Quicker Reloading

[jdozier]

I have been reloading for years, but always one load at a time, taking about two hours per 50 rounds. Is there a recommended set-up or press that would net a much faster output. I shoot a lot at the range, and need to generate more rounds for my pistol...?

[versifier]

Welcome to the forum.
It sounds like you could give some thought to how your loading bench is laid out. Are you using a single stage press or a Lee Loader? Do you use loading blocks to hold your cases? What kind of tool do you use to prime your cases? How do you measure/dispense powder? With a little thought and possibly a minor upgrade or two, you should be able to significantly increase your output. The more information you give us, the more constructive suggestions will come your way.

[Baldy]

All I can do is tell you what I have for handguns only loading. I have a Dillon SDB press and I can turn out 100rds an hour safely. I don't rush and watch each round very carefully. The press is rated at 200rds an hour but I am not out to set a speed record. That's taking my time and making sure everything is going right. All my cartridges go bang and hit where I point them. Good luck.

[jdozier]

I use a Lyman single stage press, I use reloading blocks and take my time to get them right.
The other problem I have is that I am using Bullseye Powder which seems to be very dirty burning with lots of smoke in my 357 and 45 reloads. Is the a cleaner better burning powder for handloads.

[Baldy]

I use Winchester 231 and some say thats a clean burning powder. I think it's dirty myself, but it does burn good and gets the job done.

[versifier]

Clays is said to be about the cleanest pistol powder, and trying some is on my to-do list. I currently use mostly Unique, which isn't the cleanest either, but it gives me good accuracy.
Again, are you using the press's one-at-a-time priming arm or a separate tool? And how do you measure/dispense your powder? Either of those operations can add a lot of time to the process and there are many ways of improving efficiency.

[Robertbank]

Well if you use lead boolits than I think any conversation relating to clean powder is moot as the lube in the lead boolits accounts for most of the gunk in my pistols. I use a 550B and can load 400 - 500 pistol rds per hour without to much effort. Time you take in smoke, pee and coffee breaks it usually falls to 300 per hour but I enjoy the hobby so time doesn't mean much to me. For the volume of pistol shooting I do, a Progresive was the only way to go.

Take Care

Bob

[Baldy]

Ah! Bob you do have a way with words. That's me to a tee almost. I just don't smoke.

[kodiak1]

I use a 650 Dillion and take my time getting started get my rhythm and it is surprising how quickly you turn out 100 rounds. You have to reload primers check powder and refill bullet supply and go again.
Ken.

[David2011]

I'm lucky enough to have several presses. The common denominator is that they are all Dillon progressive presses with the exception of an old RCBS single stage model. My Square Deal B was bought set up for 9mm and since I only have one 9mm pistol I leave it ready to load for that gun. Realistic production is 250-300 rounds/hour. I've had a Dillon 550B since 1991. It will easily crank out 400/hour if I'm working alone. I recently sold my other 550B and replaced it with an XL650. The XL650 will easily produce 800 rounds/ hour even working alone. It has the electric casefeeder which does help production rates. As soon as I realized how much better it is than anything else on the market I forgot all about how much it cost. There are several features of the XL650 that IMO make it mechanically far superior to the 550B, particularly in the primer handling mechanics. I averaged 2000 rounds/month last season shooting .45ACP and .40S&W in club matches and USPSA/IPSC meets and expect to shoot considerably more this year. If you shoot 200-300 rounds/ week, the SDB or 550B will produce plenty of ammo. If you don't expect to ever load but one caliber of pistol and no rifle ammo, the SDB is worth considering. It doesn't use standard 7/8 x 14 dies so anything you buy for that press is only going to work with a SDB. The 550B and XL650 use standard dies that will work on virtually all presses except the SDB, thus ultimately becoming more economical. It costs less to add add additional calibers to the 550B than the XL650 due to toolhead and caliber conversion kit costs. The 550B will meet the needs of most shooters unless you plan to shoot combat matches.

[David2011]

I use a Lyman single stage press, I use reloading blocks and take my time to get them right.
The other problem I have is that I am using Bullseye Powder which seems to be very dirty burning with lots of smoke in my 357 and 45 reloads. Is the a cleaner better burning powder for handloads.

