On Mar 28, 1:39*am, Richard wrote:
On 3/28/2013 2:12 AM, Karl Townsend wrote:







Dillon is the gold standard of progressive reloading units.

I'd suggest the 650 with a case feeder. You still pull the handle and
place the bullet. It easily runs at 30 rounds a minute once you're all
set up. No problem running 2K rounds after supper. Changeover to
another caliber is significant. For quicker changeovers and smaller
runs go to the 550 press - no case feeder, no auto rotation, less
stations.

if you want to REALLY crank them out, go to the 1050 press. This is
the one to use if you'd like to add a servo motor to run the crank and
sensors, PLC etc. then sit back and watch it run. other folks have
done this if you'd care to investigate. A fair bit of coin here, way
to much IMHO.

My son runs a 650 and does our 9mm, .223, and .308. I have a 550 and
do .50AE, .270, .3030, .45 ; need more dies for other calibers.

I'm watching for a .50 BMG press. Prices and availablity nuts right
now, I'm waiting a bit for bama scare #2 to subside.

karl

Cool...
http://www.dillonprecision.com/content/p/9/catid/1/pid/25792/BL_550_B...
I guess it is assumed that you know what you are doing when you start
shopping for tools.

But there is a bit more involved, isn't there, Karl?
Getting all the adapters for a certain round in the forst place.

Resizing brass, and for rim headspaced brass for tube magazines, I see
that crimping (and doing it right!) is important.
http://www.sportsmanswarehouse.com/sportsmans/Lee-Crimp-Die/productDe...

Also, a personal question, how do you keep track of how many times a
case has been reloaded?

Take it from the perspective of an interested party who has no
experience at all with the subject...

Obviously it's an equipment sport, but
Where to start?- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

For low pressure rounds like .45 ACP, you'll lose them before they
become unable to be reloaded. Guys use them until the headstamps are
pounded off and beyond. For rifle rounds, part of the process is
checking for cracks and incipient head separations, you just don't
dump high-pressure loads into rifle brass without inspecting the
empties first. I never keep track of how many times something's been
reloaded. If a case is within length specs, the neck's not too thick
and there are no cracks or stretch marks, it's loaded.

Progressives can load a lot of ammo fast. They can also load a lot of
bad and/or dangerous ammo fast as well. Too many folks think that
they just load up hoppers, pump the lever and ammo automagically
appears. It still takes a lot of process control, maybe more, since
you aren't handling the pieces with every round loaded. Can lead to
damaged guns and/or shooters.

As far as where to start, read a book FIRST. ABCs of Reloading is one
place, up to 9th or 10th edition, all that changes that I can see is
the pictures of equipment from edition to edition. Most libraries
I've been in have a copy. Then start out with a single station
press. Right now is kind of tough to get started, primers are in
short supply as is new brass.

Stan