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Posted: 9/11/2011 12:19:46 PM EDT
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Rather than derail the other thread, I wanted to move this here. Some folks seem to think that using a manually indexed reloading press, for example, the Dillon RL550-B, you greatly increase your chance of throwing a double-charge. I've loaded thousands and thousands of rounds with my RL550-B, and I've never double-charged a case. I normally use powders that would completely fill the case and likely cause an issue with bullet seating if they were double-charged, and I've never seen that. Someone in the other thread said that all you have to do is pull the handle twice. Why would I pull the handle twice without advancing the shellplate? I have a wife, and a kid, and pets, and they get kicks out of pestering me to fix their computer, or help them with something in the kitchen, or whatever, constantly... which means even when I'm reloading. Even with distractions I've never double-pulled the handle on my press. If it's a quick distraction, I rotate the shellplate so that I hear that finished round fall into the bin. If it's a longer distraction, I will finish out the remaining 3 rounds on the shellplate and walk away from the press with it empty and ready to start new when I return so there's no question about where I was in the process. This seems like simple, common sense to me. So, is the real issue not the manual indexing of the shellplate, but rather the possibility of someone not paying attention? Seems to me the real issue is, if you're going to go about making your own ammo, by God you need to pay close attention to what you're doing son! That goes for single-stage loading, turret loading, manual progressive loading, or auto-index progressive loading! What am I missing here? |
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No, it's all good. Manual indexing means you have to manually rotate the shellplate that holds the shells in their various stages of loading every time you pull the handle. So, on my RL550-B, here's what I do: Put bullet on shell in station 3, add empty case to station 1, pull handle, push handle to seat primer, index shell plate one notch clockwise. Repeat. Auto indexing means the machine automatically rotates the shellplate for you when you pull the handle. If my machine were auto-indexing, I would do this: Put a bullet on shell in station 3, add empty case to station 1, pull handle, push handle to seat primer. Repeat. Make sense? |
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It's the distractions and little screw ups that'll get you and possibly pull the handle twice. - you noticed the powder measure is low and stop and add more powder - you ran out of primers and have to stop and refill the primer feed - you tried to size a berdan sized case, the press stroked enough to drop powder but not size the case - the bullet flopped off of the case before being seated, the tendency is to put it back on the case and seat it using a full stroke - you run out of brass and have to go fetch some from somewhere else - the primer doesn't seat or feed, it's typical that'll you pull the handle a coupe of times in an attempt to correct it. I never had a double charge yet that's went uncaught, but I caught a few in my time, when in doubt, check station 2! |
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Quoted: It's the distractions and little screw ups that'll get you and possibly pull the handle twice. - you noticed the powder measure is low and stop and add more powder - you ran out of primers and have to stop and refill the primer feed - you tried to size a berdan sized case, the press stroked enough to drop powder but not size the case - the bullet flopped off of the case before being seated, the tendency is to put it back on the case and seat it using a full stroke - you run out of brass and have to go fetch some from somewhere else - the primer doesn't seat or feed, it's typical that you'll pull the handle a coupe of times in an attempt to correct it. I never had a double charge yet that's went uncaught, but I caught a few in my time, when in doubt, check station 2! I guess I've just programmed myself to hear that "ca-CHINK" when that finished round drops into the catch bin. When those things happen, I always make sure I've heard the "ca-CHINK" before I stop and do anything. Refill primers, refill powder, etc. When I come back, I know I'm at the point where I have to put in an empty, a bullet, pull, and turn. I've picked up a few crimped cases since I last ran the press, and had to stop a couple of times for that. I can de-prime them, but I dont' have a swager or a primer pocket reamer, so I can't re-prime them. I stop, pull the empty, verify it's crimped, toss it, advance the shellplate, put in an empty, a bullet, etc. I guess I can see if someone less studious, or someone wasn't paying attention could pull the handle twice... maybe I've just drilled it into my own head enough that I just don't do it? I tend to get into a rhythm... and if anything breaks my rhythm, I stop and take a full assessment of where I am and what is happening and what I have to do to properly continue. I dunno... like I said, I can't fathom pulling the handle twice without advancing the shellplate, so it's difficult for me to comprehend how someone else would. Not saying it can't be done by any stretch. |
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I have loaded over 200k rounds on my Dillon 450 (since 1982) and never had a problem. I try to use loads that would overflow if I had a double charge but its never happened. I personally would be more concerned about a case with no powder in it instead of worrying about a double charge.
I will be loading 4000 9mm this week BTW. 
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Quoted:
It's the distractions and little screw ups that'll get you and possibly pull the handle twice. .......................... That. Wife carrying on about how so and so better watch her mouth or else. Grand daughter throwing shoes against the wall in her room because she broke up with her boyfriend for the N'th time. All of those carry a possible double charge. |
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Quoted: To each his own, but to me, a press is not progressive if it doesn't have auto-indexing. Seems like you would be just as well off with a Lee turret press. ROFLMAO You can't be serious! I'm still processing multiple shells simultaneously... I'm just having to turn the plate a quarter turn at the end of the stroke. There's absolutely no comparison to a turret press. It is a progressive press. |
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Quoted: Quoted: To each his own, but to me, a press is not progressive if it doesn't have auto-indexing. Seems like you would be just as well off with a Lee turret press. ROFLMAO You can't be serious! I'm still processing multiple shells simultaneously... I'm just having to turn the plate a quarter turn at the end of the stroke. There's absolutely no comparison to a turret press. It is a progressive press. Actually, I was very serious. Maybe not technically about the turret press part, but the part about the non-auto indexing, absolutely serious. If I'm paying the price for a progressive, that bitch better spin on it's own like a minigun. Again, to each his own. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: To each his own, but to me, a press is not progressive if it doesn't have auto-indexing. Seems like you would be just as well off with a Lee turret press. ROFLMAO You can't be serious! I'm still processing multiple shells simultaneously... I'm just having to turn the plate a quarter turn at the end of the stroke. There's absolutely no comparison to a turret press. It is a progressive press. Actually, I was very serious. Maybe not technically about the turret press part, but the part about the non-auto indexing, absolutely serious. If I'm paying the price for a progressive, that bitch better spin on it's own like a minigun. Again, to each his own. I hear ya. And honestly... I'd like to have an auto-indexer, but at the time I didn't have the extra funds for it, and it's just not as big of a deal to me. I'd actually like to have one with a foot-operated hydraulic press so I didn't even have to pull the handle. If wishes were fishes...  |
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