Author Topic: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.  (Read 3773 times)

Offline Lord Eoin MacKenzie

  • American Plainsmen Society
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 187
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« on: November 03, 2017, 06:26:43 PM »
All my reloading gear is in Iowa.  I am stuck in a 1 bedroom apartment with NO reloading gear!!!! in Washington State.   Is there any one powder that could be used for  GAF rifles and pistols?  I am also looking for reloading equipment for no bench available reloading.   Please help a shipmate with my problems.     
I am looking at 38 spec.  8mm and or 30-40 KRAG. to start with.

Online Quick Fire

  • NCOWS Member
  • Top Active Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 1022
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 1
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #1 on: November 03, 2017, 06:46:06 PM »
Trailboss or Unique will do the job for you. Also Lee used to make handloaders although I'm not sure if they still do.
Quick Fire
QuickFire                                 Lt. Colonel, Division of Nebraska                                                                                                                                                                          GRAND ARMY of the FRONTIER                                                         
NCOWS 1717

Offline Drydock

  • MA1 USN ret. GAF #19, Colonel, Chief of Staff. BC, CC, SoM. SASS 1248 Life
  • American Plainsmen Society
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 4831
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 18
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #2 on: November 03, 2017, 07:03:20 PM »
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/665540/lee-breech-lock-hand-press

A jug of Trail Boss, and the right dies.  Nice thing about this is that it uses standard dies, so you're that much further ahead when you get more space.  I had one of these when I was single and living on a ship, I had a closet sized storage space rented just outside the base gate.  I use to set in there and load CAS ammo.

The Lee Loader sets were nice, but the only caliber they have for you now is 38 spl.  Krag Lee Loaders are now Collector Items! 
Civilize them with a Krag . . .

Advertising

  • Guest
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #3 on: Today at 09:42:55 AM »

Offline pony express

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 3629
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #3 on: November 03, 2017, 09:49:29 PM »
I would go with the Lee hand press previously mentioned. I started out many years ago with a Lyman 310"nutcracker" tool and a set of Lee dippers. Great grip exercise. I think they're still available, but not in a lot of calibers anymore. Plus, they don't use standard size dies. Lee tool would be a better option.

Offline Sir Charles deMouton-Black

  • THE ANCIENT SUBSTANCE ENDURES - ALL LESSER PROPELLANTS SHALL FIZZLE
  • NCOWS Member
  • Top Active Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 6199
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 396
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #4 on: November 03, 2017, 09:53:39 PM »
Another vote for the Lee hand press. 8)
NCOWS #1154, SCORRS, STORM, BROW, 1860 Henry, Dirty Rat 502, CHINOOK COUNTRY
THE SUBLYME & HOLY ORDER OF THE SOOT (SHOTS)
Those who are no longer ignorant of History may relive it,
without the Blood, Sweat, and Tears.
With apologies to George Santayana & W. S. Churchill

"As Mark Twain once put it, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.”

Offline Lord Eoin MacKenzie

  • American Plainsmen Society
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 187
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #5 on: November 04, 2017, 06:27:00 AM »
I was  thinking about the handpress. Midway has it and 30-40 dies at a decent price.  then to cabelas for bullets and powder.   Graf for 30-40 brass maybe?   or convert .303 brass?.
The Lee Loader, You need a hammer,  I live on the 3rd and don't have a hammering surface.
I had an off shp storage locker while stationed in " Dago"

Offline 1961MJS

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 782
  • GAF #: 797
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 32
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #6 on: November 04, 2017, 11:06:24 AM »
Hi

I'm reloading in an apartment.  I use a Lee Hand press, an RCGS hand primer, a Hornaday beam scale and Hornaday powder trickler.  I kept the boxes and store them that way for when I move again.  I have a Dillon 550 180 miles away for .45 ACP.

Later

Mike
BOSS #230

Brevet Lieutenant Colonel
Division of Oklahoma

Offline River City John

  • NCOWS Senator
  • NCOWS Member
  • Top Active Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 4413
  • Mr. & Mrs. John Covert
  • NCOWS #: L-146
  • GAF #: 275
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 463
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #7 on: November 04, 2017, 11:57:54 AM »
I mounted a Lee single stage on a section of 2 X 6 and use two "C"-clamps to secure it to a small, folding shop table.
Can be taken down or put up quickly, depending on whether I need the space for other things. Dies, components, etc. get stored on a small 3-tiered metal shelf found at a garage sale. Tumbler goes on the floor next to the outlet.

RCJ
"I was born by the river in a little tent, and just like the river I've been running ever since." - Sam Cooke
"He who will not look backward with reverence, will not look forward with hope." - Edmund Burke
". . .freedom is not everything or the only thing, perhaps we will put that discovery behind us and comprehend, before it's too late, that without freedom all else is nothing."- G. Warren Nutter
NCOWS #L146
GAF #275

Offline Pitspitr

  • Deputy Marshal
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 4592
  • 308 214-0082 45551 Rd 816, Sargent NE 68874 USA
    • Grand Army of the Frontier
  • SASS #: 74523
  • NCOWS #: L187
  • GAF #: 147
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 2
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #8 on: November 04, 2017, 12:19:32 PM »
When I worked at Ft. Hartsuff we got one of these:
https://www.natchezss.com/frankford-arsenal-portable-reloading-stand.html and it worked really nice.
+1 on the trailboss. With it you measure by volume so you don't even need a scale.
I remain, Your Ob'd Servant,
Jerry M. "Pitspitr" Davenport
(Bvt.)Brigadier General Commanding,
Grand Army of the Frontier
BC/IT, Expert, Sharpshooter, Marksman, CC, SoM
NRA CRSO, RVWA IIT2; SASS ROI, ROII;
NRA Benefactor Life; AZSA Life; NCOWS Life

Offline River City John

  • NCOWS Senator
  • NCOWS Member
  • Top Active Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 4413
  • Mr. & Mrs. John Covert
  • NCOWS #: L-146
  • GAF #: 275
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 463
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #9 on: November 04, 2017, 12:22:47 PM »
+2 on Trailboss.
I hand dipper everything anyway.


