Doing Bulk Work on Single Stage

[Hangingrock]

When I did have a single stage press exclusively, the priming was done with a bench mounted RCBS universal priming tool, the primed shells were placed in a 50rd loading block and I then used a bench mounted powder measure charging the primed cases with out removing them from the loading block.

 

[vaalpens]

I also use a single stage press and have made a few changes to speed things up:

-For a while everything was done with lee dippers and a beam scale
-Priming and expanding at the same time maybe cut down some time on the overall process, but not the loading
-I then started using a funnel and improved my loading time. It is time consuming to dump the pan directly into a 9mm case
-My next time improvement for bulk loading was when I added the Lee auto drum. I only use it for 50+ loads, but it does help.
-I'm not sure if I will be able to trim much more time from my loading process, but my next time saving step will probably be by buying a turret press

I can probably save some time by seating and crimping at the same time, but I just prefer to have separate seating and crimping steps. Even for 38spl and 357mag I have separate seating and crimping steps.

 

[WestKentucky]

That's how I always do it. I run one thing until I run out of it. I have done it on a RCBS JR3, a Lee Challenger, a Lee C frame cheapo, and currently on a Lee Classic Cast. Best thing I can tell you is to use old ammo trays to prep brass so that you can blow through it quickly without fumbling around to flip brass and pick up the one you flung off the bench. A minute taken loading 50 rd pistol ammo trays can save you a few minutes on the press, especially if it saves you from replacing a broken primer punch pin which can shut you down in a hurry.

Also use dippers, a large container to dip from, and a decent powder funnel. And have a radio playing something you can keep a beat to.

 

[rfwobbly]

If you load on a Rock Chucker, then you are probably dispensing powder with a UniFlow. Some of the others had very interesting suggestions about brass kickers and brass catchers, but I would be "pimping out" my UniFlow so that it threw exact charges. It's not a lot of work, but the benefits are substantial.

• Use the small bore rotor for pistol charges
• Add the optional powder baffle
• Mount the UniFlow on its own stand (per the photo) which allows optimal positioning
• JMorris swears by putting the op handle on "backwards" (per the photo)
• Never use the first 10 dumps; put them back into the hopper
• Adjust the setting by averaging 10 dumps. E.g. if you want 3.7gr, then weigh 10 dumps and adjust for 37.0gr.
• Addition of a fat o-ring under the adjuster lock nut will hold your setting longer
• Practice dropping powder before you start loading

Hope this helps.

 

[WestKentucky]

This is why I invented the sleazyject. But, unfortunately it only works on lee classic cast presses. So, my suggestion is to sell the rock chucker and buy a lee classic cast and a sleazyject and with the money left over have a nice lunch.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lee-Precisi...830208?hash=item2816f4bec0:g:MH8AAOSwQNRXL1oz

And that little joker is awesome. Thanks again Paddy.

 

[cfullgraf]

I generally resize, prep, and clean cases shortly after shooting them and the store them for a future loading session. Small batches go quick and I do this regardless of whether it is a single stage process or progrssive.

For loading on a single stage, which is mostly rifle these days but included hand gun before progressives, I'd hand prime the number of cases I planned to load and set them in a loading tray for powder charging. If the number was greater than what I had loading trays, I'd do batches.

Then, I seat the bullet and for hand gun crimp in a separate step. I would refill the loading trays if necessary and do the next batch.

Like Bart B, I'd set up components to minimize movements and set the loaded rounds directly in their storage boxes.

Generally though, I would rarely load more cases than I had loading blocks for. I would rather do several small sessions over several days than one gigantic one.

 

[crankyoldlady]

I made a "case kicker" from a piece of hose clamp and a cottage cheese lid. Cost: about $2.

 

[crankyoldlady]

View attachment 230012 I made a "case kicker" from a piece of hose clamp and a cottage cheese lid. Cost: about $2.

 

[JimKirk]

If you are using a Uniflow ... I use mine in this manner ... I find that it is more consistent( I have no problems metering Titegroup down to 3 grs with a large cavity) ... I got tired of my measure settings sideways in the old RCBS powder stand I had ... I built a stand that worked with the way I had my measure set up ... if you'll notice there is an opening between the sides of the stand that the micrometer stem passes through even with large charges(stem way out) ... I made my stand way before RCBS came out with their new stand that has the same opening....





Oh ... I load all my ammo on a Co-Ax and I work in batches ... usually 200 or so in a batch ... just sized, trimmed and decrimped 1000 LC 5.56 brass the last few days ... even primed and loaded a few too ...

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

One of those little Lee bench primers would have been real handy back when I reloaded on a SS in large volume. But I had the hand primer and television or front porch beer-in-a-coozie kind of day. I drilled the primer arm and bent a coat hanger as an ejection system when depriming and added a makeshift shoot to slide them into a container. Same idea as the case Kicker Crankyoldlady in post #32. Really speeds things up.

For fast charging I used a Lee Prodisk with a spring return mod that is self contained ...ill add some pics and a short video. different press same function.

 

[HighRoadRover]

I had a Rock Chucker - a very solid press. I probably should have bought two more of them...

... but I bought a Lee Turret Press instead. I don't use its "progressive" feature but enjoy the fact the dies are already in a turret plate and don't have to be adjusted and set each time I go from one die to another, or change calibers altogether.

I use a RCBS hand primer, and find it has far fewer problems -- like escaping primers, or primers that are flipped over -- if I apply a small clamp to hold the two halves of the primer tray together! Thus I can proceed to prime 100 rounds pretty quickly. Always pointing the top of the round away from my face...

