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Thread: Still pulling the handle?

  1. #1
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    Feb 2011
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    Still pulling the handle?

    How many rounds at a time, per day, per week, etc. can you load without hurting yourself. Yeah, I *can load 100 rounds in less than 5 minutes, but I can't sustain that.

    I'll do no more than 400 rounds a day after work on my Dillon 650 with bullet feeder and case feeder. On a day off I'll do 300 in the morning and 300 in the evening. Anymore and my elbow and shoulder is toast.
    A71593

  2. #2
    Hokey / Ancient JAD's Avatar
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    When I was reloading heavy on a 550, 600 was a good day. The limit was always time and never fatigue tho.
    Ignore Alien Orders

  3. #3
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    Depends. Rainy day recently I loaded about 500 rifle on the Dillon 550 - about 300 224V and 200 308. I keep a Dillon 550 set up in 9mm and I usually knock out 100 to 300 at a time depending on what else I have going on. Now that I am shooting long range rifle, I am in the reloading area every day prepping brass or loading. I am knocking on 60.

  4. #4
    Depends on how many days in a row you want me to do it.

    The last time I really counted, I could do 200-250 a day, at a rate of 115-125/hr, on a Lee Classic Turret. Day-to-day, I wouldn't be fatigue-limited, I would just get tired of it and do something else. If I continued like that for three days, however, I'd get the achey-breakeys.

    I could only do 100-200 on the Lee Breech Lock Progressive before I started lubing cases for it (9mm). I'd get a pain in the web of my hand from the roller handle--I get a similar pain from using dumbbells.

    Single-stage rifle, I haven't hit a practical limit, because I'm still experimenting so much that I never want to invest more than 100 rounds' worth of components into finished ammo at a time.

  5. #5
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    I once loaded about 800 rounds in a 24 hour period on a 550. I deviated from the never load more than 200 round a day rule given to me by a shooting mentor who loaded 100 took a break and loaded 100 more. He loaded 3-5 days a week until he had few thousand of each of his favorite loads across multiple calibers. For years he had 4 Dillion SQBs- 9mm, 38/357, 44sp/44 mag and .45 ACP.

    The result of me loading so many so fast was a double charge ( 11.2 v 5.6 of 231) that reared its head at Gunsite on the am of day 2. I bought factory ammo for the rest of the class and pulled 800+ rounds and started over.

    I now never load more than 100 in a sitting nor 200 a day.

    YMMV Greatly

  6. #6
    The P-W in 12g is more of a problem, it has a turret full of dies and on each downstroke you are pushing a loaded round out of a die, and on each upstroke you are shoving an unsized hull into another one. I do probably 300 before I have another reason to stop.

    I might do 500 9mm on the 650 without stopping, but that is about what I get done before my wife wakes up on a weekend, not because I am tuckered (will be 61 soon).

    I always used my presses sitting down and then I got one of the SL900s and it came with the stand, and it made me realize standing might be LESS stressful than sitting. Then one day I noticed and obscure mention (it was probably in the manual I never read...) that Dillon actually recommends standing. Since then I have changed all of the presses to be on a bench at the same level, optimized for my height and arm length.

  7. #7
    Site Supporter CCT125US's Avatar
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    Apr 2011
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    Ohio
    Prior to having g a case feed on the D650, I could do 1000 an hour with a helper. Loading the cases and filling primer tubes. Couldn't do that very long, maybe 2 hours and be done with it. With the case feeder, it is more enjoyable. As long as brass is shiny, and no CBC / Magtech, or Win NATO brass makes it's way into the mix, I can go at a reasonable rate of 600 an hour without much fatigue.

    Due to ammo cost being so low lately, I just haven't felt the need to reload. I'm sitting on plenty of primers and powder, that have long ago been paid for. Just need the bullets and some time.

    Pretty easy to plunk down $180 for a case and go shoot. Considering my current component cost is about $3 a box cheaper.
    Taking a break from social media.

  8. #8
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    I have a Lee turret and pro 1000. I had never really thought about setting myself a limit. That's a pretty good idea. I know while at the range there is a point I go on auto pilot and am just wasting ammo. I bet loading is the same. I'm sure after a few hundred I'm not as focused. I've loaded to the point my shoulder hurt fir days so I am more careful than I once was.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by mmc45414 View Post
    The P-W in 12g is more of a problem, it has a turret full of dies and on each downstroke you are pushing a loaded round out of a die, and on each upstroke you are shoving an unsized hull into another one. I do probably 300 before I have another reason to stop.

    I might do 500 9mm on the 650 without stopping, but that is about what I get done before my wife wakes up on a weekend, not because I am tuckered (will be 61 soon).

    I always used my presses sitting down and then I got one of the SL900s and it came with the stand, and it made me realize standing might be LESS stressful than sitting. Then one day I noticed and obscure mention (it was probably in the manual I never read...) that Dillon actually recommends standing. Since then I have changed all of the presses to be on a bench at the same level, optimized for my height and arm length.
    I switched to standing and loading after I bought a friend’s slightly used 650,which came with a strong mount. I wasn’t sure how this would work out as at the time I had a bad knee and wasn’t sure if I could stand for long periods. Turns out it wasn’t a problem, and after I got a knee replacement, it wasn’t a problem either. Usually, I’ll load 400rnds a day, and call it good, I have loaded 600rnds at a time, but by the time I was done, I was ready to sit down, and take a load off, One other thing I did, was use the Roller handle on the 650 I use the most, I think that helps a bit with fatigue.. Overall I have no issues with the machines, loading 400rnds only takes about an hour or so, and I’m retired anyway, so, I usually have the time..

  10. #10
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    I wonder about press height. How high should a press be when standing?

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