Anyone Using Progressive Presses?

Harlan Sage · Post by **Harlan Sage** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 11:53 am

Is anyone using a progressive press for BPCR loading. I Keep thinking about adapting a drop tube on a progressive to help speed up the loading process. I'd hate to start something that isn't going to work. Help me out here guys, am I barking up the wrong tree?

Harlan

Bonanza Driver · Post by **Bonanza Driver** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 1:53 pm

Harlan:

I am using a Dillon 550B progressive press with Redding dies to load cartridges for my Sharps 2 7/8 (45-110). The Dillon works just fine and gives no problems but I’m not sure that a progressive press is a tremendous advantage when reloading rifle-length, straight-sided calibers.

Here’s why;
I often can crank out 800 rounds an hour reloading .45ACP or even .44 magnum but they have relatively short, fat cases that sit square on the reloading ram and feed easily into the (particularly sizing) die. Although significantly slower to reload, the bottleneck 30-06 case feeds well, too.

In contrast, the long, straight-sided 45-110 has to be guided by hand into the sizing die. For that matter, if I want to avoid ruining a case, I find that I have to be pretty careful with the powder compression die, too!

Here is how I have my Dillon configured;
Position #1: Redding FL sizing die
Position #2: Dillon powder die & expander plug
Position #3: Redding expander die w/ Buffalo Arms compression plug
Position #4: Redding seating die

I run the seating stem all the way down do that I do not crimp during the seating process and than run the completed shell back through the sizer die (minus the decapping stem) to ensure proper chambering.

My original idea was to rig up a drop tube to the Dillon powder die and at some point, I probably still will. The problem is that when 108.5 (or 107) grains of Goex 1F completely fills the case and I have not found any noticeable settling when using a 24” drop tube. I hear folks report good things about drop tubes all the time with 2F but I’ve not seen any use for a drop tube with my ‘canon’ powder! Translation: powder charging is a manual exercise, for me.

To sum up, although I am quite happy with the capabilities and performance of the Dillon, and I suspect that even when reloading for the Sharps it is a bit faster than a single stage press, it is by no means a speed demon.

I’m not sure, but I think that Kirk uses the Dillon, too.

Hope this helps.

Steve

Harlan Sage · Post by **Harlan Sage** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 2:03 pm

Bonanza Driver,

Thanks for the info.
Any way of speeding up the process would be welcome, especially when loading for 2 rifles for almost every weekend.

I also have to be careful with the long cases. I've got in a hurry before with the compression die and ruined a few cases.

Harlan

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 2:03 pm

Harlan: somewhere I saw an article or a thread 'bout a shooter using the Dillon press for BP. I also understand that the various turret presses can be utilized for BPC reloading.

IIRC, the trick is w/ the drop tube. Depending upon the Shooter's reach, if the tube is too long, it is uncomfortable to pour, too short & compaction suffers.

I’ve often looked @ my Dillon & thought that a suitable sized aluminum plug, thread to fit the die holder (7/8X14??), then drilled out to accommodate a drop tube w/ a sliding fit might work. The tube could be held @ the desired height by a O ring, which would allow the Shooter to lift the tube to turn the shell plate so another hull could be filled. The key is to pour the powder w/o spilling it--but who would ever do that? I really don’t think that I would want spilled powder granules layout around a moving shell plate, even though there is a great deal of aluminum on the Dillon. I think that wide mouth funnel soldered to the drop tube would be a God-send. Of course, you could also mount a powder measure & just let the charge drop into the case.

A Shooter could probably accomplish the same thing on either Lyman (6 die) or the Redding (7 die head) turret press

Bonanza Driver · Post by **Bonanza Driver** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 2:09 pm

Harlan:

What Sharps caliber(s) are you reloading for?

All the Best,
Steve

Harlan Sage · Post by **Harlan Sage** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 2:12 pm

Bonanza Driver

40-65, 45-70 & 45-90

Ray Newman,

I believe there was an article in the Cartidge News a while back. I'll have to go back and try to find it.
Thanks

Harlan

Bonanza Driver · Post by **Bonanza Driver** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 2:23 pm

Harlan:

With the calibers you mentioned, when you pour your powder charge through a drop tube does the powder come up flush with the case mouth (like on my 45-110) or does it settle a tenth or so below the mouth of the case?

