En Bloc Loading Tool

[usabaker]

This week, I was on a Facebook group Reloading for Military Rifles and ran across this posting by a fellow that uploaded a 3D Printing file for an En Bloc loading tool.

I printed it and gave it a try; it's a pretty nifty tool for those of us who have arthritis or weakening hands and digits.

It made me wonder if anyone had pictures of the different ways the En Bloc's are loaded at the factory in high volume.

[Skip]

Has anyone seen a film on the method that the arsenals loaded en-blocs. Surely, they did not
have a group of workers assembling manually.

[browningautorifle]

the method that the arsenals loaded en-blocs.

I've seen ammo transferred from five rounders to enblocs. That tool was pretty swift. There was another with just loose ammo and that was pretty neat too. I just sat and loaded them all until I had no more and then shot them empty. I had about a hundred though...

[MAC702]

I've got a buddy in a neighboring state with a Garand in 6.5 Swede (I'm still waiting for a barrel to build one.) Apparently, the en blocs are a lot harder to load for that one. He has a bench-mounted tool he uses just for that one.

[browningautorifle]

Apparently, the en blocs are a lot harder to load for that one. He has a bench-mounted tool he uses just for that one.

I would guess so, the 6.5 casing has more of a base and cartridge more of a case wall slope.

[MAC702]

I think he has this one, which appears to be pretty darn heavy duty for constant usage:

[browningautorifle]

That's the one I would want too. Two guys feedin' it could sure do a job of work.

[Bob Seijas]

An old issue of the GCA Journal featured plans and directions on how to make one out of wood.

[ssgross]

it's a pretty nifty tool for those of us who have arthritis or weakening hands and digits.

I'm not there with the arthritis...yet, but getting that last round in sure can mar the case up to something ugly with new or NOS enbloc's, even after tumbling them to smooth out the park, and flexing in vise to make them more springy.

Santa sent the kiddos a 3D printer for Christmas. It's in the shop being put through its paces on all kinds of odd bits while I figure out what temperatures it likes, etc. The kids are right there in the shop learning freeCAD. Thanks baker, I'll be printing that handheld one now.

EDIT: Are you able to share the .stl files here?

[usabaker]

I think he has this one, which appears to be pretty darn heavy duty for constant usage:

Wow! not that's a loader.. LOL