help me upgrade to a progressive press

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  • ras_oscar

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 23, 2014
    1,666
    I am in the early stages of reloading 30-06 for my M1. First encounter with military crimped primers, which I identify by feel during priming. Does one also get that "feel" of primer resistance in a progressive, or is it lost in the shell plate moving 4 cases through 4 different operations?
     

    Mdphotographer

    Active Member
    Feb 10, 2009
    176
    Frederick MD
    I am in the early stages of reloading 30-06 for my M1. First encounter with military crimped primers, which I identify by feel during priming. Does one also get that "feel" of primer resistance in a progressive, or is it lost in the shell plate moving 4 cases through 4 different operations?

    You need to remove the crimp before you seat a new primer. Dillon makes a swager for removing the crimp. Hornady also has tools for removing crimps. I have the

    https://www.hornady.com/reloading/presses/lock-n-load-accessories/primer-pocket-swage-tool

    For removing crimps on 5.56 brass. I can do 900+ an hour with this tool
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    I have the second gen Lee auto disc powder measure which uses the pull chain return. The spring return sometimes would not throw a full charge or bind on return. The Dillon was annoying because it would take too many charges to get it reset. This Lee measure has served me well. YMMV
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    What I do with my Dillon is, I got multiple charge bars. I set one for each caliber I load. I paint the end White with model paint, and then write the caliber and charge weight with a Sharpie.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    Yeah, I thought of that and found it unappealing. I marked the charge bars for different charges.
    My hang up was I had to run a bunch of charges through it before it stabilized enough to run ammo through it.
    Way too many charges. I also didn't want a bunch of different charge bars under the bench. Otherwise, I
    would have stayed with the Dillon measure. I could have loaded 200 rounds in the time it took me to get
    the measure to stabilize the throws.
    I have two sets of discs for the Lee. If I need a custom cavity, I nibble away slowly and smoothly at the appropriate cavity
    in my 'extra discs' set. I mark it, done. Those holes never change sizes from the charge screw vibrating. LOL.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Hmm, I don't have that problem.

    I swap the charge bar, throw 10 charges manually cycling the measure. Then I throw single charges to weight. Normally that 11th charge is spot on and good to go.
     

    Bert762

    Member
    Jun 29, 2014
    13
    I run two 550’s one set up for small primers and the other large, both have put out thousand of rounds with no complaints. I will probably grab a 750 for rifle, 308 in particular. Go with Blue and you won’t regret.
     

    ras_oscar

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 23, 2014
    1,666
    You need to remove the crimp before you seat a new primer. Dillon makes a swager for removing the crimp. Hornady also has tools for removing crimps. I have the

    https://www.hornady.com/reloading/presses/lock-n-load-accessories/primer-pocket-swage-tool

    For removing crimps on 5.56 brass. I can do 900+ an hour with this tool

    Undeerstood. I have a dillon priner swager. On my Lee Turrett press i identify the cases that need swaging by feel. during prine seating. Can I rely on feel to identify them on a progressive or do I need to do a visual check on each case before it goes in for priming?
     

    Mdphotographer

    Active Member
    Feb 10, 2009
    176
    Frederick MD
    Undeerstood. I have a dillon priner swager. On my Lee Turrett press i identify the cases that need swaging by feel. during prine seating. Can I rely on feel to identify them on a progressive or do I need to do a visual check on each case before it goes in for priming?

    Any cases I haven't already swaged,I swage.I dont bother trying to seat and then swage the ones that are hard. I use green magic marker on the case heads so I know which cases are mine at the range when I pick them up. If I catch some range pick up that doesn't have the mark then I keep them separate and swage them.
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    Undeerstood. I have a dillon priner swager. On my Lee Turrett press i identify the cases that need swaging by feel. during prine seating. Can I rely on feel to identify them on a progressive or do I need to do a visual check on each case before it goes in for priming?

    You should be able to tell by the feel when you decap.

    While priming is too late. You could crush and detonate a primer.

    For range pick up, I separate commercial cases from mil headstamps. I assume that all mil headstamps need to be swaged.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    You should be able to tell by the feel when you decap.

    While priming is too late. You could crush and detonate a primer.

    For range pick up, I separate commercial cases from mil headstamps. I assume that all mil headstamps need to be swaged.

    ...and believe me, you don't want to experience that! Especially with a hand primer.

    :shocked:
     

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