Midway USA Classic Wood Reloading Trays are made of wood with 50 holes drilled for holding variety of cartridge cases. One of the many sizes should fit most all cases you are likely to reload.
For the Browning Model 1885 High Wall BPCR project I asked
Midway to send me a couple of their wood reloading trays as I
had no loading tray or blocks of the proper size to fit the
large case head size of the .45-70 cartridge. Since I had
some of these on hand in sizes for the .222/.223 case head
and the .30-06 case head size I was already familiar with
them and knew I liked them. As a matter of fact these have
become quite my favorites these days and I find that in the
sizes I have I tend to use them over the various others I
have around my reloading bench. There is a "touch of class" I
think about the wooden trays as compared to plastic. Not that
the plastic trays aren't functional as they certainly are
that and tough but the wood is warm to the touch and adds a
bit of class and with the added benefit of no static
electricity from them.
Midway offers these trays in an 8-pack containing sizes #2,
3, 4, 5, 5S, 6, 7 and 8 for the price of $26.49 in their June
2001 catalog or individually for $5.79 each. Obviously there
is a substantial savings by buying the 8 pack which will
cover almost all of the case sizes you are likely to reload
for. The #8 is the size for the .45-70 and other really large
cases of this magnitude.
After having used them for awhile now for the reloading of
the .45-70 I have but one complaint and it is minor. When I
reload I will normally prime and charge a full tray of 50
cases with the load of choice. Thru the powder charging
operation using a powder measure to drop the charges all is
fine with the .45-70 but when I then go to the table where I
have the sized and lubed bullets and slip those long 480-535
grain bullets down into the cases and then pick up the tray
to take to my bench with the loading press it is a bit of a
balancing job to keep them from tipping and spilling. This is
NOT a problem for any other round I load for. With jacketed
bullets I put the bullets in the cases at the bench next to
my press and with many other cast bullets I do also and even
with those I don't the case length and bullet weight don't
combine to offer the leverage of those long heavy .45 caliber
bullets. For the .45-70 I sure would love to have a tray that
is about three or four times as deep to better hold the
rounds. Of course this is only peculiar to the way I load and
doesn't mean anyone else does as I do or would have the
situation I do. As I said it is a minor complaint and if the
tray was that large it would be much heavier and then I might
complaint about that. Some folks are just hard to please.
Really I have only good things to say about the Midway
Classic Wood Loading Trays. I like them and I use them. They
get the Graybeard Seal of Approval and a big thumbs up.
Visit the Midway USA web site by clicking on the name.
MidwayUSA
5875 W. Van Horn Tavern Rd.
Columbia, MO 65203
Phone orders: 1-800-243-3220
Fax orders: 1-800-992-8312
Hours: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to Midnight;
Saturday & Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.