I knew this day would come...

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I've never used a Dillion, or a progressive. But I think it wouldnt suit me much. But turret loading I think I might like. But I might not either, since I ain't tried that either.

I want to try turret, and if I got a Dillion free id try that but I ain't bout to spend $500 or more on one.

I enjoy loading, but it's also something I need to do in order to shoot. Which I also enjoy. I often go out and shoot only a part of a box. Then I shoot Rimfire. Has nothing to do with the shortage. It's my style. I shoot as much as I want, including daily when I feel like it and the weather permits. But I also take breaks. Just depends.
 
At one time I had 3 Lee Reloader presses side by side on the bench with different dies in each one for loading in a hurry. Then I got a Loadmaster and used that for a few years. Now all my loading is on a Reloader press and I do everything in batches.

When I get home from the range everything gets run through the universal deprimer and sorted by caliber. Once I have enough for a run through the tumbler I wet tumble a batch then lube, resize, trim/chamfer/debur/swage if necessary and prime. That gets stored till needed to load. When loading, I now have a Hornady lock n load electronic powder dispenser and I can keep up for the most part loading pistol on it. Grab a primed case, hit dispense, and pour into the case. Set the charged case in the press, seat a bullet, and drop down a funnel next to the press that goes into an ammo can. I check oal and gauge every other round, even 9mm as I go. I load 12-16k rounds a year like that. Time is something I have in abundance. I usually keep 10k pieces of primed 9mm brass on hand, 3-4K 357, and 2-3k 38 spl, and 2500+- pieces of 223 primed and ready to load so I’m not ever caught in a bind again.

Once I get a load that works I can crank them out relatively quick and in quantity. My 357 load hasn’t changed in 15 years and my 38 load is the old famous bullseye load that just works and I never tried anything else because it works. I load 5 different 9mm loads and 3 223 loads, some of them in large quantity. I could use the loadmaster, but I enjoy the process and have plenty of time to load.
 
Capybara said:
To me, it gets boring being an ammo factory.
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It all depends on your end goal. Like the OP mentioned, sometimes it's fun to set on an afternoon and shoot 500-600-1000 rounds... but you have to pay the price. Lovingly crafting each and every .45ACP cartridge doesn't make sense... mashing them out on my ProJector, does. Conversely, I really like working up rifle cartridges, to include weighing each charge... so... it just depends.
 
I normally load round the house out to the woodpile or just in the drive. But I've got a spot in the back I'm thinking on taking my gear to. Setup and watch the squirrels and birds a few hours.
 
Charlie98 said:
It all depends on your end goal. Like the OP mentioned, sometimes it's fun to set on an afternoon and shoot 500-600-1000 rounds... but you have to pay the price. Lovingly crafting each and every .45ACP cartridge doesn't make sense... mashing them out on my ProJector, does. Conversely, I really like working up rifle cartridges, to include weighing each charge... so... it just depends.
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I tend to load Rifle after I get tired of cranking out gobs of Pistol.
When I get tired of how long it takes to load Rifle, I go back to cranking out Pistol.
Best of both worlds, I guess.
 
Bazoo said:
I normally load round the house out to the woodpile or just in the drive. But I've got a spot in the back I'm thinking on taking my gear to. Setup and watch the squirrels and birds a few hours.
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A set of wilson chamber dies and a arbor press might be right up your ally. It's more of a rifle thing, but very portable and does a top quality job. The sizing dies are only neck sizers but great for feild work.
 
I think the problem you have is a mental one. By mental I mean how you are approaching your reloading. I load all my ammo on a single stage and my process is also in stages. I like to do my reloads over several days. I have a separate press for de-priming only. I'll sit down to the de-priming station with my 5 gallon bucket of whatever I am depriming and de-prime brass for an hour or so. The following day all the de-primed or decapped brass goes to my sonic cleaner than to the oven for drying, if I want it shiny to the tumbler from the oven. The next day I full size measure, trim all the brass that needs. The following day I prime. When I know that I am going shooting I'll load up how ever many rounds I feel like shooting. I kind of get into a zen state and don't feel the pressure of doing everything at once, I don't have that urgency to finish, which I believe comes from being tired of going through the steps of loading. Just my 2¢.
 
