We’ll have to start a one arm reloader club…
I get “re-evaluated” June 3rd…. A saga that has unfolded since March 15th.
What do have waiting for you in the reloading room?
- Thread starter GeoDudeFlorida
- Start date
I get “re-evaluated” June 3rd…. A saga that has unfolded since March 15th.
"Stuff" is starting to stack-up gentlemen. I got an order from Midway today. Ordered this week when they had the sale going on with free shipping. I need to start sorting, organizing more, and getting on my reloading schedule again to chip away at the new components. But not today. It's been a brutal week.
Having wrist surgery Tuesday, will be one handed 4/5 months. No funWe’ll have to start a one arm reloader club…
Ugh. Prayers and Best Wishes.
Radom Guy
Member
What did you get for dies there?
And I am guessing that you bought those Hornady lock rings because you dislike the new serrated style Lee rings as much as I do! I just bought a set of 10 RCBS lock rings to use to replace those super annoying new ones from Lee.
Great questions. Glad to answer.
Those dies are 45 ACP. I shut my reloading bench down for more than a decade, then got back into reloading again, and moved the bench from the basement to the garage. In that time frame and/or the move, somehow, I lost my 45 ACP dies. I really do not load 45 ACP much now because I sold my 1911 Colt about 15 years ago that was chambered for 45 ACP. However, now I have a Pietta 45 Colt with a spare cylinder that is chambered for 45 ACP. So I wanted to get another set of 45 ACP dies just to reload that caliber once in a while for the Pietta. Years past, I only reloaded with Hornady dies, especially the Titanium Nitride in the 1990s, but I have been using Lee Carbide lately.
Yes, I bought the lock rings to replace the O-Rings on the Lee dies. I am also putting together a Range Reloading Kit for field reloading at the range. In that kit, I decided to do Lee Breech Lock dies because the kit contains the Lee Hand Press that is set up for Breech lock instead of standard screw in dies. But for my RCBS Rock Chucker, I went with standard Lee dies and can't tolerate that O-Ring.
Radom Guy
Member
I recently set myself up an on-site Reloading kit for the range, too. I have not used it yet but it's ready for me when the time arises. I have the Lee hand press also with the Lee bushings. They can be pretty handy but equally a pain in the neck, depending on what I am doing on what press on which caliber, haha!
Enjoy Reloading 45 ACP again! I just started loading 45 ACP last year. I found it very satisfying on a Lee Classic Cast Turret Press, as each raising of the ram brings the brass or cartridge in and out very smoothly. I find it a lot smoother and dare I say easier to load than my other 6 or 7 handgun calibers because of the hefty cases and easy to handle size bullet. A whole lot easier than loading 32 ACP, for sure! It goes faster than any other on the turret press for me, but I bought the shell plate for my Hornady LNL AP, so that's awesome too.
One of these days I will be getting a cap and ball revolver with a conversion cylinder too. I already have the percussion caps, the black powder substitute, the lead round balls of various sizes. Now I just need the gun! I'll find a good deal used sometime when the timing is just right.
Adding that I just reread that your Pietta is a 45 Colt as opposed to cap and ball. That's awesome too! Enjoy!
Thanks @Radom Guy. Interesting;
The Breech Lock Lee dies are still new to me, and so far no issues, but I'd be curious to know where they do not work for you so I can be prepared for that in the event it happens to me.
I used to love shooting my 1911 Colt. As usual, I regret selling it. But I say that about every single gun I ever sold. I will probably get another at some point. Down the road a ways. In the mean time, I have that Pietta 45 Colt, so I can enjoy relaoding 45 ACP again.
I wanted a cap and ball big time when I was in my late teens and early 20s. Might put that on the firearm bucket list too. I am sure you will enjoy that rabbit hole journey!
The Breech Lock Lee dies are still new to me, and so far no issues, but I'd be curious to know where they do not work for you so I can be prepared for that in the event it happens to me.
