The Loading Shelf
I have spent some time thinking about how to speed up my handloading by reducing hand motions and the amount of time spent "fumbling" for a bullet or case.
I move my hands in about 12 different motions between 5 different items in the loading area to load a single round.
I decided that if I could move my hands a shorter distance with some of the motions, I could save some time.
I realized that if I took a three dimensional approach to placing the various items it would shorten the various motions.
So I came up with the loading shelf placed just to the left and below the loading press with the ammo box and bullet tray just above.
When depriming/resizing cases I set things up to reduce the number of times I handle brass and my hand motion on each access as much as possible.
I found that a lot of time is wasted while I "fumble" for a case so I tried to overlap the "fumble" time with the time spent depriming the case.
I use the loading shelf on my loading bench to hold a large plastic "catch" bowl for the deprimed/resized cases.
I place the cases to be deprimed/resized in a small clear plastic bowl or cup as close to the press as possible.
I found that using a small clear cup reduced my "fumbling around" for another case.
I use the same cup to hold bullets while I'm loading.
While the ram starts to travel upward into the die on the drprime stroke, I move my left hand to the cup of tumbled cases, pick up a second case holding it between my middle finger and thumb.
I remove the just deprimed/resized case from the shellholder using my forefinger and thumb.
Then, holding both cases in my left hand, move to the left, just above the "catch" bowl.
I drop the just deprimed case by releasing my forfinger, move back to the shellholder, and place the new case in the shellholder using my middle finger and thumb.
Please see the Deprime page for pics.
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Front view of the loading shelf, just to the left and below the press.
This is the loading configuration.
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View from above showing relative placement of case cup, primer tool (in it's holding block), and ammo box above.
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View as I normally see it while loading.
Note the clear bullet tray just to the left of the press, ammo box further left, and the case cup and hand primer tool in it's holder on the loading shelf below.
The small block just above the case cup is a shim for the universal hand primer.
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The loading shelf set up for depriming.
Loading shelf with large "catch" bowl for deprimed cases.
Note the small clear bowl on the left of the press containing the cases (w spent primers) just from the tumbler.
The small clear bowl makes it easier to pick up the next case without so much fumbling.
These particaular clear cups are available at Home Depot in the garden dept., they are for placing under flower pots so they don't leak all over the place.
I use the same clear cup to hold bullets in the reloading phase.
Please see the Deprime page for more pics and explanation.
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