Did anybody see the scrolling advertisement for that new reloading equipment?

[MBTcustom]

I guess it was a week or two ago that I saw an advertisement for a company that makes reloading equipment that I had never heard of before. I didn't have time to write it down, and all I remember is that all their stuff was painted yellow. Some of it looked very interesting, and I would like to investigate further.
Anybody know what I'm talking about?
Thanks!

[3006guns]

Sounds like that "Smart Reloader" equipment that appeared on the market a couple of years ago. Someone here on the forum bought one of their little presses and wasn't to complimentary about it, i.e., a poorly fitted ram and other problems. There seems to be some talk about it being made in Italy but I've never seen that confirmed, nor have I seen any other reports on their stuff which I find odd. I HAVE noticed that the prices suddenly jumped quite a bit. Probably the old "introductory price" sales routine but still no reviews at this time? Strange.

[starnbar]

I believe that stuff is made in china or some other pacific rim country never tried any of it but it was advertised cheap

[TNsailorman]

I think I got an email from someone advertising it but deleted it. It looked identical to the Smart Loader stuff, just a different name on it.

[dromia]

Smart handloaders shouldn't touch Smartreloader stuff.

It is truly sh!te, their only claim to fame is that their QC is even worse than Lee.

[MBTcustom]

Smart handloaders shouldn't touch Smartreloader stuff.

It is truly sh!te, their only claim to fame is that their QC is even worse than Lee.

Thanks for the heads up! None of their presses will ever be strapped to my bench.
However, it was some sort of interesting ammo boxes they sold that really caught my eye.
Observe:
http://www.smartreloader-usa.com/rifleammoboxes3250.html
Does anybody have any experience with these hinged boxes?

[waksupi]

Is the ad on here? If so, maybe we need to get rid of them.

[jcwit]

Smart Reloader, Made in china, marketed by their company in Italy, distributed here in the U.S. by Helvetica Trading USA, LLC
625 Griffith Road, State? they don't tell you on their web site.

Other than then the above they basically copy U.S. products.

[1bluehorse]

I did see a powder measure that LOOKED identical to the Lee Perfect powder measure but was made from aluminum..don't remember the name..I seem to remember (?) it was yellow in color..looked pretty good and the price was about the same as the Lee. I have enough powder measures or I would have bought one to try.

[jcwit]

I did see a powder measure that LOOKED identical to the Lee Perfect powder measure but was made from aluminum..don't remember the name..I seem to remember (?) it was yellow in color..looked pretty good and the price was about the same as the Lee. I have enough powder measures or I would have bought one to try.

Smart Reloader SR800 knock off of a Hornady Lock & Load Powder Measure

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=UYVBSR0042

Smart Reloader SR400 knock off of a Lee Perfect Measure

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=UYVBSR0043

Cheap chinese products, nothing more! Seems they can't even do their own design work.

From Natchezz

Hornady current price $72.45 S/R $89.99

Lee current price $19.95 S/R $14.99 on sale

Why not buy the real thing made in the U.S. of A?

[Oreo]

I don't know about this company specifically but it wouldn't be the first time the Chinese have stolen product designs from reputable companies to sell cheap knock-offs of poor quality. I used to see it frequently in the automotive aftermarket. Lots of guys in the U.S. make a business of inventing some product in their garage that becomes popular. Then the Chinese rip off the design and put the little guy, the inventor out of business. Its sad that so many American consumers cut their noses off by buying the cheap knock-offs.

[dromia]

Thanks for the heads up! None of their presses will ever be strapped to my bench.
However, it was some sort of interesting ammo boxes they sold that really caught my eye.
Observe:
http://www.smartreloader-usa.com/rifleammoboxes3250.html
Does anybody have any experience with these hinged boxes?



MTM does a similar hinged box and I'd recommend them over the Smartreloader stuff.

[clodhopper]

I have some of the ammo boxes by MTM and like them very much. Green and black color.
The real hinge allows the box to stay open so you can get the ammo in, and out with one hand.
No more weasling the hand in to grab a few cartridges, no more little plastic latch rubbing on the back of your hand. No more need to dump the box in order to get some shooting done.
Always disliked the plastic ammo boxes molded in one peice where the plastic flexed and the darn thing would not stay open.

[MBTcustom]

I have some of the ammo boxes by MTM and like them very much. Green and black color.
The real hinge allows the box to stay open so you can get the ammo in, and out with one hand.
No more weasling the hand in to grab a few cartridges, no more little plastic latch rubbing on the back of your hand. No more need to dump the box in order to get some shooting done.
Always disliked the plastic ammo boxes molded in one peice where the plastic flexed and the darn thing would not stay open.

My thought exactly.
I will check into MTM and do business with them.
This is why I always look before I leap. You never know who you might be supporting when you buy something or give money (just look at WWP sheesh!).
Thanks for letting me bounce this off of you fellers.

