How to suck the fun out of reloading, Buy a Progressive Press!

[DRAINSMITH]

Well, I got to answer a few questions so I will start with ALTDave. The worst feature of the Hornady over the Dillon is the case feeder/ collator. But you got to remember the Dillon built their press with the case feeder as part of the press. Where the case feeder for the Hornady was basically an afterthought. But I have done 5 minor modifications that has mine running better than the Dillon. Now, I have modified my doc's Dillon collator to run as well as my Hornady.

GBExpat: A Mr. Morriso automation is not "Hornady". All of my modifications must be under $20.00 and be made with normal tools.

farm23 I do not produce near the amount of ammo as you think. Remember there is just one loose nut pulling the handle.

GW Staar: I remember the days when I had two presses on my bench. At that time the only reason I had two set up was so that my grandson could load with me I wasn't concerned about the speed at that time. Now, as far as that video the only reason I did it was because Mr. Moris wanted to see a 100 round run. It was done in one take and if you noticed in the video I had corn cob mess up two cases. I don't know if my daughter saved that video for me. And as far as me writing a book, my Momma named me Mike Smith because if it was harder than that she knew that I wouldn't be able to spell it twice in a row. As far as the Pro 7 keep working on it. That is the press of the future.

Skygreen: This post gave me the best chuckle When my grandson was six he did tape a broom handle to all four handles. I am glad that he thinks outside the box but I did ask him how many eyes he had to watch the presses.

Texas10mm: On my maintenance stand I set my press up with an air compressor to blow the feed primers out of the way and then I short stroke the handle just to get the primers to feed the shuttle.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

I don't have a bullet feeder. (yet) But I can still crank about 600-700 9MM per hour. If (when) I get the bullet feeder that will double.

First off I must apologize to you for picking on you. You were the only one that had a negative post on the Hornady and was close enough to challenge.

Now, remember that Dillon does not make a bullet feeder. So it will not be a 100% Dillon. Now, expect a 20 to 30 percent increase in speed with a bullet feeder.

 

[ATLDave]

My recollection is that Dillon's position is basically that the Mr. Bullet Feeder is functionally as good as anything they could make, so rather than try to undermine a business that supports a common customer base, they've just left that accessory market to Mr. Bullet Feeder. That seems like kind of a high-integrity, good-long-term-incentive-creating approach to me. And an unusual one.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

My recollection is that Dillon's position is basically that the Mr. Bullet Feeder is functionally as good as anything they could make, so rather than try to undermine a business that supports a common customer base, they've just left that accessory market to Mr. Bullet Feeder. That seems like kind of a high-integrity, good-long-term-incentive-creating approach to me. And an unusual one.

Let's say that company XXX just made the best pickup ever. It gets 500 miles to a gallon and can tow twice the weight than any other pickup on the market. But it does not come with front fenders or a hood. You got to buy them from company YYY. Would you? I would just scratch my head an say NO. So why does Dillon do this?

 

[ATLDave]

Not quite. It's more like this. You come out with a pickup truck that is very good, but has ordinary mileage. However, someone (let's call them Mr. Mileage) invents a gadget that can go onto that truck (and is really designed to work particularly well with that truck) that improves the mpg to 500. Mr. Mileage did the R&D to figure it out, not you. Once they introduce this to the market, sales of your truck dramatically increase. Your customer base love your truck and they love the Mr. Mileage gadget. People who might not have bought the truck by itself will now buy one and a gadget to use together.

Now, you could reverse engineer the gadget and start selling it yourself. It's quite expensive to make, and not everyone wants it; maybe it only kicks in on drives of 30 miles or more and people who only drive short distances don't care. In any event, you're not going to start throwing it in for free... it's always going to be an upgrade. Your engineers look at the gadget. They think it is great. They really cannot think of any way to improve it.

So your choice: start selling it yourself, probably killing Mr. Mileage that did you a giant favor by developing the tech that makes your product even better and more popular. Or, endorse the product, tell people to buy the gadget from Mr. Mileage, and let Mr. Mileage continue to reap rewards for their innovation. If you choose the second path, you also create an incentive for other people to invent ways to improve your product.

Like I said, it's a rare company that will take option 2 rather than trying to grab all the extra profit. But I think what Dillon did/does is both pretty classy and very smart.

 

[Rule3]

Well, I got to answer a few questions so I will start with ALTDave. The worst feature of the Hornady over the Dillon is the case feeder/ collator. But you got to remember the Dillon built their press with the case feeder as part of the press. Where the case feeder for the Hornady was basically an afterthought. But I have done 5 minor modifications that has mine running better than the Dillon. Now, I have modified my doc's Dillon collator to run as well as my Hornady.

