Thread: American Made Re-Loading Equipment

Funny thing when you are dealing with gun based companies, when the stuff is US made it seems it never breaks and if it does just pick up the phone..

I just recently this month rebuilt my gun bench, the razors had taken over most all of the bench space in the shop. I finally took a day and put in a new 10' x 4' bench and several shelves, I moved all the re-loading and gunsmithing stuff to that bench and started cleaning it up and getting it up and running again..

I had two problems with the equipment, first my Pact BBKII digital scale, I couldn't find the platen for it anywhere, (little plate that holds the powder pan) so I get online and track down the company.. One phone call to Texas and $4.95 has a new one heading to the boonies of Idaho for a scale that is about 15 years old, I found it quite funny also that sometime in that 15 years they stole my idea When I bought the scale you had to use batteries to run it which I promtly converted over to using an old phone charger plugged in the wall Somebody else got smart because the have an adapter you can buy now

Problem number two, my Thumler Tumbler VB-18 finally after about 30 years mine gave up the ghost, and the motor died.. Again Google to the rescue and talked to a nice lady over in Auburn WA who told me no problem they can send one right out, I said "Well I might be over there next weekend for a B-day trip", she said "Better yet stop on by"

That is what I love about the US Gun Industry they still believe in customer service and making quality products...


Gotta love the things that go boom

Even the cheap stuff from Lee Precision is pretty good quality, and they stand behind it.
I've had nothing but great experiences dealing with them.

Originally Posted by HNSB

Even the cheap stuff from Lee Precision is pretty good quality, and they stand behind it.
I've had nothing but great experiences dealing with them.

Yep, and MEC, too. A machinist from MEC spent 30 minutes on the phone with me one time helping me reassemble an old 600 JR that was given to me in parts.

I have an old Star Reloader with dies in 45 ACP, .38 special and 9mm. I have had for almost 40 years and have loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds with no major problems on that same machine. The guy I bought it from was commercially loading with it for a few years and he didn’t buy it new. So it produced a boat load of ammo, he sold it when he had to go motorized.

About 25 years ago I was in San Diego on training and dropped in at their small shop. They were the nicest people and gave us a bunch of information and tips on maintaining their machines. I left there with a box of spares, springs, pins and stuff, anything that could possibly fail. Still have the box, most of it un-used.

I have Dillions, Lee progressives and RCBS loaders, but that Star is still my favorite, each pull of the handle, drops a perfectly completed round.

I recently taught my grandson how to load on the Star. I don’t know how old this machine is, they were made for over 70 years, but it is going on a Third generation in my family. Sadly they are no longer in business, but there is a website dedicated to keeping them alive with owners sharing information and parts.

Come to think of it… 2 of my house guns are loaded with 185 grains of 45 ACP wadcutter in front of a handful of Bullseye, produced with that Star. I guess you could say, I am still betting my and the lives of my family on the quality of that old machine.

Good Stuff? You bet.

I had a Star in 45ACP and another in 38SPL. Sold them both some years back. Ranges around here don't allow reloads anymore. Insurance they say. I still have my old RCBS 'rock crusher'. Nice to hear something is still made in the USA besides McDonald's hamburgers.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

Nice to hear something is still made in the USA besides McDonald's hamburgers.

Indeed!
I am getting tired of buying imports from Canada.

Is that new head of yours American made? If so, I'm buying foreign.



...it's shrinking??????

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Is that new head of yours American made?

Made in America with parts from the USA, Germany, Poland, and France.

If only we could look inside ...... then again ......

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

If only we could look inside ...... then again ......

Just a hamster on a squeaky wheel.... Sometimes he runs fast, but mostly the whole affair runs pretty slowly.