powder funnels are an essential tool when reloading. I use a funnel to put exact charge weights into cases, directly off of the scale.
Lyman E-ZEE Powder Funnel
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/13...-funnel-22-to-50-caliber?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Tools.
Case length gauge
A case length gauge allows you to accurately tell if the case is too long or too short to be safely loaded and fired.
Lyman E-Zee Case Length Gage II
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/559802/lyman-e-zee-case-length-gage-ii?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Calipers
Calipers are needed so you can neasure the length of you brass, bullets, and the COAL/OAL (Cartridge OverAll Length/OverAll Length). If you want to make safe ammo, you have to measure it to ensure it is within the manufacturer's specs for the OAL. Calipers can be found as digital units or analog/dial units. I personally feel the most comfortable with the analog/dial calipers, because it was how I was taught. Also the analog/dial calipers don't require batteries.
Analog/dial calipers
Keep in mind that there are a lot of analog/dial calipers out there that you can use, I am just showing one example.
Hornady Dial Caliper 6"
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/822768/hornady-dial-caliper-6-stainless-steel?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Digital Calipers
There are plenty of digital calipers out there that can be used at your reloading bench. This is just one of the many, that are available.
Hornady Electronic Caliper 6"
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/41...aliper-6-stainless-steel?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Micrometers.
I'm going to leave this section empty for the time being.
Case lube
Case lube is a mandatory item for reloading bottleneck rifle cases or bottleneck pistol cases. It does not generally have to be used if you are reloading straight walled pistol cases. I am going to have case lube in the mandatory item area and also the case prep area, since it falls into both categories, equally. Be sure to follow the directions on the case lube container, to ensure proper use. I find it easiest to use the pump style of case lube, due to the ease of application.
Frankford Arsenal Case Lube 8 oz Pump
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/204960/frankford-arsenal-case-lube-8-oz-pump?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Primer flip tray
Primer flip trays do exactly as their name implies, they flip primers over so that they are all oriented the same way. It makes it easier to put primers into the primer pickup tubes or load primers into handheld priming systems. - kstone803 edit
RCBS Primer Turning Tray
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/466211/rcbs-primer-turning-tray?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Bins
Bins come in all shapes and sizes, but the best thing to use them for is holding stuff to keep your bench organized. You can use any container you want for a bin. You can use coffee cans, Gladware containers, Tupperware containers, pots, pans, whatever you can find! Let your imagination guide you to find the bin(s) that are right for you. Keep in mind that you will never have enough bins to hold bullets, brass, or other small items you need to keep on your bench.
Dillon makes/uses a bin that is stack-able and goes well with their presses, to catch completed rounds. Other manufacturers make the same bins too.
General bin link.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=bins
Specific bin.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/83...-capacity-bullet-bin-red?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Buckets
Buckets fall under bins in regards to the fact that they hold stuff. The best thing to use buckets for is when you have a lot of brass or bullets and you don't want to try to keep the bags of brass/bullets from falling over. I use the buckets to separate virgin brass from once, second, third, fourth, and fifth fired brass. I try to keep each firing evolution in it's own bucket, so I know when a piece of brass is nearing it's expected lifespan. Any kind of bucket will do, even an empty kitty litter bucket.
Handheld bullet pullers
There are a lot of good reasons for having a bullet puller on hand, but you only need this one reason: To take apart a live round, safely, without having to discharge it. If you make a round that has too much/little of a powder charge, you put the round into the bullet puller and the inertia forces the bullet out so you can safely reclaim all of your components and start again. The bullet puller is on bar with a scale, and a set of calipers, when it comes to safety equipment when reloading. You hope you never need to use a bullet puller, but you will need one eventually. May as well get one before a dangerous situation arises. Be sure to get extra collets/chucks, so you aren't waiting on them to arrive.
General link to bullet pullers.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=12791
RCBS Pow'r Pull Impact Bullet Puller
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/685703/rcbs-powr-pull-impact-bullet-puller-kit?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Ammo boxes
Ammo boxes are anything you can store your completed rounds in. Whether it be a .50 cal ammo can, Ziplok bag, or even an actual ammo box that holds 20-100 rounds. But, for this section, I will focus on caliber specific boxes.
