Cowboy Roll Call

[Nayls47]

I'll try this again at lunch for the third time. This time I’ll do it in Word and cut, copy and paste. (It keeps booting me off.)

Progressive presses are a great time saver but there is nothing like a good ole single stage press. I started out with a Lyman T Mag press kit. It had everything I needed to get started. I still use it for all my rifle loads and other calibers that the Dillon Sq. Deal won't do (like rifle) and pistol loads that I don't load allot of. On the Dillon I load higher volume 45 Colt, 45 ACP, 44 Mag, and 357/38 SPL. But still have all the other dies for working up loads in the Colt and 44 Mag Hunting loads.

I think the kit is the way to get started and you will always find yourself going back to it for quick adjustments to loads or crimps etc. You will also find a hand primer is a good tool to have around to make things quicker. I have three of them.
And oh yes, who could ever forget Burt Reynolds as Quint Asper.
Have fun, Ya Big Tree

 

[JeremiahJohnson]

Forgive my ignorance: Hand Primer? Is that a tool for removing/inserting primers out/in cases?

Watched the episode of Gunsmoke last night where Quint and Festus fought over a girl. Festus kept breaking Quint's bellows in his blacksmith shop. Funny stuff. Quint wasn't exactly a cowboy, but he was part Apache (the episode I watched was "Apache's Is Soft"), and I am part Cherokee. I will try to carry his name with dignity. I said try. Ha.

 

[Nayls47]

Check out Graf & Sons Lyman T Mag press kit. (they also have your RCBS kit) the turret is nice as a die holder while you are loading but really I only use one die at a time.

 

[Nayls47]

They are for installing the primers. Easier than doing it in the press one at a time and touching them with your fingers. There is one in the background on the cabelas link you gave. (silver shinny hang grip with round primer try on top)

 

[selinoid44]

Ya Big Tree is right. With a single stage press trying to prime 100 brass cases can get old. Easier with the hand primer. You will deprime and size with your first pull on the press. Then you will hand prime. Then you will use the next die to open the case mouth. At this time you will powder charge. Then the seat die to set the bullet. There is a powder dump with that kit, they are a good thing to have. Depending on powder it may or may not be a equal powder drop, but it will be close. I have found the cylindrical powder like 3031 doesn't feeds well at all in the powder dump. I weigh every load when using it.

 

[Michigan Slim]

OOOOORRRRRRR, you could get a 550B progressive and dump a loaded shell every time you pull the handle. Stage #1 is size/deprime/prime. Stage #2 is powder drop and case mouth belling. Stage #3 is is for bullet seating and stage #4 is for crimping. This all happens at the same time. Insert brass in stage #1, place bullet on case in stage #3, pull handle, bring handle up and forward to seat new primer. Rotate shell plate, add brass and bullet again -REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT, etc. REPEAT again and again and again and. It's pretty easy actually.
When I reload rifle rounds I only run thru one piece of brass at a time. Stages remain the same.

 

[jamesb]

Welcome to the addiction Quint. I started on a Hornady LnL progressive but have a lee single stage and an older cast single stage with the bigger hole mounted on the bench, I use them all for different rounds. 45 colt, 45ACP, 38Special get loaded on the LnL, 45 schofield (BP) and 17 Fireball on the lee and 12 brass shotshells on the old cast one. The kits are nice, I use everything that came with my lee kit. The hand primer is ice nice when doing batch loads. I also have the lee easy prime mounted on one of the presses. It works ok, I use it with the shot shells because they do not make a had primer big enough and I got tired of hitting them with a hammer. You will want to keep your 44 special and 45 colt brass as far apart as possible, they have a habit of wanting to try and hang out together. I have ran a 44 all the way through my 45 load process, managed to even seat and crimp a bullet. Kinda looked like the opposite of a 44-40.
Jim

 

[selinoid44]

Yikes! Yes always pay attention to what your doing! JamesB sounds like your livin on the edge a little, not good practice. I stay away from Lee loading stuff. It's like owning a Hi Point.