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1066 wrote:

Sim G wrote:Rifle, on the single stage, around an hour to do 50.

Pistol caliber for the carbines, around 350 to 400 an hour on the Dillon.....

That about like me - There's reloading, then there's RELOADING!

Rifle rounds on the the single stage = Ages

.357's on the turret = Chuck them out.

or should we really say


Theres reloading and then theres handloading.

We divide the reloading between us, Christel throws the powder and I do the rest and they are done in batches. I would guess at a couple of minutes per case is reasonable for hands on time including checking run out and other measurements. If the cases needs trimming or annealing that adds a bit more time. The 7mm and 22C are a bit different as they initially require additional stages to neck down and the 7mm requires neck turning as well as necking down. At one stage the 7mm was probably taking 40 minutes to get me to the stage that I could chamber every round however once finished and fire formed I am back to the 2 minute stage.

Being able to divide the process between us makes a huge difference, I can give Christel 50 prepped and primed cases and get on with something else, this also adds a couple of extra quality checks as she will check my cases and I will visually check powder levels.

For the record I do not do any case or bullet batching the majority of the time as my wind reading is not good enough however I do segregate my 7mm by perceived neck tension and by run out so some go into box one or two or three or for plinking of there is such a thing with barrel burners.

Tower.75 wrote:So, am I slow, or is that normal speed for a new reloader and a single-stager?

I usually try to decap and clean soon after getting back from the range (before the residues harden or degrade the brass), then the cases are stored.

Approx Loading times (308W per 50):

Neck Size: 15 mins
Priming: 15 mins
Charge/Seat/Measure: 50 mins to 1 Hour.

Periodically I’ll additionally body size or shoulder bump, and very occasionally trim (with neck sizing I get negligable length growth, so this is quite infrequent).

Tower.75 wrote:so I have to swap each die out in turn

But you only have one die change per batch of 50 don't you (sizing die -> seating die)? that should only take up about 1 minute of your 4 hours.

..

Hello, Tower.75. I am usually in no great hurry to load up a batch..which is a good thing with my work schedule..sometimes it may take a few days to complete!
As an example, this summer I was doing load development for an original Ballard No. 3 in .25-25 Stevens..using Swiss 3FG black.
Here is my sequence: While slightly neck sizing brass..small flat bottomed pan filled with SPG lube is slowly melting in double-boiler.
By the time brass is sized, the lube is liquid & 100gr. original Ideal #25730 slugs are carefully arranged in pan.
As lube is cooling, cases are primed by hand.
Once lube had solidified..cake is knocked out of pan & bullets pushed out by nose thru lube, leaving all grooves filled.
A Corbin nose-first bullet reducing die of .258" dia.is set up in the old heavy C-H "O" frame press & bullets are run thru.
Bases are wiped clean & bullets are boxed.
A 36" brass drop tube is set up (have since been working with 12") a Lee dipper is used to fill pan on scale..Redding trickler is used to bring charge up to weight.
I have been working with duplexing using IMR SR PB, in this case 1 to 2 gr. are weighed out & dropped in case before the main B.P. charge.
a 1/16" thick sheet of dental bees wax is thumbpressed over charged case mouth..cutting a wad.
a 1/16" thick SPG wad is next tumbpressed, followed by another B.W. wad.
There is about 5/16" space between bullet base & top of wad. this is filled with p**f-Lon ballistic filler.
Finally bullet is seated using an original Ideal .25-25 tong tool.
It took me most of a Sunday just loading batches of 5 sample loads, each with different powder charges.
Of course, after shooting, cases are deprimed at range & droppin in container of soapy water & finished cleaning at home..then must be dryed.
So compared to all of this..I don't think your doing too bad at all!

Good insight into the BP side of things Shere Khan

It was not until I joined this forum that I started to read about BP and you guys do every bit as much preparation, often with many more stages and tweaks as we Nitro/jacket shooters do. It is an area I would like to look at closer however I think I will save that for my retirement.

ovenpaa wrote:Good insight into the BP side of things Shere Khan

It was not until I joined this forum that I started to read about BP and you guys do every bit as much preparation, often with many more stages and tweaks as we Nitro/jacket shooters do. It is an area I would like to look at closer however I think I will save that for my retirement.

Dave dont you need to smoke a pipe and drink real ale to shoot black powder.

spud wrote:Dave dont you need to smoke a pipe and drink real ale to shoot black powder.

Heh! This is an hours in the day thing Mark, I just do not have enough waking hours to do all that I wish.

38 or 357 - 1300 per hour on my Dillon 1050!
Rifle ammo - now that's a totally different kettle of fish!

Oooohhhh you've got a 1050!!!!

Giz a go?!

Reloading is as big a hobby as the shooting. I wouldn't let me 550 go for anything. I actually learned to reload on it and it's seen me good for over 20 years!

If we still had cartridge pistols and I was still shooting IPSC, I would have a 1050.......... Unfortunately, all three are pipe-dreams. That said, I still want a go!!!

Holy reloading process, Batman!

That's a list and a half, Shere Khan. :G :lol:

I don't feel that bad now. I think I'll get into the whole BP reloading one day, at the moment I only make up BP paper-cartidges for my rifle musket, but BP cartridge reloading sounds fun. Just need to find a BP breech-loading rifle first... and find room in the safe... and, you know, money.