I used to love shooting my 1911 Colt. As usual, I regret selling it. But I say that about every single gun I ever sold. I will probably get another at some point. Down the road a ways. In the mean time, I have that Pietta 45 Colt, so I can enjoy relaoding 45 ACP again.
I wanted a cap and ball big time when I was in my late teens and early 20s. Might put that on the firearm bucket list too. I am sure you will enjoy that rabbit hole journey!
Ethan Verity
Member
- Joined
- May 8, 2021
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- 736
400 new Starline 45 Colt shells which have been sized/flared/and primed thus far... now ready for the fun part, powder and bullet!
Radom Guy
Member
You get it - it's a rabbit hole that I imagine will keep me busier than ever! I have to manage my interests so I don't overdo it , haha
The breech lock bushings can be really helpful when I have a specific caliber die that i use over and over. Or if I am to go to the range one day with my hand press kit (I keep it in an old plastic gun case with foam keeping things steady), or when I used to have a Lee progressive press with which I would switch calibers. The pain in the neck part is if I am using a universal die like a decapper. Depending on the case size, I'll have to adjust the die in or out. That's a pain to me when the die is in the bushing because the bushing will often move with the threading of the die, then I'll have to retighten the bushing in the breech lock. Or the worst is when I am using a case actuated powder measure on my Lee ClassicCast single stage. So as I back the die out, the bushing will rotate counter clockwise with the die. If I don't notice that then I push a case into the powder measure, the entire die and powder measure will rise out of the top of the press in the process. It hasn't knocked anything over yet but it's a pain. Then my Lee single stage has a button on the breech lock hole to help secure a bushing from moving. The problem arises when the newer bushings do not have the little cut out to mate with the button on the press, so it gets tricky to lock it into place. Hard to describe unless you have the same hardware. And lastly is that i often have a couple single stages doing different steps with different dies. For one reason or another I might want to swap single stage presses. The problem is that my other single stage is a Lee but it's old and does not have the breech lock bushing setup. Then I have to thread and unthread with the bushing attached at times. There are ways around all these but how much time do I want to spend doing all the workarounds.
So actually overall nowadays, since I threw away my former Lee Auto Breech Lock Progressive press, the bushings are overall a hindrance to me, with the exception of using the hand press.
That's really helpful, @Radom Guy , Thanks much.
My Lee hand press is relatively new, so it does not have "The Button". So I never had the convenience. It was my understanding that older Lee Hand presses had the button? Maybe I have that wrong. I have only reloaded 45 Colt in the hand press, so I have not had to adjust the decapping die. What I'll probably do is have a decapping die for every caliber I'll reload on the hand press (there won't be many) so I don't have to worry about adjusting it.
I do not plan on using any breech locks on my RCBS bench press. All those will be the standard threaded. The breechers are only for the hand press.
I appreciate you taking the time to let me know this. I think that you just saved me a discovery headache in the future.
My Lee hand press is relatively new, so it does not have "The Button". So I never had the convenience. It was my understanding that older Lee Hand presses had the button? Maybe I have that wrong. I have only reloaded 45 Colt in the hand press, so I have not had to adjust the decapping die. What I'll probably do is have a decapping die for every caliber I'll reload on the hand press (there won't be many) so I don't have to worry about adjusting it.
I do not plan on using any breech locks on my RCBS bench press. All those will be the standard threaded. The breechers are only for the hand press.
I appreciate you taking the time to let me know this. I think that you just saved me a discovery headache in the future.
shoebox1.1
Member
Mine has the button but I don’t use it
Radom Guy
Member
I'm happy to help. I'm not knocking Lee as a company, every company has winning products and losing ones. I am still crazy about almost all of my Lee stuff (I couldn't even count what I have), but the breech lock bushings get in my way on my bench. I am sure that there are others who like them a lot though.
Enjoy reviving your reloading!
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