High Volume Pistol re-loading

K

Kurch

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Hello Gunnutz,
Im new to the reloading scene but have a group of friends ready to invest in the tools to start reloading large quantities of pistol ammunition. What tools would be needed for such an operation? I know this is a little vague but we are just testing the waters, looking at options would work best on our budget. By all means, let your wildest dreams come through when your suggesting stuff, top of the line, fastest, highest volumes ect. Have fun with it. Any help would be appreciated, this site always come through!
 
Wildest dreams:

Best for the home reloading would be a camdex or Ammoload machine. They run about $30k each.

For the realistic, a Dillon 650 (for the warranty) or a 1050 (no lifetime warranty) with all the bells and whistles. About $2k
 
I remember seeing some fully automated reloading presses posted here on CGN, could really crank out the rounds....but I think they cost around $25K
 
You could also go with a Hornady lock and load, with Electric bullet feeder and case feeder... they still have the free bullet deal on till the end of this month.

With the 1050 you can have it run fully automatic, electric bullet feeder case feeder and there is a motorized kit to pump the handel.
 
I'm liking the Dillon line of reloading machines, for the price they seem to offer a lot of really good options. Assuming we have got somebody with a lot of reloading experience to help the process, what other tools would be needed? recommended? We are looking to pump out enough ammo to feed all of our shooting needs (target, action shooting, hoarding!) 9mm being the most important. If buying on a large scale what would be the best materials to use? Ie. Powder, primers, bullets. What would be a reasonable cost per-round? We are striving for low cost but do not want to sacrifice quality ( of course). Any help is greatly appreciated, Im a nOOb when it comes to re-loading but am working closely with some very experienced gunnutz. Thanks again, keep the ideas coming as we are open to just about anything!!


-Kurch
 
Dillon 1050
Mr. BulletFeeder
Ponsness/Warren autodrive
RF100 primer filler

$4k

Caliber conversions, $500
 
Well, it would be good to have someone experienced to get you started, but if you're pretty good with mechanical things (or maybe not) you shouldn't have any issues with Dillon 650 and up. My first ever exposure to reloading is 9mm on Dillon 650. I did tons of readings, watched youtube videos and asked tons of dumb questions that I couldn't find. Canuck223 is one of the super knowledgeable dudes here that helped me out. I found the Dillon 650 DVD is good guide to setup machine instead of reading instruction booklet.

I loaded about 4k of 9mm and I didn't blow myself up. I should be out of the red zone by now in terms of doing something wrong and not know it. I cast my own boolits too and it's only costing me $2.50/box. :)

I can't say it's fun. It gets pretty repetitive, but hearing the 'ding/plunk' sound when bullet falls into tray is a nice sound. Once set up and tuned, I can casually pump 300rds in under 30 mins. Sure, I can go much faster, but it's fast enough for me. I would like to make a 3k run, but I only have around 2k in brass. These progressive presses eats up reloading components faster than most people can shoot. LOL
 
Check out this Dillon 650 video. This guy has some serious speed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jO9jm9V4VO8

Only issue I'm having is a little bit of spilt powder when shell plate rotates. Stops too abruptly (my 9mm brass jiggles). Some people suggested fixes for it. Cut down spring or something to smooth it out, but I don't have extra spring yet to mess around with it. Dunno what other dillon 650 users are experiencing right out of the box but videos I'm seeing appears to run much smoother than my 650. I'm only dumping 4grains into a 9mm case.
 
Gunnutz <3

This site is amazing. Thank you so much for the prompt and honest replies, If I have any more questions I will let you boys know! Thanks again.

Now, anyone willing to couch up some pet loads for 9mm?
 
CanAm said:
Wildest dreams:

Best for the home reloading would be a camdex or Ammoload machine. They run about $30k each.

For the realistic, a Dillon 650 (for the warranty) or a 1050 (no lifetime warranty) with all the bells and whistles. About $2k
Click to expand...

The Ammoload machine still has ONE limitation that they cite as due to safety and that is the primer tube only holds 100 primers.

It also cycles at 5-6K rounds per hour I believe.
 
Dhillon seems to be the go to product for mass production in a kit that mere mortals can afford.

