Post your reloading setups!

[GuanoLoco]

About $5K for that rig, other bits and pieces including the Cement Mixer are cheap by comparison.

I didn't start with that rig, I started with a 550 and built up a lot of experience before progressively buying the 1050/9mm, a 223 conversion, the Mr. Bullet Feeder (MBF) in 9mm, MBF in 223, and finally the Mark 7.

Geting the 1050 / Mr. Bullet Feeder running really smooth took some effort to tweak the machine and get my processes running smooth. Back when I was still pulling the lever I had a goal of being able to load 1000 9mm rounds in 30 minutes. Installing the Mark 7 Autodrive was easier than expected.

I have threads on other forums documenting some of my experiences.

[BaiHu]

About $5K for that rig, other bits and pieces including the Cement Mixer are cheap by comparison.

I didn't start with that rig, I started with a 550 and built up a lot of experience before progressively buying the 1050/9mm, a 223 conversion, the Mr. Bullet Feeder (MBF) in 9mm, MBF in 223, and finally the Mark 7.

Geting the 1050 / Mr. Bullet Feeder running really smooth took some effort to tweak the machine and get my processes running smooth. Back when I was still pulling the lever I had a goal of being able to load 1000 9mm rounds in 30 minutes. Installing the Mark 7 Autodrive was easier than expected.

I have threads on other forums documenting some of my experiences.

Thanks. At the risk of being too bold, I feel like I'd reload more if I started with a system like you've shown. In my uneducated opinion, I'd rather save 5-6k over the next few years as I collect my own brass than spend a grand or two sooner on something that will collect dust.

Am I thinking about this wrong? Meaning, should I be hand pressing first in order to "get the process" or is waiting and saving in order to buy an efficient rig not the worst idea?

[OnionsAndDragons]

Well, the 1050 itself is not unreasonable to start on from all the research I've done considering this. So, you could always go that route with the case feeder and plan to add a bullet feeder and then autodrive.

That Mark7 is baller, though.


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[Slavex]

MK VII is awesome, although since the new firmware/software upgrade it's not stopping when it tries to swage primers that get drawn back in. Not sure what the hell that's about. But even with that small amount of annoyance, I love the setup, wish they'd said they were coming out with the more powerful motor before I bought mine, because I would have bought that too. Oh well, next one will the Pro I guess.

Starting with the MKVII setup might be a bit much for someone just starting out, you need to pull the handle to get the feel of how the 1050 works, what it likes, what it doesn't and so on. Then once you've comfortable with that, get the VII. It only took me maybe 15 minutes to get mine setup, amazingly easy.

[Rick_ICT]

About $5K for that rig, other bits and pieces including the Cement Mixer are cheap by comparison.

I didn't start with that rig, I started with a 550 and built up a lot of experience before progressively buying the 1050/9mm, a 223 conversion, the Mr. Bullet Feeder (MBF) in 9mm, MBF in 223, and finally the Mark 7.

Geting the 1050 / Mr. Bullet Feeder running really smooth took some effort to tweak the machine and get my processes running smooth. Back when I was still pulling the lever I had a goal of being able to load 1000 9mm rounds in 30 minutes. Installing the Mark 7 Autodrive was easier than expected.

I have threads on other forums documenting some of my experiences.

Mind linking to those other threads for those of us interested in learning more about your experience setting it up? That way we can go read it there without you having to reinvent the wheel here and then we can come back and ask any questions we might have.

That setup is amazing - until this thread, I hadn't even heard of the Mark7. Of course the WWW wasn't even really a thing back when I was reloading regularly until I restarted a couple of months ago.

[JAD]

About $5K for that rig, other bits and pieces including the Cement Mixer are cheap by comparison..

GL, about how many rounds do you shoot a year of your main caliber?

[GuanoLoco]

GL, about how many rounds do you shoot a year of your main caliber?

My goal is no less than 20,000/year of 9mm, hopefully more. I wanted my time to be the constraint on my shooting, not ammo availability. @$0.10 vs. $0.20/round to keep the math simple I save $2000/year and have a 2.5 year payback on the machine. I was (and still am) working on some serious elbow issues from a combination of dry fire, live fire practice, matches, classes and pulling the #$%^& lever with my left and right hands.

[GuanoLoco]

Mind linking to those other threads for those of us interested in learning more about your experience setting it up? That way we can go read it there without you having to reinvent the wheel here and then we can come back and ask any questions we might have.

That setup is amazing - until this thread, I hadn't even heard of the Mark7. Of course the WWW wasn't even really a thing back when I was reloading regularly until I restarted a couple of months ago.

My descent into reloading madness begins ~2013.

My sum total experience with reloading was pulling the lever 5X on a fully set up Dillon 550 and producing 5 rounds of 44 Magnum at a friend's house in another state. I knew I wanted to compete in action pistol matches, shoot more and be in control of my ammo destiny. The ammo shortage was setting in. I was starting an outsourced home remodeling project and wanted to leverage that for a new shop. I had no mentor and am self-taught from books and the internet.

My goals and reloading sophistication steadily evolved over the last 3 years with a lot of time and $ invested.

Man Caves and Reloading - The Next Frontier
http://www.thektog.org/forum/f96/man...ontier-257020/

Tuning up a 1050
http://www.doodieproject.com/index.p...ing-up-a-1050/

Mark 7 Hotness
http://www.doodieproject.com/index.p...ark-7-hotness/

Brass Monkey that Funky Monkey
http://www.doodieproject.com/index.p...-funky-monkey/

I'm sure there are others on more specialized topics but thes are the main ones.

There is a LOT of research, trial and error documented in those threads. Get comfortable and take your time. It will save you a lot of trouble and expense.

I think it is possible to start with a 1050, but I would absolutely get it running clean BEFORE installing the Mark 7. Mine took a fair amount of fiddling and learning - even things like brass processing and QC practices - before it was 'right'.

If I was starting with a high volume goal, had the $, time constraints (don't we all) and DIDN'T require a bunch of different calibers then starting with a 1050/MBF/Mark 7 definitely would have been a serious consideration.

[BN]

I was getting "trigger finger" in a knuckle of my left hand from setting bullets on by hand. I got a Mr Bullet Feeder and the problem went away. I should have tried to get my medical insurance to pay for it.

[ravensfan87]

My goal is no less than 20,000/year of 9mm, hopefully more. I wanted my time to be the constraint on my shooting, not ammo availability. @$0.10 vs. $0.20/round to keep the math simple I save $2000/year and have a 2.5 year payback on the machine. I was (and still am) working on some serious elbow issues from a combination of dry fire, live fire practice, matches, classes and pulling the #$%^& lever with my left and right hands.

Thats pretty good savings and shooting you have. Love the set up BTW.