You can now get $25.00 Off five of Lyman’s top-selling products: BoreCam, Case Prep Xpress, Gen6 Powder Dispenser, Cyclone Rotary Tumbler, and AutoAdvance Target. With Lyman’s Summer Mail-In Rebate Program, you can earn a $25 rebate per select item bought from any Lyman dealer, online or direct from the Lyman website. Items must be purchased between June 9 and August 31, 2017 to qualify. CLICK HERE for the Rebate Redemption Form.
Products included in this Sizzling Summer Rebate Program include:
Case Prep Xpress (Item #7810220)
Borecam Borescope (Item #04055)
Cyclone Rotary Tumbler (Item #7631550)
Gen6 Compact Digital Powder System (Item #7750550)
AutoAdvance Remote Control Target System (Item #4320051)
Just to be clear, the Lyman Products Rebate allows you to get $25 back for EACH qualifying product. For example, if you bought the BoreCam, Cyclone Tumbler, AND the Case Prep Xpress, you would get $75.00 back total. The original receipt and completed redemption form must be postmarked by September 30, 2017 and mailed to: Lyman Products Corp., 475 Smith St., Middletown, CT 06457, ATTN: Summer Rebate.
“With proof of purchase, our customers can receive $25 back per select item bought. All our customers have to do is send in the rebate form with receipt and they’ve got it all — great new gear AND money in their pocket!” said Elizabeth Friedmann, Lyman’s Marketing Sales Manager
Fine Print: The rebate offer is valid only when a customer purchases a qualifying product from an authorized participating dealer or online retailer. All information on the redemption form must be complete and legible for the order to be processed. If the product is returned, the amount of the rebate will be deducted from any refund or credit. Lyman is not responsible for late, lost or misdirected mail or typographical errors. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer, promotion or program. Delivery of the rebate check will occur approximately four to six weeks from receipt of the completed redemption form. Void where prohibited or otherwise restricted by law. Offer not valid for groups, businesses or organizations. This rebate is valid in the U.S. and Canada only, requiring a U.S. or Canadian shipping address.
He who dies with the most toys wins — right? Well Sinclair has another interesting gadget you can add to your reloading bench. The Sinclair Case Neck Sorting Tool lets you quickly sort brass by neck-wall thickness. For those who shoot “no-turn” brass, sorting your cases helps achieve more uniform neck tension and, thereby, more consistent bullet seating. Large variances in neck-wall thickness can cause inconsistent neck “grip” on the bullet. Generally, we’ve found that more consistent neck tension will lower ES and (usually) improve accuracy.
Get Better Results with No-Turn Brass
We know some guys who shoot no-turn 6mmBR brass in competition with considerable success — but their secret is pre-sorting their brass by neck-wall thickness. Cases that are out-of-spec are set aside for sighters (or are later skim-turned).
Watch Case Neck Sorting Tool Operation in Video (May not load on mobile devices)
How the Case Neck Sorting Tool Works
Here’s how the Sinclair tool works. Cases are rotated under an indicator tip while they are supported on a case-neck pilot and a support pin through the flash hole. The unit has a nice, wide base and low profile so it is stable in use. The tool works for .22 through .45 caliber cases and can be used on .17- and .20-caliber cases with an optional carbide alignment rod. The MIC-4 pin fits both .060 (PPC size) and .080 (standard size) flash holes. Sinclair’s Case Neck Sorting Tool can be ordered with or without a dial indicator. The basic unit without indicator (item 749-006-612WB) costs $59.99. Complete with dial indicator (item 749-007-129WB), the tool costs $89.99. IMPORTANT: This tool requires caliber-specific Case Neck Pilots (sold separately).
Editor’s Comment: The purpose of this Sinclair tool is rapid, high-quantity sorting of cartridge brass to ascertain significant case-neck-wall thickness variations. Consider this a rapid culling/sorting tool. If you are turning your necks, you will still need a quality ball micrometer tool to measure neck-wall thickness (to .0005) before and after neck-turning operations.
