Seating and TC die question, upgrade to progressive?

Housemoney · July 21, 2008, 04:49 PM

With my rockchucker single stage press, I have to adjust the seating plug inside the seating and TP die, first seat, then adjust and crimp. It took me a while to figure it out, and it takes too much damn time adjusting it every bullet.

A friend has a Pro 2000 progressive, where he uses 4 dies.

Using separate seating and crimping dies, he doesn't have to adjust the seating plug, with the progressive he said he fine tunes the dies to their proper settings and leaves them for each caliber, on each die plate.

Much more efficient...

I plan on reloading lots of handgun and 223 rounds, would it be wise for me to invest in a piggyback upgrade or just buy a Pro 2000????

Sorry about the long post, Thanks!

mkl · July 21, 2008, 05:14 PM

Personally, I use only single stage presses. Much more versatile, and I think safer. As long as you are not reloading 1000+ rounds per month, the single stage is my preference.

I seat and crimp in two separate steps, which provides for better quality control.

For seating, I run a case up in the ram to full extension and then screw the seating die down until I feel contact with the case mouth. Then back the die off 1/4 turn.

Adjust the seating stem to my preferred OAL.

Seat all my bullets. Place them in the loading tray.

Back out my die a turn or so.

Then, I run the seating stem all the way out, place a cartridge with bullet in the shell holder, run the ram all the way up, and screw down the die until I feel the crimp shoulder contact the case mouth.

Screw in the die another 1/4 turn or so until I get the crimp I like, and then crimp all the cartridges.

Works well for me. Seating and crimping at the same time frequently causes problems unless everything is adjusted perfectly.

If you wanted to buy another die, you could lock one in for seating and then lock the other in for crimping and accomplish the same thing as your friend. Takes what, maybe 30 seconds to change dies? Do a couple of trays at each step, and you have lost only 30 seconds total time.

Housemoney · July 21, 2008, 05:39 PM

thanks for the response!

Quick question...

Sometimes while using the sizer die, I seem to deform the cases somewhat.

What is your protocol for adjusting your sizer die to the correct fit?

mkl · July 22, 2008, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Sometimes while using the sizer die, I seem to deform the cases somewhat.

If you are getting dents in the shoulder of a rifle case, it is probably from a lube build up in your die. Clean the die and use less lube. In 95% of the cases, only the inside neck and the bottom 2/3 of the case need lube.

For bottle neck cases, I first check to make sure they are all under the maximum length as per the manuals; for straight wall handgun cases, I don't bother with checking the length.

Trim as needed. For cases I am going to use for serious target shooting, I make sure they are all the same length; for those used for hunting or general plinking, I just make sure they are somewhere between the maximum and trim-to length.

I assume you are asking about how I set up dies for full length resizing bottle neck cases. In that case, I simply run the ram all the way up and screw down the die until it contacts the shell holder. Lower the ram and turn the die in another 1/8 to 1/4 turn. Set the lock ring. Place a lubed case in the shell holder and run all the way into the die. While in the die, look and verify there is zero gap between the base of the die and the shell holder. If you can see a gap still, screw the die in a little more. What this does is compensate for the flex of your press and ram linkage as you put pressure on them.

That's about it.

I have read comments that it is possible to size a case too much using the above method, but it has never happened to me. I use Lee, RCBS, Redding, and others in the 14 cartridges I reload for and have never had a problem with any of those dies resulting in excessive shoulder set back when adjusted as described above. The method will get you within SAAMI specifications which means the cartridge will chamber in any rifle, not just yours.

Neck sizing is an alternative if the cartridges are to be used in the same rifle and will result in slightly longer brass life and perhaps better accuracy if you have a rifle capable of sub-MOA grouping.

Hope this answers your questions.

July 21, 2008, 04:49 PM	#1
Housemoney Junior Member Join Date: July 19, 2008 Posts: 5	Seating and TC die question, upgrade to progressive? With my rockchucker single stage press, I have to adjust the seating plug inside the seating and TP die, first seat, then adjust and crimp. It took me a while to figure it out, and it takes too much damn time adjusting it every bullet. A friend has a Pro 2000 progressive, where he uses 4 dies. Using separate seating and crimping dies, he doesn't have to adjust the seating plug, with the progressive he said he fine tunes the dies to their proper settings and leaves them for each caliber, on each die plate. Much more efficient... I plan on reloading lots of handgun and 223 rounds, would it be wise for me to invest in a piggyback upgrade or just buy a Pro 2000???? Sorry about the long post, Thanks!

July 21, 2008, 05:14 PM	#2
mkl Senior Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Location: DFW area, Texas Posts: 494	Personally, I use only single stage presses. Much more versatile, and I think safer. As long as you are not reloading 1000+ rounds per month, the single stage is my preference. I seat and crimp in two separate steps, which provides for better quality control. For seating, I run a case up in the ram to full extension and then screw the seating die down until I feel contact with the case mouth. Then back the die off 1/4 turn. Adjust the seating stem to my preferred OAL. Seat all my bullets. Place them in the loading tray. Back out my die a turn or so. Then, I run the seating stem all the way out, place a cartridge with bullet in the shell holder, run the ram all the way up, and screw down the die until I feel the crimp shoulder contact the case mouth. Screw in the die another 1/4 turn or so until I get the crimp I like, and then crimp all the cartridges. Works well for me. Seating and crimping at the same time frequently causes problems unless everything is adjusted perfectly. If you wanted to buy another die, you could lock one in for seating and then lock the other in for crimping and accomplish the same thing as your friend. Takes what, maybe 30 seconds to change dies? Do a couple of trays at each step, and you have lost only 30 seconds total time.

July 21, 2008, 05:39 PM	#3
Housemoney Junior Member Join Date: July 19, 2008 Posts: 5	thanks for the response! Quick question... Sometimes while using the sizer die, I seem to deform the cases somewhat. What is your protocol for adjusting your sizer die to the correct fit?