Have to spend more time with the wife now

[RandyP]

I just use my LCT as it was intended, auto-advancing all four dies in the turret. Place a cleaned fired case in the shell holder then Station #1 Deprime/resize/prime (all "junk" falls thru the center of the ram into a capped long plastic tube - NO mess) #2 Flare and powder dispensing - place a bullet - #3 Bullet seat #4 Factory crimp die. Then the I.F. case kicker boots the completed round into the red plastic bin and we start all over again.

I've always followed the "handle it once" approach to efficiency of movement.

 

[kidneyboy]

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 may be the best feature of the LCT. I'm easily distracted...........

I'm also a fan of the Inline Fabrication case kicker.

 

[1976B.L.Johns.]

As always, any comments or suggestions will be appreciated.

Lucky dog, you have a keeper there, I mean your wife!

Load on!

 

[vaalpens]

Lucky dog, you have a keeper there, I mean your wife!

Load on!

Thanks for the nice words. She is definitely a keeper.

 

[vaalpens]

This may be the best feature of the LCT. I'm easily distracted...........

I'm also a fan of the Inline Fabrication case kicker.

My process is to place the finished rounds in a 50/100 round ammo box, so no need for a kicker yet. I will have to wait. First I will have to get a few extra turrets and maybe a few other odds and ends.

 

[vaalpens]

I just use my LCT as it was intended, auto-advancing all four dies in the turret. Place a cleaned fired case in the shell holder then Station #1 Deprime/resize/prime (all "junk" falls thru the center of the ram into a capped long plastic tube - NO mess) #2 Flare and powder dispensing - place a bullet - #3 Bullet seat #4 Factory crimp die. Then the I.F. case kicker boots the completed round into the red plastic bin and we start all over again.

I've always followed the "handle it once" approach to efficiency of movement.

I will be using all 4 stations, but for now I will stick with my current process of decapping the cases separately. After decapping store them ready for a wash and tumble in one of these containers. I wet tumble all the content of one of these containers at a time and then they are ready for the LCT.

 

[vaalpens]

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!

It is also my process to decap as a separate process, but I will probably still do this on my single stage press to keep the crud away from the LCT. I use a Lee Universal decapper.

 

[vaalpens]

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.
View attachment 823798 View attachment 823799

I also use the Lee universal decapper, but will use it just on my single stage now. Using a drinking straw sounds like an excellent idea. I will definitely try it out I have cleaned and serviced my single stage. It is going to get some care now before being put back in service. Nice setup with the bins. I don't have a permanent reloading bench yet, but bins are in my plans once the permanent bench is in place.

 

[vaalpens]

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.

It is a big advantage over the single stage outside off speed. It gives me a bit more flexibility now to fill those short time windows with some productive reloading. Previously I had to make sure I had a big enough uninterrupted window.

 

[vaalpens]

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!

Thanks for the directions on how to get rid of the leak. I have already cleaned it today and will try it out during the week. I'm not sure yet that I have tightened it enough yet. Probably a bit scary to not overtighten the screw.

 

[vaalpens]

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.

Correct. I have already changed my process, so resizing will now be done on the LCT during the load process.

 

[drband]

Thanks for the directions on how to get rid of the leak. I have already cleaned it today and will try it out during the week. I'm not sure yet that I have tightened it enough yet. Probably a bit scary to not overtighten the screw.

Just tighten it up bit by bit until the drum does not spring back to the top position. Then back off enough to allow function. I’ve never had one strip. Also, be sure the o-ring on the back of the tension knob is in place when you reassemble.

 

[vaalpens]

Just tighten it up bit by bit until the drum does not spring back to the top position. Then back off enough to allow function. I’ve never had one strip. Also, be sure the o-ring on the back of the tension knob is in place when you reassemble.

Thanks again for the directions. I completed a batch today without any powder leaks. Looks like I have a better idea now how tight the tension screw should be.

 

[drband]

Thanks again for the directions. I completed a batch today without any powder leaks. Looks like I have a better idea now how tight the tension screw should be.

Good for you!