Reloading -- Nonte shuffle for single stage press

[earlmck]

Yesterday fellow levergunner JohndeFresno made a post in which he was looking for ideas for feeding bullets to his fingers for placing on the case to be seated. He had several good ideas provided, techniques I also use when I'm using my progressive loader. But for seating cast bullets one-at-a-time in a single stage press there is a faster way. And this technique works for other simple in-and-out operations we might find outselves doing, such as sizing-depriming cases to get them ready for cleaning. This technique is the Nonte shuffle, which I first learned about from one of my favorite of the old-time gunwriters, George Nonte. He wrote an article about it many years ago, some of you could probably find the article but I tried without success so will show the technique with my own illustrations.

OK, if you are going to seat bullets using the Nonte shuffle you have to have the cases primed, charged, and then belled well enough to start the bullet into the case by finger pressure while the cases are lined up in the loading block. Pick up a handful of bullets and press-start them into all the cases...

BulletinCase.jpg

Now seat a bullet. But instead of just removing the completed cartridge, the left hand has already picked up the next case/bullet between the thumb and first finger, and brings this over to the completed cartridge still in the shellholder...

TheApproach.jpg

Now grab the completed round using first and second fingers...

TheGrab.jpg

Pull out the completed round and insert the case/bullet combo...

TheSwitch.jpg

And you have now completed the switch. Right hand works the press handle while left hand is picking up next case/bullet to do it again...

SwitchComplete.jpg

Takes a little practice but I'll bet in 5 minutes most of you can do it better than this fumble-fingered fellow. Now that I have a progressive press I seldom use the Nonte shuffle for seating bullets (note again that this only works when you can place the bullet firmly on the case and have it stay there waiting for you to pick it up -- thus cases you've belled for seating cast bullets or maybe boattail rifle bullets if you are careful). Where I still use the shuffle regularly is for sizing/depriming a batch of cases that are going to be washed, such as full-length-sized cases I want to wash the lube off of. I'm sure lots of reloaders already figured out the "shuffle" on their own. I, however, had been loading for several years when Nonte clued me in and I might never have got on to it without him 'cause I figured I already knew everything I needed to know...

If this helps you out give a toast to another of those "greatest generation" gunwriters -- Major George Nonte jr.

[Pitchy]

[Griff]

I can see how that'd be a time-saver. But it seems as tho all my boolits flop over and need a guiding hand up into the die. Some more work is required, I have about 500 .30-30 cases to reload!

[Malamute]

Good trick. I hadn't seen it before.

I've figured out a method that speeds up the other operations. I use smallish shallow baskets (12-14" wide, 3-4" deep) for my cases. When the cases are in them, a slight shake back and forth gets them oriented neck up, and they can be picked up 2-4 or 5 at a time to run thru the step being done. Sizing and expanding steps can be done fairly quickly that way. I prime with a Lee priming tool, which is also fairly quick. I use the baskets for all the steps of my loading other than charging the cases, and use a basket for the bullets while loading so they are easy to pick up. I use a loading block for pistol cases charged from a measure, and stage them in a loading block for rifle loads when weighing charges, if I don't just throw the charges.

I have a Dillon, but don't mind loading smaller quantities on a single stage press. I rather enjoy the loading process.

[765x53]

Many years ago at a gun show in Joplin, I bought a case kicker similar to this http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructi ... ctions.pdf for my Lee Challenger.
It greatly speeds up most operations by not having to manually remove the case from the shell holder.
The gentleman who made it had models for almost any single stage press. Unfortunately I have been unable to contact him.

[Hobie]

Good photos! I've been doing that for YEARS as I run cases through the various stages of prep (sizing, belling, etc). However, I measure charges and seat bullets one at a time.

[JohndeFresno]

Thanks, Earl -

With the turret and progressive presses, I can't use that technique (since the cartridge stays on the shell holder until it is done); but I'll sure try that the next time I load up some rifle cases on the single stage press.

[earlmck]

I can see how that'd be a time-saver. But it seems as tho all my boolits flop over and need a guiding hand up into the die.

I'm thinking the 2-stepped bell produced by the Lyman "M" die prepares the case to hold the bullets upright better than the plain bell produced by most other expander dies. The "M" die is about all I've used for years, but I remember years ago having just the trouble you're talking about, Griff. And I'll bet I'm remembering from back before I had all my "M" dies accumulated. Also you do have to press the bullets down firmly into the neck.

I use smallish shallow baskets (12-14" wide, 3-4" deep) for my cases. When the cases are in them, a slight shake back and forth gets them oriented neck up, and they can be picked up 2-4 or 5 at a time to run thru the step being done.

Sounds like a slick trick, Malamute. Gotta keep an eye out for some of those type baskets.

[adirondakjack]

When loading on the single stage or turret (batch style), I use just the perimeter of a 50 round loading block, leaving one hole open (25 rounds). That way I can dispense powder using the LEE perfect without taking rounds out of the block, AND setting bullets into belled cases is waaaay easier. (this is especially important with short cases like ACP or .380)

Decap and bell (two margerine tubs to move em between), then Prime up a big old margerine tub of cases using a handheld primer.

Load em into the tray ONCE, using 25 perimeter holes. Charge and set bullets.

Seat and crimp, then place completed rounds into a one pound folgers plastic coffee can with a snap-on lid. Pretty fast if ya haven't got tons to do.

For real production loading, I go to the Dillon 650 XL with all the bells and whistles.

[1894c]

thank you...:)