Reloading equipment.

[HOLLiS]

I was looking for the thread, I thought one was started for reloading discussion. (if this needs to be moved, please do)

Some time back I bought a Dillion RL100 auto primer filler. I am so impressed I bought another one. I have two 500B one is set for big primers, the other for little primers. So why not two RL100 set the same way.

No more chasing those primers around on the tray. It is interesting to watch the RL100 work. One heck of a design. Once I got it set up right it worked flawlessly.

[Gene Econ]

Originally Posted by HOLLiS

I was looking for the thread, I thought one was started for reloading discussion. (if this needs to be moved, please do) Some time back I bought a Dillion RL100 auto primer filler. I am so impressed I bought another one. I have two 500B one is set for big primers, the other for little primers. So why not two RL100 set the same way. No more chasing those primers around on the tray. It is interesting to watch the RL100 work. One heck of a design. Once I got it set up right it worked flawlessly.

Hollis:

I was tempted but you can buy a whole bunch of primers for the price so I bought one of the Frankford hand held electric primer filler. Looks cheap but it works surprisingly well.

I will say this much about primers. The more stuff one has between his hands / eyes and primers when hand loading, the better.

I bought a 550B ten years ago and it never worked particularly well. Primer feeding problems, primer seating problems (wouldn't seat deep enough), and ram alignment problems. I sold it and pulled out my old 450. Not sure why but I can seat primers deep enough with the old 450 and the alignment is perfect. I even trust it to make some short range rifle ammo that will feed in match grade chambers. I have it set up for rifle.

I wanted a decent auto progressive so bought a Hornady Lock-N-Load Auto Progressive. Good ram alignment and extremely easy to change shell holders and primer system from large to small. Same issues with the primer seating as the 550 for rifle. Won't seat deep enough for easy bolt closure. So I have it set up for pistol where it seats primers just fine.

Funny thing is that I use the Dillon powder measure on the Hornady for the pistol and the Hornady measure on my 450 for extruded rifle powders.

Flagship of my various bench mounted presses is a Redding T-7 Turret. Have the turret set for the three cartridges I use in match shooting. Massive press that is exceptionally well made and produces some very consistent ammunition.

Gene

[bberkley]

I have a 550B with their new casefeeder for loading .40 S&W and 9mm. My press is pretty old, about 15 years or so, and I had to send it back to Dillon for some of their special help in getting the new casefeed platform system to work right.

I'm totally sold on the casefeeder so much that I will probably add a 650 to the bench, and use the 550B for .40 only, as I load two different loads of 9mm for Production and Open in USPSA.

I have one of those Frankford vibrating primer things, and at times, its slick as any of my reloading tools can get, at other times, primers hang (probably the primer brand and not the equipment), turn sideways, upside down.

I don't know that I'm ready for a $250 outlay for the Dillon primer machine, I think I would get a nice digital scale first.

[Gene Econ]

Originally Posted by bberkley

I don't know that I'm ready for a $250 outlay for the Dillon primer machine, I think I would get a nice digital scale first.

Berkley:

Wish I could come to some conclusions on electronic scales but I just can't. Had a Pact and once it broke and got fixed, it never worked right again. Had to return a Dillon because it refused to hold a zero worth trusting. Got a replacement from Dillon that works just fine. Bought a Lyman electric powder measure and that scale works OK as long as you re-zero it about every three charges.

I believe that the common electric scales are good to plus or minus 1/10th of a grain with consistency. In other words, it may read say 45 1/2 yet it may actually be 45.4 or 45.6. If you get one you can trust, you will learn its little issues pretty quickly.

Some guys say the balance beam scales are more accurate but they depend on your eyes seeing alignment and that can be within +- .1 grains as well. They will change zero just as easily as a electronic scale based on air temperature and any air currents in the room.

Bottom line for me is that both have their problems so I opt for the one that is faster to use -- the electronic one. I just have to be more aware of its changes as I use it.

Gene

Gene

[HOLLiS]

Gene,

I bought my first 550B about 15 years ago. I do remember that I had a problem with the primer feed. I have been trying to remember just what was wrong. It was either a adjustment or operational error on my part. Once I fixed it, I have had years of great service. Same with the auto primer feed on small primers. I made a poor adjustment and had a 4 % error, in primers being inverted. I corrected that, and it is 100% for the last 600 rounds. I do have a few rounds I load in limited quantities. I will only neck size, hand prime, weight each measure (lyman electronic powder feed) and seat, and then crimp all individually.

My first electronic scale was a Dillion and it went bad. Dillion replaced it at no charge. I like the electronic scale and it pays to have weights to test them. What I think is important is the powder dispenser, that it throws the same charge. Most loads I do today are plinking loads so + - 0.1g is no big thing. When I loaded for bench shooting, I had a balance beam scale. I don't think electronic scales where around in the 70's.

H.

edited to add, I have had real good accuracy with the Dillion on 308's. Clover leafs at 100M. on a stock ruger MkII Bull barrel,

[Gene Econ]

Hollis:

Guys on PS may want some advice on getting set up with loading gear and etc. It is an exceptional way for guys to learn ballistics and to learn how to weed out the BS from things they can actually see while shooting.

There is little doubt in my mind that handloading has allowed me a much better understanding of such military topics as 'Applications of Fire'. It has been a major part of my personal foundation in understanding military ballistics and military ammunition.

