|
|
Post by 72camaro on Feb 12, 2014 7:32:05 GMT -7
I bought some dies and I've been told they work on a Dillon Press that I went in halves for a used one with my son-in-law but the more I think about it the more I think I need to just set up my own for doing smaller batches, 50 to 200 at a time and more accurate powder dropping. Anybody use one of these and what do you think? I've read the reviews and they are all over the map from great to terrible but mostly pretty good reviews at the Cabelas site. I've got Lee dies for the .223 and my .243 already. I'm very close to buying. www.cabelas.com/product/Lee-Deluxe-Turret-Press-Reloading-Kit/740033.uts |
|
|
|
Post by Timber Butte Outdoors on Feb 12, 2014 9:38:34 GMT -7
I have used one, they are pretty good units. My friend had one, and he liked it alot.
He and I agreed on the best part of this press is; that you can buy extra die holder plates and have them set up and ready to go, with a twist, you can replace the dies with a different set, and you are ready to go with a different caliber.
The only thing I suggest is not to use the powder dump for rifle rounds, hand check each powder charge by hand on a scale!!
The dump will not throw consistent charges (and I don't trust what I can't see). This is OK for pistol ammo or practice ammo, but if you are going to be shooting small animals like varmints, at long distance, you are going to want to make sure each round is charged the same, so you have that pinpoint accuracy from shoot to shoot!
This is my 2 cents!
Gary
|
|
|
|
Post by 72camaro on Feb 12, 2014 13:33:57 GMT -7
Good news. That is kinda what I was thinking too on the rifle rounds, measure each powder drop. As accurate as I like to be for shooting it only makes sense. Accuracy, not volume.
I'll probably order it up.
I seen another thing, someone also suggested a case trimmer. Something I need? Expensive ones, cheap ones. Does it make a difference?
|
|
|
|
Post by Timber Butte Outdoors on Feb 12, 2014 15:13:18 GMT -7
Yes you will need one. Yes it does make a difference! Get a good one! There are a bunch of them to research, hand crank, or motor driven all in one units??? It is whatever flings your wire. Make sure you can change the collet and the cutter head, so you can change the caliber of cases, and if the cutter becomes dull.
Rifle brass has a tendency to stretch, especially 243 cases are the worse. A reloading manual will give you the overall case length.
|
|
|
|
Post by 72camaro on Feb 13, 2014 12:43:31 GMT -7
Ok, next question, I've ordered the Lee Case Trimmer that needs to go onto a press as well as the .223 and .243 die for it. I'll be ordering a single press at the same time I do for the 4 spot turret so I can set the trimmer up and not have to take it on and off of the 4 stage turret. Now the question, is the deprime in the 4 hole or am I going to need to change out the Case Trimmer for a deprime on the single press?
When I was looking at the Dillon the deprime is part of their turret spaces.
And, we now have a tumbler to clean the brass. Do you leave the primers in while cleaning or are they suppose to come out? I know this is all elementary to you guys so I appreciate the help.
Answers are easy, finding CFE 223 powder seems to be the hard thing to find.
|
|
|
|
Post by Timber Butte Outdoors on Feb 13, 2014 15:04:39 GMT -7
Which model trimmer are you talking about? I have never seen one that goes into the press? They are all hand cranked or have a 110 volt motor to spin the case or the cutter.  |
|
|
|
Post by broper on Feb 14, 2014 6:29:20 GMT -7
Must be talking about a trim die. It goes in the press and you run the case up into the die then file off the part that is sticking above the die.
|
|
|
|
Post by 72camaro on Feb 14, 2014 7:55:42 GMT -7
|
|
|
|
Post by Timber Butte Outdoors on Feb 14, 2014 14:57:00 GMT -7
The die set that you have should have a depriming/sizing die.
|
|
|
|
Post by 72camaro on Feb 15, 2014 7:03:43 GMT -7
Ok, picked up the reloader last night. Now for cleaning, I take it then the spent primers are left in the case while cleaning since there is a deprimer location on the turret and they would be cleaned first? Also, it calls for the Lee case oil/grease or whatever it is to be put on all the cases first before going into the turret? Also, do you need to lube the bullets before seating? Also, for rifles you really don't flare the top of the case with a Lee like a Dillon does in one of their dies?
|
|
|
|
Post by Timber Butte Outdoors on Feb 15, 2014 11:24:27 GMT -7
You can leave the old primer in, or you can remove it, and go through all the sizing before you tumble them, if you do that, then all the sizing lube will be removed before seating the bullet.
