I KNEW I shouldn't throw it away!

[jonk]

I sometimes dry my brass in the oven on warm, at around 150 or so degrees.

A few years ago, somehow a 45/70 shell fell down into the oven itself. I didn't notice it and it got subjected to several high temperature bakes. I didn't want to load it after this due to possible case head softening, but I didn't want to throw it out either.

Having recently gotten a Beretta .45 Colt 1873 clone, I'm now loading for the .45 colt, which nominally uses a .454" bullet. I find that my Lee 200 gr semi-wadcutter drops at .453", and will shoot over trail boss with no leading IF I don't size it. I had been tumble lubing them.

Then this last weekend a light went off.

I cast up some bullets and melted a batch of Felix lube in the double boiler. I had previously stopped using this batch as it was getting kind of goopy (and old) but thought it might still be a treat for pan lubing.

Lined up the bullets in a shallow tray and poured the lube over them to just cover the lube grooves. Set aside to let cool.

Now here comes the cool bit. The 45/70 case I had sitting around was just perfect for use as a cookie cutter. I drilled a hole through the head on my drill press and slipped a carriage bolt through it to act as an ejector; I then used it to cut the bullets out of the lube. Quick as can be! I KNEW I'd find a use for it if I sat on it long enough.

Only complaint is this is a slightly bevel based design and has a small ring at the base, but I just loaded and shot anyhow, no worries.

[DLCTEX]

I hate bevel bases. Good thinking on the annealed case, I've got one with a damaged mouth that I think will work. Someone, I think Geargnasher, has a thread on removing the BB from lee dies.

[smoked turkey]

That kind of thinking is one of the things that I like about the folks on this board. Most would see throw a way or recycle while some give the item new life by adapting them to other purposes. That is thinking out of the box. I do some pan lubing and come to think of it I too have some old cases sitting on one side of my desk that I can do the same thing. Thanks for posting this tip.

[Rocky Raab]

Here's a pan lube cutter I made using two cast-offs: a '30-30 case and - well, I shouldn't have to say. Cut entire head off of case, drill hole through ball and glue together.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c170/RockyRaab/IMG_0551.jpg

In use, the slight belling at the mouth compresses the lube tightly into the bullet grooves, and the bullets rise up out of the ball as you go. Simplicity itself.

[rockrat]

Just a Nitro golf ball, no big loss. Now a Titleist Pro VI, would have been blasphemy!!!LOL


Thanks, good idea

[geargnasher]

I hate bevel bases. Good thinking on the annealed case, I've got one with a damaged mouth that I think will work. Someone, I think Geargnasher, has a thread on removing the BB from lee dies.

Not me, I've mentioned the removal process with a utility knife, wet sandpaper, and a dowel a few times but no thread. Ben maybe? I think the thread title was "bye, bye bevel base" or something similar.

Gear

[6.5 mike]

I've drilled the entire primer pocket out of cases I was'nt sure where any good & used them to make dummy rounds, lube cutters, & hole or wad punches.

[Jim]

Rocky, your ball handle is cool!

[Rocky Raab]

This is an even better uses for a carppy old Nitro golf ball... Fits the hand perfectly, yet has a little bit of texture.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c170/RockyRaab/IMG_3296.jpg

[stubshaft]

That's a great idea for a kake cutter Rocky. I've used old cases before but holding on to them when they get covered in glop (technical term) was a PITA.

[jandbn]

As smoked turkey said, there must be lots of folks here that "give the item new life by adapting them to other purposes". A while back I had posted in Swappin and Sellin that I wanted some 45/70 cases for cookie cutters and I would trade a set of stock 1986 S&W N-frame grips. I didn't even get a nibble! I might have been too greedy though as I was wanting one of each with neck ID's of .452, .453, .454, and .455.