Caliber specific ammo boxes.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=11531
Image of a caliber specific ammo box.
Labels
You will need something to keep track of what you loaded, so that is where labels come in. They can be as simple as a slip of paper, all the way to a sticker that you document everything. At the very least you should state the caliber, bullet type/mfg, bullet weight, primer mfg, primer type, and powder used, powder charge for each round.
Pre-made labels.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=11529
Books
You can never have too many books! If you are just starting your reloading journey, I recommend The ABC's of Reloading, so you can get an idea of the process, before actually reloading. In addition, the more books you have, the safe you will be and the safer your loads will be, because you have accurate load data at your fingertips. I am just going to list a few books, but the books you may need, as time goes on, is not limited to this list.
The ABC's of Reloading
Sierra 5th Edition Rifle and Pistol Manual of Reloading Data
Speer Reloading Manual #14
Lyman Reloading Handbook: 49th Edition
Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading: 9th Edition
You may also want to get a log book. You can buy an actual reloaders log book or buy a bound composition book at Staples/Office Depot/OfficeMax. When it comes to reloading you want to document everything! A log book allows you to do that, so you won't forget anything.
Lyman Log Book
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/20...ata-log-reloading-manual?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Flashlight or light of some kind
You may want to get a flashlight, so you can see into the cases or be able to spotlight an area for better visibility. I have a 4', 4 tube shop light over my bench and sometimes I need to see into something, but there is a shadow. Any flashlight will do. You can also use a desk lamp that has an adjustable arm.
************************************************** ************************************************** ***********************************
Not so mandatory items in the beginning
In this section, there will be a lot of other accessories that are a good idea to have, once you reach the point that you need them. I can see somebody in the back waving a pen, so hold on. "Yes, sir?" Pen waving dude - "How will I know when I need these items?". "Well, you will know when you need them, once you reach the point with reloading that you absolutely have to have them. That answer the question? No? Too bad, I'm trying to type a new post over here.".
In all seriousness, some of the items in this section you may never need in your lifetime, while other items you might use every time you sit at your bench or go to the range. Only you can decide what you need right now, given your skills and what you want to accomplish with reloading.
Chronograph
A chronograph is essential to finding the velocity of your loads. The same load may vary by 50-100fps, depending on what firearms you shoot it out of. As such it is a good idea to know what velocity you are gettign out of each firearm you load for.
Shooting Chrony F1 Chronograph
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/531741/shooting-chrony-f1-chronograph?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Cleaning/case prep
Cleaning and case prep are being combined into one section, so it will be easier to keep track of all the information about it, should an edit have to happen.
Cleaning
Why do you want to clean your spent cases? Other than make them look shiny, what purpose is there? Well, you clean the cases so you can remove dirt, grit, and grime from your cases. You want to use clean cases, so you don't scratch your dies or even the chamber of your firearms.
Case tumblers/vibratory tumblers/cleaners are one of the easiest ways to clean your cases. I am including an example of one below. Don't feel that you have to get tumbling media from a reloading store, you can go to a pet supply store and get lizard bedding (it's the same stuff the reloading places are selling).
Page to find a tumbler.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=11893
Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/21...-quick-n-ez-case-tumbler?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Cleaning media
http://www.petco.com/product/102881/Zilla-Ground-English-Walnut-Shells-Reptile-Bedding.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/Zilla-11442-Ground-English-5-Quart/dp/B001OVGPH6
http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/sub...eptile-litter-zid36-14994/cat-36-catid-500013
Ultrasonic cleaners
Ultrasonic cleaner have their place in the reloading world, just like everything else. Ultrasonic cleaners do not polish the cases, they just remove the fouling on the cases. An ultrasonic cleaner is going to run between $99 and can go well over $1100, depending on the size of the cleaner you need. Below is an example of a ultrasonic cleaner for $99. Keep in mind that most ultrasonic cleaners do not have anywhere near the capacity of a tumbler, and a tumbler is less expensive and can remove fouling and polish at the same time.
Hornady Lock-N-Load Sonic Cleaner 2L
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/58...ic-case-cleaner-110-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Case prep
At some point during your reloading journey, you will need to trim, chamfer, debur, or ream a primer pocket, just to name a few things. I am going to try to include some of these items so you will know what they are, when you need them.
