Have you ever modified your turret/progress press?

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I got to thinking about how one might improve any of the various brands of turret or progressive presses by using equipment from a different company or modifying the press in some way on one's own.

I'm thinking this is a good way to generate cross-pollination of ideas and perhaps a bit less razzing between brand owners. Personally, I see potentially useful stuff with all brands, if one could think of a way to adapt it or realize it's usefulness with other brands.

So I'd like to ask you if you've ever modified your press to improve something, the following questions:

1. The brand of press you modified.

2. Why you modified it.

3. How you modifed it, what you used.

4. Were you satisfied with the results.


For example,

I modified my Hornady Lock N Load.

I modified it to give me powder through expansion for pistol cartridges.

I modified the case activated powder drop using a Lyman powder through die expander from the Lyman powder through expanding die set.

The results were ok, but took quite a bit of fiddling to set up. If I were to do it again, I'd just buy a Lee expander die and use the Lee Pro Auto Disk to dispense powder for pistol.

Since Hornady is coming out with a new expanding/powder through case activated powder dispense, I'm thinking about buying it. I'm also considering the Dillon measure, since the Dillon measure works well for pistol, has case expansion and may end up being less expensive than the new Hornady CAPD and I want an extra measure as I'm adding a Lee Classic Turret press and am also adding several milsurp rifle calibers I haven't previously been reloading.

Anyone else?

 

[Car Knocker]

I did essentially the same thing with the Lyman powder through die expander on my Hornady Pro-jector. I use either a Hornady powder measure or a RCBS Uniflo. I attached a container to the primer drop tube to catch the spent primers. Rigged up a low-primer alarm for it using a buzzer, 1/8" dowel, a pin and some wire, and, of course, a battery.

 

[Rico567]

Having used the Lee Auto-Disk powder measure with the case-activated expander die for many years, and given the low cost of these components, if they fit the press I can't imagine looking any further. The Auto-Disk is as accurate a powder measure as I've ever encountered.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Don,

Do you perhaps have pics of your mod or can you give some more details?

Rico,

Have you used the auto disk measure with your 650? I'm certainly interested, because I have Lee die sets in .30 carbine (recently bought) and 9MM. I'm also thinking of going with a Lee set for .45ACP, as I'm finding the mouth of the Hornady die I'm using now to be a bit tight using on a progressive. If the Lee will provide accurate measurement with case expansion, I see no reason to look further either.

Spending high dollars on equipment, particularly since I'm expanding the number of calibers, I'm learning is not the way to go, because it limits how much equipment you can buy quite a bit. But buying something that's too clunky to be effective isn't much fun either. However, in any case, I'm all about making any equipment more effective. For instance, I know a Hornady LnL Powder Measure will greatly improve rifle reloading on a Dillon.

 

[Car Knocker]

Dave,

Which one? Although it's pretty much academic since everything is in boxes while we do some remodling. Maybe pics in a couple of months.

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Don,

The low primer modification and I understand what you mean. I just packed up my reloading stuff getting ready to move.

Dave

 

[yodar]

Press modifications

I added a fiberoptic cable to the tool head (duct tape and hot melt glue) to shoot light down the case to see powder

Yodar

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Yodar,

That's a pretty slick idea. Can you give some more details and perhaps a pic of the setup?

Regards,

Dave

 

[yodar]

Fiberoptic

Naaah you done wanna see a pitcher ;>) its a kluge.

I got a 3' length of vinyl clad fiberoptic cable at the local surplus house ...Electronics Goldmine or edmund Scienmtific probbaly offer it as well

the cable end was a ferrule which I wired to the tool head with a coat hanger so i could bend it to point right...hot melt glue used lavishly where needed

and the light source is a bore-light-flashlight thingy that has a plexiglass elbow that I taped the other end of the cable to...

This keeps the temeprature around the press lower rather than using a gooseneck or tensor (remember those?)

yodar

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Yodar,

Thanks for that information. I'm certainly going to try and duplicate it.

Gentlemen:

Thank you for your good posts so far. I also have some good responses on other forums where I asked the same question. If anyone is interested, I'll be glad to cut and paste the posts from the other forums.

Regards,

Dave

 

[Matt-man]

Dave: I have seen fiber-optic attachments for Mini Maglites that might serve the purpose. Try this: http://www.niteize.com/productdetail.php?category_id=29&product_id=93

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Matt-man,

Thanks for the post, that looks like a workable, inexpensive solution and I happen to own that size maglite and rechargeable batteries for it.

Dave