I break up the loading process often, by lubing bullets, or by doing a process on another caliber. Once in a while I'll set out and load a box or two from scratch, to break it up. That feels good too.
 
That is impressive volume from a six-shooter, don't care who you are....5k in a year is gettin' er dun!

I load 9mm and that is easier to chew through ammo, I'll typically shoot anywhere from 5-10 magazines of 15 rounds every visit to the range. I'm thankful for the Dillon 550B for this caliber.

For me shooting goes hand+hand with reloading, and stockpiles don't really get very big. I tend to want to shoot right after I load, and load right after I shoot!!!
 
Gone Hiking said:
This. I can do 400+ handgun rounds an hour on my Dillon 550 once everything is set up and humming. If you're hand weighing charges, I don't know how you are even doing 100 an hour. I can't quite do half that when I hand weigh precision rifle loads (the only thing I hand weigh).
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I've done about 200 in a half hour on the 550B....but I stopped there my elbow needed to relax!
The record was 500 in one night (and even that could easily broken with a little determination) The 500 was done with a buddy feeding cases and me checking powder/setting bullet, pulling lever and priming. Really helps to use case lube on shiny clean brass on a progressive, where there's 7 (or more)things happening in one pull/push, and If volumes/speed is one of the goals, even though it says "you do not need to lubricate the brass with carbide dies" I still do. It just saves my elbow!
Hornady One Shot works very well!
 
I'd noticed that you hadn't been around and posting as much, hope the new job is going well!

I go through similar cycles where I have no time to shoot, yet reloading consumes my time and thoughts when I'm home. Then I "find time" to go shooting and I spend whole days just blissfully tearing up targets and blowing through my ammo stock.

Don't go buying a new press or changing up your technique just for the sake of cranking out some ammo. You've developed a routine and a set of standards for your loads that you know and can trust. In the near future just devote your reloading time to brass prep, even 300 cases at a time. Before you know it you'll have all of your cases ready and then you can switch gears to loading and can really build that stock back up.
 
Phantom 309 said:
I'd noticed that you hadn't been around and posting as much, hope the new job is going well!
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It is going well but instead of working 8-5 , 30 minites away, I'm working 7-5, an hour away. Sucks an extra couple hours out of every day. I went from being the only employee at a small town auto repair shop to working with 15+ other guys at an absolutely massive repair shop in toward Chicago (not all the way there but I can see the skyline on a clear day). I was a good move but it makes for long days and I've got a 2 year old and a 4 year old I pick up in my way home and feed and put down for bed before my wife gets home around 9ish. Hectic but we're doing fine, takes commitment to get my reloading done, by the time the weekend hits I'm ready to unwind, shoot if I've got time and spend some time with the wife. I've just got to adjust my shooting to accommodate some loading time and push through. I'm careful to not do it if I don't feel like it though, as soon as it becomes work it's tough to put in the time.
I played a lot of catchup with week because we're all home with the covid, we're all totally fine just killing time until we can venture out again.
 
What powder measure do you use for your 2400 powder? I've been experiencing inconsistencies while trying to meter my 2400 powder for loading 44 mag. Thank you
 
MDoutdoors said:
What powder measure do you use for your 2400 powder? I've been experiencing inconsistencies while trying to meter my 2400 powder for loading 44 mag. Thank you
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Just a cheap lee perfect powder measure , like this
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012837257
But the older version. I do the action with deliberate and consistent movements (bang the handle in each position the same number of times in the same rhythm if that makes sense) to get accurate drops, keep the hopper over half full and the most it's ever off is .2 grains, I can get 20 or so in a row that are perfect though and the times it's over I'll generally know I came out of rhythm .

Now if I could get trailboss or unique to meter at all I'd be a happy guy, I've found both of them impossible to meter accurately out of the lee or the more expensive Lyman dispenser . others here have said they don't have that issue .
For me 2400 & h110 are the best metering powders I've used, h110 being my favorite.
 