I have been hand loading for over 25 years and I bet you have been doing so for close to 40 years so we overlap to a degree and I bet we have had the same learning curves which at times can be tough.

So how about giving the guys some advice on handloading for rifle and pistol in terms of gear, procedures, and 'what to expect' from their handloaded ammunition.

Gene

[SpartanWrestler]

I was wondering if anyone shoots Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clay, etc. and reloaded. I have a Remington 870 Express Magnum (jet black) and I love to shoot 1250 ft/sec at 16yds and 1300 ft/sec 20yds and back (Winchester AA).

The bottom line is: what is the best brand of reloaders that won't mess up my primer or oz. load???...i shoot around a flat (8 boxes) in 1_1/2 weeks. and i dont wanna spend to much but still lock 'n' load when i can.

[i heard reloading is a good time killer :-)]

~Ben~

ps: i'm just after random brands.

[Gene Econ]

Originally Posted by SpartanWrestler

I was wondering if anyone shoots Trap, Skeet, Sporting Clay, etc. and reloaded. I have a Remington 870 Express Magnum (jet black) and I love to shoot 1250 ft/sec at 16yds and 1300 ft/sec 20yds and back (Winchester AA). The bottom line is: what is the best brand of reloaders that won't mess up my primer or oz. load???...i shoot around a flat (8 boxes) in 1_1/2 weeks. and i dont wanna spend to much but still lock 'n' load when i can.
[i heard reloading is a good time killer :-)] Ben~ps: i'm just after random brands.

Ben:

Take a look at 'MEC' for shotgun loading. They are kind of the Dillon of shotgun loading devices and have presses at various costs depending on how much you shoot a month. Based on your ammunition expenditure per week, probably some sort of mid line MEC progressive press.

Yes, reloading is a good time killer. Boring as hell and stupefying most of the time. I must load about two hundred rounds of long range rifle ammo tomorrow and although I have the most automated of systems available to guys today, it will render me unable to remember my own name -- so absolutely boring the whole affair is.

I wish I could program into a system my load desires, press a button, and see a couple hundred rounds loaded in an hour.

BTW -- if you think load development for rifle or pistol is time consuming, try load development for shotgun.

I would rather buy cases of WW-AA or Blue Magic for Trap Shooting than to have to go through load development and load for the same. Ahhhh, the sound of a load of shot spilling onto a hard wood floor!

Gene

[HOLLiS]

Gene, gave you some good advice. Auto primer feed is a real pls. I have several Shotgun presses. Posseness Warren(SP) is one it is a great press(no auto primer feed), for 20 and 12 guage. I have mec for 410 and 10 guage and a old press for 16 guage.

The dillion are sure nice to read about. I just don't shoot that much shot gun.

[TonyY]

Ben for shotgun reloading I have an old Pacific 366. I believe it is the pre Hornady 366. All I ever loaded was #8 target loads and I used the same load for trap, skeet, etc. I don't remember how many rds per hour but It was fairly quick. I used to go through about 500 rds per week when I did a lot of shotgun shooting. Today I am more into long range rifle so I don't really bother with shotgun. For as much as I shoot shotgun some of the major sporting goods stores (Dick's, Cabela's, Sport's authority, etc.) have sales on target loads fairly regularly and the price is not too much more than what it costs to reload a box shells.

[Gene Econ]

Guys who Reload -- particularly for long range with the AR-15 Service Rifle.

Do those of us who don't go overboard with loads a big favor in High Power competition. Keep your 5.56 / .223 Long Range loads under maximum pressures please.

I am getting real tired of alabi strings because some moron thought he could get an extra half grain of powder behind his 77 grain .223 bullet - thus creating the 'blown primer' effect that also causes the 'failure to function' effect, that causes the 'desperate field stripping' effect, and thus causing the 'match being two hours longer than it should be' effect due to the alabi strings.

Not to mention the fact that those of us who are squadded next to said AR-15 shooters who want to overload already heavy loads. Bottom line is that it makes us safe reloaders nervous to see a fellow next door desperately field stripping his AR-15 to remove the blown primers from his "I use an extra grain of powder behind my 80 grain bullet" load.

Makes us nervous as when a rifle blows primers in 60 degree temperatures, something is terribly wrong and another ten degrees of air temp means the same rifle disintegrates when the trigger is pulled, thus causing guys like me who are safe in their loading to become wounded by flying AR-15 pieces.

So if you AR shooters think another half grain of this or that behind your 80 grain bullet will still be safe -- please consider those of us who still covet our eyes, fingers, hands, and faces.


Gene

[SpartanWrestler]

Thanks!....my brother and I shoot a flat a week (8 boxes one flat) (yep, around 30boxes of AA shell)...hopefully I can save up so I can get a good one:-)

My percision air-rifle couch is a man named Larry Schimdt. Anyone heard the name? He tells me that he went to Germany for pistol and won (pretty hard)...he also (I think) ran the course for machine-gun and then had to take it apart and make it again for speed....yep, he won. Funny thing is that his partner (The man who loads it...helps...idk the title of him....anyways) got injured, so he picked up a different one, and in the hotel they were at, he stuffed a machine gun in his case, carried it to his room, and taught the guy to take it down and up in a night.

Thank Gene