I like having total control over the process -- every case is filled with exactly one load of powder, no more or no less (and I check the tray with a flashlight). Each bullet is seated correctly and crimped perfectly. You get that with the Rock Chucker, too, even if you go slowly. Batching (50 at a time? 100?) is probably the best way to maintain consistent standards but keep things moving along.

I find non-progressive re-loading on the Lee to be boring. But if I set up the Dillon SDB press I just ordered, I may still be bored with reloading but by going faster may have less time at it to enjoy.

 

[Zendude]

Can you use a powder-thru die that will flare and drop powder in the same stroke like the Lee autodisk and Powder-thru die? Can you use the Lee die on the Rock Chucker or are they different threads?

 

[WestKentucky]

Can you use a powder-thru die that will flare and drop powder in the same stroke like the Lee autodisk and Powder-thru die? Can you use the Lee die on the Rock Chucker or are they different threads?

Same threads, and yes you absolutely can. I haven't put Lee thru dies and a powder drop together yet though. Things are so commonized now that it is pretty likely to work

 

[thomas15]

I did a run of 6000 9mm on an RCBS turret press with on-press priming and a case activated uniflow. Basically did batches.

First step was size, decap, prime and bell case mouth. When I had 2000 completed I did powder, bullet seating, crimp.

Then started over again. At the point where I had 4000 completed rounds I had decided to get a progressive. It was about a year later that I finally bolted on down on my bench.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

To combat the boredom load 100 or 200 at a time instead if doing 1 operation on all 1k cases.

Since you said in your first post "maybe turret" that's what I did for loading handgun ammo. I still load my rifle ammo on a Rockchucker but handgun ammo is loaded on a Lee CLASSIC Turret press. I can safely load between 180 and 200 rounds an hour. Since you already have all the equipment to load and dies you can add the classic turret press for under $100.
https://fsreloading.com/lee-precision-classic-turret-press-90064.html

If buying a press is out then my above suggestion is all I can add. Good luck.

 

[Wreck-n-Crew]

Can you use a powder-thru die that will flare and drop powder in the same stroke like the Lee autodisk and Powder-thru die? Can you use the Lee die on the Rock Chucker or are they different threads?

Yes you can on the pro-disk but you need a means of return. Either a mod or a place to attach a return spring or chain.

My mod :

 

[Blue68f100]

My elbow is hurting by just thinking about doing bulk in a SS press.

When I had to do it I broke them up into batches of 100-200max, it was all my elbow could take at a sitting. It is the main reason I went to a AP.

Looks like your well on it's way to knocking these out. Just takes a little bit of time. Break up the operations you do to keep from boredom.

 

[Zendude]

Yes you can on the pro-disk but you need a means of return. Either a mod or a place to attach a return spring or chain.

My mod :

I think the cheaper Autodisk (not the Pro model) is set up like that in the box. I changed the Pro model to operate that way too. I just bought the different lever and spring from Lee. Works very well.

 

[entropy]

I process the brass in bigger groups, 100 or more, but load in box lots, 20 (rifle) or 50 (pistol); i don't worry about metering, because i gave the Uni-Flow away. I use Lee dippers, pick the one with a charge just under my desired charge, dump the first scoop into the pan of my 505, then shake the last few grains in like salting dinner. I then dump it into the case, physically look into the top of the case to check level, then immediately seat the bullet. It eliminates squibs, and they are very consistent.
Obviously, to me it's not about speed of loading. Nor should it be on a single stage.

 

[Joshua M. Smith]

Batch load as has been said, and use a powder dropper.

You'll do about 50/hr.

I found myself with 1k to reload and so I bought a Lee budget turret press. It's recommended for handgun calibers, has a short stoke, and doubles or triples speed. They advertise 500/hr on it, but I'm not that fast.

It was $87 and worth it to me.

Single stage presses will always be tedious as they're for deliberate crafting of ammo.

When I find time, I turn on some OTR in the shop and start cranking out ammo. Listening to something really helps.

Josh

 

[fotheringill]

If I'm going to load bulk on my single stage press I always do it in batches.....one step at a time. Do a step one day and then another step the next.....it really breaks up the monotony

I wholly agree. I do steps with batches of 25, 50 or 100 depending on my mood. Otherwise, it is a mind numbing experience.

 

[LOLBELL]

I understand this is about speeding things up on a single stage. I loaded rifle with a Rock Chukker for a long time. After getting into handguns I tried everything to speed things up to no avail. I now load on a RCBS Turret. I put a resizing and flaring die on and go back and forth between them resizing, seating a new primer, and flaring in one session. I then swap the dies out to a bullet seater and a crimp die. After that I powder charge in 80 round batches, that's what the block I like using holds. I like to look in every case after this step to verify powder charge. After verifying charge I seat and crimp. Using this method the brass is only in the shell holder 2 times. I like this best as I don't want a progressive or a progressive turret.

 

[rg1]

I highly recommend a 2nd single stage press. I use them in tandem, like reloading 9MM, I size on one then move the same case to the other press and expand. Seat on one and taper crimp on the other. I do all priming with a bench mounted RCBS Automatic tool. All are within reach of my chair. May need to buy extra shellholders and extra taper crimp dies for two presses. I usually size then prime all the cases in separate steps. You do have to be careful to not miss a step using two presses but it really isn't an issue.

 

[Reloadron]

Are there any tips or tricks to speeding up loading on a single stage?

Not really, just pay attention to what you are doing as usual and load maybe 100 or 200 a day or really whatever you are comfortable with, there is no "magic" or tips and tricks I am aware of. Just keep within your limits per day, meaning if you are tired and can't focus then don't load or quit for the day.

Ron

 

[mdi]

There's no drawback and it's extremely simple to just look in every case before you put a bullet in place...