The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old February 10, 2012, 05:33 PM   #51
Martowski
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 31, 2000
Location: Texas (By Way of Illinois)
Posts: 1,376
Yeah, I've been reloading rifle and handgun ammunition on single stage presses for around 23 years. And based on the feedback and some videos I've seen on Youtube, I'm not going to get the Pro 1000. Will likely get the Classic Turret since it also can take four dies. Thanks.
__________________
Midwestern Ramblings (my amateur firearms blog): http://martowski.wordpress.com/
Martowski is offline  
Old February 10, 2012, 07:27 PM   #52
ScottRiqui
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 27, 2010
Location: Norfolk, VA
Posts: 2,905
Quote:
Note I do not own a progressive, or turret press. I am still using the same single stage press well over 2 years later. I batch components so that when I am ready to load I set up my powder measure, and loading block. I charge 50 at a time then seat bullets. To finish all off I run through the FCD. I can do 400 rounds in an hour without rushing.

I have my brass prepped by then. I FL Size/deprime, and then flare all of the brass first. Then I use a hand primer to prime the brass, and put it in a coffee can for when I am ready to load.
That's impressive throughput for a turret press. Is that 400 rounds per hour assuming that you're starting off with the brass already sized, flared and primed? I can't come anywhere near that rate, but I'm not doing any of the steps in advance.
ScottRiqui is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 10:12 AM   #53
2rott
Member
 
Join Date: December 11, 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 96
I would also like to know how to load 400 per hour. I use a Lyman T-Mag, & can only do 100 per hour starting from scratch. That includes correcting errors, picking up drops on the floor sometimes, weighing every 5-7 charges. I'm loading 38spl. I'm not rushing, but I'm not taking my time either. I also count putting cases into my tumbler & removing them.
2rott is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 10:18 AM   #54
m&p45acp10+1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 3, 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,930
That is with the brass already sized, flared, and primed. I will also have the powder measure already set up as well.

I typicaly do all the brass prep during the week, and load on Saturday morning. I woke up at 8 this morning. I have loaded nearly 500 rounds of ammo so far. (.41 Mag, and .45 ACP, with a few .38 spcl trhown in.) I had to take a little time to have some coffee, and read the paper first.

I put the pre prepped brass in a coffee can. I have my loading block ready. I have a funnel in one hand and grab a piece of brass. Put the funnel over the brass as I put it under the powder measure. Throw the charge, place the charged brass in the block. Reach into the coffee can for the next one. Repat till 50 in the block. Then with a bowl of bullets by the press I start seating bullets. I can load 400 in the hour not stopping for anything.
__________________
No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.

Last edited by m&p45acp10+1; February 11, 2012 at 10:30 AM.
m&p45acp10+1 is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 10:26 AM   #55
2rott
Member
 
Join Date: December 11, 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 96
I would like to be faster with my turret if possible. I do 100 at a time. I size & deprime 100. I hand prime 100 with a RCBS hand primer. Bell 100. Than I drop my powder, seat the bullet & crimp one at a time. Any suggestions.
2rott is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 10:35 AM   #56
m&p45acp10+1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 3, 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,930
Yea I could recomend being able to mulit task both hands. I use the left hand to hold the funnel, and place charged brass in the block. My right hand pull the next to be charged, and places it under the funnel.

I keep it all to where I can reach everything I am working on without taking a step.

I am still going to at one point in time or another going to buy me a turret press. I think it will save me time during the week with all of the prep work. Speed is not my goal. I never work in a hurry. If it is that big of a rush I will just chip in with my firiends and buy some .22 lr and not worry about rushing to get rounds loaded.
__________________
No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.
m&p45acp10+1 is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 10:57 AM   #57
2rott
Member
 
Join Date: December 11, 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 96
I can't get the Quote to work.
I'm set-up pretty efficiently. I sit & hardly have to turn to do my reloading. I'm using both hands at a time. I mainly load to save $ but can also load better rounds for Cowboy Matches. I also get a lot of satisfaction from it.
I shoot some 22 competition too. It saves money & time & lots of fun also.
Only been loading for about a year. So far so good.
I'm thinking of trying some IDPA & loading 9mm. It may not be as easy as 38spl.
Sorry to get off the topic. My reloads cost me approx. $11 a 100. I could never buy cowboy loads for even 3-4 times the amount.

