Attn: Progressive Reloaders - How many rounds between caliber changes?

[EddieCoyle]

How many rounds do you load before changing calibers? I find that the minimum I've been loading is either one "can" (.30 cal ammo can), 1 pound of powder, 1 box of primers, or 500 bullets per session.

Here's what I've done recently:

1000 45 ACP (1 box of primers, less than a pound of 231)
1500 .500 S&W Magnum (all the bullets I had, almost 4 pounds of powder)
700 10mm (1 pound of Blue Dot)
700 .38 Special (1 can)

 

[bouis]

Recently I've done...

200 .44 mag
1100 .38 special
700 .45 ACP

That's plenty to last me a while. I only shoot a hundred rounds a week or so, on average.

 

[Sam]

I use so mucgh 45 and 9 that I have presses dedicated to each. Neither has had a caliber cahnge in over 5 years. Maybe 80-90k each

Sam

 

[Chuck R.]

For my primary calibers .45 ACP and .357 I try to go 2-3K per session before I change out. I also make runs of my lesser calibers based on what primer feed I have set up. IE I run .45 Colt when I’m finished with .45 ACP. I’m only loading the minor stuff every quarter or so.

The key is to start out with ample brass for every caliber.

Chuck

 

[fecmech]

I used to change after a couple thousand rounds but I recently found another CH Auto Champ pretty reasonable so now I have one dedicated to .45 and the other to .38/.357. When I run out of loaded 9's I'll switch the .45 press to 9mm and run the 4k of 9mm brass thru it. Lots of brass is good! Nick

 

[Sheldon]

I am fortunate to have been able to get my Dillon 650 presses used and at great prices. I keep one deidicated for 45 ACP and the other one for 9mm and 38 Spl. I usually will make a couple thousand 9mm or 38 Specials before swapping over to the other caliber.