Case trimmers
Case trimmers are just what the name implies, they trim cases that are too long. They can be purchased for anywhere between $50 and $160.
RCBS Trim Pro-2 Manual Case Trimmer Kit
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/817007/rcbs-trim-pro-2-manual-case-trimmer-kit?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Case lube
Case lube is a mandatory item for reloading bottleneck rifle cases or bottleneck pistol cases. It does not generally have to be used if you are reloading straight walled pistol cases. I am going to have case lube in the mandatory item area and also the case prep area, since it falls into both categories, equally. Be sure to follow the directions on the case lube container, to ensure proper use. I find it easiest to use the pump style of case lube, due to the ease of application.
Frankford Arsenal Case Lube 8 oz Pump
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/204960/frankford-arsenal-case-lube-8-oz-pump?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Chamfer and deburring tool
Chamfer and deburring tools are a good way to smooth the interior and exterior of the mouth of a case, in order to make bullet seating much easier. The tools are available for between $15 and $25, for a hand held model like I have included below.
L.E. Wilson Chamfer and Deburring Tool
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/78...ng-tool-17-to-45-caliber?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Flash hole tool
Flash hole tools are used to debur or smoothen out the opening of the flash hole, to allow for better ignition.
Lyman Flash Hole Uniformer Tool
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/729748/lyman-flash-hole-uniformer-tool?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Primer pocket swagers
Primer pocket swagers are used to remove the primer pocket crimp found om military brass, or brass that is loaded to military specifications.
RCBS Bench Mounted Primer Pocket Swager
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/319662/rcbs-bench-mounted-primer-pocket-swager?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Reloading trays
Reloading trays are a godsend when you are making more than 5 round batches. With a reloading tray, you don't have to worry about keeping your cases in proper alignment or hope they don't fall over as you manipulate the press. You just put the cases in the tray and take out and replace each case, as you complete each step of the reloading process. Each tray holds 50 cases, so if you want to do more than that, I recommend getting multiple trays. You can also make your own trays out of wood, if you have a drill press.
RCBS Universal Reloading Tray 50-Round Plastic Green
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/85...y-50-round-plastic-green?cm_vc=ProductFinding
************************************************** ************************************************** ***********************************
Misc. info and revision history.
Misc. Info
Just for random information/notes that I might need to remember later on.
Revision History.
1.0 - Original post partially completed - 4/24/14
1.1 - Added more items to the original post, fixed typos 4/25/14
1.2 - Still adding things 4/25/14 and 4/26/14
1.3 - Added funnel, case gauge, and chronograph 4/28/14 - Morning
1.4 - Primer flip try - kstone803 edit 4/28/14 - Evening
1.5 - Flashlight - r3t1awr3yd edit 4/29/14
What kind of miscellaneous items will you need while reloading? In this post I'll try to list the items that are mandatory for reloading, beyond the press, dies, priming systems, and the bench. It is all about the accessories for this thread. I will do my best to include links and images to the items. In addition I am going to try to stay with one company, to make ordering easier.
JettaRed (co-editor and he helped along the way) brought up a chrony in another thread and HRDWRK asked for a misc. accessories thread to be made, that is why this is being created. I am going to make an attempt to create the most comprehensive list I can for the miscellaneous reloading items you will use while reloading. Like in past threads I've done, input is appreciated, and will be credited. In order to minimize the clutter on the thread after it is finished, please PM me suggestions, on the things I forgot to include.
************************************************** ************************************************** ***********************************
Mandatory items.
At the bare minimum the items in this section will allow you to make safe and accurate ammo at home.
Scales
Scales are a curious thing, in that some people embrace the digital, while some people embrace the beam, yet still others embrace both.
Beam scale
Lyman Pro 505 beam scale. My father has been using a Lyman 505 for more than 30 years now, and it was the scale that I learned how to reload with. There are other great beam scales out there like RCBS, Hornady, and Lee. Just look for one that will fit your requirements.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/78...scale-505-grain-capacity?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Digital scales
There are a lot of digital scales on the market and the price ranges from $20 all the way to $400+. I do not recommend getting one of the $20 digital scales though. Keep in mind that the higher the price of the scale, the more settings and features it will have. There are 2 examples listed below so you can see the drastic differences in the digital scales.