Pretty much everything is cleaner than Bullseye! I've shot Clays and it seemed to burn much cleaner and produce less smoke but it combined badly with the famous maker red slide lube, causing a sluggish slide after less than 100 rounds. I haven't found this to be a problem with FP-10 oil, though. Clays seemed hard to meter for light loads in the 3.2-3.5 grain range. It is a low density, large flake that seems to meter more consistently when there's a little more space in the powder charge bar cavity. It's not really a magnum powder, though. Smoke has been a problem at weeknight club matches when the lights just above and behind the firing line are turned on. The light hits the smoke and you can't see the targets after 2 or 3 rounds. At 6 rounds in 6 seconds you don't have time to wait for it to clear to see again. Most powders burn cleaner at higher pressures. Light Bullseye loads are very dirty. Don't exceed the maker's recommendations trying to get a cleaner burn. W231 isn't as dirty as Bullseye. The new Unique is supposed to be cleaner than the old formula but the load data is the same. I have maybe 100 rounds worth of the old Unique and will try the new formula out as soon as the old is gone, which will be the next reloading session. Winchester Super Target is pretty clean burning and is a dense, small flake that meters well at all weights. The Vihta Vuori powders are very clean bit they're expensive. Personally, I prefer a slower powder for full .357 loads. Everything is slower than Bullseye. For major power factor IPSC I've been using Unique in .40S&W and W231 in .45ACP. Next season may be different.

[Catfish]

Sounds like I`m far from being alone. Dillon is the only way to go. If all your ever going to load is pistol ammo get a Square Deal. If your going to load rifle ammo get a 550 and don`t look back. Dillon is the best backed products on the market and their is the best I`ve ran into anywhere. Also, if your loading cast bullets buy their dies. By simply pulling a snap pin on the top of the die you can drop the insides of the die out while it still mounted on the press. This makes it very fast and easy to clean the built up wax out of your dies. They aren`t cheap, but they are worth every penny if you load alot of cast bullets.

[uncowboy]

Another vote for the Dillon 550B here. I have 2 of them set up on my bench and every caliber conversion they make. The press can be used as a single stage if you want to or have a need to. I tell my friends that before they buy another gun get the 550B . The time it saves them is not to be beleived over a single stage and all that listen have thanked me. This is a MUST have. The Dillon also holds it's value better than any other press. Just ck ebay and you will see whay I mean. Last but not least, Costermer service. Dillon has a no bull lifetime warenty. Even if you do something wrong and break something the new part is free and a phone call away. Their staff is very knoledgable and want to help you. I had a bad snag on loading for the 50AE. I couldn't get the case mouth to bell out and accept the bullet. The tec at Dillon set up for the 50AE there and tried to duplicate my problem. He said his worked fine and I asked if he could send me what he had so I could ck it out to what I had. He sent me the tool head with powder funnel ,powder die, and powder measure all new. I put it in my press and it worked fine. My problem was the powder measure drop tube ,It is press fitted in the powder measure and years of reloading has seated it further than normal and it was just a little to short. I thanked Dillon and wanted to send back the extras and he said to keep them. He was truelly happy to solve my problem. Where else do you get help like that? J.Michael

[hanover67]

I recently bought an old Colt Army Special .32-20 and tried to find loads using either 700X or Bullseye, but kept getting a recommendation to use Unique. I bought a can worked up some light loads and went to the range.

After 25 rds. the front cylinder bushing was so gunked up it barely turned, and it was a mess to clean, with powder residue all over the front of the cylinder, crane, and inside the frame opening around the barrel.

This gun has a BIG cylinder/barrel gap, .015", so there's lots of room for gas/powder to escape. As I work up to higher charges/pressure, perhaps the problem will abate.

I'd like to see someone publish a Powder Dirtyness Table like burning rate tables.

[versifier]

Welcome to the forum, hanover.
I suspect you may have used too light a crimp and too light a charge on your loads. That gap is big enough to squeeze a fat girl through, too, which lowers the pressure and contributes to the mess. Unique is definitely not the cleanest powder out there, but it's not that bad. It is not the powder for light loads. I don't have problems even in uncrimped rounds like .45ACP, but I don't load too light. Up the charge to the upper third of its pressure range. I use Bullseye for really light loads in .38spec and .45ACP, and it should work fine for your .32-20, too.

[454PB]

I have no suggestions to speed up you're loading rate. Handloading is a deliberate process for me, I'm not into CAS or competition. I do use a Lee turret press, which saves having to change and reset dies. I also do all my priming with tools other than the press.

I think Bluedot is one of the least known secrets to midrange loads in everything from .357 magnum to .454 Casull. It's especially efficient in .44 magnum, and very accurate. It will give 90% of the velocity achieved by H-110 and WW296, with 10 grains less charge. It burns very cleanly for me, but I've seen others say it's dirty burning.