Ammunition & Hand Loading > Cartridge and Shotshell reloading
Reloading Presses ?
kozball:
Thinking about purchasing a reloading press to load about 2000 rds per year. Will be mostly 40sw and 9mm and could maybe get to some
223rem. Have been reading about the Hornady Lock n Load AP and the Dillon 550. I realize that 2000 rds is not alot per year, but for a few more $$ could get a progresive instead of a single. Less time loading= more time shooting.
What do you all use? Any problems with equipment or service?
Thanks in advance. Koz
gunsunited:
I use the Hornady LNL and love it. I had one issue and that just took a phone call. Spare parts in the mail the next day. I am not to excited with Hornady's full length sizing dies in 223 and 308. Got some Reddings instead. Pistol Dies from Hornady are just fine. One of the things i did to increase reliability is polishing the bottom part of the primer feed thingy.
Bigtony:
I reload with a old RCBS Rock Chucker. Bought everything I needed between sites like this, craigslist, and ebay. For me a single stage press is the way to go though I have been admiring some progressive presses but it will probably be til I find a good used deal somewhere. When I have time, in the winter months mostly, I go do a little reloading and by the time spring rolls around I have plenty to blast off. Also have a Dillon SL900 12 ga shotgun reloading press and a vintage Polar Bair 600 12 ga. My reloading room is getting full so I'll probably have to sell one of them. But as far as customer service, RCBS and Dillon are second to none. Both my presses were purchased used and I have called both company's to replace parts and they send them at no cost-no questions asked.
unfy:
I've got a Hornady LNL AP progressive.
Love it.
There have been a few tiny caveats here or there that are prolly just my machine specific... but... I've put thousands of brass through it with no problems.
Hornady has also been a pleasure to deal with, and they're from NE! :)
Dies are fairly interchangeable, a carbide / tungsten die set that doesn't need lube is suggested for pistol to make matters simpler.
Get a hornady powder cop die, for sure. Safety first, an extra visual reminder of not loading a powderless case is always a good thing.
----
The turret presses are progressive in that it rotates the dies to feed into the brass. Cheap and supposed to be easy / reliable. No personal experience with them.
Not as fast as a plate full of brass spinning.
-----
The hornady has 5 die positions, which is handy compared to a 4 station setup.
After powder throw stuff is calibrated, I produce about 100 40s&w in about 20min.
-----
Required extras:
Powder scale (a $25 cheapy electric by mec is fine).
Calipers (digital or dial is your choice, make sure you can do .0001 of an inch or finer)
Bullet puller of some kind (either kinetic hammer thing or a die that goes in press)
Primer flip tray ($3, save your sanity)
Reloading manual(s) ($15-$25). Something current to start with is good (speer / hornady). Collecting more as you go isn't a bad idea either if ya find'em cheap.
Ammo storage boxes. Plastic things are $2-$4 a piece. Midway USA has cardboard box + styrofoam things cheap bulk.
-----
Suggeted:
Tumbler or sonic cleaner. I've got a vibrating bowl tumbler, does nicely. Sonic ones seem to have decent reviews online but dunno how long they live for. Cabella's has vibrator + media separator for not too much usually. If you get a vibrator you'll need vibrating material as well ($15-$20). You *can* just wash your brass in really hot soapy water, but a dedicated solution is handy.
Down the line you'll prolly pick up primer pocket cleaners / reamers, deburring / dechamfering tool, flash hole reamer. All are $5-$8 a piece, lyman might sell an all in one kit.
I recently just picked up a Foster case trimmer. Love it. Doing a fresh run of 41mag for my dad and factory brass tends to be a bit long / needs trimming. I've not checked my 40s&w brass to see if it needs to be trimmed just yet... haven't had any feed / gun issues yet. I'll prolly sit down one day and check / trim tho. It's a higher pressure round so it might flow the brass more.
----
Btw, if you were the gentlemen at Guns Unlimited, hi! :D
----
Edit: i've not tried rifle rounds on the LNL AP yet. Will eventually be doing 3030 in it.
unfy:
Oh.
Other requirement with the Hornady press -- and possibly other presses...
Hornady One-Shot dry lube stuff.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version