Last edited by 2rott; February 11, 2012 at 11:03 AM.
2rott is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 11:01 AM   #58
m&p45acp10+1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 3, 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,930
Loading 9 mm is no more difficult than loading any other round. Make sure you pay atention to not seating too deep, and that you use a good metering powder if using a powder measure. Other than the slightly narrow weight range for most powders used in 9mm loading for it is not at all difficult. As with all reloading you have to pay attention to that in the heck yo uare doing.
__________________
No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.
m&p45acp10+1 is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 11:11 AM   #59
2rott
Member
 
Join Date: December 11, 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 96
Thanks for the info. I tried loading 45 acp for bullseye shooting when I began loading. Had a hard time until I ordered the Lee crimp die. I'll find out if I need one for 9mm too.
I did a quick calculation of cost for 9mm using Montana Black gold bullets & it's under $12 per 100 for me.

Last edited by 2rott; February 11, 2012 at 11:59 PM.
2rott is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 01:57 PM   #60
CrustyFN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 4, 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,258
Quote:
I would like to be faster with my turret if possible. I do 100 at a time. I size & deprime 100. I hand prime 100 with a RCBS hand primer. Bell 100. Than I drop my powder, seat the bullet & crimp one at a time. Any suggestions.
Which turret press are you using? The Lee classic turret using auto indexing and priming on the press will load 175 to 200 per hour at a comfortable pace.
__________________
I don't ever remember being absent minded.
CrustyFN is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 06:08 PM   #61
m&p45acp10+1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 3, 2009
Location: Central Texas
Posts: 3,930
Crusty I keep thinking about getting a turret press to speed things up. As of right now I spend my time during the week prepping brass. So if you counted prep time I would get nowhere near what the per hour round count that I do with prepped brass. It just seems that when I have the money to spend I end up either with a new gun to feed, or a bunch of components.
__________________
No matter how many times you do it and nothing happens it only takes something going wrong one time to kill you.
m&p45acp10+1 is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 09:39 PM   #62
CrustyFN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 4, 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,258
Quote:
Crusty I keep thinking about getting a turret press to speed things up. As of right now I spend my time during the week prepping brass. So if you counted prep time I would get nowhere near what the per hour round count that I do with prepped brass. It just seems that when I have the money to spend I end up either with a new gun to feed, or a bunch of components.
I know what you mean. I went through withdrawls not buying guns or components so I could save up to buy my Dillon 550. It worked out OK though because I let my wife buy the last gun.
__________________
I don't ever remember being absent minded.
CrustyFN is offline  
Old February 11, 2012, 11:58 PM   #63
2rott
Member
 
