Drop tubes on the cheap........

[Knarley]

Me being the cheap S.O.B. that I am, (I take after my Dad) I came up with some cheap and easy to use drop tubes.
The first one is for the 45-70. I took a hunk of left over 1/2 " potable tubing, (It's a grey pluming tubing) about 36" and black taped it to a hunk of wood molding. It's like an angle iron, but wood, and taped a plastic funnel to the top of that.
The case fits inside snug, so all I have to do is insert the case, drop the powder, and while I'm still sitting on my stool, pull the case out. I can lean the drop tube against my loading bench whilst I'm measuring the next charge.
The one for the 38-55 is made the same way, except I used some clear tubing that was left over from a wine making project. I would liken it to aquarium tubing. Again the case fits snuggley into the tubing, permitting moving the tube while it holds the case in place. So I'm able to measure, drop, and place the case into the loading block with out getting off my butt.
The cost was zero, but all the parts can be gotten at any hardware store for next to nothing compared to those fancy brass babies with a holder. I'll bet a yard stick would work for the thing to tape the tube to.
Since the static electricity theory has been de-bunked, but, (The new plastic might be a bit staticy at first) if you have problems with static, wipe your equipment with one of those "Cling Free" type laundry sheets, problem gone. And if you use one of the scented ones, well things smell pretty for a while

Hope this help a bit.

Knarley

[country gent]

Stop by the archery ranges at your local club and look for lost aluminum arrows. They are a hollow aluminum tube the ends can be cut off and mke up a nice drop tube. My drop tube is made from 1/2" od 3/8id aluminum tubing from menards or lowes. I made a nice wood frame with a 1.2" hole theu the top arm so tube can slide freely up and down. Turned up a nice matching wood funnel for the case end of the tube and a wood sleeve to set hieght a bushing to mount a reloading funnel to top and its good to go.

[montana_charlie]

I came up with some cheap and easy to use drop tubes.

Knarley, your drop tube descriptions appear to say that the tubes are plastic ... as is your funnel.
Because plastic is bad for holding a static charge, it tends to hang onto individual grains of powder.

If you are as picky as me, when you pour exactly 64 grains of FFg through the droptube, you want all of that powder to show up in the case.

So, until you find out that it is not happening, I suggest you inspect the interior of the tube(s) after each pour to see if a static charge is trapping powder.

Fabric softner sheets for electric clothes dryers are supposed to eliminate static charges, so you may get helped by pushing a piece through the tube and wiping down your funnel.

CM

[Knarley]

Stop by the archery ranges at your local club and look for lost aluminum arrows. They are a hollow aluminum tube the ends can be cut off and mke up a nice drop tube. My drop tube is made from 1/2" od 3/8id aluminum tubing from menards or lowes. I made a nice wood frame with a 1.2" hole theu the top arm so tube can slide freely up and down. Turned up a nice matching wood funnel for the case end of the tube and a wood sleeve to set hieght a bushing to mount a reloading funnel to top and its good to go.

The arrows do not allow the case to be inserted and/or held the case in place (at least not the ones I have) If need be, I can dump powder back out of the case with out removing it from the drop tube.
I'm sure your's is WAY more prettier than what I use, like I said, "I be cheap".

Knarley

[country gent]

Yes arrow tubes need to have 2 adapters made on funnel for case end and a bushing to mount the funnle on top end. My ends are walnit turned to a 3/4" od for case end with a chamfer cut funnel end to set on case mouth. TTop is a simple 5/8" bushing to a light snug fit for rcbs funnel. Both wood pieces are finnished with slow cure epoxy to completely seal wood grain and strengthen it. C Frame is also walnut and epoxy finished so everything matches.

[country gent]

I saw one made from arrow tube the guy simply used a tubing flare tool and flared the end out to form the case end also. It might have taken severl times to get it big enough.

[cal50]

+1 for using an arrow shaft.
An adapter to attach an aluminum funnel on top and a couple O rings to position the shaft in the case works fine.

[Knarley]

I have two LEE funnels, and one RCBS, all plastic. Yes at first they might be a bit "clingy". But after a short time, they aren't. I pour 70 gr. I get 70 gr.
All my arrows are 2218. Some are XX75's I am not cutting them up. The Gamegetters are another story.

If you guys want to go diggin' through the weeds for arrows, have a good time . I have done enough of that in my life time, try findin' one that's stuck in a deer!

Knarley

[montana_charlie]

If you guys want to go diggin' through the weeds for arrows, have a good time . I have done enough of that in my life time, try findin' one that's stuck in a deer!

Did you ever shoot any Aqua Velva arrows?

[Knarley]

Did you ever shoot any Aqua Velva arrows?

Aqua Velva arrows? I'm almost afraid to ask, almost...............

