Stepping up to a progressive press

[preacherJohn]

Once you get it and set up much of what you are being told will make much more sense.

After having this press over a week now, and re-reading through these post, it's making a lot more sense now. I also understand the benefits of having the extra powder base for different calibers.

Also I don't see much benefit in the press primer system over hand priming off the press. I can hand prime just as quick (if not quicker) than picking each and every primer up with that silly pick up tube.

 

[sbwaters]

I can hand prime just as quick (if not quicker) than picking each and every primer up with that silly pick up tube.

I bought the Hornady vibrating primer loader that looks like a red 1911 semi-auto. It works quickly and I never have to use the definitely silly pick-up tube. That is the only way to do it on the LnL.

 

[jmorris]

Also I don't see much benefit in the press primer system over hand priming off the press. I can hand prime just as quick (if not quicker) than picking each and every primer up with that silly pick up tube.

The least expensive cure for the silly little tube filler.



The benefit is, once the shell plate is full, you get one completed round per stroke. If you are priming by hand, that makes 2 passes through the press (double the work) and you still have to hand prime.

I can’t hand prime 100 cases as fast as I can deprime/size, prime, expand/charge with powder, check powder level in case, seat bullet, crimp bullet, 100 on a progressive.

 

[Dudedog]

I can hand prime just as quick (if not quicker) than picking each and every primer up with that silly pick up tube.

I feel the same way. If you want to prime on press you probably want one of those tube fillers.
Picking up the primers with the tube is
I like to wet tumble so I resize/deprime, flair, then clean. Thought about buying a tube filler but I just hand prime while watching TV, since I want to clean the brass anyway.
The sequence I am currently using
Powder, powder check die, bullet feeder, seat/crimp, Lee FCD needs primed brass in station one
(clean shiny brass doesn't make it shoot better, but hey it's shiny)
That way I have primed cases to feed the press.

I don't size on the LNL when loading, I used brass that was hand primed, so the sizing doesn't interfere.

I agrree, I think doing the resize/dprime in a different pass helps give a more consistent OAL. (but of course requires two passes)
I have loaded in one pass but then I need to take out either powder check, bullet feeder, or Lee FCD and I want all three.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

There are probably better options but I use the silly pickup tubes. I have four so I can have 100 in the press and 400 ready to go in tubes. Even with my ten thumbs they load very quick.
A helpful hint: ream out the plastic collet so it just grips the primers enough to hold them. When they are new they are way to tight. The diamond hone on a Lansky knife sharpener works well if you have one. It usually takes an hour to fill the tubes and load 500 rounds.
Waiting for a bargain on a case feeder to speed things up.

 

[Blue68f100]

I used number drills to open mine up. Makes a world of difference. I have 6 SP and 4 LP tubes, so I get to run for just under a hour before I take a small break. With my bad back I'm limited and find the break a good thing and time to load tubes if needed.

 

[VAReloader]

I too hated the tube method, so the wife bought me the Hornady one a two years ago.
It just works and saves my tired old hand even though I had reamed out the end.

 

[Reeferman]

I've been looking at getting either the Hornady 1911 style one or the VP one. Does it matter or about the same?

 

[DRAINSMITH]

I've been looking at getting either the Hornady 1911 style one or the VP one. Does it matter or about the same?

Well, I started out with the VP and I keep getting primers sticking. I read somewhere that if you cleaned up the opening with an Exacto knife they would work better. Well, I went to carving on mine, and just made the small primers worst. But the large primers feed perfectly in about 15 sec. for 100 primers. Then Hornady came out with theirs so I ordered it. When I first got it I loaded ten tubes of 100 each of small primers at about 10-15 sec. each. That is when I thought great finally I got one that works. I then went to load large primers. Not one single primer would load.

I was just ready to pull out my trusty Exacto knife and start whittling when I thought what in the He!! are you doing. So now I have a blue one that loads large primers and a red one that loads small primers. If one of them stops working I'm screwed.

 

[sbwaters]

Waiting for a bargain on a case feeder to speed things up.

You bet! It takes a bit to tweak the case feeder into smooth operation. Be patient. Oh, buy a pot cover to silence the noise of the cases tumbling.

 

[sbwaters]

If you get the Hornady vibrating primer loader, mark the tubes LARGE and SMALL. Made the mistake of loading small primers into the large tube and several flipped, loading backwards. Had to impact bullet remove several of them, then carefully deprime the good primers and flip them. Rats!

 

[9mmepiphany]

I can hand prime just as quick (if not quicker) than picking each and every primer up with that silly pick up tube.

Until this thread, I didn't realize that folks loading on a progressive press were still loading primer tubes using the hunt-n-peck method.

I got the Franklin Arsenal Vibra Prime automatic primer tube filler before I even had my LNL home. It was on sale for $25 (reg $40) and was too good to pass up. I think it works better than the Hornady one ($53) and was more affordable than the Dillon one ($360).

I have 5 SP tubes so I don't need to refill them before I'm through a 500 count box of bullets...I top off the casefeeder when I top off the primers

 

[Doublehelix]

I used to hand prime as well, but gave that up for pistol cases, and now I prime on the press.

I used to decap all of my brass, wet tumble, then hand prime, and THEN load onto the progressive press.

Took FOREVER!

Now, I tumble with the primers in, load onto the press, and go. Simple. Easy. Safe. MUCH FASTER and much less work.

 

[Crunchy Frog]

A friend gave me a Frankford Arsenal Vibra Prime that he could not get to load large primers. Most of my ammo requires small so it was a real time saver. I called the company and got a replacement tray but it still doesn’t work well with large primers.

Later I bought a Hornady 1911 primer loading tool on sale. I’ll use that for large.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

Well, Holly Molly Guacamole Crunchy Frog. We are the same just opposite side of the coin. It's nice to have two different colors to help.

 

[Fine Figure of a Man]

Now, I tumble with the primers in, load onto the press, and go. Simple. Easy. Safe. MUCH FASTER and much less work.

Same here, my progressive press is for making a lot of ammo fast. When perfection is the goal I use a single stage press.

 

[Dudedog]

HHmm wonder if you had a purple primer tube filler if it would work with both sizes for everybody

 

[Reeferman]

Going to go with the Hornady one and hope it works for both small a large primers. Probably have to wait till Christmas as my bride is buying it.

 

[sbwaters]

hope it works for both small a large primers

It does work for both, he says, and does so very well ... if the operator uses the small tube for small primers and large tube for large primers. [See my mistake above where I loaded small primers in the large tube and some flipped. Grrrr!]

The small primers load more smoothly. The large primers may need to be jiggled a bit more. Makes priming on the progressive SO much easier. Merry Christmas!

 

[Reeferman]

Sounds good thanks all.