But if I am not mistaken ,(not a Dillon "connoisseur") Dillon doen't actually make "their" case Feeder.

 

[GW Staar]

Interesting possibility Dave. Many years ago, I just happened to be on Brian Enos one day (I frequent anyplace where I can learn something worthwhile on reloading) when I read a post by someone who asked when Dillon was going to offer a bullet feeder. The answer was "never".

As I remember, someone from Dillon responded. He said in effect, that their lawyers considered it a liability they shouldn't attempt. It was not elaborated on, and any elaboration would be a guess, but I can only tell you what went through my limited mind at the time. (At that time Mr. Bullet Feeder was not the item it is today (pre buyout), nor was it found in the Dillon catalog) What I just assumed was, that the lawyers thought that automating both might be dangerous to some, and it put too much liability for an accident on Dillon.....but again that was just my putting together 2 and 2...they would not elaborate. I assume that could be the same reason they don't make a 1050 complete...feeders and their own power stroke machine.

When RCBS first showed their new Pro Chucker 7, of course the first question on everyone's minds was, where's the case feeder. Me included....and since I "know" one of their engineers (as close as you can "know" anyone as an internet acquaintance), I asked that question. Answer was, that a feeder was coming. Then I asked, with a collator? Answer..... in the near future no, that was too expensive to risk until the press became a success. He said besides Dillon already had a good one....if you have the need now, buy theirs. I was more than a little surprised, but it made perfect sense....and sorta goes along with Dillon having Mr. Bullet Feeder in their catalog now.....

Interesting also is that RCBS, this last January, just short of hiding it, displayed their new Tube Rifle Bullet Feeder. Sakamoto, only showing the package in a clear tube, only said in passing, "and here is our new Tube Rifle Bullet Feeder in .223 and .308". Er....what? It never even registered with me until after I finally bought the Pro Chucker 7 in May!! And folks it is inexpensive and neater than hell. Uses ball bearings in a different way than M.B.F. yet just like them it is "bullet proof" (pun intended) and it includes an "M" type expander! Any 5 station press can use one.

Bottom line is that RCBS has taken the low road.....tube feeders for now. They think that's the way to pick up on sales outside the Dillon umbrella.....cheaper with quality is the goal.....and collators are not cheap. RCBS really screwed up IMO over the ridiculously expensive powder measure/tool head combo......definitely not part of any "low road" model. And I told them so. I told the engineer that I'd buy a 7 if and only when my existing 4 uniflows were enough I didn't have room for 10! .....they finally listened and I bought one.

 

[Jim Watson]

All the Cool Guys are getting Mk 7s. They have gone from motorizing Dillons to building their own presses, very luxy, very expensive.
Also very Beta, so don't scrap your old loader.

 

[dannyd]

I o

All the Cool Guys are getting Mk 7s. They have gone from motorizing Dillons to building their own presses, very luxy, very expensive.
Also very Beta, so don't scrap your old loader.

The Mk 7 looks like a Star press of the 21st century.

 

[Jim Watson]

Trivia: Mike Dillon's first reloading product was a rifle caliber conversion for the Star.

 

[Nature Boy]

The issue if one wants to call it that. is the Dillon owners that insist on shoving it into others face and every topic/ thread,

I can't speak for other Dillon owners, but when I talk about how great Dillion is on threads like this it's all in good fun, like your smurf picture. That's hilarious and I wish I'd thought of it.

Like a thread a while back that was talking about best case lube brands and I said, "Dillon, because 1) it's Dillon and 2) it's made from the rendered fat from unicorns giving it magical properties"

The absurdity of it sometimes is worth making fun of.

 

[GW Staar]

The absurdity of it sometimes is worth making fun of.

See! There are normal people who have Dillons! Ignore his wrestler in bird feathers avatar.....that just proves his bravery.....and his fun spirit. Me? Coward, totally. There's safety in bird avatars....but you notice he's always watching his back, like any good Trump voter......oops wasn't supposed to admit to that.....now I really better watch my back.....and hide my car......sorry Walkalong!

I repent! Don't close this thread on account of me.....I'll erase it quietly........tomorrow. Oh no guillotine coming.

 

[Rule3]

See! There are normal people who have Dillons! Ignore his wrestler in bird feathers avatar.....that just proves his bravery.....and his fun spirit. Me? Coward, totally. There's safety in bird avatars....but you notice he's always watching his back, like any good Trump voter......oops wasn't supposed to admit to that.....now I really better watch my back.....and hide my car......sorry Walkalong!

I repent! Don't close this thread on account of me.....I'll erase it quietly........tomorrow. Oh no guillotine coming.

Normal? I believe that he is wearing a BOA!

But heck everything is"normal" today!