Best time saving techniques in your reloading process
- Thread starter The_Champ
- Start date
nowarningshot
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Case prep center, and Chargemaster.
I quit measuring powder years ago, saves me tons of time and I have only lost two fingers since!!
Just kidding. I use a single stage press so quite slow but being fairly new I find it helps me diagnose problems easier. With a single stage I find I get big time savings by having everything I need laid out and easily accessible in a nice organized manner so I can quickly and smoothly move things around. I’ve also found time savings by dedicating time to a single stage and doing more cases than I need. For instance I’ll size and prime more than I know I am going to load. Saves me time from switching dies
Just kidding. I use a single stage press so quite slow but being fairly new I find it helps me diagnose problems easier. With a single stage I find I get big time savings by having everything I need laid out and easily accessible in a nice organized manner so I can quickly and smoothly move things around. I’ve also found time savings by dedicating time to a single stage and doing more cases than I need. For instance I’ll size and prime more than I know I am going to load. Saves me time from switching dies
pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
This
I have found the best time savings is when I buy factory made ammo.
Otherwise, I only reload multiples of 50 rounds of the same caliber at a time so that I can go through common stages without changing out equipment parts. All 50 brass stay together from when I start using them brand new, to when I eventually scrap it all at the same time due to it failing in some manner - usually loose primer pockets. If I screw up one by doing something wrong while reloading, it stays with its casemates to rub my nose in my error with one or two brass that cannot be reloaded. This used to happen more than it does now so most boxes stay at 50 usable brass.
So, if for example I am reloading .308, I will generally reload 300 to 350 rounds once I get to 50 or 100 rounds remaining. Each box of 50 could be at various stages of its lifecycle and based on the number of times shot and some measuring, I will do different things to all of the 50 empty brass in a particular box. ie If one needs body sizing, all 50 get body sized, all get neck sized, de-primed and shoulder bumped regardless as I only have my die set to body size and barely touch the shoulder. If one needs trimming to length all 50 get trimmed to length. If I notice one with a split neck or other metal fatigue defect, all 50 get turfed. Then it is time to prime. If one has a loose primer pocket it gets de-primed and the neck crushed with a pair of pliers. This is the last time the remainder get reloaded, the whole lot of 50 get turfed once they are fired. Yes I MIGHT get another reload or two out of the rest of them, but the signs are there and it just isn't worth a potentially serious problem. Then it is charge a lot of 50 of them and seat bullets to keep the powder in the case. I used to do a 100 at a time but found that I would manage to inadvertently bump a tray somehow and there would be a patch of little grains rolling about on the reloading table next to the loading block. So I now fill 50, check each one with a flashlight just to be sure, push a bullet in with my fingers as tight as I can to 'cork' it up and move to the seating process. Repeat the process 6 or 7 times until I am done with that caliber. That's just my process.
It might not be the quickest, but it makes high quality ammo that actually goes pretty much exactly where you want. If you want spray and pray type ammo, skip the reloading and buy bulk surplus when it comes on sale.
Otherwise, I only reload multiples of 50 rounds of the same caliber at a time so that I can go through common stages without changing out equipment parts. All 50 brass stay together from when I start using them brand new, to when I eventually scrap it all at the same time due to it failing in some manner - usually loose primer pockets. If I screw up one by doing something wrong while reloading, it stays with its casemates to rub my nose in my error with one or two brass that cannot be reloaded. This used to happen more than it does now so most boxes stay at 50 usable brass.
So, if for example I am reloading .308, I will generally reload 300 to 350 rounds once I get to 50 or 100 rounds remaining. Each box of 50 could be at various stages of its lifecycle and based on the number of times shot and some measuring, I will do different things to all of the 50 empty brass in a particular box. ie If one needs body sizing, all 50 get body sized, all get neck sized, de-primed and shoulder bumped regardless as I only have my die set to body size and barely touch the shoulder. If one needs trimming to length all 50 get trimmed to length. If I notice one with a split neck or other metal fatigue defect, all 50 get turfed. Then it is time to prime. If one has a loose primer pocket it gets de-primed and the neck crushed with a pair of pliers. This is the last time the remainder get reloaded, the whole lot of 50 get turfed once they are fired. Yes I MIGHT get another reload or two out of the rest of them, but the signs are there and it just isn't worth a potentially serious problem. Then it is charge a lot of 50 of them and seat bullets to keep the powder in the case. I used to do a 100 at a time but found that I would manage to inadvertently bump a tray somehow and there would be a patch of little grains rolling about on the reloading table next to the loading block. So I now fill 50, check each one with a flashlight just to be sure, push a bullet in with my fingers as tight as I can to 'cork' it up and move to the seating process. Repeat the process 6 or 7 times until I am done with that caliber. That's just my process.
It might not be the quickest, but it makes high quality ammo that actually goes pretty much exactly where you want. If you want spray and pray type ammo, skip the reloading and buy bulk surplus when it comes on sale.
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I load a lot of black powder rounds and when I got my Lyman 55 black powder measure I found I was reaching 3' above my 32" bench because of the 2' drop tube.
I load all my BP on my old Hornady 007 single stage press so I drilled a hole next to the press and now reach under the bench a foot with a case and less than 2' over.
My progressive pistol press had a tube feed to direct primers to a pail. After kicking the pail out of the way many times I finally screwed a big peanut butter jar under my bench.
I load all my BP on my old Hornady 007 single stage press so I drilled a hole next to the press and now reach under the bench a foot with a case and less than 2' over.