Frankford Arsenal DS-750
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/17...scale-750-grain-capacity?cm_vc=ProductFinding
RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Combo
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/77...dispenser-combo-110-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding
As you can see, the difference between the two scales are rather striking. The FA scale only weighs the powder, while the RCBS not only weighs the charge, but it also can dispense the charge too.
Powder measures (throwers), tricklers, and powder funnels
Powder dispensers are what you use to dispense specific amounts of powder, to be able to put an accurate charge load into the case. Without a powder dispenser, the are of handloading becomes incredibly dangerous, when loading larger quantities of ammo. With all powder dispensers, you can adjust the specific charge weight you wish to repeatedly throw, with a fairly high degree of accuracy with the charge weight. The powder measure I am listing below is one that I learned how to reload with and I also personally own one. It is very easy to calibrate and use.
Powder measure
Lyman #55 Powder Measure
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/703838/lyman-55-powder-measure?cm_vc=ProductFinding
The one I currently use.
The one I learned with.
Tricklers
Tricklers allow you to throw a slightly underweight charge and then slowly add powder at your own speed to get a truly exact charge weight, without guessing how much more powder to add.
Lyman E-ZEE Flo Universal Adjustable Powder Trickler
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/75...justable-powder-trickler?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Powder funnels
Powder funnels are an essential tool when reloading. I use a funnel to put exact charge weights into cases, directly off of the scale.
Lyman E-ZEE Powder Funnel
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/13...-funnel-22-to-50-caliber?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Tools.
Case length gauge
A case length gauge allows you to accurately tell if the case is too long or too short to be safely loaded and fired.
Lyman E-Zee Case Length Gage II
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/559802/lyman-e-zee-case-length-gage-ii?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Calipers
Calipers are needed so you can neasure the length of you brass, bullets, and the COAL/OAL (Cartridge OverAll Length/OverAll Length). If you want to make safe ammo, you have to measure it to ensure it is within the manufacturer's specs for the OAL. Calipers can be found as digital units or analog/dial units. I personally feel the most comfortable with the analog/dial calipers, because it was how I was taught. Also the analog/dial calipers don't require batteries.
Analog/dial calipers
Keep in mind that there are a lot of analog/dial calipers out there that you can use, I am just showing one example.
Hornady Dial Caliper 6"
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/822768/hornady-dial-caliper-6-stainless-steel?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Digital Calipers
There are plenty of digital calipers out there that can be used at your reloading bench. This is just one of the many, that are available.
Hornady Electronic Caliper 6"
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/41...aliper-6-stainless-steel?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Micrometers.
I'm going to leave this section empty for the time being.
Case lube
Case lube is a mandatory item for reloading bottleneck rifle cases or bottleneck pistol cases. It does not generally have to be used if you are reloading straight walled pistol cases. I am going to have case lube in the mandatory item area and also the case prep area, since it falls into both categories, equally. Be sure to follow the directions on the case lube container, to ensure proper use. I find it easiest to use the pump style of case lube, due to the ease of application.
Frankford Arsenal Case Lube 8 oz Pump
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/204960/frankford-arsenal-case-lube-8-oz-pump?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Primer flip tray
Primer flip trays do exactly as their name implies, they flip primers over so that they are all oriented the same way. It makes it easier to put primers into the primer pickup tubes or load primers into handheld priming systems. - kstone803 edit
RCBS Primer Turning Tray
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/466211/rcbs-primer-turning-tray?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Bins
Bins come in all shapes and sizes, but the best thing to use them for is holding stuff to keep your bench organized. You can use any container you want for a bin. You can use coffee cans, Gladware containers, Tupperware containers, pots, pans, whatever you can find! Let your imagination guide you to find the bin(s) that are right for you. Keep in mind that you will never have enough bins to hold bullets, brass, or other small items you need to keep on your bench.
Dillon makes/uses a bin that is stack-able and goes well with their presses, to catch completed rounds. Other manufacturers make the same bins too.
