sugarmaker
Member
A couple of months ago I asked for ideas on loading 200 once fired MILITARY .223 rounds per hour, time beginning when the auto flow turns off, counting a caliber change to the press, no reduction in ammo quality over a single stage. Money was a factor. Then it started.....
Got a Hornady LNL-AP. OK, good start, but nowhere near the goal, decrimp (RCBS) and trim (manual), chamfer, deburr purt me waaay over the hour before I even pull the handle on the AP. (I knew this would be the case...)
Got a Dillon 600, put on the rubber band mod: Much better, but I'm still at 1 hour with sore thumbs from chamfering before I pull the press handle.
Lee collet neck sizer / redding body die: No more neck lube, saves a step.
Trim, chamfer, deburr on press: Didn't like the dillon 1200 as it just trims and sounds like a router, so I rolled my own solution, $200 in parts, endless thought, and 16 hours of machining later it's nearly done. Still not done loading at the 1 hour mark, though.
Hornady case feeder: It took me 3 evenings to get it perfect, not happy with the V block push so I made my own. Almost done at the 1 hour mark.
Set up the rock chucker for deprime (xtra lee sizer set to deprime only), next to the 600 decrimper. 1 hour goal is acheived.
OK, qhat about quality?
$250 worth of OAL, runout, and headspace tools later, I find too much variation for my tastes.
Tinker with the press and die adjustment, buy a couple expensive seater dies, find one that works. Tinker with press. tinker more. Machine more parts. Buy more stuff. Wife and kids wonder where I am. They stop setting my place at the dinner table. I haven't shot in 3 weeks. Lawn needs mowing. Wood needs piling. I stop wearing my watch. The UPS guy is my best friend. Credit card is white hot. I ask for a raise to help cover the mounting costs.
I'm now very close to having .001" accurate shoulder setback / seat depth, +/- .1 grain varget, very good runout, +/- .001" on press trim length with perfect chamfer / deburr, reliable operation with a quick caliber change. Dillon powder check on the way, already have the mods figured out (no alterations to the AP, will check on station 4).
I think I've spent $1500 but i really don't know....
I have no idea how many hours I've spent...
I can't seem to stop thinking of more improvements...
Why can't I just be happy with things as they are...
Hopefully some of you will chime in with your own stories that make me think this is normal...
Got a Hornady LNL-AP. OK, good start, but nowhere near the goal, decrimp (RCBS) and trim (manual), chamfer, deburr purt me waaay over the hour before I even pull the handle on the AP. (I knew this would be the case...)
Got a Dillon 600, put on the rubber band mod: Much better, but I'm still at 1 hour with sore thumbs from chamfering before I pull the press handle.
Lee collet neck sizer / redding body die: No more neck lube, saves a step.
Trim, chamfer, deburr on press: Didn't like the dillon 1200 as it just trims and sounds like a router, so I rolled my own solution, $200 in parts, endless thought, and 16 hours of machining later it's nearly done. Still not done loading at the 1 hour mark, though.
Hornady case feeder: It took me 3 evenings to get it perfect, not happy with the V block push so I made my own. Almost done at the 1 hour mark.
Set up the rock chucker for deprime (xtra lee sizer set to deprime only), next to the 600 decrimper. 1 hour goal is acheived.
OK, qhat about quality?
$250 worth of OAL, runout, and headspace tools later, I find too much variation for my tastes.
Tinker with the press and die adjustment, buy a couple expensive seater dies, find one that works. Tinker with press. tinker more. Machine more parts. Buy more stuff. Wife and kids wonder where I am. They stop setting my place at the dinner table. I haven't shot in 3 weeks. Lawn needs mowing. Wood needs piling. I stop wearing my watch. The UPS guy is my best friend. Credit card is white hot. I ask for a raise to help cover the mounting costs.
I'm now very close to having .001" accurate shoulder setback / seat depth, +/- .1 grain varget, very good runout, +/- .001" on press trim length with perfect chamfer / deburr, reliable operation with a quick caliber change. Dillon powder check on the way, already have the mods figured out (no alterations to the AP, will check on station 4).
I think I've spent $1500 but i really don't know....
I have no idea how many hours I've spent...
I can't seem to stop thinking of more improvements...
Why can't I just be happy with things as they are...
Hopefully some of you will chime in with your own stories that make me think this is normal...