How many rounds per hour?

[RustyFN]

The Lee classic turret kit at Kempf doesn't include a scale. They are easy people to deal with. I just bought a set of 45ACP dies and a turret from them today. Call them on the phone and talk to Sue and she can help set you up with just what you need, or even just answer some questions you have about the kit.
Rusty

 

[layusn1]

I load 243 Win on my Lee single stage. I am in no hurry, I get 50 done in about an hour. I use a Lyman DPSII to dispense the Varget, works like a charm.

I loaded some 223 for 3 gun competition on the Dillon 650. I wasn't rushing, taking time to check everything, clear a couple jams...nothing major though...just adjusting the shell in the plate, etc. I finished 7 rounds shy of 1200 in two hours. I did prime the cases off press while I was being a couch potato so that was a huge advantage and I don't really factor that into the time because I didn't take time away from anything else I was doing to prime the cases.

Either way, I know I like to get them done as quickly as I can but at the same time I do enjoy doing it so I don't mind going slow especially those target loads...I like to do everything as consistently as possible with them.

 

[WayneConrad]

The other way to get better speed with your single stage is to keep one hand on the handle, and always have brass in the other hand. Never leave the other hand empty. It's the same principle as a so-called "tactical" magazine reload. Bring new brass to the press, switch new brass for old, bring old brass away from press while operating the press. Repeat. It's easier to do than to describe.

 

[jmorris]

100 3:28
500 24:12
600 29.04
700 34:04
800 39:17
900 43.40

I clocked the times above on a 650 with a GSI feeder and a KISS style collator loading 9mm with lubed cases. 3.5min per 100 rounds is not that hard to achieve but if you factor in loading primer tubes (Dillon filler) and then the machine, filling hoppers with brass and bullets around 5min per 100 is comfortable. On my 1050 I have a KISS feeder, so no powder check die and I run a little slower on that machine.

 

[Clark]

If I am handloading 300 win mag for a hunting trip, 20 round can get done in an hour.

If I am getting ready for hunting with .223, I expect 100 rounds per hour.

If I am working up a load, with each round getting a different charge, I should get 20 rounds per hour.

 

[Kimber1911_06238]

turrret press...150-200 per hour taking my time and being careful

 

[lev83]

I can usually produce 100 to 150 rounds of 45 ACP in one hour on my RCBS RockChuker. Might be able to squeeze a little more from it but consistency/accuracy is a bigger consideration for me. I typically shoot 100 to 200 in a give range session. So this easily fufills my needs.

 

[ddcarter3]

I have a Lee Classic Turret Press with the Auto Disc Pro and Primer Feeder.
Just my short experience:
First few times 50-100 per hour
After that up to 200 per hour.
Any faster than that and see mistakes happening. Not to mention, it feels like work going too fast.
Just my .02

 

[Ben Shepherd]

If I'm using my single stage rockchucker, with the dies already set up, it's around 100 rounds per hour. On a redding turret press, it's an easy 175 per hour.

On the dillon 650 with the case feeder, it's an easy 600 per hour, running at a smooth, moderate pace. This is possible because I have enough primer tubes that I only have to worry about keeping the powder measure full,and dumping more cases in the feeder, not refilling primer tubes.

The secret is doing everything in batches, especially with something you shoot a lot:

Buying brass? Buy them 1,000 at a time, plus a spare hundred for load development, all from the same lot.

Primers? Same thing.

Powder? Buy a 5 or 8 lb jug instead of a 1 lb can.

Trimming cases? Check and trim them all.

Charging the cases with powder? Do them all. Not just the 50 that are in that loading block. If you are loading 200 rounds this session, then charge all 200 before you start seating bullets. Same thing with seating and crimping the slugs.



Now if we're talking about a low volume caliber like 50 BMG, 338 mag, 300 WSM, etc., then you can bring the numbers down considerably. Maybe you only need 500 pieces of brass. and 1,000 primers. But I still think you should consider a 5 lb cans of powder, once you have your load worked up.

The reason for the above method is consistency. Different lots of the same powder will behave slightly different. Same with primers. When you change brass, especially when you change to a different manufacturers brass, you usually have to start all over with load development, and adjust your die settings as well. This due to slightly different case dimensions, which affects neck tension, powder volume, etc.

Don't do the above until you're sure you want to reload however, as it's a lot of initial cash outlay. But even then, with the exception of the powder, you can usually sell the dies, brass, and primers with the gun if you ever decide to.

My minimum, regardless of which press I'm using, is 200 rounds. The reason for this is consistency. Let's say I have a match next month that will require 300 rounds minimum: If I do every operation, in order, to every round loaded, in one session, I'm much more likely to have uniform ammo than if I do 50 today, 50 tommorrow, 100 next weekend, and the other hundred the day before the match.

Couple more things:

1. Buy twice as many reloading blocks as you think you'll need.

2. Have AT LEAST 2 manuals to cross check data with.

 

[zxcvbob]

My record on a single-stage press was 100 9mm's in half an hour, just to see if I could do it. But it wasn't fun going that fast.

