reloading questions/advice if you would please?
- Thread starter Old_Me
- Start date
Jester560
Professional
Maybe not that purty
Old_Me
Emissary
well, i finished my 45 ACP reloading
i only needed to get to 2,000 rounds, but i didn't want to use only 50 primers, and put the rest of them back in the inventory, so now my stock of 45's is 2050 rounds.
so, i "should be" good till maybe around sept/oct, before i have to reload again.
i only needed to get to 2,000 rounds, but i didn't want to use only 50 primers, and put the rest of them back in the inventory, so now my stock of 45's is 2050 rounds.
so, i "should be" good till maybe around sept/oct, before i have to reload again.
Old_Me
Emissary
well, if all goes well...most likely not thanks to FedWrex, i'll be getting my Berrys Bullets wednesday, the 8th, by 8 PM..
you see, i ordered them on April 3rd.....with a delivery date of monday the 7th.
ya know, 2 day delivery BS..??
they were stuck in Henderson, NV for a while.
it could be worse i suppose...
they could have went from Utah, to NM, to China, to VT, to FL then to me.............
you see, i ordered them on April 3rd.....with a delivery date of monday the 7th.
ya know, 2 day delivery BS..??
they were stuck in Henderson, NV for a while.
it could be worse i suppose...
they could have went from Utah, to NM, to China, to VT, to FL then to me.............
youngolddude
Professional
My last delivery came on the 3rd estimated day/window. I hate being tied down for hours for something I have to sign for.
Old_Me
Emissary
ok, i got a question or 2, maybe more.
i had to pull some 45 ACP bullets today, just a short time ago.
1 box of 50 rounds
45 ACP, .451 dia, 230 gr, copper coated, Everglades brand.
press, DIllon 550C, with Lee decapper die, Lee seating die, and Dillon crimp/taper die
seating depth to 1.172 +/-...this cycles great for all my 45's (not just 1911's)
ok, as i was using the kinetic puller, "some" took like 5-7 whacks, and the bullets came out
some took up to 20 whacks before the bullets came out......obviously too tight a crimp, but why..???
now, i am only removing the flare, and just enough for the cartridge to "plunk" in the Lyman gauge block.
now, seating the bullets, its a very smooth operation, no force needed to seat them
when removing the flare for the taper crimp, a smooth operation as well, no force needed to get this done.
in fact, i WAS previously using the Lee FCD, and THAT one was actually difficult and needed force to run the cartridge up into the die and to remove it from the die, which i why i went with Dillon crimp die, long ago.....
so these copper coated bullets and the "lipstick" bullets have never been thru the Lee FCD..!!
ok, background and specs given....
any idea on why so many whacks of the puller to remove SOME of the bullets, but not all of them, when they were reloaded on the same day....???
with NO adjustments to the die to cause this..?????
thanks in advance
i had to pull some 45 ACP bullets today, just a short time ago.
1 box of 50 rounds
45 ACP, .451 dia, 230 gr, copper coated, Everglades brand.
press, DIllon 550C, with Lee decapper die, Lee seating die, and Dillon crimp/taper die
seating depth to 1.172 +/-...this cycles great for all my 45's (not just 1911's)
ok, as i was using the kinetic puller, "some" took like 5-7 whacks, and the bullets came out
some took up to 20 whacks before the bullets came out......obviously too tight a crimp, but why..???
now, i am only removing the flare, and just enough for the cartridge to "plunk" in the Lyman gauge block.
now, seating the bullets, its a very smooth operation, no force needed to seat them
when removing the flare for the taper crimp, a smooth operation as well, no force needed to get this done.
in fact, i WAS previously using the Lee FCD, and THAT one was actually difficult and needed force to run the cartridge up into the die and to remove it from the die, which i why i went with Dillon crimp die, long ago.....
so these copper coated bullets and the "lipstick" bullets have never been thru the Lee FCD..!!
ok, background and specs given....
any idea on why so many whacks of the puller to remove SOME of the bullets, but not all of them, when they were reloaded on the same day....???
with NO adjustments to the die to cause this..?????
thanks in advance
Jester560
Professional
Different brass thickness from different manufacturers maybe?
Old_Me
Emissary
could be, i do have new Starline Brass, as well as my first fired name branded brass
shanneba
Professional
I would probably start at about 12.0 gr and not go over 14.0 gr.
I looked at my Lyman 50th manual, it does list pressures from a Universal receiver with a 4" barrel.
With Federal cases, CCI 550 primer and 1.590" OAL, it shows for the Hornady 158gr JHP #35750 bullet:
N110 STARTING 11.5 grains 851 fps 21,800 CUP pressure
N110 MAX 14.0 grains 1139 fps 38,200 CUP pressure.
The SAAMI specs for 357 Magnum pressure and a 158 gr bullet shows 45,000 max service CUP
Old_Me
Emissary
i pulled a few more of those 45 ACP's..this morning
strangely (??)...made no difference the new Starline Brass or first fired brass....(so brass thickness not an issue??)
some were maybe up to 5 whacks with the puller, a few were maybe up to 10.....??
i am not understanding this BS...the Dillon crimp/taper die was set to Dillons video specs, much like the Lee die, very little effort to remove the taper, with the Dillon die, over the Lee die which "took effort" to pull the handle, nearly every cycle into the taper die...Dillon taper die, buttery smooth operation.
cartridges "plunked" as perfect as possible each time with the Dillon die
each gun that shoots 45 ACP, loaded fine.
each brand new Everglades .451 copper RN coated bullet seated with no effort in the seating die.
i could be wrong, but had a few .452 bullets been in that mix from Everglades, shouldn't I have had a different feel to seating them..??..should i have seen copper shavings..?? as it is, the flaring die in the powder drop just barely flares as much as Dillon says...they say at least .010" to .017" flare, i got the flare at like maybe .005" to .007"??
