Have to spend more time with the wife now

[vaalpens]

Vaalpens, with bottleneck rifle cartridges I just take the index ride out and turn the turret manually and do each step in batches.
For pistol rounds, it's definitely much easier to just size while you're making them and run all four stations. It's not a problem if you have a carbide resizing die. If your turret gets out of time, don't freak out just go to the Lee website and there's step by step instructions on how to fix it, and I believe it may have come in the instructions with your press. I have had it happen twice and it's a pita but easily fixed.

I have always had a different process for 357sig vs my other pistol rounds. I'm not sure yet how I will automate 357sig with the turret, but initially I will probably follow your suggestion to remove the auto indexing and stay with the batch processing. Even the Auto-Drum I have not incorporated in my 357sig load process since the expansion is not that precise.

 

[HDMontana]

Like others have stated, you can go to the Lee precision site and to press parts in menu. Parts show a price but changes to zero when you put them in your cart. Only for the first one of each. Any extras of same item you will be charged for. One of each and you only pay shipping.

 

[jmorris]

Obviously the wife expects that I will be able to spend more time with her and less time reloading.

My wife bought me my first 1050 so we would have more snuggle time, that’s a win, win.

 

[rfwobbly]

Buy her something nice. Really nice.

She's really appreciate a high-end digital powder scale !

 

[CMV]

I struggled a LOT with 357SIG on the LCT. Only thing I ever had any sort of trouble with. I took a lot tinkering and questions here to finally get it right. That's the only caliber I do that I very much dislike messing with. End result was great ammo, but long path to get there....

 

[vaalpens]

I struggled a LOT with 357SIG on the LCT. Only thing I ever had any sort of trouble with. I took a lot tinkering and questions here to finally get it right. That's the only caliber I do that I very much dislike messing with. End result was great ammo, but long path to get there....

I have my 357sig process sorted out on the single stage, so porting it to the LCT should not be that difficult. The re-sizing and debulging I will still do single stage, but seating and FCD crimping can be done on the LCT. I wil just have to sort out the priming and powder dispensing since I don't want to use the Auto-Drum. A precise expanding is part of my 357sig load process.

 

[vaalpens]

Like others have stated, you can go to the Lee precision site and to press parts in menu. Parts show a price but changes to zero when you put them in your cart. Only for the first one of each. Any extras of same item you will be charged for. One of each and you only pay shipping.

I will definitely take Lee up on their offer. Thanks.

 

[vaalpens]

My wife bought me my first 1050 so we would have more snuggle time, that’s a win, win.

Extra snuggle time? I wonder if it is too late to return the LCT.

 

[vaalpens]

She's really appreciate a high-end digital powder scale !

I think she actually will. Anything to keep me safe until I up my life insurance.

 

[DukeConnor]

You will not have more time. You will just load and shoot more ammo.

 

[RealGun]

I am so used to using the dipper, trickler and beam scale that it has been tough for me to trust the Auto-Drum. When I document my loads I differentiate between loads where I used the Auto-Drum and loads I weighed manually.

For loading 9mm don't bring your precision rifle mindset. Don't defeat the press's efficiency. Put the primer dispenser back on and don't remove the indexing rod. Size on the press. Clean brass with primers intact. Simplify.

My LCT needs a squirt of One Shot around the turret when it starts to feel sticky or doesn't fully index. Immediately afterward, I need to go easy on the up stroke to avoid over shooting the next station, but it settles quickly. I also keep that area cleaned of any powder, which could foul the turret and die head mating.

Note that you can manually turn the turret in reverse, when needed, if you place the press at half stroke, where you don't feel any resistance.

 

[drband]

I did spring for the TERRIFIC Inline Fabrication case kicker system. Best $60 I've spent in reloading - best to have some reloading time with the press under your belt before making that mod though.

I totally agree with this. I can't imagine using the LCT long term without the IF case kicker system.

 

[rfwobbly]

Anything to keep me safe until I up my life insurance.

You must not have been married very long !
It's really... Anything to keep you safe so you will up the life insurance.

 

[RealGun]

If I had more time with the wife, I wouldn't have any "good" ideas, and I would have to be ready to talk about my feelings.

 

[RandyP]

I also keep a can of compressed air within reach for any errant powder removal.

 

[vaalpens]

I also keep a can of compressed air within reach for any errant powder removal.

