What is your favorite item purchased for reloading?

Mark37082

Mark37082

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Aug 13, 2025
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I am still relatively new to reloading (4-5 years). I started with a RCBS Rock Chucker kit and continue to add as my experience and enjoyment grows. I'm a slow reloader who focuses on precision for the most part. My favorite item I have added to my reloading is the A&D FX 120i scale. I just became frustrated with drifting electronic scales and my balance beam is just hard on my old eyes.
It seems to never end when it comes to things to improve my reloading. What did you buy that you are very satisfied with?
 
Mark37082 said:
I am still relatively new to reloading (4-5 years). I started with a RCBS Rock Chucker kit and continue to add as my experience and enjoyment grows. I'm a slow reloader who focuses on precision for the most part. My favorite item I have added to my reloading is the A&D FX 120i scale. I just became frustrated with drifting electronic scales and my balance beam is just hard on my old eyes.
It seems to never end when it comes to things to improve my reloading. What did you buy that you are very satisfied with?
Click to expand...

I was using the balance beam before I bought a used charge master.

For me, it was the RCBS ram priming unit. What an inexpensive great way to get consistent priming seating depth. Just feeling by hand, I was always getting inconsistent depths, but that tool really changed the game for me.
 
Favorites: Dedicated hand primer & RCBS Chargemaster. Not a "favorite" but a surprisingly cheap & has the biggest return on investment: Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Case Trim and Prep System. I can plop down on the floor with a pile of brass on a tote lid & mindlessly rough-in the cases while watching TV. I know, it's not fancy but I wanted to highlight that not everything has to be "the best" to reload. (Like most reloading tools you need to develop a repeatable "feel" for using it and can produce excellent results)
 
Clint Osborn said:
Favorites: Dedicated hand primer & RCBS Chargemaster. Not a "favorite" but a surprisingly cheap & has the biggest return on investment: Frankford Arsenal Platinum Series Case Trim and Prep System. I can plop down on the floor with a pile of brass on a tote lid & mindlessly rough-in the cases while watching TV. I know, it's not fancy but I wanted to highlight that not everything has to be "the best" to reload. (Like most reloading tools you need to develop a repeatable "feel" for using it and can produce excellent results)
Click to expand...
I've been eyeing the case prep systems. I bought the Wilson case trimmers and still use hand tools to chamfer and debur case mouths. There seems to be always something that I think I need.
 
Mark37082 said:
I've been eyeing the case prep systems. I bought the Wilson case trimmers and still use hand tools to chamfer and debur case mouths. There seems to be always something that I think I need.
Click to expand...
I have the Frankford Arsenal case prep and trimmer. One of the best purchases I have made. If you get one I recommend you go on ebay and get a brass shavings catcher. Really reduces the mess of brass shavings everywhere.
 
Just remembered the item (s) I like even better than my RCBS bench mounted priming tool - it's the RCBS 3-way cutter head for my RCBS power trimmer.
The one part of reloading bottleneck cartridges that I dread and is the most onerous is trimming cases! The 3-way cutter head does just what the name implies - it trims the case to length (once properly adjusted that is), it chamfers the inside of the case mouth, and deburrs the outside of the case mouth - ALL this in ONE Step! :love:
After trimming, the case is ready for loading!
A side note - the cutter heads are caliber specific - i.e. the 30 cal. head will trim all 30 cal. cartridges that fit in the RCBS trimmer. Same for .224, 6.5, etc., etc., etc.

WYT-P
Skyhunter
 
Skyhunter said:
Just remembered the item (s) I like even better than my RCBS bench mounted priming tool - it's the RCBS 3-way cutter head for my RCBS power trimmer.
The one part of reloading bottleneck cartridges that I dread and is the most onerous is trimming cases! The 3-way cutter head does just what the name implies - it trims the case to length (once properly adjusted that is), it chamfers the inside of the case mouth, and deburrs the outside of the case mouth - ALL this in ONE Step! :love:
After trimming, the case is ready for loading!
A side note - the cutter heads are caliber specific - i.e. the 30 cal. head will trim all 30 cal. cartridges that fit in the RCBS trimmer. Same for .224, 6.5, etc., etc., etc.

WYT-P
Skyhunter
Click to expand...
All in one step! Now you have my attention. I love my FA platinum case trim and prep but it is 3 different steps albeit on the same machine and you only have to move an inch or so from one head to the next.
 
I generally do not like the case trimming process. I have Wilson trimmers, but one of the reasons I went with an AI cartridge was minimal stretching of the neck. I need to get a case prep station as I'm still using hand chamfer and deburring tools. I'm also still using the RCBS trickler. It works okay, but the A&D fx-120i scale measures weight down to a single kernel. So, you have to be very careful not to twist to fast on the trickler. It probably doesn't make that much difference on target at modest ranges, but I try to eliminate any inconsistencies.
 

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