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I have a very simple way (since I built my rig for holding rifles while working on them). My rig has a spring-loaded pair of vertically oriented 2x4 boards and a leather loop between them making a clamp that I push the butt end of the stock into while the fore-end is supported in another...

Unfortunately, the specs don't show the diameter of the front end of the scope. The minimum thickness (at the center line) of appropriate bases would be 1/2 the diameter of the front end of the lens minus 1/2" plus a little clearance space. Do the calculations in decimal inches and then use a...

If I were to try to look up the details to arrive at dimensions, I would need at least the precise model numbers. However, the procedures outlined by others can be OK too.

What rifle do you have? What scope are you using?

I am using a surplus Honeywell UDC-4000 temperature controller as both a temperature indicator and as a fairly sophisticated controller. The output of the controller drives a solid state relay that turns the power to the lead furnace on and off. The controller is configured to use a time...

Bear in mind that I was working in the industrial controls systems business when I put together my system so I was able to find surplus industrial grade materials to use. The thermocouple type that I used is a Type K (Chromel/Alumel) thermocouple in a 1/8" diameter 304 stainless sheath with...

Step #13 - Starting and seating the bullet Starting a bullet into a cartridge case so that the bullet is straight (concentric with the case) before you seat it is sometimes quite tricky. The choices of steps in case preparation and the choice of bullet seating die can make all the difference...

Step 12 - Charging powder into cartridge cases As suggested in the previous step, you can weigh each powder charge individually or you can use a calibrated powder measure to "throw" the charges more quickly. You will need a properly sized powder funnel to allow you to fill your cartridge cases...

Step #11 - Measuring powder charge weights Getting the powder charge weight just right is a very critical task when loading ammunition. One must make absolutely sure that the charge is not too little or too much for safety reasons as much as anything else. Getting absolute uniformity in the...

Step #10 - Determining powder type and powder charge weights to use There are many reloading manuals available. However, there is one series of reloading manuals such as this one by Loadbooks USA which is specifically for the .380 ACP cartridge. These folks have scoured many reloading manuals...

Step #9 - Seating a new primer into the case Now that the cartridge case is sized, trimmed to length, and thoroughly cleaned, it is time to insert a new primer into the case. However, if you are reloading once-fired military cartridge cases, there is another step needed before inserting the...

Step #8 - Check cartridge case length and trim if necessary It is important that all of your cartridge cases be the correct length. Your reloading manuals will advise you of the maximum and trim-to dimensions. You will need a good gauge for the caliber you are reloading or you can use a good...

Step #7 - Clean the primer pockets While some folks do not bother with this step, I always manually clean the hard carbon deposits out of the primer pockets in each cartridge case. If this process was not done, it is entirely possible that a new primer may not seat properly in a dirty primer...

Step #6 - Clean off any sizing lubrication If any lubricant was used in the cartridge case sizing process, it must now be thoroughly cleaned off the case. There are two reasons for this. If lubricant is left on the outside of a cartridge case, the case would probably be driven rearward with...

Step #5 - Bell out the case mouth Starting a lead bullet, especially one which has a sharp edge at its base, into a cartridge case is not easy to do without shaving lead from the bullet. The solution is to bell the case mouth out just a little. This is a process which is typically done with...

Step #4 - Resizing the fired cartridge case A metallic cartridge case will expand in a firearm's chamber when it is fired. The dimensions of a fired case will always be larger than a new case. Most of the change after firing is in the diameters but there is often a change in the overall case...

Step #3 - Lubricating the cartridge case for resizing Unless you are using dies with carbide sizing rings in them, it is very important to lubricate the cartridge cases before resizing them by squeezing them through a die. This is usually done with either a lubricating pad that is much like an...

Step #2 - Remove fired primer from cartridge case There is more than one way to remove a fired Boxer primer from a spent cartridge case but all involve pushing the primer out of the case with a small diameter punch through the flash hole in the case. This is a process which is often called...

Step #1 - Cleaning Fired Cartridge Cases To clean fired, dirty, or simply tarnished brass cartridge cases, I simply toss them into one of my tumblers along with a load of crushed walnut hulls. I have two different tumblers that I use, and choose the appropriate one based on the volume of cases...

What cartridge cases can be used? The best cartridge cases for reloading are made of brass and use standard "Boxer" primers. Cartridge cases made of aluminum and steel are generally regarded as not being practical to reload for a variety of reasons. Cartridge cases which use "Berdan" primers...