My progressive pistol press had a tube feed to direct primers to a pail. After kicking the pail out of the way many times I finally screwed a big peanut butter jar under my bench.
Pistol calibers - Progressive press + Case feeder + Bullet feeder.
Rifle calibers - Single stage press for sizing, Giraud trimmer, Progressive press for bulk/plinking ammo, Chargemaster/Single stage (Forster) press for precision ammo.
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Rifle calibers - Single stage press for sizing, Giraud trimmer, Progressive press for bulk/plinking ammo, Chargemaster/Single stage (Forster) press for precision ammo.
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Cameron SS
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ground Zero
Carbide dies, eliminates the need for lube and a second run through the tumbler to remove the lube. I do this even on a single stage press.
That and a case prep centre.
You might consider simply omitting some steps all together. I don't clean primer pockets any more. Shoulder bumping and neck resizing only instead F/L is also nice.
That and a case prep centre.
You might consider simply omitting some steps all together. I don't clean primer pockets any more. Shoulder bumping and neck resizing only instead F/L is also nice.
Depends what I'm loading but for plinking loads I like to use the safety primer feed and prime on my Lee BL Challenger. Switching from the standard Lee trimmers then inside/outside chamfer to the Lee quick trim dies both lets me prime on the press and consolidate trimming and both inside/outside chamferring into one step. For bolt action plinkers I love Lee collet dies to skip the lube/size/tumble program of FL sizing. Simply size and prime then switch to the quick trim. 2 passes through the press and brass is ready to load. Adding a Chargemaster Lite has really sped things up. A friend of mine was wondering how it could make things faster since you can weigh out a charge on a beam or scale just as fast. Instead of charging all my cases back to back I'm seating a bullet while the CM weighs the next charge. This way I can bang out good quality ammo in a faster, more efficient manner without cutting dangerous corners. As far as my precision ammo goes I'm still taking my time. Tumble, lube, FL size in a Forster BR w/Redding comp shell holders, tumble, clear flash holes, trim and chamfer by hand, prime by hand, carefully weigh charges on the 5-0-5, seat in Forster BR seater, measure BTO. No time savings there but I'm after quality over quantity.
For good (rather than bulk) rifle ammo, the ChareMaster has been great.
For both rifle and pistol brass, the bulk lubing is not only faster, but does a better job, because it puts a tiny dab on the case moth, that keeps the expander lubed.
If you are sizing a few cases, the case lube technique does not matter very much. If you have a bucket or two of brass to size, there is a fast efficient way to lube the cases. I lube 100 or so cases (rifle) at a time. Takes about 30 seconds.
I use Lee case lube. It is a water soluble cream that is easy to clean off.
Dump brass in a plastic pail that has a lid.
Then take a 1" worm of lube and smear it around the top inside wall of the pail.
Put lid on and swirl and shake for 15 seconds. This will lube all the cases and deposit a tiny dab on the case mouth, to lube the expander button.
For both rifle and pistol brass, the bulk lubing is not only faster, but does a better job, because it puts a tiny dab on the case moth, that keeps the expander lubed.
If you are sizing a few cases, the case lube technique does not matter very much. If you have a bucket or two of brass to size, there is a fast efficient way to lube the cases. I lube 100 or so cases (rifle) at a time. Takes about 30 seconds.
I use Lee case lube. It is a water soluble cream that is easy to clean off.
Dump brass in a plastic pail that has a lid.
Then take a 1" worm of lube and smear it around the top inside wall of the pail.
Put lid on and swirl and shake for 15 seconds. This will lube all the cases and deposit a tiny dab on the case mouth, to lube the expander button.
Yotarunner
CGN Regular
- Location
- Eastern Alberta
first of all this is for plinking type ammo. my match stuff sees more time and care.
prep center and a 24v drill chucked up to the rcbs trimmer handle makes case prep very fast. for lubing cases i use a Tupperware container and throw a handfull of brass in followed by 2 quick sprays of aerosol case lube then shake it up and get to loading. mount a small container on the bench right next to the press so that as soon as a case is sized or a round is made you just drop it in the box with minimal movement.
prep center and a 24v drill chucked up to the rcbs trimmer handle makes case prep very fast. for lubing cases i use a Tupperware container and throw a handfull of brass in followed by 2 quick sprays of aerosol case lube then shake it up and get to loading. mount a small container on the bench right next to the press so that as soon as a case is sized or a round is made you just drop it in the box with minimal movement.
- Location
- Prince Albert, Sk
Two chargemasters, not even joking.
This... My friend and I each have one and when we load we lend ours to eachother to run two at a time, even more so for big rifle loads.
These tools have greatly sped up the process for me. While the Chargemaster dispenses a powder charge, I seat a bullet in a case that already has powder in it. With large capacity cases like my 7mmstw, two Chargemasters make the process even faster.
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
Back when the family was new, progressive presses and digital scale powder measures were out of the question so I loaded all my handgun rounds with a single stage press and feeding primers was a real "slow down" so I started to use a flat steel plate on my coffee table. I would start with a 1000 brass in a box beside the plate, then dump a couple hundred primers on the steel plate (it had a wood border to stop spillage). other tools include a hammer & a 4" long bolt of some kind that just fits inside the case . hold the case, with bolt inside over a face-up primer on the plate and just tap the bolt. It will seat the primer flush every time. Never had a primer "pop" ( had 4 in progressive presses since tho) and at 3-4 seconds each, I could prime 1000 pieces in two "one hour" TV shows.