General bin link.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=bins
Specific bin.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/83...-capacity-bullet-bin-red?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Buckets
Buckets fall under bins in regards to the fact that they hold stuff. The best thing to use buckets for is when you have a lot of brass or bullets and you don't want to try to keep the bags of brass/bullets from falling over. I use the buckets to separate virgin brass from once, second, third, fourth, and fifth fired brass. I try to keep each firing evolution in it's own bucket, so I know when a piece of brass is nearing it's expected lifespan. Any kind of bucket will do, even an empty kitty litter bucket.
Handheld bullet pullers
There are a lot of good reasons for having a bullet puller on hand, but you only need this one reason: To take apart a live round, safely, without having to discharge it. If you make a round that has too much/little of a powder charge, you put the round into the bullet puller and the inertia forces the bullet out so you can safely reclaim all of your components and start again. The bullet puller is on bar with a scale, and a set of calipers, when it comes to safety equipment when reloading. You hope you never need to use a bullet puller, but you will need one eventually. May as well get one before a dangerous situation arises. Be sure to get extra collets/chucks, so you aren't waiting on them to arrive.
General link to bullet pullers.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=12791
RCBS Pow'r Pull Impact Bullet Puller
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/685703/rcbs-powr-pull-impact-bullet-puller-kit?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Ammo boxes
Ammo boxes are anything you can store your completed rounds in. Whether it be a .50 cal ammo can, Ziplok bag, or even an actual ammo box that holds 20-100 rounds. But, for this section, I will focus on caliber specific boxes.
Caliber specific ammo boxes.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=11531
Image of a caliber specific ammo box.
Labels
You will need something to keep track of what you loaded, so that is where labels come in. They can be as simple as a slip of paper, all the way to a sticker that you document everything. At the very least you should state the caliber, bullet type/mfg, bullet weight, primer mfg, primer type, and powder used, powder charge for each round.
Pre-made labels.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=11529
Books
You can never have too many books! If you are just starting your reloading journey, I recommend The ABC's of Reloading, so you can get an idea of the process, before actually reloading. In addition, the more books you have, the safe you will be and the safer your loads will be, because you have accurate load data at your fingertips. I am just going to list a few books, but the books you may need, as time goes on, is not limited to this list.
The ABC's of Reloading
Sierra 5th Edition Rifle and Pistol Manual of Reloading Data
Speer Reloading Manual #14
Lyman Reloading Handbook: 49th Edition
Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading: 9th Edition
You may also want to get a log book. You can buy an actual reloaders log book or buy a bound composition book at Staples/Office Depot/OfficeMax. When it comes to reloading you want to document everything! A log book allows you to do that, so you won't forget anything.
Lyman Log Book
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/20...ata-log-reloading-manual?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Flashlight or light of some kind
You may want to get a flashlight, so you can see into the cases or be able to spotlight an area for better visibility. I have a 4', 4 tube shop light over my bench and sometimes I need to see into something, but there is a shadow. Any flashlight will do. You can also use a desk lamp that has an adjustable arm.
************************************************** ************************************************** ***********************************
Not so mandatory items in the beginning
In this section, there will be a lot of other accessories that are a good idea to have, once you reach the point that you need them. I can see somebody in the back waving a pen, so hold on. "Yes, sir?" Pen waving dude - "How will I know when I need these items?". "Well, you will know when you need them, once you reach the point with reloading that you absolutely have to have them. That answer the question? No? Too bad, I'm trying to type a new post over here.".
In all seriousness, some of the items in this section you may never need in your lifetime, while other items you might use every time you sit at your bench or go to the range. Only you can decide what you need right now, given your skills and what you want to accomplish with reloading.
Chronograph
A chronograph is essential to finding the velocity of your loads. The same load may vary by 50-100fps, depending on what firearms you shoot it out of. As such it is a good idea to know what velocity you are gettign out of each firearm you load for.
Shooting Chrony F1 Chronograph
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/531741/shooting-chrony-f1-chronograph?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Cleaning/case prep
Cleaning and case prep are being combined into one section, so it will be easier to keep track of all the information about it, should an edit have to happen.
Cleaning
Why do you want to clean your spent cases? Other than make them look shiny, what purpose is there? Well, you clean the cases so you can remove dirt, grit, and grime from your cases. You want to use clean cases, so you don't scratch your dies or even the chamber of your firearms.