Alliant is now shipping an advanced medium-fast burn rate pistol powder that has many important qualities. New Sport Pistol powder exhibits excellent temp stability. That means you can develop a stout load and not worry about hot days at the range. Sport Pistol was also formulated to work with the new generation of polymer-coated bullets. Alliant’s engineers tell us: “This new propellant is very advanced. The chemistry of Sport Pistol is not similar to Bullseye or other older pistol powders. Sport Pistol delivers precise performance with all bullet types, but the low muzzle-flash formulation was optimized for polymer-coated bullets. Other double-base powders can dissolve the polymer coatings at the bullet base, and this exposes the lead to vaporization due to the intense heat during the ballistic cycle.” Alliant says this powder burns clean and gives “extremely reliable cycling, excellent charging/case fill [with] ballistics that lend themselves to a range of popular loads.”
How Sport Pistol Compares to Other Pistol Powders
It looks like Alliant’s new Sport Pistol can be used to replace W231 and HP-38, two popular powders for 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP cartridges. One pistolero notes: “Just looking at the load data for Sport Pistol, charge weights are similar to W231/HP-38 and Alliant advertises it as ‘medium fast’ burning for precision and action shooting competition. I say Alliant released a competing powder for W231/HP-38 that is less temperature sensitive.”
Here’s something you don’t see every day — the inside of loaded cartridges, sliced halfway through. This lets you see how bullet core, jacket, cartridge case, powder, and primer all fit together. Give credit to the folks at FOG Ammunition for creating this interesting series of cut-through ammo images. We show four cartridges here: the .308 Winchester, 9mm Luger, 300 BLK, and .50 BMG. You’ll find two more (the .223 Remington and .45 ACP) at www.FogAmmo.com.
This .308 Winchester model took on a different approach by only cutting the brass case and displaying the full bullet, primer and powder load. A spec amount of powder was used to create the model powder form. An estimated 10% volume was added during the forming process, along with an undetermined amount of air pockets.
This bisection is a 9mm Jacketed Hollow Point round with flake powder held together with super glue. After this self-defense round was cut by a trained professional the round was polished by hand. This might look like stick powder, but those are in fact flakes stacked up in cross-section. Designed in 1901 by Georg Luger, this popular cartridge is used by civilians, military, and law enforcement.
For this model of the .300 AAC Blackout (aka 300 BLK), a Dremel tool was used to create a pie cut within the bullet and brass case. A measured amount of power, roughly 65% of spec charge, was placed inside the case with super glue. This cartridge was originally optimized for subsonic use with a suppressor, so the amount of powder used is small relative to the nominal case capacity. That leaves more room for the relatively large .30-caliber bullet.
Last but definitely not least is the .50 Caliber BMG round (aka .50 Browning Machine Gun). Famed for its wartime use in the M2 Machine gun, the .50 BMG round is also used in civilian Long Range competitions. A typical .50 BMG cartridge holds over 225 grains of powder. That’s almost ten times the amount in a 5.56×45 NATO Round!
Small patches are not very efficient at distributing bore cleaning liquids inside your bore. The problem with a tight-fitting patch is that the solvent gets squeezed off in the first few inches. You can switch to a smaller jag, or a bore mop, but there is an even better way to get an ample amount of solvent in your bore. Just spray directly into the bore with a wash bottle, an inexpensive plastic bottle with an L-shaped dispensing neck, tapered at the end.
When using the wash bottle, you can either just plug the breech and spray from the muzzle end (where most copper fouling is), or, alternately, put the wash bottle neck directly in the chamber and spray forward. When spraying from the chamber forward, you may need to use a rubber O-Ring to seal off the action… depending on the bore size and the particular wash bottle’s neck spout diameter. We prefer to plug the breech ans squirt from the muzzle.
Bottle Solvent Application Great for Smaller Bores
Using wet patches or wet brushes is an inefficient way to really saturate the tight bores of 17s, 20s, and 22s. Even with a cotton bore mop, most of the solvent will be squeezed out before it gets to the end of the bore, where most copper fouling occurs. For these smaller 17, 20, and 22-caliber bores, you can just take the wash bottle and stick the tapered nozzle right in the chamber. The tapered end will press fit in the throat, sealing off the chamber. With the barrel slightly nose-down, give the bottle a couple good squirts until the solvent mists out the muzzle. In just a few seconds, this will put more solvent in the bore than a half-dozen wet patches.
A solvent-filled wash bottle is also handy for wetting your brushes. It’s much easier to saturate a bore brush (without spilling solvent on your stock), by using the wash bottle. You can get wash bottles from USPlastic.com, Amazon.com, or lab supply stores.
