Reloading woes

The place to discuss ammunition, reloading, ballistics, loads, and chamberings.
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JAG2955
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Reloading woes

Post by JAG2955 »

I realized that I have about 1 1/2 5-gallon buckets full of brass.

*Sigh*

So I decided to sit down at my press and bang out a hundred .223 nicely loaded cartridges. I picked out 110 or so commercial cases that I had cleaned previously, and stuck in an ammo can for my trip to Texas.

I set up my Lee turret press
1. Lube and deprime-easy
2. Trim-I began to hate my life, guns, and everything around me.
3. Prime-I started to wish violence on the Lee family. My small primer arm began to misfeed, dropping primers, and having one of the mysterious springs inside disconnect. I got 30 of them done, and had to restrain myself from taking my rage out on the primer arm. I fixed it three times before I gave up. I know that with a simple email I could get another one. I don't know if it's worth it.
4. Fill-I have a RCBS Powder Master. Easy.
5. Seat bullets-easy, and done.
6. Crimp-my .223 crimp die should get here today. I don't know how I lasted so long without it. Oh yeah, rifle reloading on this damn turret press is infuriating, so mostly it doesn't get done.

Should I step up to a progressive? I've been looking at Hornady's Lock-n-Load with envy recently. Then I discovered that you can fit a Dillon trim die into it, and basically set up a two pass system where you can take once-fired brass through once, to lube, deprime, trim, and flare, then reset for priming, filling, seating, and crimping.

I have so much once-fired stuff, I really need to find a better way to trim. I've looked at the Giraud trimmer, but I don't know if I'm willing to pay the price for it.
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PawPaw
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by PawPaw »

If you're going to step up to progressive, spend the extra few dollars and get a Dillon.

Spend it once, and forget about it.
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randy
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by randy »

JAG2955 wrote: I've looked at the Giraud trimmer, but I don't know if I'm willing to pay the price for it.
If you go progressive, and go Dillon (as you should! :mrgreen: ) the Dillon case trimmer looks to be somewhat cheaper than the Giraud. Don't know if you could adapt it to use on your existing press.
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JAG2955
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by JAG2955 »

Tell me why blue is better than red.

Someplace in the dusty hallways of this computer I have a big comparison .pdf that said the Hornady was a slightly better buy.
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PawPaw
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by PawPaw »

JAG2955 wrote:Tell me why blue is better than red.

Someplace in the dusty hallways of this computer I have a big comparison .pdf that said the Hornady was a slightly better buy.
Not better, necessarily. I've got a Lee Turret Press and I like it for lots of things. I've also got an RCBS partner press, and a Lee Classic Cast. I'm not concerned about the color of the paint.

But, I know several guys who use progressives and they tell me that the Dillon is less "fiddly". I also know that they're customer service is legendary. Dillon wants it's customers to be happy.

All that being said, if you want another color, that's why they make the other colors. And, the Hornady might be a slightly better buy. You pays your money and you takes your chances.
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JustinR
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by JustinR »

I'm getting ready to buy one of these Jag, as the pain of both trimming and case prep has finally annoyed me to the point of spending money. The reviews from around the web are consistently positive.
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JAG2955
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by JAG2955 »

I did just read that Hornady's customer service had started to charge people for some replacement parts.

Time to investigate Dillon some more.

Justin, that case trimmer looks okay, but I'd be worried about holding onto a short case, like the Amazon reviewer who talked about trimming .300blk, while other tools are spinning nearby.

Are Dillon presses compatible with Lee dies? So I don't have to start from scratch immediately?
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Netpackrat
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by Netpackrat »

The only Dillon press that doesn't accept standard dies is the Square Deal B pistol-only press.
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Steamforger
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by Steamforger »

I use a Little Crow Gun Works "The Perfect Case Trimmer" for 5.56. If I could afford more they would be the only case trimmer I would use. I'm thinking of asking for them as Christmas presents....
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First Shirt
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Re: Reloading woes

Post by First Shirt »

Dillon may be a little more expensive than Hornady, but the customer service makes up for it. I've got a 550 that I've been trying very hard to wear out, with little success, and the only times I've needed parts (for the powder measure) they had them to me in a couple of days.
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