Case tumblers/vibratory tumblers/cleaners are one of the easiest ways to clean your cases. I am including an example of one below. Don't feel that you have to get tumbling media from a reloading store, you can go to a pet supply store and get lizard bedding (it's the same stuff the reloading places are selling).
Page to find a tumbler.
http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1&itemsperpage=24&newcategorydimensionid=11893
Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/21...-quick-n-ez-case-tumbler?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Cleaning media
http://www.petco.com/product/102881/Zilla-Ground-English-Walnut-Shells-Reptile-Bedding.aspx
http://www.amazon.com/Zilla-11442-Ground-English-5-Quart/dp/B001OVGPH6
http://www.petsmart.com/reptile/sub...eptile-litter-zid36-14994/cat-36-catid-500013
Ultrasonic cleaners
Ultrasonic cleaner have their place in the reloading world, just like everything else. Ultrasonic cleaners do not polish the cases, they just remove the fouling on the cases. An ultrasonic cleaner is going to run between $99 and can go well over $1100, depending on the size of the cleaner you need. Below is an example of a ultrasonic cleaner for $99. Keep in mind that most ultrasonic cleaners do not have anywhere near the capacity of a tumbler, and a tumbler is less expensive and can remove fouling and polish at the same time.
Hornady Lock-N-Load Sonic Cleaner 2L
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/58...ic-case-cleaner-110-volt?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Case prep
At some point during your reloading journey, you will need to trim, chamfer, debur, or ream a primer pocket, just to name a few things. I am going to try to include some of these items so you will know what they are, when you need them.
Case trimmers
Case trimmers are just what the name implies, they trim cases that are too long. They can be purchased for anywhere between $50 and $160.
RCBS Trim Pro-2 Manual Case Trimmer Kit
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/817007/rcbs-trim-pro-2-manual-case-trimmer-kit?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Case lube
Case lube is a mandatory item for reloading bottleneck rifle cases or bottleneck pistol cases. It does not generally have to be used if you are reloading straight walled pistol cases. I am going to have case lube in the mandatory item area and also the case prep area, since it falls into both categories, equally. Be sure to follow the directions on the case lube container, to ensure proper use. I find it easiest to use the pump style of case lube, due to the ease of application.
Frankford Arsenal Case Lube 8 oz Pump
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/204960/frankford-arsenal-case-lube-8-oz-pump?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Chamfer and deburring tool
Chamfer and deburring tools are a good way to smooth the interior and exterior of the mouth of a case, in order to make bullet seating much easier. The tools are available for between $15 and $25, for a hand held model like I have included below.
L.E. Wilson Chamfer and Deburring Tool
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/78...ng-tool-17-to-45-caliber?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Flash hole tool
Flash hole tools are used to debur or smoothen out the opening of the flash hole, to allow for better ignition.
Lyman Flash Hole Uniformer Tool
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/729748/lyman-flash-hole-uniformer-tool?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Primer pocket swagers
Primer pocket swagers are used to remove the primer pocket crimp found om military brass, or brass that is loaded to military specifications.
RCBS Bench Mounted Primer Pocket Swager
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/319662/rcbs-bench-mounted-primer-pocket-swager?cm_vc=ProductFinding
Reloading trays
Reloading trays are a godsend when you are making more than 5 round batches. With a reloading tray, you don't have to worry about keeping your cases in proper alignment or hope they don't fall over as you manipulate the press. You just put the cases in the tray and take out and replace each case, as you complete each step of the reloading process. Each tray holds 50 cases, so if you want to do more than that, I recommend getting multiple trays. You can also make your own trays out of wood, if you have a drill press.
RCBS Universal Reloading Tray 50-Round Plastic Green
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/85...y-50-round-plastic-green?cm_vc=ProductFinding
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Misc. info and revision history.
Misc. Info
Just for random information/notes that I might need to remember later on.
Revision History.
1.0 - Original post partially completed - 4/24/14
1.1 - Added more items to the original post, fixed typos 4/25/14
1.2 - Still adding things 4/25/14 and 4/26/14
1.3 - Added funnel, case gauge, and chronograph 4/28/14 - Morning
1.4 - Primer flip try - kstone803 edit 4/28/14 - Evening
1.5 - Flashlight - r3t1awr3yd edit 4/29/14
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