If the powder settles below the case mouth, then you could easily install a drop tube on a Dillon 550B similar to what Ray mentioned and not slop powder all over the place when you index the shell plate to the next station. The trick, there is to use a powder die from a Dillon 450, which has a set screw to lock the expander plug in place (or drill one in your 550 powder die). At that point, I'd look into installing a Lyman 55 Classic w/ 24" drop tube at "position #2". Then you really could see a speed increase.

All the Best,
Steve

Kenny Wasserburger · Post by **Kenny Wasserburger** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 2:46 pm

Kirk does indeed load for the 40-65 on the dillion press.

I use a C&H progressive model 444 press for 45-110 loading and it has really speeded the process up alot.

All the dies in the 4 stations I need and it makes for about half the time of loading, I figure at least a 30% reduction in time and might be closer to 50%.

I use a Redding Comp Seating die Runout is very little with this set up.

Kenny Wasserburger

Bonanza Driver · Post by **Bonanza Driver** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 3:28 pm

Kenny:

Great to hear from you!

When you load 107 Grains of Goex 1f into your Norma brass;

1) do you use a drop tube, and
2) is the powder column flush with the case mouth or is it settled down a bit below the case mouth.

I guess my real question is, “do you notice any appreciable settling of the powder column when use using a drop tube with 1f Goex”? If so, how much of a difference do you notice with & without a drop tube (with 1f)?

The reason I ask is that 107 grains of Goex completely fills the Norma brass – flush with the case mouth regardless of whether I use a drop tube or not. I don’t see a difference. If you do, then I must be doing something wrong and I’ll keep screwing around with the drop tube. If you don’t notice any appreciable difference, I’ll quit trying to reinvent the wheel!

All the Best,
Steve

Ray Newman · Post by **Ray Newman** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 5:25 pm

Harlan: I think there was a recent similar thread on the MSN BPCR or MSN silly-wet boards

Harlan Sage · Post by **Harlan Sage** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 6:19 pm

Bonanza Driver,

In my 45-90 if I fill flush to the mouth that would be about .500" compression. Wow that's alot. Are you compressing that much? I'm using Swiss 1.5 and compressing about .200" under a P jones creedmore.
Thanks for the info.

Kenny

You finally got a day off I see, or have you been playing?
I think I may look for a progressive. Know have to decide which one.
Thanks

Harlan

KHR · Post by **KHR** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 6:54 pm

Harlan,
I posted about using a Dillon 650 for loading 44-40 both for BP and cleanshot. I have a black powder adapter kit for the dillon powder measure that makes it safe for bp. I think I got the adapter from Buff Arms. one of the stations has a compression die and I also use .030 wads. had to use the rifle size measure thingy to get enough powder, dont know if the dillon rifle die would throw 70+ grains of bp.

I had not thought about loading larger cartridges like 40/70 or 45/70. How would one droptube? When kirk gets back I'd like to hear how he uses his dillon.

keith

Lead Pot · Post by **Lead Pot** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 7:40 pm

I used to use a CH 333 that was a 3 station H press that worked ok but it was short one station.I think Kenny's CH 444 H press would be nice.I have a Hornady protractor turrent press I used for about two months then threw it under the bench.It just dont work to good for the wads cant get my fingers in good enough to start them.

Harlan I think the RCBS or I use Corbins chp-1 swaging press for the long cases work the best.

Kurt

Lead Pot · Post by **Lead Pot** » Sat Feb 14, 2004 7:45 pm

typo>that should be CSP-1 press. Kurt

N2 · Post by N2 » Sat Feb 14, 2004 9:26 pm

Harlan - Black Dawge Shooting, or something to that effect, sells a BP conversion kit for Dillon's. Buffalo Arms carried them at one time. They advertise in SSE and BPC News. My shooting partner relaods everything from 40-65 to 45-110 on his Dillon with the conversion kit. - Nick