creeping me out a bit
Quote from Reloader on August 24, 2019, 10:38 pmI'm moving from a Redding turret press to a 550b. Just loaded up my first 100 rounds and found I was so much more intently focused on my reloading. With the turret press I would have 50 rounds on a Franklin loading block all happy and charged with powder so I can visually check for double charges. The Dillon kind of creeps me out not being able to do this. I would check powder charges occasionally but found it would throw me off my rhythm to where I would question myself a few throws down the line. Guess I'll get used to it had it will be come more mechanized.
I'm moving from a Redding turret press to a 550b. Just loaded up my first 100 rounds and found I was so much more intently focused on my reloading. With the turret press I would have 50 rounds on a Franklin loading block all happy and charged with powder so I can visually check for double charges. The Dillon kind of creeps me out not being able to do this. I would check powder charges occasionally but found it would throw me off my rhythm to where I would question myself a few throws down the line. Guess I'll get used to it had it will be come more mechanized.
Quote from Reloader on August 26, 2019, 12:34 pmWelcome to the Dillon club. You'll get used to it and it'll be no problem. I have an aftermarket light and glance at each case in the powder station as I turn the plate. Although I've never had an issue with a case not getting powder in 30years.
Welcome to the Dillon club. You'll get used to it and it'll be no problem. I have an aftermarket light and glance at each case in the powder station as I turn the plate. Although I've never had an issue with a case not getting powder in 30years.
Quote from Reloader on October 13, 2019, 11:25 amI know exactly how you feel. I too, am using a Redding Turret Press and appreciate the ability to quality control the process. I also have a Lee Progressive where I really could not use it as a progressive press and spent more time fiddling with it than running rounds through it one at a time. Because Lee was so unreliable, I am constantly checking on my new 550, just a week, that I am stopping to check to see if the primers are seating properly on almost every shell. I am slowly building confidence and trust as I have been conditioned to failure on the Lee. That is why I went to the Redding. And that is why, I went to the Dillon. I still can't believe that every time that I pull the lever that I get a new completed cartridge through the system.
I know exactly how you feel. I too, am using a Redding Turret Press and appreciate the ability to quality control the process. I also have a Lee Progressive where I really could not use it as a progressive press and spent more time fiddling with it than running rounds through it one at a time. Because Lee was so unreliable, I am constantly checking on my new 550, just a week, that I am stopping to check to see if the primers are seating properly on almost every shell. I am slowly building confidence and trust as I have been conditioned to failure on the Lee. That is why I went to the Redding. And that is why, I went to the Dillon. I still can't believe that every time that I pull the lever that I get a new completed cartridge through the system.
Quote from Reloader on October 14, 2019, 11:22 pmAs someone who started a little less than a year ago on a 550c, I feel your pain. Here are some things I do to help my anxiety:
-buy a turtle head light. I bought the one from ebay. If that light isnt on, I'm not reloading. This really helps you see what you're doing and keep a visual on powder levels in the case on station 2 (more on this later).
-i keep a dedicated case with a fresh primer for checking powder charges. If I'm loading 9mm and dont need to make any charge changes. The first thing I do is put powder in and check the charge weight. With 9mm for whatever reason, it seems like i need to do atleast 1 to 2 charge checks before I start getting a really consistent charge. Not sure if it's the powder settling, but usually charge #3 to 5 give me 3 results that aren hopefully within a .2-.3 gr charge range.
-finally, my eyes are my ultimate gage for powder charge when "speed loading" on my press. Again, using 9mm as an example. I'm using 4.0 gr titegroup. A 4.0gr charge will put the powder level at about halfway up the inside of the case. When the ram goes back down, one of the first things I do is visually check the powder level to ensure it looks like the level it's supposed to be.
It's a little bit harder with bottle neck cases like 223 and 308, but still completely doable as the powder level for me fills up approx 3/4 of the internal case capacity.
As someone who started a little less than a year ago on a 550c, I feel your pain. Here are some things I do to help my anxiety:
-buy a turtle head light. I bought the one from ebay. If that light isnt on, I'm not reloading. This really helps you see what you're doing and keep a visual on powder levels in the case on station 2 (more on this later).
-i keep a dedicated case with a fresh primer for checking powder charges. If I'm loading 9mm and dont need to make any charge changes. The first thing I do is put powder in and check the charge weight. With 9mm for whatever reason, it seems like i need to do atleast 1 to 2 charge checks before I start getting a really consistent charge. Not sure if it's the powder settling, but usually charge #3 to 5 give me 3 results that aren hopefully within a .2-.3 gr charge range.
-finally, my eyes are my ultimate gage for powder charge when "speed loading" on my press. Again, using 9mm as an example. I'm using 4.0 gr titegroup. A 4.0gr charge will put the powder level at about halfway up the inside of the case. When the ram goes back down, one of the first things I do is visually check the powder level to ensure it looks like the level it's supposed to be.
It's a little bit harder with bottle neck cases like 223 and 308, but still completely doable as the powder level for me fills up approx 3/4 of the internal case capacity.
Quote from Reloader on December 5, 2019, 5:18 amI found with pistol flake powder it ranks with my rcbs powder measurer.
Rifle tubular powder it ranks a little better than my Rcbs. Totally happy and self assured its accurate enough for my shooting.
I found with pistol flake powder it ranks with my rcbs powder measurer.
Rifle tubular powder it ranks a little better than my Rcbs. Totally happy and self assured its accurate enough for my shooting.
Quote from Reloader on January 7, 2020, 2:59 pmAlso new to a progressive, (550) and I too feel a bit overwhelmed. Although a bit slower, I chose to reduce the number of concurrent steps. I size and prime, advance to expand the neck and fill with powder, then I advance the case to the seating station and put in a bullet, at his time I also put a new case in the size and prime station. Takes me a bit longer, but I feel a bit more confident that my ammo is right. I'm assuming after a few 100 reloads, I'll go full progressive. After 40 plus years of reloading on a single stage, doing all the steps at once is a bit foreign.
Also new to a progressive, (550) and I too feel a bit overwhelmed. Although a bit slower, I chose to reduce the number of concurrent steps. I size and prime, advance to expand the neck and fill with powder, then I advance the case to the seating station and put in a bullet, at his time I also put a new case in the size and prime station. Takes me a bit longer, but I feel a bit more confident that my ammo is right. I'm assuming after a few 100 reloads, I'll go full progressive. After 40 plus years of reloading on a single stage, doing all the steps at once is a bit foreign.