Reloading block thoughts?

MHouser

MHouser

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I've always been frustrated with generic reloading blocks designed to accommodate various case sizes. The cases just never fit right and can flop around all over the place. And God forbid I happen to slightly nudge the block after just charging 50 cases. So...

...I asked my pops to come up with something.

Here is a pick.

There's a separate top piece that slides and is locked down with a simple twist of the nut. Takes 2 secs to lock it down and cases are so secure you can flip the thing upside down, shake it around, whatever, and everything stays put.

photo1-2.jpg
 
Well, I've used the red MTM trays my whole life and have been pretty satisfied with them.

I will admit however that yours is a work of art. Congratulations to your old man.

A question, if I may. It looks like the 'lid' locks down the cases into the block - you mention being able to shake, turn it upside down, etc. OK, but sooner or later you are going to have to take that lid off to start moving them through the press. Knowing my luck, that's when the cases would start flying. How do you get around that?
 
ATOM said:
Well, I've used the red MTM trays my whole life and have been pretty satisfied with them.

I will admit however that yours is a work of art. Congratulations to your old man.

A question, if I may. It looks like the 'lid' locks down the cases into the block - you mention being able to shake, turn it upside down, etc. OK, but sooner or later you are going to have to take that lid off to start moving them through the press. Knowing my luck, that's when the cases would start flying. How do you get around that?
Click to expand...

The lid has the same size holes in it as the base. The holes in the lid and base were drilled out together (ie one clamped on top of the other). So it really isn't a lid at all, just a sliding plate that you slide to one side and lock down with the nut. The "lid" applies side pressure on the cases holding them against the lid on one side and the block on the other side. All you're doing is misaligning the holes to create a smaller opening at the top.

When you loosen the nut the holes realign naturally and you can simply lift the cases out like a regular block.

Super easy to use and works like charm.
 
MHouser said:
The lid has the same size holes in it as the base. The holes in the lid and base were drilled out together (ie one clamped on top of the other). So it really isn't a lid at all, just a sliding plate that you slide to one side and lock down with the nut. The "lid" applies side pressure on the cases holding them against the lid on one side and the block on the other side. All you're doing is misaligning the holes to create a smaller opening at the top.

When you loosen the nut the holes realign naturally and you can simply lift the cases out like a regular block.

Super easy to use and works like charm.
Click to expand...

Now that's both clever and attractive. Thanks for showing that.
 
I've never had loading block issues before, in fact I am picturing an infomercial where it makes them look difficult to use and the video goes black and white and red cancel sign covers it.

That said, your loading block looks great. Engineered and built by your father, a true future heirloom.
 
Farlsincharge said:
I've never had loading block issues before, in fact I am picturing an infomercial where it makes them look difficult to use and the video goes black and white and red cancel sign covers it.

That said, your loading block looks great. Engineered and built by your father, a true future heirloom.
Click to expand...

It's one of those... "you have to see it to fully appreciate it" ...but I can see how it could easily be perceived that way. Btw this was the first prototype. The next version will be a little more compact, have a less obvious "nut" and we may add a bit more weight to it to further stabilize it.

Really like aluminum blocks but he's just not setup for that.
 
When I started reloading, I was a broke man with 2 kids. I reloaded using a Lee Loader and didn't need a loading block since all rounds were completed one at a time. Just put them back in the box each time. After five or six years of doing that, I got a second-hand Challenger Press and realized that I needed a loading block. Since I was still only loading .303, I took a piece of styrofoam from a bolt of fabric material (wife worked at a fabric store), cut it roughly to two squares, and used a 1/2" Forster bit to make my loading block holes on the drill press at work. That was 25 years ago and I am still using one of the same blocks for .303 and 7.62x54R. I used it for .30-06 when I got one of them, but it was sloppy so I found an empty .45 box in the trash at the range one day and the '06 family fit right in it! As these wore out, I have found replacements and my latest find is the styrofoam flats that blood vials come in. Most hospital labs are willing to give them away since they just go in the garbage. They hold 100 '06 based cases. My 2nd wife bought me an MTM loading block, but I only use it for x39mm and .223, the styrofoam ones work for me.
Firstpicsted034.jpg

My first loading blocks.

loadingblocks1.jpg

newest .45 block and the blood vial block.

Sorry, OP, not as fancy as your Dad's, but they have worked for me, and with far less work.
 
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