Progressive press reloading process

[Wolfdog91]

So picke duo one of these lil lee turret for like $100 with 10 extra heads. Thought why not for that price... Need to get a longer handle and honestly dont like how it doesn't have came over but anyhow have a question.
For y'all who load rifle ammo in progressives from start to finish,what's y'all process ? Do y'all stop and like wipe off the lube and stuff like that or just go from fired brass to new round with no off the press steps minus trimming and the like ?
Thanks

 

[SSL]

Size and deprime, clean brass of lube, prime and dump powder in cases, rotate head to seating die and continue. I wouldn't try to go from an empty case to a loaded round by skipping steps.

 

[powderbrake]

I always clean the brass first, lube the cases, then size and deprime, dump a powder load, then seat bullet. This is on a Dillon.
I place the rounds on a towel, spray some alcohol on them. rub them around to remove the lube.

Foe precision shooting I do it all on a single stage press.

 

[drop_point]

If the brass is nasty range-brass, I will tumble first, but if not, I just throw it in a box or bag and spray lube it, station #1 de-prime, station #2 FL resize without expander, station #3 expander mandrel. Then I throw it in the tumbler to remove the lube. I got more important things to do than wiping off lube.

 

[SSL]

Just a personal bias, but I only load handgun cartridges (carbide sizing dies, so no lube) on progressive or semi-progressive presses. I can't convince myself that the movement and built-in loose tolerances of such presses can equal the precision of a well-built single-stage press for top accuracy with rifle cartridges

 

[jds holler]

My progressive is the RCBS Piggyback attachment for a Rock Chuck Press. It is truly the Rube Goldberg version of a progressive. That bein said, it advances (rotates) the base plate with every crank of the handle, and I actually am preforming every step at the same time.

I use mine for pistol only, with carbide sizing dies. I try to use clean cases, but I don't lube. I have to watch like a hawk with the primer station, and use powders that go through my Uniflow Measure smoothly.

I don't have an automatic bullet feed, or case feed -- soooo process is to insert new case and hold new bullet with left hand and crank handle with right hand. -- and repeat. I can load around 200ish rounds per hour, and have never had a squib or KABOOM.

That bein said, almost every squib or KABOOM I have heard about, is loaded on a progressive press. jd

 

[Charliemac]

For me I tumble, lube, size/deprime, tumble to clean and use compressed air to remove any dust inside all on a rockchucker. Then run the through my Dillon 550. I prefer the mechanical advantage of the single stage press for sizing. Something else to think about is that stick power does hang up in powder measure. But all my match ammo is done on a single stage press with an Auto Trickler.

 

[drop_point]

Just a personal bias, but I only load handgun cartridges (carbide sizing dies, so no lube) on progressive or semi-progressive presses. I can't convince myself that the movement and built-in loose tolerances of such presses can equal the precision of a well-built single-stage press for top accuracy with rifle cartridges

You'd be surprised, there are national champions doing it. I can't shoot the difference between my Area 419 Zero and my progressive. I still do my match ammo on the Zero.

 

[jds holler]

You'd be surprised, there are national champions doing it. I can't shoot the difference between my Area 419 Zero and my progressive. I still do my match ammo on the Zero.

I guess my biggest problem would be using a conventional powder thrower with any powder with a long grain structure. Ball powder and small flake does pretty good in mine, but no way would I want to drop 40 or 50 grains of 4831 with my progressive. jd

 

[drop_point]

I guess my biggest problem would be using a conventional powder thrower with any powder with a long grain structure. Ball powder and small flake does pretty good in mine, but no way would I want to drop 40 or 50 grains of 4831 with my progressive. jd

You can get a powder die and a funnel to attach. I throw with a Supertrickler when I do mine on a progressive.

 

[SSL]

You'd be surprised, there are national champions doing it. I can't shoot the difference between my Area 419 Zero and my progressive. I still do my match ammo on the Zero.

Not doubting your word...like I said...just my personal bias. Can't shake it.

 

[drop_point]

Not doubting your word...like I said...just my personal bias. Can't shake it.

All good!

 

[CJ6]

For rifle cases I use my Ammo Master more or less like a glorified single stage press
I deprime with a universal decap die then tumble (corncob), check lengths, clean pockets if needed. Then I lube the cases and size and tumble again. Then I prime ,take the cases and put them in a loading block to add powder and finally seat the bullet.
Pistol cases are much simpler...Deprime (universal), tumble, and run everything through in one pass (no lube).
To be honest the T-7 press I have gets used much more than the Ammo Mater except for pistol.

 

[GWY]

When I shot a lot of NRA high power, I loaded 223 and 6mm on a Dillon 550. My procedure was similar to what others have posted.

I sized separately on a single stage press, tumbled the lube off and checked case length and trimmed if necessary.

This cleaned/sized brass then went to the progressive Dillon. On the 4 station tool head, it was set up as follows;

Station #1, This is where I had a decapping die to knock any tumbling media from the flash-hole. It is also where priming was done

Station #2, This is where the powder measure was to charge the case

Station #3, This is where my the bullet seating die was

Station #4, This station was left empty

 

[KMW 1954]

Can't bring myself to run a complete load cycle on the progressive. Though I am just loading 223 and 6ARC.

Run all my brass prep on the JR3 then I load the sized and primed cases on a 3 hole press with just two dies. The powder thru die with the Auto Drum measure and the seating die.

Greatest thing about all this is that a person can tailor the process to any way that suites them.

 

[Hoser]

I load 99% of my ammo on a progressive. Dillon 1100s or 550s.

For my precision/long range ammo I tumble the brass clean in corn cob. Station 1 deprimes and resizes with appropriate shoulder bump for rifle. Station 2 the case gets powder dispensed from my Prometheus or autotrickler. Station 3 seats bullets. Station 4 is empty for bolt guns and a body die for gas gun to ensure proper shoulder bump for insurance.

A few years ago I loaded 150 rounds of 338 Lapua with Berger 300s on my 550 on a Friday afternoon. The following day it won a ELR match at NRA Whittington Center.

Below is 338 Lapua. 2nd photo is 5 rounds at 600 from a 6 Grendel gasser.

 

[jds holler]

Hoser, I'd say that you sir, are a top tier progressive press loader. jd