A New 9mm reloader's observations

[bluemike807]

I finally got my Christmas present - to myself. A package from Cabelas containing my new tumbler (eee! Shiny brass!), my .356 resizing die kit and my 9mm Luger carbide die set.

I cast for 9mm - 124gr RN's - and had about 200 pre-lubed. Ran those through the sizer, then relubed them with ALOX. Let them sit for the requisite 24 hours to cure.

Worked up a load of 4.5 grains of Red Dot, tumbled my cases, and loaded the dies into the bushings for my single stage Lee Breech-Lock Press.

Then it all slowed down. Did a run of 50 rounds, so thats:

Install the decapping/full length resizing die.
Run 50 brass through it, inspecting for split casings, and repriming on the downstroke.

Install the Flaring/powder-through die (I did not use the powder-through feature), run the 50 pieces through.

Install the bullet seating/crimping die.
Charge each case from my powder measure, seat bullet by fingers, put through the press - 50 times.

It was rewarding, but tedious. It took alot longer than I'd have thought and I'd have liked to have more to show for the time. Is there anything I can do to cut down on the time? I didnt want to charge the cases when flaring them, in case I tipped some over. Is this as fast as I can expect to get unless I upgrade to a progressive press?

 

[hoochie]

I was in your shoes once. I reloaded my first batch of 9mm on a single stage. I will never do it again.
I would say that 50 rounds on my progressive press takes me less than 5 mins.
Add it to your "wish list", one day you will have a progressive and be a very happy man.

 

[vagrantviking]

You will streamline your methods after doing it a couple times. Little changes in the way that you arrange things can help a lot.

Loading for pistols is just a chore on a single stage though. Even something like Lees auto indexing turret press will speed it up a lot and if you shoot more than a few hundred rounds a year it won't be long before you start to spend a lot of time looking at the progressive presses in the catalogs and youtube videos.

 

[doceville]

get a dillion 550. i can do 400-500 an hour.

 

[luke s]

run 100 cases or more through sizer/decapper in one sitting

get an hand held auto prime and prime 100 (or more) cases on the couch while watching tv

expand / charge / seat in one sitting or split the process up even more, wont feel like a chore so much

usually back from the range I tumble and then decap the same night, save the other steps for other nights

 

[dinsdale]

I prepare hundreds of 9mm cases before I sit down to reload.

Tumble them, depcap and then prime.

Then when you sit to reload, you only have to put powder and bullet.

 

[bluemike807]

I prepare hundreds of 9mm cases before I sit down to reload.

Tumble them, depcap and then prime.

Then when you sit to reload, you only have to put powder and bullet.

You missed flaring - if I dont flare, then my lead bullets get shaved.

 

[Antoine22]

Dillon

 

[dizzy]

Dillon, no other quick solution

 

[pats]

i got my dillon press a couple of years ago and i have been happy with it. beats single stage thats for sure

[youtube]7yNQZKRRD3U[/youtube]

 

[dinsdale]

You missed flaring - if I dont flare, then my lead bullets get shaved.

Done as part of the prep.

That way when you sit down to load, you have a case ready to have powder and a bullet.

 

[t-star]

if you don't or can't afford to go dillon, get a LEE 4 place TURRET- not quite so fast, but less than half the money- and the flaring is done right at station 2, just before you powder

 

[tjhaile]

Get a Dillon and own the right tool for the job. Single stage presses are best suited to low volume rifle reloading.

 

[sheetmetalglock]

run 100 cases or more through sizer/decapper in one sitting

get an hand held auto prime and prime 100 (or more) cases on the couch while watching tv

expand / charge / seat in one sitting or split the process up even more, wont feel like a chore so much

usually back from the range I tumble and then decap the same night, save the other steps for other nights

Yes, my routine

 

[easyrider604]

You missed flaring - if I dont flare, then my lead bullets get shaved.

If you use a Lee Auto-Disk (regular or pro version) Powder measure, and mount it on your Single Stage with a Powder-Through Die, the very act of charging powder will bell the case mouth. Assuming of course that you adjust the die height correctly.

 

[Cactus]

I agree with Sheetmetal, break it up and get the hand primer and a powder thrower. I still load all my ammo on a Lee Classic Cast for the control over each step.

After brass is tumbled

Deprime and resize

Expand and add primer

Throw all the powder

Seat and Factory Crimp

As was also mentioned above, when you have a bunch loaded and some free time prepare and prime the cases for the next run. A loading block helps a lot and you will get faster as you do it more.

Cactus

 

[JBD]

I used a single stage for years. Then I took up ipsc and I kept using it for a while. Work your brass in batches.

size the cases.

prime the cases

flare the cases

Once all your brass is prepped.

charge and seat the bullets in one time.

 

[mooseman1]

alot of guys have the Blue Flu on here , i ended up gettin the RCBS Pro 2000 Lets just say it's (NICE) .stay away from lee if you can there customer service sucks compared to the rest.

 

[CeeZer]

I'm still happy with Hornady, final price, performance and warranty - all seems to prove to be on par or superior to Blue or Green.

 

[NavyCuda]

Dillion 650 checking in here. Casefeeder, powder check, but hand bullet feeding.

We haven't set up our press for 9mm yet, but have the dies and conversion kit...

We did 700+ .45acp in just under an hour.