[montana_charlie]

Aqua Velva arrows? I'm almost afraid to ask, almost...............

I always still hunted, but it might apply to tree stand situations, too.

You find yourself looking at a nice buck that is upwind of you, but well out of range.
He is in no hurry to move, the sun is getting low, and you get tired of waiting.

You fish out a throw away arrow found in the bushes, or damaged in some way.
Drip a bit of Aqua Velva (or anything the deer will know is 'foreign') on that arrow shaft and shoot it waaay over the top of the buck.
The arrow lands with a faint clatter (maybe), but the buck knows he wants no part of that after shave coming to him on the wind.

With any luck, he will move straight downwind ... into your kill range.

CM

[Lead pot]

Here is another inexpensive drop tube/s made from scrap 3/8" OD ridged refrigeration copper tubing with a 3/8x5/8" od sweat reducer on one end and a funnel from a ML powder measurer. And the other one with the brass fitting I had. The sweat reducer will fit over .38 to .50 sharps brass and you will not spill any powder by dropping a case when you use one of those single case drop tube holders.
Set all your cases in a loading block on the floor or on a bench depending on the length of the tube. I use a 36" and a 18". Actually the 18" settles the powder as well as the 36". The 3/8" od tube will slow the powder drop down making a better settling in the case.
Just move the tube case to case. You can see with all the powder caked on the tube it gets used
Here is something you can do if your a short range shooter. Take a small motor like what is on a tumbler and put a counter weight on the shaft till you get the vibration you want. Mount it on the shelf your powder drop is fastened to, that gentle vibration will settle in the drop cylinder and you will drop very consistent powder charges. You can move the tube case to case doing this using the Lyman 55.

[THerbert]

My tube is very simple. While I was at the hardware store, I went to the K&S Metal display, and bought a 36" piece of 3/8" brass tube. I cut it off at 24", and made the simple holder out of scrap yellow pine. The clamps that hold the tube were drilled with a 3/8" drill, then were cut through the center of the hole on the table saw, and I put two screws on each clamp to control the tension on the tube. it's tight enough that it holds the tube in place, yet loose enough that I can move the tube up and down easily in the clamps.

I just sit the brass on the bench top under the tube, and move the tube until it extends into the mouth of the case about 1/16". It's easy to get the cases in and out under the tube by angling them slightly, and it will work for a case of any length, whether it's a .44-40 or a .577/450 MH. I don't load anything with black less than a .38-40, so I haven't had to make a reducer for the bottom of the tube. As you can see, I just use a plastic RCBS funnel on the top.

[Wayne Smith]

Country Gent, could you post a pic of yours? Lathe I have - but I am very visual.

[country gent]

I havent any means of taking and havent been able to post Pictires, Wayne. If and when my DAughter comes over Ill have her take some and e-mail them to you. Mine is a simple wood C frame made from 1"x4" walnut Stand is around 12" tall totop oc frame. 1/2" hole drilled thru the top leg.On center point 3/8 from front 3/8 from side.Base is 4" wide and 6" long. Tube is 3/8 id 1/2" aluminum tubing 3 ft long. I turned up a simple funnel from walnut 3/4" dia and 3" long 1/2 hole one end and cut thru other with countersink. Top is a wood bushing glued on to tubing and a snug fit od for rcbs funnel. ( i reworked this to a smaller hole with JB weld to give a finer powder stream thru tube. The lower funnle case adapter is help on with silicon sealant. This is a nice drop tube remeber frame can be assembled but tube cant have lower end installed untill its assembled. I also have an oring above frame as this makes a stop for the hieght of the tube.

[bob208]

I used an arrow shaft one time for my .40 muzzle loader. put a small funnel end on it slid it down the bore that way powder did not stick to the barrel and it went right in the breach. it helped tighten up the groups of the bench but off hand I could not tell the difference.

another I tried was to take a 3' tube and coil it like a still coil. the thought was to take up less room and still 3' of drop. never did get a chance to finish it and try it out.

[rfd]

a 29" arrow shaft, a small aluminum funnel, a few hook eyes, a bearing stop, and a bit of wood, that's all it takes, not rocket science ...

[Maven]

"The first one is for the 45-70. I took a hunk of left over 1/2 " potable tubing, (It's a grey pluming tubing) about 36" and black taped it to a hunk of wood molding. It's like an angle iron, but wood, and taped a plastic funnel to the top of that." ...Knarley

I did that as well, but used a brass cone shaped plumbing fitting, which fits the case mouths perfectly, at the lower end. Btw, those brass fittings also make cheap muzzle protectors for both CF and ML guns.

[RonT]

I added a 'reducer' to the down end of my drop tube, and made a spring loaded, hands free case holder.
Cheers,
R