Progressive press question

[Cobalt 60]

I bought one of Cobalt 60 's Lee Pro 1000 and what everyone says is spot on....once you get familiar with it, it runs pretty good. It didn't take me too long to get it running good but I'm not using the priming system or the bullet feeder. I am using the case feeder which is nice.

Cobalt - do you use the bullet feeder? I haven't tried to get that running yet.

I used it for a while, but was not crazy about it. My main complaint was that it made it difficult to visually check the case for powder level. Every once in a while it would drop a bullet as well. It is fast, but I decided it was maybe a bit too fast.

 

[biker_bill]

I used it for a while, but was not crazy about it. My main complaint was that it made it difficult to visually check the case for powder level. Every once in a while it would drop a bullet as well. It is fast, but I decided it was maybe a bit too fast.

The turret press is more my speed.
I like the fact that you can make a thousand and not screw up a single round.
So far, considering all calibers I guess I've made 10,000 rounds and 3 of the calibers are rifle calibers.
I'll bet you I don't have a dozen that I had to pull because they got screwed up somehow in the process.

(And I thank God I've never made a squib.
I'm not absolutely sure when shooting some types of competition that I'd be able to put the brakes on fast enough to keep from destroying the gun and possibly hurting myself. Adrenaline is kind of rushing when the buzzer goes off.)

Besides if I load them all in an hour, where am I going to get my therapy for the hour after that?

 

[Old_School]

I believe that a crimp is needed on any bullet running in a semi auto gun. How else can bullet setback be prevented?

Prevention of setback is more a function of adequate sizing and the correct belling plug diameter Although a taper crimp is good to prevent recoil-induced bullet pull.

 

[1006]

That works for rifles - not always with pistols. There is a reason the factory crimps them.

 

[biker_bill]

Yea I always do a real crimp on rifle rounds, especially the .30-30's since they're tube fed.
But those pistol rounds they're crimped, but not so tight as to see it and fatigue the brass.

 

[Bambenz]

Does anybody have any experiance with the Lee load master progressive press? It looks like it might be a better option for what I want to do. Same priming issues, but again I plan to do that off press.. and since it has 5 die positions I shouldn't have an issue adding a crimp die to it. and its at the same price point

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision...eywords=Lee+load+master+progressive+press+kit

I've ran thousands of rounds through my loadmaster, both 45 and 9(mainly 9). I prime and do everything on the press. Station 1 lee universal decapping die. Station 2 resize. Station 3 flare and powder. Station 4 seating die. Station 5 lee factory crimp die. The press definitely needed some tweaks and mods when I first got it in order for it to run smooth. I may get one flipped primer every 600 rds. Amazon had pretty much the cheapest price on the press and you can sign up for the amazon visa card and get $50 off. The loadmaster is a great press if you don't mind taking the time to set it up and do some modifications

 

[insulinboy]

I don't mind and generally enjoy a little tinkering. I just want to make sure that once its set up properly (even if it takes a week or so) that its going to run right and I'm not going to have any major headaches from it. I'm finally getting a settlement check from the insurance company for getting rear ended and they are throwing and extra $2000 at me on top of my medical bills (I wish they had given me that $2k for the truck instead since thats the difference between my value of the truck and theirs, I would have been much happier and would have been much less a headache for them. I also would have a nicer truck than I have now. Its going to be a nice truck once I get the new transmission and clutch in it, but I would have much rather bought a nice truck than have to start with something that needed this much attention to make right) And while some of it is going into the truck for a hitch receiver and new brake controller I'm going to have some money to play with and would like a progressive press. After doing some responsible things with the money I figure I will have about $500 to buy some reloading stuff with

 

[jjrock]

I'd get the loadmaster or Hornady if I were buying a new press. Buy once cry once as they say.

 

[Old_School]

That works for rifles - not always with pistols. There is a reason the factory crimps them.

We can argue the point, but unless you're using a collet crimp die like the Lee FC, a *hard* crimp in a straightwall handgun case will not prevent bullet setback, as the crimp die pushes the brass back, expanding the case around the bullet base. Not to mention the potential issues you run into when you headspace on the case mouth (like the .45acp).

 

[jjrock]

We can argue the point, but unless you're using a collet crimp die like the Lee FC, a *hard* crimp in a straightwall handgun case will not prevent bullet setback, as the crimp die pushes the brass back, expanding the case around the bullet base. Not to mention the potential issues you run into when you headspace on the case mouth (like the .45acp).

I always used a lee factory crimp until I started using the Lee Pro 1000 and only had three dies running. The rounds worked fine without using the factory crimp but I feel better using one. So what is the general consensus - needed or not needed? I've since set up a turret press and I absolutely love it. Just feels so much more solid and I feel I like having more control. Plus, changing calibers is a breeze!