Shell Holder for faster de-priming of cases for reloading. Simple lathe project.

G

gunsmither

H-M Supporter - Sustaining Member
H-M Platinum Supporter
Joined
Jul 29, 2015
Messages
91
Simple to machine from 3/4" dia. steel. Copy base dimension from a standard shell holder, and bore top to rim size clearance for whatever cartridges you reload. Much easier to just drop a case in and de-prime if you have lots of cases to do, faster than sliding the case in on the open side of normal shell holder. One on left is bored for two different size rims, one on right 3 rims. Use a standard de-prime die, and your good to go.
IMG_0619.jpeg
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0618.jpeg
    IMG_0618.jpeg
    55.4 KB · Views: 62
MaxGunsmithing said:
i freaking love this idea. i am totally stealing it. thank you.
Click to expand...
Glad you like it. Years ago I had mountains of reloads, empty brass, etc. from estates I bought. I would pull bullets, and unload reloads and de-prime brass to resell at gun shows. I refused to sell someones reloads. Using a shell holder to de-prime is really slow, so I came up with this idea to speed things up. Feel free to "steal" it by all means!
 
MaxGunsmithing said:
yes absolutely. I'm going through enough i clean brass in a cement mixer.
Click to expand...
I used to go to an outdoor range years ago in Illinois. The owner was also a commercial reloader. I recall he had several cement mixers going for brass cleaning. Poor guy was killed when they had a fire and explosions in the reloading set up. Several employees killed too if I recall. Sad.
 
I've been buying lots of used brass for my loads lately. Matches aren't the best time or place to pick up your brass. Anyway, the 9mm and .40 I get comes off police ranges, which means cheap, foreign, or surplus grade ammo. It's at least half military crimp. 223 brass is almost all crimped. The deprime step could use a speed boost, and this type of shell holder would do it. Thanks, @gunsmither, I got a lathe project for this weekend!

BTW, do you go to the Jefferson County range? I'm a new member there, done mostly pistol matches on the weekends. I heard there's a small highpower group, though.
 
Hello John, nice to hear from a fellow gun nut/machinist in my area! Glad you enjoyed the de-capping shell holder idea.
I used to belong to the Jeffco Range for quite a few years, but have not renewed my membership in quite awhile. As a matter of fact,
I've not pulled a trigger in a couple of years. Sold almost all my shootin irons; just plain lost interest in them. Still mess with some of
them once in awhile, but mostly just busy machining the tools I make to sell on the web. Best to ya! Joe
 
gunsmither said:
I used to go to an outdoor range years ago in Illinois. The owner was also a commercial reloader. I recall he had several cement mixers going for brass cleaning. Poor guy was killed when they had a fire and explosions in the reloading set up. Several employees killed too if I recall. Sad.
Click to expand...
Jesus, that is terrible!

Great idea on the decapping die, btw.
 
We had to qualify with duty ammo twice a year. While everyone else was shooting the bull myself and the rookies were picking up brass. I was the only reloading nut. Still have buckets of once fired brass.
 
Great idea! You can use these for dies that de-cap and neck size too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top