RCJ
"I was born by the river in a little tent, and just like the river I've been running ever since." - Sam Cooke
"He who will not look backward with reverence, will not look forward with hope." - Edmund Burke
". . .freedom is not everything or the only thing, perhaps we will put that discovery behind us and comprehend, before it's too late, that without freedom all else is nothing."- G. Warren Nutter
NCOWS #L146
GAF #275

Offline Drydock

  • MA1 USN ret. GAF #19, Colonel, Chief of Staff. BC, CC, SoM. SASS 1248 Life
  • American Plainsmen Society
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 4831
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 18
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #10 on: November 04, 2017, 06:11:32 PM »
I can tell you the Krag Grafs Brass is excellent.
Civilize them with a Krag . . .

Offline Niederlander

  • American Plainsmen Society
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 3099
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 6
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #11 on: November 04, 2017, 08:21:10 PM »
Reminds me of when I lived in the Del Mar Bachelor Officer's Quarters at Camp Pendleton.  I used to cast bullets in my room, as well as reloading with the press c-clamped to a desk.  I'd probably go to jail for that in California now!
"There go those Nebraskans, and all hell couldn't stop them!"

Offline pony express

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 3629
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2017, 07:25:02 AM »
Reminds me of when I lived in the Del Mar Bachelor Officer's Quarters at Camp Pendleton.  I used to cast bullets in my room, as well as reloading with the press c-clamped to a desk.  I'd probably go to jail for that in California now!

You'd for sure run into trouble trying to do that in an enlisted barracks! I didn't even try to reload when I was in Germany, just shot factory and saved the brass for later. Then they told me I'd have to fill out the same import forms for the EMPTY brass as the guns, and the shipper for household goods wouldn't accept it either, so...to the dumpster it went. :(

Offline Tascosa Joe

  • NCOWS Member
  • Top Active Citizen
  • ***
  • Posts: 3039
  • SASS #: 2770
  • NCOWS #: L-168
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 11
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #13 on: November 05, 2017, 08:07:33 AM »
I carry reloading equipment in my 5th wheel from time to time.  ( I lived in it for 16 months on my final TDY) I am not a Lee fan at all so....  I used a Lyman turret press on a board and a Black and Decker Workmate folding work bench, with the usual extras, i.e. RCBS hand primer, beam scale, and dippers.  I have an old wooden Vietnam era wooden ammo box that is about 12X24X10, that all the components, other than the press, and workmate, fit in for easy storage.  A 20mm steel ammo can will work as well.  This is not the most economical method, but you don't have to use a hammer to full length resize brass.
NRA Life, TSRA Life, NCOWS  Life

Offline Baltimore Ed

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 1850
  • SASS #: 11754
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 189
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2017, 09:03:09 AM »
When we were rebuilding /elevating the house after hurricane irene and fema had moved my wife, me and our weimaraner into a small trailer I found a homemade bench grinder stand that I slipped a bunch of barbell weights over the pipe and bolted my C press to. Not the best but it worked.
"Give'em hell, Pike"
 There is no horse so dead that you cannot continue to beat it.

Offline Trailrider

  • CAS-L Ghost Rider
  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 2366
    • Gunfighter Zone
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #15 on: November 05, 2017, 12:56:38 PM »
The main problem with hand presses is in resizing bottlenecked rifle cases.  It can be done using a drive-in die and a hammer and then punched out with a rod or bolt.  For other parts of the operation, I've used an old Lyman 310 tool and dies. Before and after I got married, I was renting a 2-bedroom apartment off base, and built a bench for an RCBS Jr. press.  That press has gone through four moves in the last 50 years, and still stands me in good stead.
Ride to the sound of the guns, but watch out for bushwhackers! Godspeed to all in harm's way in the defense of Freedom! God Bless America!

Your obedient servant,
Trailrider,
Bvt. Lt. Col. Commanding,
Southern District
Dept. of the Platte, GAF

Offline pony express

  • Top Active Citizen
  • *
  • Posts: 3629
  • Liked:
  • Likes Given: 0
Re: Apartment reloading for GAF rifles.
« Reply #16 on: November 05, 2017, 05:48:13 PM »
For several years while I was "Between wives", I moved my reloading setup into the house. Found a throw away small table, the kind with a single metal pole in the middle with a kind of "X" base, with the round top about 3 1/2 ft diameter. I took off the top and bolted a short piece of 2X6 to the top and mounted the press there. (Single stage Lyman Spartan) Worked well enough for pistol, but for sizing rifle cases, sometimes had to hold the press with the off hand to stabilize it.

 

SMF spam blocked by CleanTalk

© 1995 - 2023 CAScity.com