What can happen when the bottom-most primer in a primer feed tube goes off? A big bang, that’s what. Some or all of the primers in the vertical feeding tube can go off in a chain detonation. That’s exactly what happened to Dustin Ellermann, Top Shot Season 3 Champion. Scary experience, but thankfully Dustin was not injured. He writes: “Super thankful that I was wearing my Wiley X eye protection this weekend when I was reloading some .223 rounds. My press detonated nearly 100 small rifle primers. Shown here is the magazine feed tube. Not fun but it could have been much worse. Stay safe!”
When working with progressive reloading presses, you should definitely wear eye protection. Dustin’s chain detonation experience proves that — without a doubt. Remember you only have one set of eyes!
RCBS APS Strips — Alternative to Primer Tubes When you stack a column of primers in a single metal tube, you’re asking for trouble. As Dustin Ellermann learned, when one primer fires, the entire column can follow suit in a chain detonation. Thankfully, you do have options when it comes to primer feeding on a progressive press. RCBS developed an innovative primer system for its Pro-2000 progressive press. Instead of being stored in a vertical tube, primers are placed in flat, plastic “APS” strips, with a ring of plastic separating each primer. Moving horizontally, primers are never stacked, so the chance of a chain detonation is reduced dramatically. The re-usable APS strips are color-coded for different primer types. You can buy CCI “pre-loaded” primer strips, or you can insert any brand of primers into strips using an RCBS strip-loader tool.
RCBS Pro-2000 with APS Strip Priming System
AccurateShooter.com Editor Uses Strip Primers
This Editor owns an RCBS Pro-2000 progressive press. The RCBS strip-priming system was one key reason I selected the RCBS Pro-2000 over similar-priced progressives from Dillon and Hornady. I believe the strip primer system is safer, more positive, and easier to use. Before I purchased my RCBS progressive, I “road-tested” the competition. I loaded hundreds of rounds on each of four different progressives: Dillon 550B, Dillon 650, Hornady Lock-N-Load, and RCBS 2000. I was concerned about the primer feed tubes on the Dillons, and I found the RCBS rotary powder measure was much more precise (and easier to adjust) than the sliding bar system on the Dillon machines. The RCBS priming system was definitely more fool-proof than the system on the Hornady press (a first-generation L-N-L that had issues with primer feeding). After “test-driving” blue, red, and green brand progressives extensively, I settled on the RCBS Pro-2000. A decade later, I still think I made the right choice. I like the APS strips for big jobs, and I can also use them in the RCBS hand-priming tool (shown below). With the strips, it’s easy to prime 20 or 40 cases at a time, and then switch to another type of primer for comparison testing.
The APS priming system also works with press-mounted priming tool, bench-mounted tool, and APS hand-tool. EdLongRange uses the press-mounted tool: “I also like the APS approach but use the press-mounted unit (saves your hands/wrists — and I haven’t had a need for a progressive press in over 20 years). Loading the primers in the strips is a bit of a PITA but very manageable. As with all tools there is a learning curve.” CLICK HERE for video showing strip-loading tool and press-mounted APS tool. The press-mounted tool is no longer in production, but you can still BUY IT HERE.
High-quality loading blocks precisely sized for your cartridge types make the reloading process easier. Bullets.com now offers acrylic loading blocks that set new standards for this kind of product. Precision CNC-machined from solid acrylic, these beautiful loading blocks were designed by a member of the U.S. Shooting Team. Dimensions are ultra-precise and these blocks even have a primer recess in each hole so the cases sit perfectly. You can order blocks for a variety of rifle cartridge types: .223 Rem Family, .308 Win Family, .308 Tall (.30-06), RSAUM and WSM Magnum, Magnum Tall, .338 LM Family, .50 BMG. In addition, there are blocks for most popular pistol cartridges: .380/9mm, .38 SPL, .38 Super, .40 SW, .44 Magnum, .45 ACP. These blocks are affordable, starting at just $10.95. The popular .308 Win Family blocks are $11.95.
