Printable View
My approach. A progressive turns out a hundred in short order, then I do Something Else and come back tomorrow. I am not one of the crank out a case at a time school of thought.Quote:
a good faith effort to reload 100 rd a day 5-6 days a week so he always had ammo ready to go .
I am going to try for 200 in two fits today, starting NOW.
My recipe with my 550 was to start with five full primer tubes. After 300 I take a break and case gauge and package three hundred rounds. After gauging and boxing I load the three empty primer tubes. Repeat that another time for 600 primers used.
I generally start with some rounds from last session in an ammo can, so I have enough to fill the hundo gauge for the sixth time even with my culls. I put the rounds left over into an ammo can for next time.
That way I end with all the primer tubes ready for the next time.
Generally took me about two or three hours. Been a long time since I did that though, I'm sitting on over 6,000 lsmall pistol primers and around 4,000 large. Plus bullets. Fro some odd reason don't want to load them and not have any supplies - as I won't buy primers for a hundred a thousand.
Answer no the all of the following and the Dillon SDB is your press:
Do you foresee adding a case or bullet feeder?
Do you anticipate using any specialty dies?
Will you want to load any rifle calibers?
I have a Hornady LNL AP, but the bulk of my pistol ammo is produced on an SDB. The shorter press stroke makes it faster than bigger presses (unless they have case or bullet feeders).
Also the case and bullet are fed from opposite sides of the press. This means I can use both hands and feed a bullet and case at the same time. That may seem insignificant, but I’d estimate it knocks 2-3 seconds off each round.
I figure if I got the primers, I can go in many directions. Once I loaded up maybe 8k of 9mm and then didn't like some of them (note to self: cast bullets and Titegroup do not work and play well together...) and was stuck. I keep the components but figure when I start the last thousand I will load two thousand. No rush, no pressure, plenty of time. :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Lehr
Unfortunately, that is the reality we live in, and I don't think it will get better anytime soon.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Lehr
I bought a 550 a couple of years ago after using a lot of different Lee presses over the years.
I went with the 550 because I already had a lot of dies and figured it would be a slightly cheaper path than the SDB.
I have surrendered, I now doubt that primer prices will settle back to double the pre-panicdemic level as I first thought.
I gritted my teeth and paid $99.99 for Federal small pistol; some GM for 9mm and .38, some Magnum for .45 Small.
That's a small price to pay to enjoy one of your favorite activities :cool:Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Watson
Yeah, I hate paying an extra $65 for primers, but that is probably $7 a week, basically the cost of a pint of a nice craft brew.Quote:
Originally Posted by SecondsCount
It pisses me off a great deal, but I am probably going to be alive less than twenty more years, so...
I vote 750, because you get an extra station for a RCBS lock-out die - https://www.rcbs.com/spare-parts-and.../16-87540.html
Only double charges I've ever seen came from Dillon 550s without auto-indexing plates. Usually because something happens and interrupts your rhythm. I know we'll say stuff like, "Don't get distracted while reloading."
Yea that's nice. You know what's easier than not getting distracted as a human with a short attention span? A lock out die. ;)
I only use it for 9mm….easy to use, adjust and maintain.