reloading 45 acp

[rebs]

The part I hate is having to run them through one die to resize, another die to bell the mouth and a final to seat the bullet. Wish there was an easier way.

[jaguarxk120]

There is: buy factory ammo!

[totaldla]

Buy a progressive.

[kostner]

Time to get a turret press from Lee. A Classic turret press is less than $100 and it will speed thing up. Now if you have money to spare take a look at the Dillon Square Deal on http://youtu.be/pNC7hE_KuHI

I have two of them 9mm & 45acp but do all my rifle reloading on the Lee Classic press. Like we used to say in the aviation business "speed cost money".

Here is a video by a late friend you will find enjoyable.http://youtu.be/YcT6Tyv4Unw

[Brian Pfleuger]

Originally Posted by rebs

The part I hate is having to run them through one die to resize, another die to bell the mouth and a final to seat the bullet. Wish there was an easier way.

In addition to the excellent Lee Classic turret that puts all your dies in sequence, there is another way.... if you're shooting jacketed or plated bullets. Skip the flare, you don't need it and then you can skip the crimp too.

[Nick_C_S]

With 45 ACP, I:

(Vibra-stumble to clean)
1): Lube and run through a push-through die.
2): Run through a resize/decap die.
3): Run through a flair die
(Wet tumble with SS pins for a final cleaning)
4): Hand prime
5): Seat bullet
6): Crimp bullet w/ a Lee FCD (The one that so many love to hate; which I have found to be indispensible.)

Although, I won't deny the repetition of it all, I still enjoy doing all these processes. It's a labor of love. My load bench is my sanctuary.

If I didn't enjoy the craft of handloading - including the brass reconditioning process - I wouldn't do it. I would just buy factory ammo. Simply saving money is not a good enough reason to handload.

[polyphemus]

It is possible to avoid most steps including case preparation,simply buy
primed brass it is readily available.Not getting around powder charging and bullet seating though.

[arizona98tj]

Nick_C_S,

What is the purpose of step #1?

[Sevens]

Nick, I do follow your love of the hobby & I subscribe also. But you must be a lousy shopper if you can honestly say the cost savings isn't enough.

Even in the tough 2014 market, I'm still just slaughtering the price of factory ammo, even crap factory fodder.

[Sevens]

Haha, forgot to say...

Why is this a .45 complaint?
This is the same for EVERY handgun round.

You want trouble? Reload .223 to feed a black rifle.
-UGH-

[Nick_C_S]

What is the purpose of step #1?

Arizona98tj: A push-through die takes the bulge out of the lowest part of the brass - whereas a conventional resize only goes down about 3/4 of the way. You push the brass completely through a collet, and then collect the brass as it comes out the top. It's an optional step that I choose to do. It does not replace resizing however. Not only does it not decap, it also doesn't quite size down the brass as much as a conventional resize. Aside from the decap, the conventional resize is still imperative for proper case mouth tension.

I use push-through dies for 10mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP. I find it especially useful in 10mm. 45 ACP the least - but I still do it.

Sevens: Yes, I am a lousy shopper. And an even more lousy budget keeper. I have the good fortune of being a handloader. True, I can't honesty say what I'd do if I didn't load my own.

[Lost Sheep]

So what I am hearing (reading) is that the OP would like an attachment for his Glock that receives the cartridge case from the ejection port, deprimes and sizes with the recoil energy, then bells the case mouth with the energy from the recoil spring as the slide goes forward.

Dropping a measured charge of powder would be a neat trick.

That would leave bullet seating and removing the bell (one operation) for the loading bench.

Hard to fit all that machinery in a holster, though.


A motorized progressive loader sounds like what the O.P. would like, but it still requires a lot of monitoring and are VERY expensive.

[ljnowell]

Originally Posted by kostner

Here is a video by a late friend you will find enjoyable.http://youtu.be/YcT6Tyv4Unw

I miss jack. I used to love cutting up with him on the GT reloading forum.

