I have a rather basic question. I've got a RCBS Pro2000 Press, and I'm currently loading 38 Special for my S&W Model 52 and my S&W revolvers. I've always considered it a rule to visibly check in the shell case for powder before covering it up with a bullet.
I found a work-around for this - I used the #5 station in the Pro2000 for bullet seating, where I could look in and see the powder. That worked fine, but it meant all my rounds needed to be crimped separately. Inconvenient, but I've been doing this for a year or more.
I got new Redding dies recently, and wanted to set the Pro2000 up the way it's supposed to be used. That's done, but the only way to check for powder in station #4 (before placing the bullet there) is to use a dentist's mirror, which allows me to see right into the case.
Is this what all of you do? Somehow, I doubt it.
I've got the auto-indexing on the Pro2000, so it is not possible to get a double charge, which was my biggest concern. That leaves the possibility of no powder, but as long as I am watching the powder level, this has never, ever, happened to me. My reloading gear is in my apartment, so it's an air conditioned room, not humid. Powder (WST) never clumps. I typically check the first of 25 rounds - and every time the load reads 2.8 grains.
I've watched every one of the RCBS reloading videos with the Pro2000, and nobody is checking visibly for powder IN the case.
I'm the only one who shoots my reloads, and they get used in my Model 52, and one of my revolvers. In the unlikely chance that the gun went CLICK rather than BOOM, there is no way I would continue shooting, for lots of reasons. The only "squib" load I have had in as long as I can remember was with an Eley 22 round, that made a very muffled sound, not normal - but I stopped to check everything out.
My question is about whether to use my dental mirror for every round, or trust my loading process and equipment. (If anything unusual happens, I stop, unload the press, check things out, then see what to do with the rounds I manually removed, and I can't think of any scenario where I could get a wrong charge, as long as I keep the powder level up in the powder drop station.)
I found a work-around for this - I used the #5 station in the Pro2000 for bullet seating, where I could look in and see the powder. That worked fine, but it meant all my rounds needed to be crimped separately. Inconvenient, but I've been doing this for a year or more.
I got new Redding dies recently, and wanted to set the Pro2000 up the way it's supposed to be used. That's done, but the only way to check for powder in station #4 (before placing the bullet there) is to use a dentist's mirror, which allows me to see right into the case.
Is this what all of you do? Somehow, I doubt it.
I've got the auto-indexing on the Pro2000, so it is not possible to get a double charge, which was my biggest concern. That leaves the possibility of no powder, but as long as I am watching the powder level, this has never, ever, happened to me. My reloading gear is in my apartment, so it's an air conditioned room, not humid. Powder (WST) never clumps. I typically check the first of 25 rounds - and every time the load reads 2.8 grains.
I've watched every one of the RCBS reloading videos with the Pro2000, and nobody is checking visibly for powder IN the case.
I'm the only one who shoots my reloads, and they get used in my Model 52, and one of my revolvers. In the unlikely chance that the gun went CLICK rather than BOOM, there is no way I would continue shooting, for lots of reasons. The only "squib" load I have had in as long as I can remember was with an Eley 22 round, that made a very muffled sound, not normal - but I stopped to check everything out.
My question is about whether to use my dental mirror for every round, or trust my loading process and equipment. (If anything unusual happens, I stop, unload the press, check things out, then see what to do with the rounds I manually removed, and I can't think of any scenario where I could get a wrong charge, as long as I keep the powder level up in the powder drop station.)
.....and I don’t have the need, yet. I bought it for loading pistol and maybe 223 plinking loads, but I have a bunch already loaded and no free time to shoot that.