[Alan in Vermont]

Thanks for the heads up! None of their presses will ever be strapped to my bench.
However, it was some sort of interesting ammo boxes they sold that really caught my eye.
Observe:
http://www.smartreloader-usa.com/rifleammoboxes3250.html
Does anybody have any experience with these hinged boxes?

Tim, I bought ONE of them to try. It is so poorly made that I have to fight to get the lid closed as the "hinge" (using that term VERY loosely) binds and distorts. Not worth sending it back but it is the only SR product that will ever curse my loading endeavors.

[bbqncigars]

Alan, it would still be useful as a plinking target. :-)

[Roundnoser]

As the saying goes...You get what you pay for.

[Shiloh]

Smart handloaders shouldn't touch Smartreloader stuff.

It is truly sh!te, their only claim to fame is that their QC is even worse than Lee.

OUCH!!!
The only LEE products I have trouble with are molds. I also have LEE molds that cast perfect boolits, and are even oversized.

Shiloh

[0verkill]

I got a bunch a while back. They're the only company that makes a properly sized 25 ACP box. I also ordered a few more in other sizes, all pistol boxes. All mine open and close, line up and snap shut properly. 2 of the 25 ACP boxes were droppedand and survived, one full of prepped cases and one with about 60 rounds. I'll bet the same number of 45's would have busted it. I've got some Frankford Arsenal boxes and the SmartReloader's seem a bit more pliable than them but less pliable than my MTM boxes for what it's worth. Berry's Manufacturing also makes ammo boxes but I can't remember if they make rifle boxes. The only Berry's I have are pistol with the one piece box/lid flexible hinge, but at least they're made in America. The SmartReloader boxes are okay, but if I can get the size I need in boxes made here I will.

[wv109323]

I ordered some MTM ammo boxes from Midsouth Shooters Supply about a month ago. They were 100 round boxes in .45 ACP and .38 Special. They had a hinge on them. They were like a piano hinge all the way across the rear of the box. I feel they are an improvement over their old style. Like everyone said the lid will stay completely open and the hinge looks heavy enough to last a long time. Apparently MTM just changed over to the hinge design.

[mdi]

Smart handloaders shouldn't touch Smartreloader stuff.

It is truly sh!te, their only claim to fame is that their QC is even worse than Lee.
Yep, don't waste money on this stuff. Supposed to be an Italian company selling junk made in china, at least the presses. Out of curiosity, I bought one of their "C" presses about a year ago. My money would have been better used as toilet paper. The quality and construction was so poor I could not size/decap plain old 38 Specials without quite a bit of effort, even lubed cases with carbide dies and each case had to be guided in the die (1/8" off at full stroke). I now keep it in plain sight in my gun room to remind me of what **** Smartreloader is...

[HangFireW8]

MidSouth has the best prices I've found on Made-in-USA ammo boxes, as well as good prices on MTM. I've tried old Midway, new Midway, and a few other brands, and I've found MidSouth to be the best buy and MTM to be the highest quality. Modern Midway boxes are from China, but worse than that, are extremely brittle and break easily.

Be careful on their website, all the MidSouth "living hinge" boxes are mis-marked MTM in the on-line catalog. The printed catalog gets it right.

HF

[Green Frog]

This thread has broken into two branches, one for evaluating (or bashing) Smartreloader equipment, and a second for discussing plastic ammo storage boxes. I have a comment on each;

As to the SR powder measure that is a knockoff of Lee's cheapo measure.. I had high hopes that they were making an aluminum version of Lee's disc type measure... that would have been worth having. IMHO, a cheap "micrometer" measure is just a screw(ing.) OTOH, if those cheap plastic discs in Lee's other measure, along with the body itself, were replaced with aluminum, I could get real interested in buying that! [smilie=s:

With regards to the truly hinged ammo boxes, MTM's "Zombie Killers" in transparent green over black and their all red transparent ones are truly great to use (both loading them at the bench and "unloading" them in the field.) :guntootsmiley: There are also some of the same general design made by Plano™ for shotguns (I haven't seen them for rifle or pistol yet) and a couple of others. I still regard MTM™ as the finest of the bunch, but if $$$ were a concern would look at the others as well. They are all better than the "1-piece" type and light years ahead of the old cardboard ones. :mrgreen:

Froggie

[David2011]

The SR Universal funnel is a good product and I've been using one of their universal reloading trays for about a year. It seems durable. The funnel fits small cartridge necks better than some more expensive funnels. The common of these two items is that they don't need to be terribly precision and have no moving parts. They are the only SR items I've been interested in purchasing.

David

[jcwit]

I have to admit the loading tray is different.

On second thought "NO" to the above, nothing more than a copy of the MTM tray.