[rebs]

Here is a video by a late friend you will find enjoyable.http://youtu.be/YcT6Tyv4Unw

I also enjoyed the video's, thank you for sharing

I am going to look into a Lee Classic turret press

How accurate and reliable is the Lee powder dump to go with a Lee classic turret ? Is there any safe guard against a double charge ? Will my rcbs dies and shell holders work in the classic press ?

[Brian Pfleuger]

The powder dispenser works plenty good enough with most powders. I even dispense 800x (also known as Corn Flakes) with it.

Any standard thread dies or standard shellholder will work.

Your eyeballs are the safe guard against a double charge. You're only processing one cartridge at a time. No problem watching what's happening.

[Clark]

Get the reloading press close to the TV/computer and reload while watching TV or videos.
It is something to do with your hands that is better for you than eating.

[Lost Sheep]

Originally Posted by Clark

Get the reloading press close to the TV/computer and reload while watching TV or videos.

Clark, aren't you supposed to put a smiley face or something when you are posting a joke?

Lost Sheep

[polyphemus]

A push-through die takes the bulge out of the lowest part of the brass

I thought that was a 9mm issue,none of the cases I've got show more than a
couple of thou.taper hardly a bulge and definitely not worth the time and
expense of that extra step.

[Nick_C_S]

re push-through die: hardly a bulge and definitely not worth the time and expense of that extra step.

The bulge can easily be felt as you push the brass through the die; make no mistake, it's definitely there. As stated, it is an optional step. And it's one with which I am comfortable taking. I gain peace of mind knowing that my brass is straight throughout its entire length.

As for expense: $16.29 at MidwayUSA, so it didn't break the bank.

[Brotherbadger]

Get the reloading press close to the TV/computer and reload while watching TV or videos.
It is something to do with your hands that is better for you than eating.

woof. Please tell me you are joking.

[Clark]

I am not joking. Look at the pic.

If I am loading one round, I go into the reloading room and use the dual co-ax presses.

But if I am doing anything boring, I do it on the dual partner presses while watching TV on my computer and fast forward through the ads as I deprime 500 pieces of brass.

As I type this I can hear the Thumbler's Tumber moly coating for me.

[Lost Sheep]

Clark, I read your post #16 as if it were suggesting reloading and watching TV at the same time. Depriming and sizing while dividing your attention with TV is reasonable, but dropping powder is a horse of different color. I beg your pardon for misinterpreting your post in my post #17.

Charging powder is an activity that demands undivided attention. Most of the rest of loading activities are not so critical.

Lost Sheep

[Jim243]

I gain peace of mind knowing that my brass is straight throughout its entire length.

While case prep is not one of my favorite things to do, I totally agree with Nick on this step. Straight walled cases in 380, 40, 10mm & 45 ACP will benefit from this step and help insure no FTF for your reloads.

Is it necessary to do, maybe not, is it prudent to do yes that will depend on how generous your chamber is in your gun.

For 9 mm the benefits are not there since the case is slightly tapered and generally any bulge will be in the top 2/3's of the case and a normal FL re sizing will take care of any bulge.

The only justification I can give for my doing it on all my cases is as Nick stated that I have the peace of mind my cases will feed without any issues and always goes to battery and they do.

Jim

[rebs]

I have never heard of a pass through die until I read this in this thread. I have had zero problems reloading target loads for a Colt Gold Cup. 4.2 of bullseye with a 200 grn lswc.
Is this more critical for reloading jacketed bullets or does it apply to the case when reloading any 45 acp bullets ?

[darkgael]

Not a criticism. Pass through dies. Never heard of them but not surprised that they exist. Sounds like an idea borrowed from the bench rest guys.
Whatever floats your boat.
I am of a different mind about reloading. I try to minimize the number of times that I handle a piece of brass and so I avoid processes that seem unnecessary.
Progressive presses rule.
That being written, I always advise a person looking to start handholding to start with a single stage press.
Steps with a single... pretty standard:
Tumble the brass in walnut media
Size and deprime.... in lots of 50-100.
Bell the case mouth.
Prime.
Drop powder.
Seat bullets and crimp (one step)

It is extremely rare that I have a malfunction/ftf. I doubt that the FTF rate is more than one in every 5000 if that....I can go for years with no FTFs.