Obturation said:
Just a cheap lee perfect powder measure , like this
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1012837257
But the older version. I do the action with deliberate and consistent movements (bang the handle in each position the same number of times in the same rhythm if that makes sense) to get accurate drops, keep the hopper over half full and the most it's ever off is .2 grains, I can get 20 or so in a row that are perfect though and the times it's over I'll generally know I came out of rhythm .

Now if I could get trailboss or unique to meter at all I'd be a happy guy, I've found both of them impossible to meter accurately out of the lee or the more expensive Lyman dispenser . others here have said they don't have that issue .
For me 2400 & h110 are the best metering powders I've used, h110 being

((good to know that people are having luck with 2400. I have been using the Lee pro auto disk powder measure. Since its what came with my Lee loadmaster. I will check out the link you sent and see if that might be an improvement. I would like to find a measure that will work in a progressive press but I will go with a stand alone powder thrower if I need to and just add that extra step in the process.)) *didn't realize I typed my reply in your quote haha* Thank you
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.38 Special said:
I suspect most if not all progressive users - myself included - have a tendency to express output as "what the press is doing when everything is set up and working well" while ignoring all the time it takes to get to that point - as well as the time spent unscrewing the occasional screw-up. I love my progressives, but will quietly admit to having spent many hours adjusting them, repairing them, or simply swearing at them for spewing primers onto the floor or dumping a mess of powder into the works or...
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Agree somewhat with this. My first brass reloader was a progressive RCBS. Still have it, although I only use it for stuff I don't shoot much of. It is putzy. Seems like I am always tweaking something. But my Dillon 1100 is a different story. It will just crank out rounds. Add powder, primers, cases in the hopper and bullets in the Mr Bullet Feeder and it's just a marvel to run. Rare that I have to adjust anything or that anything goes awry. My Dillon 650 was pretty much the same. Not advocating that anyone should change what they're doing, just saying that not all progressive loaders need much time on the side to keep them running well.

But I always kind of chuckle at the 100 rounds in xx minutes crowd. Most are not including the "other stuff". Filling primer tubes, cleaning the brass, gauging the rounds, putting them in boxes, etc.
 
Bazoo said:
I you knowed someone you could commute with, the days you didn't drive, you could run a hand press.
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Lol.
Pretty unlikely , it's not really common for people out in my area yo commute an hour to work on cars. I didn't sign up for it either, I took a job that was 15 minutes from home bit the company put me at a temporary location where a guy was hurt and when my time there was done they put me at what they claimed was my final place but they didn't have 1/4 of the work I need to stay busy so they asked if I'd be interested in a transfer to a shop they just bought. I went and took a look and agreed because there's nothing like it out my way. This company is huge but I've never heard of them, they're trying to buy every productive repair shop in the Midwest and making good progress on it. If it weren't for such good pay there's no way I'd make the drive.
 
Obturation said:
Lol.
Pretty unlikely , it's not really common for people out in my area yo commute an hour to work on cars. I didn't sign up for it either, I took a job that was 15 minutes from home bit the company put me at a temporary location where a guy was hurt and when my time there was done they put me at what they claimed was my final place but they didn't have 1/4 of the work I need to stay busy so they asked if I'd be interested in a transfer to a shop they just bought. I went and took a look and agreed because there's nothing like it out my way. This company is huge but I've never heard of them, they're trying to buy every productive repair shop in the Midwest and making good progress on it. If it weren't for such good pay there's no way I'd make the drive.
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My daily commute is an hour each way. Not so bad once you get used to it and I have the option of remoting in twice a week. Sometimes more.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
My daily commute is an hour each way. Not so bad once you get used to it and I have the option of remoting in twice a week. Sometimes more.
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The hour isn't so bad. But one hour isn't always the same as another. My drive is into the chaos , cook County (county Chicago is in) is heavily populated and congested as opposed to my previous commute into the farm fields. I'm not a city boy, not a country boy either- I'm a suburban dweller and prefer to stay in the far flung suburbs , once population closes in on me I move a little more west and north. Driving in traffic is stressful but it's where the money is
 
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