But lets answer your component questions.

Plated bullets will be your least expensive projectile. Shipping is what will make or break who you buy from.

I have casted and bought cast bullets and have never had much success in a 9mm. Only one brand ever shot without leading and that company went under years ago.

From 40 and up, you can cast at home and make excellent bullets without leading issues. That is your least expensive way to load especially if you have a few friends to help. you can get your per bullet costs to almost free (minus your labour of course)

For brass, 9mm Win should be readily available as this is most commonly shot by the cops. Get a couple of good tumblers and have at it.

40S&W should be easier to get out east. At least it was with the shooter I traded 9mm brass for.

win SP primer. Works, well priced, most likely to be available.

HP38, titegroups, Win 231 are all excellent powders to get lots of plinking loads per lb. I am now using TG and it seems to burn the cleanest of the three. These powders will work in all common HG cals and will work in a progressive very well.

For +P type loading, go jacketed and choose an appropriate powder. There is lots of info at all powder companies and load manuals.

If you are Western Can, I can help you with components and reloading gear and shipping will be decent. If in Eastern Can, shipping will be higher but if you can't get what you want, then it works out.

Sorry, no powder or primers.

Now I don't know how much ammo you are trying to produce but lesser gear can produce alot of ammo too. IF only shooting 1000rds of 9mm per week, do consider Lee as a less expensive alternative.

I use a Lee 1000 and make about 300 to 400rds per hr for my own plinking. Slow by Dhillon standards but I can shoot for a couple of years on the difference in equipment costs.

Jerry
 
mysticplayer said:
I use a Lee 1000 and make about 300 to 400rds per hr for my own plinking. Slow by Dhillon standards but I can shoot for a couple of years on the difference in equipment costs.

Jerry
Click to expand...

Do you find the crimp from the seating die satisfactory or do you crimp on a different press? I use the factory crimp die in the last stage of the Classic Turret Press but considered the 1000 for 9mm.
 
Quigley said:
I assume that's a typo? If he's shooting 1,000 rounds of 9 mil per week...he should be getting a Dillon (and not a 550) :cool:
Click to expand...

Why? I can easily load 300 to 400 rds in a hour on my Lee 1000 and I am SLOW.

Couple of guys in an evening and you have 1000rds no problem at all.

I know of some IPSC shooters that load for a session what I will shoot in a year. These guys go with Dhillon on steroids.

It is all about what you consider 'lots of ammo'.

fingers, I have found the Lee crimp/seating die to work just fine in pretty much every pistol I have ever loaded for except one 9mm. This one had a small chamber and I needed to post taper crimp much more.

I really doubt you will find a modern factory pistol with a chamber that tight.

I set the crimp to hold the bullet. The sizing seems to be plenty enough for the bullet to drop freely into the chamber.

Good enough for what I want or need.

Jerry
 
mysticplayer said:
Why? I can easily load 300 to 400 rds in a hour on my Lee 1000 and I am SLOW.

Couple of guys in an evening and you have 1000rds no problem at all.

I know of some IPSC shooters that load for a session what I will shoot in a year. These guys go with Dhillon on steroids.

It is all about what you consider 'lots of ammo'.
Click to expand...


I like to spend as little time at the relaoding bench as possable...

I use a Dillon 1050 with Mr Bullet Feeder (very recent addition) and the Dillon RF 100 primer tube filler...and I'm not shooting 1,000 per week (may in short spurts during the high season)

If someone shoots 50k per year ...get the right tool for the job (Hornandy Lock and Load, or Dillon 650 or 1050)

I'm not knocking Lee...but for a fraction of the cost of what you will spend on ammo during your reloaders life cycle...I'd want something far less prone to "issues"
 
I'm casting with Lee TL-356-124-TC mold. 3x lubed with Liquid Xlox (no name brand for Lee Alox). Melted down wheel weights and water dropped for my Sig P226. 1x lube no good. Lots of fouling. 2x lube not bad at all. 3x lube and I was impressed. Almost nothing at all after 300rds. All I can say now, the loads I'm shooting is more accurate than me. One thing I can say is bullet holes hitting bullets holes at 10yards.
 
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