Click photo to view full-screen image:
Tech Insight — Acrylic Machining Process
The folks at Bullets.com tell us that machining acrylic is not as easy as it seems. Making precision blocks is a multi-stage process involving special equipment. Solid slabs are first machined flat so they are parallel. Then several custom cutters are used to craft precisely-arranged holes with nice chamfers on each hole as well as the outside edge. Every hole bottom has a milled, secondary primer pocket so the primers don’t contact the bottoms. The see-through blocks are finished to a nice sheen.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. Brownells — Rock Chucker Supreme Reloading Kit, $199.99
Everything you see above can be yours for just $199.99, after manufacturer’s rebate. Right now, Brownells is selling the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for $269.99. That’s a great deal considering all the hardware you get. Heck, the Rock Chucker press alone is worth $150.00+. Next, you can save $20.00 and get Free Shipping with Brownells CODE M3T. (We confirmed that code works on 5/20/17). So the Brownells delivered price is $249.99 (using Code M3T). But here’s the real incentive — this Rock Chucker Supreme Kit qualifies for a Buck$ or Bullets Rebate — choose either $50 or 500 Speer bullets. If you take the fifty bucks ($50), that reduces your net cost to just $199.99 for the entire RCBS Reloading Kit. That’s a total steal.
Here’s a “killer deal” if you need a high-quality scope for PRS and tactical games. This Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50mm scope features an illuminated EBR-2C reticle with Mil-based hash marks. The tactical-style turrets have 0.1 Mil clicks with zero-stop. The 6X low-end magnification is wide enough for closer targets, while the 24X top end is plenty of magnification for long range. The 23 oz. scope, which features a rugged, 30mm one-piece main tube, carries Vortex’s full warranty. Note this is a First Focal Plane (FFP) scope. You can save hundreds with this deal — this optic sells elsewhere for up to $1049.00. NOTE: This item is showing “back-order”, but EuroOptic.com is expecting a big shipment this week — so place your orders now.
3. Amazon — Plano Double Rifle Case with Wheels, $114.92
This Plano Double Scoped Rifle Case is an Amazon Best Seller for good reason. It offers the functionality and durability of an SKB-type hard case for HALF the money. This is under $115.00, while the equivalent SKB is around $240.00, so you can buy two Planos for the price of one SKB. The 51.5″ interior will fit most scoped competition rifles up to about 29″ barrels (measure your own rifle to make sure). The handles are convenient and beefy and the wheels make this case easy to move through airports and parking lots. This is a very tough, roomy case for the money. Plus Amazon is offering FREE Shipping.
Need a good set of rugged, affordable binoculars for hunting or varmint work? Then check out the Steiner AZ830 at $126.30. These are essentially identical to the respected Steiner Military Marine binoculars which sell for $220 or more. The only differences are the color and the packaging. The AZ830s are a black “house brand” created for Amazon by Steiner. Other than the color (black vs. OD Green) everything is the same. Same bright glass, same auto focus system, some tough rubber armor, same rock solid Steiner Heritage Warranty. We highly recommend these AZ830 binoculars. For under $130.00, you can’t beat them.
Editor’s Note: With these AZ830 Steiner binoculars, once you adjust the eyepieces, everything from 20 yards to infinity is in focus. This is a huge advantage in the field. I own the virtually identical Steiner 8×30 Military Marine model which has the same focus system.
Thinking of putting together an accurate AR for the new PRS Gas Gun series (or 3-Gun matches)? Here’s a good place to start. Aero Precision now offers a $193.49 kit with stripped Upper and Lower Receivers — both with a durable Flat Dark Earth (Magpul FDE) Cerakote finish. Just add barrel, buttstock, trigger group, controls, and your bolt carrier group. Note: This Kit will work with the .223 Rem and similar-length, larger-caliber cartridges such as the 6mmAR and 6.5 Grendel. If you want to shoot a 6.5 Creedmoor, you’ll need an AR10 platform rifle.
6. Midsouth — Hornady LnL Auto Charge Scale/Dispenser, $159.99
The Hornady Lock N Load Auto Charge Electronic Scale/Dispenser is now on sale for just $159.99 at Midsouth Shooters Supply, discounted way down from the regular $226.24 price. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen on this product in a long time, making this a real bargain. If you are looking for an affordable, combo digital scale and powder dispenser, this is a great deal. By comparison, the new RCBS ChargeMaster Lite sells for around $250.00 and is back-ordered at many vendors. That means you can save at least $90.00 by buying RED instead of GREEN.