Join Date: December 11, 2005
Location: Florida
Posts: 96
Crusty. I have an old Lyman T-Mag turret press. I had lots of problems priming with it so I now use the RCBS hand primer.
2rott is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 12:41 AM   #64
Martowski
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 31, 2000
Location: Texas (By Way of Illinois)
Posts: 1,376
I'm looking to pick up the Lee Classic Turret press. Was thinking about the Pro 1000 but have read way too many posts and reviews from dissatisfied Pro 1000 owners to go down that path.
__________________
Midwestern Ramblings (my amateur firearms blog): http://martowski.wordpress.com/
Martowski is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 10:20 AM   #65
CrustyFN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 4, 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,258
The best deals I have found on the classic turret is at http://www.factorysales.com/ or www.kempfgunshop.com. Once in a while Midway will surprise me with a sale.
__________________
I don't ever remember being absent minded.
CrustyFN is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 12:03 PM   #66
Martowski
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 31, 2000
Location: Texas (By Way of Illinois)
Posts: 1,376
Thanks. Factory sales is who I'm going with but am waiting on my dealer discount through Midway to go through to see what kind of a deal it gets me as well. Kempf wants $110 for the press, while Factory Sales is asking $84. Factory sales shipping isn't bad either. Midway's standard price is even better than Kempf.
__________________
Midwestern Ramblings (my amateur firearms blog): http://martowski.wordpress.com/
Martowski is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 12:46 PM   #67
Scimmia
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 19, 2011
Location: Eastern IA
Posts: 428
Don't bother waiting, there's no discount on the Classic Turret.
Scimmia is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 02:46 PM   #68
Martowski
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 31, 2000
Location: Texas (By Way of Illinois)
Posts: 1,376
Or anything else I was looking at. Geesh... what a deal (or lack thereof).
__________________
Midwestern Ramblings (my amateur firearms blog): http://martowski.wordpress.com/
Martowski is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 02:53 PM   #69
CrustyFN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 4, 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,258
Quote:
while Factory Sales is asking $84.
Same price as Graf's with a dealer discount.
__________________
I don't ever remember being absent minded.
CrustyFN is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 03:10 PM   #70
oldreloader
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 31, 2009
Location: Magnolia, Arkansas
Posts: 251
Martowski I think you will be pleased with the Classic Turret. I bought one last year and now my old Rockchucker feels left out.It hardly sees any use. I reccomend both the Pro Auto Disc measure and the Safety Prime.
oldreloader is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 03:29 PM   #71
TXGunNut
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 16, 2010
Location: If you have to ask...
Posts: 2,860
9mm Reloading Worth the Cost?

Nope. Would I do it if I had a 9mm? Yep. Probably have a few thousand cases around here somewhere, have a Dillon toolhead set up for it, even have a few hundred loaded rounds serving as ballast in my safe.
__________________
Life Member NRA, TSRA
Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe
I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove
My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.
TXGunNut is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 04:51 PM   #72
Martowski
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 31, 2000
Location: Texas (By Way of Illinois)
Posts: 1,376
Sent my C&R to Graf and will be interested to see if I can get dealer pricing and what it is in total for everything I need.
__________________
Midwestern Ramblings (my amateur firearms blog): http://martowski.wordpress.com/
Martowski is offline  
Old February 12, 2012, 10:16 PM   #73
CrustyFN
Senior Member
 
Join Date: June 4, 2006
Location: West Virginia
Posts: 2,258
Quote:
Sent my C&R to Graf and will be interested to see if I can get dealer pricing and what it is in total for everything I need.
Yes you will get dealer pricing with a C&R. Graf's gives a very nice discount but when you get dealer pricing you have to pay shipping. Their shipping isn't bad.
__________________
I don't ever remember being absent minded.
CrustyFN is offline  
Old February 14, 2012, 11:52 AM   #74
dsb1829
Member
 
Join Date: March 28, 2011
Posts: 46
Not worth it for me. I canbuy range fodder 9mm w/ brass case for under $9/50rd. My time is worth more than the savings. I should state that I am using a SS press and have no intention of buying components in excess of 1000qty. I load 10mm because I make higher quality rounds at $10-15/50rd than I can buy for $30-50/50rd. Same goes for 45acp. 9mm will have to wait until I go progressive to be worth messing with.
dsb1829 is offline  
Old February 14, 2012, 12:55 PM   #75
pgdion
Senior Member
 
Join Date: April 22, 2010
Location: MPLS, MN
Posts: 1,214
Worth the cost? I'd sat no if you factor in your own time. You save some money but not a huge amount. But do I do it? Oh yea, love loading and shooting my own rounds. Especially since my new favorite is the 124gr FP. I can only get those by reloading my own.
__________________
597 VTR, because there's so many cans and so little time!
pgdion is offline  
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 01:51 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.11753 seconds with 8 queries