When you lube the case, if you are using a wipe on kind of lube, be sparingly with it! Don't use alot especially around the neck and shoulder, if you use to much, when you ram it into the sizing die, it will dent the neck and shoulder.
I use Hornady One Shot Lube, spray on and allow to dry, then resize. Don't forget to get a small amount of lube inside the case neck, so that when the resizing ball goes inside, it will not gall the case neck inside, and possibly split the neck.
The sizing ball of the resizing die does flair the case neck, so the bullet will slide in easily.
No you don't lube the bullet! After all the resizing is done, you don't want any kind of lube on the case, especially inside the case. That's why I said to tumble the brass after you have done all the sizing, the tumbler will remove all the oils and lubes from the case. Then you can add the primer, powder, and seat the bullet.
|
|
|
|
Post by 72camaro on Feb 15, 2014 22:01:25 GMT -7
Got it. Now to get some primers, bullets and get it running. Still right in the middle of the kitchen lid remodel, but got a bunch of the electrical done tonight, a bit more backing of framing tomorrow and throw a couple sheets of drywall up and tape and then build the coffers. A ways to go but moving forward and then finally, on to fully setting up the reloader but now I think I know what is going on. Thanks.
And as a side note my brother is about finished with our shotgun reloader, he is nearing 5000 of stock on hand that he just put together. I'm down to about my last couple hundred so I'll need to load those too when the kitchen is done, but if I get 1800 made, that will usually hold me for a year.
|
|
|
|
Post by broper on Feb 16, 2014 6:35:18 GMT -7
It's best to deprime them before tumbling, that way the primer pockets get cleaned too. Make sure you check the primer pockets and flash hole to make sure theres no tumbling media stuck in there. Also make sure you get a good and current reloading manual and read it thouroly before you start.
Bob
|
|
|
|
Post by 72camaro on Feb 16, 2014 7:45:50 GMT -7
It's best to deprime them before tumbling, that way the primer pockets get cleaned too. Make sure you check the primer pockets and flash hole to make sure theres no tumbling media stuck in there. Also make sure you get a good and current reloading manual and read it thouroly before you start. Bob I've done plenty of shotgun shells and they are a bit more picky in some areas so I'm aware of powder loads and being exact, on those you even need to match up the primers with particular powders to some degree. I haven't seen that on rifle primers. I was just wondering if tumbling before depriming would enlarge the prime pocket every time? I understand it is only a cleaner but I would think it also would take an ever so slight amount of finish off every time too. Also, in the box with the press came a hand chamfer tool and a primer pocket cleaner. I take it after resizing with the trimmer or even if it doesn't need it you take a couple spins with that at the mouth of the case and always run the primer pocket cleaner just to make sure nothing hanging? |
|
|
|
Post by broper on Feb 16, 2014 13:31:07 GMT -7
I haven't had any trouble with enlarging primer pockets and I always take a swipe or two with a primer pocket tool even after tumbling. Quite often there will be a piece of tumbling media stuck in a flash hole. I keep a straightened out paper clip handy for pushing it out. After you trim your cases tp proper length you should de-burr inside and out. You shouldn't need to de-burr again until you trim again. On my .218 Bee brass I inside be-burr/champfer every time because it is thinner brass and has a tendency to crush brass when you seats bullets if everything is not just right. I have loaded both shotgun and rifle brass also, when loading rifle or pistol brass you have to be a little more particular than with shot shells. Always seemed to me that shot shell loading was a little more forgiving. I just think that anybody new to loading rifle brass and learning should read through a good manual prior to starting out. Didn't mean to single just you out. I've been loading since I was 15 yrs. old and still go back and skim through them once in awhile. You'd think that after loading that long (I'm 64 now) that I'd have enough experience but last year I managed to blew uo my .204. Still don't know how it happened . I'm thinking and been told it was a detonation (unsder loaded). So I'm just saying to everybody, be careful, start out slowly, please read all instructions and go strictly by the book when starting out. It's scary when you blow up a gun and think about what you could have done to your self. But if you're careful and follow what the books say, you'll have tons of fun.
|
|