7. CDNN — Remington RP9 9x19mm Pistol, $249.99 with Rebate
Here’s a killer deal on a modern, full-size, 9mm pistol. The striker-fired Remington RP9 is similar to Smith & Wesson’s popular M&P9, but we prefer the Remington’s grip ergonomics, and the RP9 is much less expensive. The RP9 comes with three (3) grip inserts and two (2) 18-round magazines. CDNN’s retail price is $299.99, but this pistol qualifies for a $50 mail-in Rebate from Remington. That knocks your net cost down to $249.99. That’s a heck of a bargain for a nicely-designed, American-made pistol. We’ve shot this Remington RP9 pistol and definitely prefer its ergonomics/controls over those of the full-size 9mm Glock 17.
8. Bass Pro — Federal Value Pack .22 LR, 325 Rds for $19.99
This Federal Auto-Match .22 LR ammo is just 6.2 cents per round — the kind of pricing on bulk rimfire ammo we used to see in the “good old days”. Act quickly, this $19.99 Federal .22 LR Ammo deal at Bass Pro Shops won’t last long. Each box contains 325 rounds — enough ammo for many sessions at the range. The bullets are 40 grains, solid lead.
9. Home Depot — 72″ Wood Workbench for $75.36
This patented Home Depot workbench assembles in a few minutes. Simply unfold the legs, pop in the shelf, and you are ready to start your project. Made from Premium 2×4 Hemlock fastened with glue and screws, this workbench is a great value. The bench (72″ wide x 35″ high x 22″ deep) can easily be stored when not in use. NOTE: The wood is unfinished (can be painted or stained).
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
1. MidwayUSA — Bushnell 25% Rebates & MidwayUSA Optics Sale
Save big bucks on Bushnell. Now through June 6, 2017, Bushnell is offering 25% OFF mail-in rebates. Combine that will special sale pricing now at MidwayUSA.com and you can save hundreds on popular optics. For example, the Bushnell 4.5-30x50mm Elite Tactical ERS Mildot scope retails for $979.00. That 25% rebate will save you $244.75, lowering your net cost to $734.25! In addition to riflescopes, the Bushnell Rebate knocks 25% off of Bushnell binoculars, laser rangefinders, spotting scopes, GPS units, and even trail cams. CLICK HERE for Bushnell 25% Rebate details.
2. Precision Reloading — 10% Off All Battenfeld Brands
Now through May 23, 2017 Precision Reloading is running a great sale on all products from Battenfeld Technologies’ well-known brands: Caldwell, Tipton, Frankford Arsenal, Wheeler Accuracy and more. We own a number of these products, such as the Tipton Gun Vise, which has delivered years of great service. We like the Tipton Ultra nickle-plated jags, and the Caldwell “The Rock BR” front rest offers great “bang for the buck”.
Here are some recommended Battenfeld Technologies Brand Products on Sale:
3. Brownells — Smith & Wesson Pistols with $75 Rebate
If you need a carry pistol, now’s a great time to buy. Smith & Wesson is offering a $75.00 mail-in rebate on many of its most popular, compact handguns. In addition, a selection of small S&W semi-auto pistols is on sale now at Brownells.com. When you combine the sale discounts with Manufacturer Rebate, you can pick up an S&W pistol for as little as $239.99 after Rebate. That’s less than half what you’d pay for a Glock. CLICK HERE for S&W Specials at Brownells.
4. Natchez — Special 5 Reloading Press Kit, $199.99
Looking for a great holiday gift for a family member getting started in metallic cartridge reloading? This RCBS Kit has everything a new reloader needs: single-stage press, powder measure, scale, powder trickler, priming tool, cartridge tray, “rocket” chamfer tool, case lube and more. This is an excellent entry-level reloading kit, on sale for just $199.99 at Natchez Shooters Supplies. We like the relatively compact Special 5 press for most reloading duties. Eventually you may want to add an additional, large heavy press, but this will get the job done. For the combined package, with all the tools one needs to hand-load quality ammo — this is a stunningly good deal at $199.99.