 

[Zeede]

Just as with shotshell reloading, the key to saving money is to buy in bulk. That's what I do now (just picked up 5k wads this weekend), that's what I intend to do when I get into metallic reloading.

Looks like the key is to be organized, and with single stage presses, to do everything in batches.

Pros and cons of hand priming tools VS the ones you mount on the press?

Cameron

 

[amlevin]

When I still loaded on a single stage I would load a box of 9mm each evening for 5 evenings. I would then go and shoot 250 rounds. The next week I started the process over.

Now I load on an XL-650. I load 3,000 rounds in 6 hours. This lasts me about 2 months and I repeat the process.

 

[WayneConrad]

Pros and cons of hand priming tools VS the ones you mount on the press?

I can't speak about the hand-priming tool. Never used it.

I can tell you about the RCBS press-mounted priming tool. It's pretty handy. Being press mounted, you get an awful lot of leverage. I'm pretty sure I coerced a few primers into crimped primer pockets before I figured out what I was doing, when I was just getting started. It'll do that. Not recommending doing that.

I like priming on the downstroke rather than the upstroke (as you would be if you were using the press's built in priming arm). Very ergonomic. Nice to have gravity working with you.

You can set the die so that a full stroke of the press's arm seats the primer to just the right depth, but I don't do that. I set the die so that it would be possible, at full stroke, to utterly crush the primer. I just go by feel, not stroking the press fully; that way I don't have to monkey with the die for different cartridges. Works out great. There's enough feedback to the press arm to easily feel how deeply I'm seating a primer. I can also feel if there are any problems--sideways primer, etc.

In use, my left hand moves brass; my right hand works the press arm and moves primers. I've also tried moving both primers and brass at the same time with my left hand while my right hand stays on the press handle. I end up dropping things.

If you get one of these, get rid of the RCBS lock-ring. I find the brass set-screw to be too easily damaged. I recommend instead The Hornady Sure-Loc Die Locking Ring.

Cons: It's an extra die to set up, compared to hand-priming or using the press's built-in priming arm.

Counter con: If you use the Hornady Lock-N-Load system, switching out dies takes seconds.

 

[layusn1]

Works out great. There's enough feedback to the press arm to easily feel how deeply I'm seating a primer. I can also feel if there are any problems--sideways primer, etc.

I never understood how that was possible until I bolted a 650 to my bench and did it myself...guess I was a little ham handed there. I ended up going back to hand priming while watching TV because when I buy 1000 primers I want to be able to use 1000 primers, not lose any to sideways or upside down primers. I'm sure your millage may vary though, I'm still new to that press.

 

[batoy1911]

I have the Lee Classic Turret. Got it from Kemfp. Sue is a nice person to deal with. We exchanged emails until I got everything that I needed for the set-up I had in mind. I did some research and asked around before placing my order. Here's how I got my reloader set up.

I have 2 bullet seat/crimp dies and 2 expander/powder thru dies setup in a turret. Takes only 2 strokes to finish 1 ammo. I don't usually use the FCD except for competition ammos.

I de-prime and resize all the cases after tumbling them. Run them all through a gauge and discard the very few that could no longer be resized. Then I prime the cases using either an RCBS hand held tool or the press mounted Lee tool. This way I don't waste a primer on a case that would not chamber later. I usually set aside the primed cases in airtight containers (old coffee cans) until I get some free time to reload.

When I do reload, I focus on the powder measure to see that the disc is actuated by the case on the upstroke. Look down to see that there is indeed powder in the case on the downstroke. Place a bullet on the 2nd upstroke. 1 ammo done. I seat and crimp at the same time. Once I get a good rhythm. I usually run out of primed cases before I even get tired pulling the press handle. I reload around 200 at a time. Takes me maybe less than an hour if I don't fumble placing the bullet on the case. I have not really timed myself.

 

[WayneConrad]

I never understood how [sideways primers] was possible until I bolted a 650 to my bench and did it myself...guess I was a little ham handed there.

Sideways primers were mostly a problem when I started out. Very rare now. Now when I get one, it's a sign that my attention is wandering. It means it's time to stop reloading and do something less safety critical. Like... oh... read THR

 

[WayneConrad]

Buy twice as many reloading blocks as you think you'll need.

True. Or make 'em. A piece of MDF, a spade-bit, and 10 minutes on a drill press.

 

[par0thead151]

dillon 650 i do about 1000 45 acp an hour, and 800 9 mm an hour.
223 and other necked cases require prep work as there is trimming to be done, that substantially increases the time per round

 

[Rico567]

For me, the beauty of the 650 isn't the number of rounds per hour, it's that it cuts the amount of time I spend at the bench dramatically. Thirty years ago, I was perfectly happy to spend a cold Winter's night (or a weekend) at the reloading bench, but no more. A progressive is therefore progressive in more ways than one, for me.