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Old 03-18-2017, 03:06 AM
cds43016 cds43016 is offline
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Reading the responses, the focus of this tread has shifted to primer detonation especially on a Dillon 650. This was not the intent of my post. Can it happen? Yes. Likely to happen? No unless your careless or unlucky. But it does happen. If it happens on a Dillon 650 the probability of a chain detonation is increased because of the design. But the 650 does have safeguards in place if it occurs.

Primer detonation is a potential problem but not the reason I prime off the press.

If there is a problem in the reload process, many times it’s a problem with the priming. A primer falls on the floor, a primer is flipped over, sideways you name it. It can happen just as easily in hand priming as it can on the press and it does. When it happens, the reloading flow is disturbed and can lead to other mistakes when it happens. Possibly a squib or an overcharge. It was certainly a problem with the Lee 1000. I was constantly fixing or adjusting something. When that happens, mistakes can happen. You must have discipline to reload especially with a progressive loader. Are there better presses than the Lee 1000? Certainly, the answer is Yes – just about any. Fortunately, I never produced a bad load with the Lee 1000 after many thousands of rounds, But I could have if I wasn’t paying attention. If I could do that on that press, I’m not concerned any of the new ones. It couldn’t be any worst.

When I started with the Lee Turret I tried priming on the press but it wasn’t great either - doable but not great. The biggest problem I was having was not priming but trouble seeing inside the case of the 327 and 357 even with lights and mirrors. I was hard to determine the exact charge because of the light loads I was using. I could see powder but was it right? The RCBS Powder checker die to the rescue. Works wonderfully except that I needed another die position. I didn’t want to give up seating and crimping in separate steps. Since the priming wasn’t that great, I took out the sizing die and did sizing in a separate step on an extra press I had. Now what to do about priming? Size and prime on the turret? No been there done that. Tried hand priming. It works great. I felt like I had good control and a great feel of what’s happening. It felt good and made it part of case inspection. Would it work well if I was loading 500 rounds at a time? Probably not.Hand would get too sore. But for what I do load and project to load very workable especially if it is spread out.

Taking priming off the turret makes that whole process on the turret simpler. I just have to put the case in the shell holder, pull the handle to dump powder, another to check the load, seat the bullet on the case after a quick powder check again, another handle press to seat and another to crimp. Loaded round is automatically ejected to a completed bullet tray. I very seldom have to stop with a problem and none because of primers. My arch nemesis before. The Inliine Fabrication case kicker works great. Final inspection with a case gauge and done.

Could I go faster? Yes, but I take my time to be sure everything is right. The older I get the simpler I like things even if there are more steps. This process is very simple and easy to stay focused. Extra steps but fewer moving parts at one time and easier to correct a problem when it occurs.I like that.

Still four pulls of the handle. I think I could better. If I was using a progressive I have only one handle pull without loss of control and quality following the same steps. This seems easily managed and should be very smooth, quick and easy to stay focused. This is what I’m considering. Besides on press priming is always an option, just not one I want to take advantage of at the moment.

Last edited by cds43016; 03-18-2017 at 10:31 AM.
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