5. Amazon — Lyman Case Prep Xpress $103.99
The Lyman Case Prep Xpress lets you chamfer inside and out, brush your necks, clean/uniform primer pockets, and ream military crimps. On sale at Amazon.com with $103.99 Prime pricing, this is a good deal. Lyman’s Case Prep Xpress sells elsewhere for $130.00 or more. Here is a review from a Verified Purchaser: “The unit is quiet, sturdy, and the attachments do what they are supposed to do. It already has made a difference in my reloading speed, and most importantly, my comfort. I highly recommend this unit.” (Strafer, 4/7/14)
6. CDNN — Browning Maple X-Bolt Medallion, $899.99
CDNN Sports has some of the nicest modern Browning rifles we’ve seen. These deluxe Maple-stocked X-Bolt Medallion Rifles are now on sale for $899.99, marked down from $1519.99. The machine-engraved receiver features a polished blued finish, and is glass bedded into the stock. The free-floating barrel is high-gloss blued, hand-chambered and finished with a target crown. The bolt has a 60° lift and the trigger is adjustable. The stock is a high gloss AAA maple with rosewood fore-end and pistol grip cap. These are very nice rifles that any shooter would be proud to own.
7. Amazon — 34 dB Noise Rating Ear Muffs, $17.45
These 34 dB NRR earmuffs provide excellent sound protection without being too heavy and bulky. At at $17.45, they are a great bargain. The lower section of the muff is trimmed for a narrower profile — that helps with rifle and shotgun stocks. The headband is adjustable and has comfortable padding. These Pro For Sho Muffs have earned a 4 1/2 star consumer rating, with over 1,600 Amazon customer reviews. NOTE: These fit pretty tight. If you have a very large hat size you might want a different brand.
8. Midsouth — Lee Auto Bench Priming Tool, $23.99
This relatively new bench tool does the job very well, and it’s easy to change primer sizes and shell holders. The “feel” of this tool is very good (better than most other bench priming units). If you like to pre-prime cases before using a progressive — this $23.99 Lee Bench Priming Tool gets the job done fast. The tool includes a new folding tray with built-in primer-flipping feature that allows direct filling from common primer boxes. The tool mounting holes are spaced for the Lee Bench Plate system (#006-90251) or the device can be mounted directly to your workbench. REVIEWS by verified purchasers.
If you shoot long range, you need a scope level. This Discovery scope level is fully CNC-machined to close tolerances for a good fit. It is available with inner diameters to fit scopes with either 1″ or 30mm main tubes. The 1″ version is just $12.99 while the 30mm model is $13.95. You could easily pay $35.00 or more for a 30mm scope level. Purchasers have praised this product: 89% of verified buyers rated this five stars.
In recent years, Forster Co-Ax® presses have been somewhat hard to find, as demand has out-stripped supply. However, right now Grafs.com has Co-Ax presses in stock, at just $299.99 — that’s six percent off the regular price. This sale price includes a set of jaws, and includes ground shipping (in the lower 48), after a single $7.95 (per order) handling fee. If you’ve been hankering for a Co-Ax press, now is definitely a good time to buy.
If you are not yet familiar with the many unique features of the Forster Co-Ax, we recommend you watch the video embedded below. This shows how the press operates and highlights the design elements which set the Co-Ax apart from every other reloading press on the market.
Video Shows Special Features of Forster Co-Ax Reloading Press
Forster Co-Ax Press Video Review
This is a very thorough review of the Forster Co-Ax done by Rex Roach. This 14-minute video shows the key Co-Ax features, explaining how the floating case-holder jaws work (3:30 time-mark), how the dies are held in place (4:40 time-mark), how spent primers are captured (6:10 time-mark), and how to set the primer seating depth (10:00 time-mark). We’ve used a Co-Ax for years and we still learned a few new things by watching this detailed video. If you are considering purchasing a Co-Ax, definitely watch this video start to finish.
The Co-Ax case-holder features spring-loaded, floating jaws. These jaws have two sets of openings, small and large. This allows the system to adapt to various rim diameters. The jaw plates can simply be reversed to switch from small jaw to large jaw. In the photo above, the Co-Ax is configured with the large jaw openings in the center.
How the Case Neck Sorting Tool Works
When you stack a column of primers in a single metal tube, you’re asking for trouble. As Dustin Ellermann learned, when one primer fires, the entire column can follow suit in a chain detonation. Thankfully, you do have options when it comes to primer feeding on a progressive press. RCBS developed an innovative primer system for its Pro-2000 progressive press. Instead of being stored in a vertical tube, primers are placed in flat, plastic “APS” strips, with a ring of plastic separating each primer. Moving horizontally, primers are never stacked, so the chance of a chain detonation is reduced dramatically. The re-usable APS strips are color-coded for different primer types. You can buy CCI “pre-loaded” primer strips, or you can insert any brand of primers into strips using an RCBS strip-loader tool.
