Adventures in amateur “bullet” making (Yes, I know I’m not technically making bullets, rather I’m reloading “rounds” or “cartridges.”)

This week, the amateur reloading show got some upgraded tools. If you are stepping into the roll your own game, you are going to want to put these high up on your list not far behind the press.

Hornady Powder Measure

First up is the Hornady Powder Measure aka the powder thrower. This actually came with my Iron Press Kit, but I never bothered to set it up. That wasn’t just laziness, it was by design. The Powder Measure can be used as a station on a progressive press or mounted to your bench for manual use. I just never liked any of the mounting options available, until this year. Finally, Hornady created a stand for it, so you no longer have to flat mount it on an edge. Much better.

The Powder Measure Stand makes all the difference.  You can pick it up for around $30.

What does the Powder Measure do? Like the name says, it dispenses your gunpowder. It is adjustable and once you have it where you want it throws approximately the same charge every time you pull the handle. So if you have a lot of rounds to load, it is a lifesaver.

Using it is a breeze.  Pop the top off, fill it with powder, adjust to proper specifications, and off you go! It isn’t as precise as an electronic Powder Trickler, but it does work pretty well. If you aren’t dealing with that precise a load, it certainly moves fast. Mine tends to be off plus or minus .1 of a grain, two out of three times. But if your margin of error isn’t that tight, good to go.

When dispensing powder, I found it to be accurate to about plus or minus 1/10th of a grain.

Even for precise rifle loads, it has made my life a lot easier. I check every charge on an electronic scale, but .1 is a lot faster to correct than trying to hand scoop for every round.

If you don’t purchase the reloading kit, you can buy the Hornady Powder Measure separately for around $70.

Product Features

• Largest Charge Range in Industry
• Multiple Mounting Methods
• Push-Button Release Function
• Adjustable Tension
• Precision Tolerance
• Small and Large Drop Tubes

Hornady Concentricity Tool

I highly recommend you look at getting a concentricity tool.

Next up is a tool that is awesome whether you hand load or not. The Hornady Lock-N-Load Concentricity tool. Concentricity, in the simplest terms, is how straight your bullet is loaded into the case, which affects how it engages the lands and grooves.

Bad concentricity is like having a badly aligned front end on a car and it will play hell with your accuracy. Even you only shoot factory ammunition, this tool is a must-have! And you might be surprised how badly some alleged “match grade” ammunition is put together.

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Those little black bands are adjustable, allowing you to establish a range on the dial.

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As you rotate the round while it’s placed in the tool, the needle will move telling you how many thousandths the projectile is off center.

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I had some factory match-grade ammo I highlighted in the video.  It was out an average of about 8 thousandths! The nice thing about this tool is it lets you correct concentricity in addition to measuring it. This tool sets up quickly, doesn’t take up much space, and is easy to use. If you care at all about accuracy, this is one that you are going to need.

I should note that unlike the powder measure the concentricity tool was not included in the Iron Press kit.  Cost for the concentricity tool is around $100, depending on where you shop.

Cost for the Concentricity Tool is around $100.

Features

• Universal centers ensure precise alignment of most bottleneck cartridges from 22 cal up to 45 cal.
• Easy-to-use precision adjustment knobs allow you to true up the runout on any cartridge.
• Sturdy frame can be bolted to your bench

For more information on the Hornady Powder Measure and the Concentricity Tool visit Hornady.com.