strangely (??)...made no difference the new Starline Brass or first fired brass....(so brass thickness not an issue??)
some were maybe up to 5 whacks with the puller, a few were maybe up to 10.....??
i am not understanding this BS...the Dillon crimp/taper die was set to Dillons video specs, much like the Lee die, very little effort to remove the taper, with the Dillon die, over the Lee die which "took effort" to pull the handle, nearly every cycle into the taper die...Dillon taper die, buttery smooth operation.
cartridges "plunked" as perfect as possible each time with the Dillon die
each gun that shoots 45 ACP, loaded fine.
each brand new Everglades .451 copper RN coated bullet seated with no effort in the seating die.
i could be wrong, but had a few .452 bullets been in that mix from Everglades, shouldn't I have had a different feel to seating them..??..should i have seen copper shavings..?? as it is, the flaring die in the powder drop just barely flares as much as Dillon says...they say at least .010" to .017" flare, i got the flare at like maybe .005" to .007"??
youngolddude
Professional
I don't know if you would feel a difference of .001" in your press. If your Dillon dies work that well, you can stop using the Lee FCD. Most of my brass I got was used of unknown history. I used the FCD to have more usable loads and then had to run some through a bulge buster. Even then, some wouldn't go in the case gauge. I do RN at 1.23" and less for SWC. I tried to plunk with a barrel, but the case gauge was more discriminating. The .45 ACP is the fussiest round I load, at lease with the brass I have.
Old_Me
Emissary
it is now 3PM, i already had a hectic day from when i woke up at 4 AM..
my errands had been down around 10:30 AM..
all this freaking time, i was in the basement, fighting and i mean fighting my Lee Pro-4000 press.
i had not used it (or the Dillon in about maybe 2 months if i recall.
first, the seating die had to be re-adjusted.
then the powder was dropping, until it didn't...like WTF..??
i had to remove the powder canister and poke the powder in the dropper to make it work...like WTF...my DIllon NEVER needs this BS.
so i only got like 12 rounds of 9mm done.
so i am ticked off, i go to the Dillon, and set it up for 9 mm...i got everything, everything...
but i had to set it up for its first 9mm run...
that took time as well
in the end, i only got about 10 rounds made, measured, etc,etc.
i have had enough of the LEE POS press.
friday is trash pick up day..
i have a sawz-all, and a wheel cutter.
that POS Lee...WILL BE GONE.
I WILL NOY sell it or give it away.......
i have had enough of the constant adjusting with the Lee brand.
I wish i had enough money, i'd buy another Dillon 550C, so the i can dedicate 1 press to my 45 ACP, and the other to the 9mm.i might even provide pics of the cut up Lee...stay tuned.
my errands had been down around 10:30 AM..
all this freaking time, i was in the basement, fighting and i mean fighting my Lee Pro-4000 press.
i had not used it (or the Dillon in about maybe 2 months if i recall.
first, the seating die had to be re-adjusted.
then the powder was dropping, until it didn't...like WTF..??
i had to remove the powder canister and poke the powder in the dropper to make it work...like WTF...my DIllon NEVER needs this BS.
so i only got like 12 rounds of 9mm done.
so i am ticked off, i go to the Dillon, and set it up for 9 mm...i got everything, everything...
but i had to set it up for its first 9mm run...
that took time as well
in the end, i only got about 10 rounds made, measured, etc,etc.
i have had enough of the LEE POS press.
friday is trash pick up day..
i have a sawz-all, and a wheel cutter.
that POS Lee...WILL BE GONE.
I WILL NOY sell it or give it away.......
i have had enough of the constant adjusting with the Lee brand.
I wish i had enough money, i'd buy another Dillon 550C, so the i can dedicate 1 press to my 45 ACP, and the other to the 9mm.i might even provide pics of the cut up Lee...stay tuned.
That, sir, is why, since 1979, I have been using a Herters C press for everything. Tried a Lee fancy press, but never worked to my satisfaction. Can’t screw up a single stage press!
rcurtner
Hellcat
Thinking about doing the same the Dillon 650 for 9mm and buying a Dillon square deal press for 45acp.
Old_Me
Emissary
it was much later i had heard of Herters...they don't make them anymore...do they..??
anyway, i too was told to get a single stage press for my first one. however others have said they bought progessive presses and learnt as they went.
it did not cost me much frankly, and when i worked, it worked great.
no one has access to my reloading stuff. so no one messed with it.
but nearly ever frigging time, i gotta readjust something.....
that's why i am glad the RSO at the range "made me an offer i could not refuse", when he sold me his NIB 550C, and his reloading room.
best dang money i ever spent on a press.
as for Lee, i do have a single stage that i use for swaging or bullet pulling, and a Lyman single stage for decapping
but i don't believe i can from this point on, recommend a Lee progessive to anyone..i would not feel right doing so.
Old_Me
Emissary
yeah, for the price, i thought about the SDB as well, but all the powder drops, dies, tools heads i have for the calibers i shoot, i'd have to buy for the SDB...
all i'd need a the press (550C itself), and the roller handle.
rcurtner
Hellcat
Wow just looked up prices Square Deal B starts at $750.00, the 550C starts at $625.00. I stand corrected you already have dies, etc, yep you're on the right track. If I do make a purchase it will be the 550C. Thanks
Old_Me
Emissary
i like that the 550C can use any die from any company,,,,i have all Lee carbide dies, except the the crimping die for the 45 ACP, that one IS a Dillon die. it just does a much better crimp (taper removal) of the 45's.
the SDB, you can only get the dies from Dillon. or eBay, for cheaper.
it might be awhile before i can get another Dillon, then i want the 4" In-Line-Fab mount like on my current one too.