The Auto-Drum does leak some powder and I can already see that I will need to start using my compressed air can.

 

[vaalpens]

If I had more time with the wife, I wouldn't have any "good" ideas, and I would have to be ready to talk about my feelings.

We all have to suffer through those talks. Luckily my hearing is not that good so I don't always have to listen.

 

[vaalpens]

You must not have been married very long !
It's really... Anything to keep you safe so you will up the life insurance.

Does 39 years count? She appreciates the tongue-in-cheek comments regarding the LCT gift.

 

[vaalpens]

You will not have more time. You will just load and shoot more ammo.

You are correct. What I have found is that I can also just load a few of them and stop, and then start again when I have time. This is because each round is completed with the LCT, but with the single stage I had to make sure I had an uninterrupted time slot especially for the powder and seating stages.

 

[vaalpens]

For loading 9mm don't bring your precision rifle mindset. Don't defeat the press's efficiency. Put the primer dispenser back on and don't remove the indexing rod. Size on the press. Clean brass with primers intact. Simplify.

My LCT needs a squirt of One Shot around the turret when it starts to feel sticky or doesn't fully index. Immediately afterward, I need to go easy on the up stroke to avoid over shooting the next station, but it settles quickly. I also keep that area cleaned of any powder, which could foul the turret and die head mating.

Note that you can manually turn the turret in reverse, when needed, if you place the press at half stroke, where you don't feel any resistance.

Thanks for the advice. I have already added the sizer die even though my brass has already been sized. I just gives a better feel when to place the primer, and it will be the way forward for me.

The documenting part is purely so I can explain any issues I might see. For the first few batches I will make a note on the finished ammo just to alert myself this batch was done when I was still establishing my LCT process. My concern on the first batches is not the powder dispensing since I check it, but rather the times when I checked the weight of the charge, and then proceeding with the process.

 

[ATLDave]

Yep, just de-prime/size in line. There's no reason to do it separately, unless you're doing some kind of brass-cleaning thing that requires de-capped brass. You've got to advance the turret past that slot anyway, so it's really no extra time/effort to just make use of the motion to do the sizing.

 

[drband]

The Auto-Drum does leak some powder and I can already see that I will need to start using my compressed air can.

Glad you're liking the set-up. The AutoDrum should not leak... If it does, take the hopper off, empty the body completely, remove the drum, clean out the interior with a brush (old paint brush is perfect), clean the drum thoroughly--no errant grains of powder sticking to it, reinstall the drum making sure to tighten down the tension screw properly (tighten it until the drum won't return fully, then back it off just enough to restore function), reinstall hopper, done!

The reason I listed all that is that most folks don't use enough tension when installing the drum. Once a few grains get in between the drum bearing surface and the body of the AD, then you have a channel for leaking powder. Mine do not leak with Bullseye or Accurate #2, two notoriously fine and "leaky" powders. I bet your leak can be stopped, too!

 

[DukeConnor]

You are correct. What I have found is that I can also just load a few of them and stop, and then start again when I have time. This is because each round is completed with the LCT, but with the single stage I had to make sure I had an uninterrupted time slot especially for the powder and seating stages.

That is something to think about. With my sdb and 650 I can stop whenever I want. If i am using the single stage and have 50 with powder in the tray, I have to put bullets in them before I finish.

Lately, for some reason, my progressives have been collecting dust and I am back to using the RCBS.

 

[Toprudder]

If you do decide to decap all your brass ahead of time, here is what I do.

I use the Lee universal decapper die, and have it screwed down as far as it will go into the turret. (I have a separate "utility" turret with the decapping die). This shortens the stroke so I don't have to run the handle all the way down, and gives a better feel of the force required so that I don't bend the decapping rod. I decap without the indexing rod in place. Remove the primer ram, and install a short drinking straw into the hole in the shell holder, from the bottom, before placing the shell holder into the press. The straw will keep the primers and all the primer residue in the center of the ram.

I mounted some brackets on the edge of my bench that hold Akro bins. I don't have to move my hands as far for components when I am loading.

 

[Whiterook808]

I decap off the press largely to keep all that crud out my presses. You can use the Lee decapping die and a hand press, but I used a Harvey deprimer. I deprime while watching TV with a paper bag handy to eject the spent primer into. I like the feel of the Harvey - it's kind of like popping bubble rap!