RCBS Turret Press and associated dies advice

[Milano]

Hello, I have been reloading for years on an old Rock Chucker and RCBS Charge Master for years. I've been able to put together very accurate ammunition for 22-250s, 6.5x47s, 223s, 308s, and 44-40s but dang is it slow. However, I am wanting to kick out a quantity ammunition. But, I'm cheap. So I am looking for suggestions on a budget.

I have a RCBS turret press and my Dads, 1970s Uniflow Powder Dispenser. I am looking for suggestions on how to automate the Turret Press into a semi Progressive Press. I was thinking of a Mini Mr Bullet Feeder in 223 with tubes, for this example. And just manually operate the Uniflow powder dispenser.

My thoughts were in operation would be... 1. Insert brass, Size Deprime Turn head. 2. Powder, manual.. Turn. 3. Bullet feeder.. Turn. 4. Seat and crimp. Remove loaded cartridge. Turn back to first stage start over.

What do you all think? And ; OR what equipment do you suggest? Or am I just completely wasting my time by putting a bow on a turd?

 

[RegionRat]

I am wanting to kick out a quantity ammunition. But, I'm cheap. So I am looking for suggestions on a budget.

Or am I just completely wasting my time by putting a bow on a turd?

You are going to get lots of advice on equipment and tooling.

My advice is on your philosophy and being honest with yourself.

I am just going to suggest that the above statements show you already know that there is a conflict when you combine ammunition, going fast, and being cheap. Those three things don't often work in the real world unless there is some technology breakthrough or a paradigm shift.

Use what you have for now and save up. You already know the answer.

 

[Milano]

Thank you for the quick replies.

@Region= I guess a better way of explaining my thoughts are that I'm not looking to go FAST as much as be able to reload more than 30 rounds an hour, which is what I figure it takes me on the Rock Chucker from Fired Brass to Cartridge. However, While I am squirreling away my pennies for a Hornady LnL AP autoidexing Awesomeness (or whatever it may be when I have a grand laying around). I am hoping to crank out 100 to 200 rounds an hour AND be able to use the same dies on the next machine. Like the Mini Mr Bullet and Uniflow without autocharge device. It is those two things I am curious about.
1... Which bullet feeder and which powder dispenser is good.
2.. is this setup a satisfactory setup that I've suggested.

@quinnat- I may be interested. Lets see how the suggestions on THIS topic work out and we'll go from there. Is that fair?

 

[Milano]

additionally @Region. I'm in California so the paradigm and nonsensical thought processes' may be MY new normal.

 

[RegionRat]

1... Which bullet feeder and which powder dispenser is good.
2.. is this setup a satisfactory setup that I've suggested.

additionally @Region. I'm in California so the paradigm and nonsensical thought processes' may be MY new normal.

1. Bullet feeders should be considered after you are running a progressive with a case feed first.
They would not be cost effective when taken out of order. You will want to learn to streamline your brass prep first, then worry about the loading/assembly.
Volumetric powder drops are all roughly the same. Use the ones that work smoothly with your choice of machines. If you are doing accuracy work, you drop and trickle a charge off the machines, and dump it in via a funnel on the press/machine.

2. No, If you are fussing with moving dies around you are kidding yourself.
To benefit from rapid tool changes, the dies stay put and the toolheads change.

There is a reality to the budget levels required when it comes to automation and reloading.

There is nothing in your goals that requires big changes to what you already have. You can learn to set up your work flow and achieve those goals.

Being in CA is a disadvantage in 2023.
When I arrived here, the place was all about defense and high technology. You didn't have to go far for your components as most were made right here and there were wholesalers who covered things like powder, primers, shotgun supplies, etc.. Fast forward a few generations, and now we are subject to more regulations and restrictions than you can count, and the ammo component factories have moved away and many shops and ranges have closed. It is far more difficult to shoot in CA in 2023 than it was in 1983.

 

[Mark611]

JMO, if your just wanting to load pistol? First off, I'm not a fan of LEE reloading equipment, I wanted to get that out of the way! But I have 1 of their first models of the Classic cast turret press, the 4-hole model, that is set up with a auto drum powder thrower, it works very well for pistol cases, I would not use this for rifle cartridges, I have tried that with 223/5.56 and 308win, powder charges are too inconsistent for me, but for pistol it works great! JMO, I would not {just me} load a rifle round in a progressive press, I'm to OCD with powder charges and I load for precision when it comes to my rifle rounds, I leave that type of loading to my Redding T7 or my LYMAN brass smiths, a good turret press is your friend for loading rifle along with good dies! I don't load for volume ammo accept pistol, JMO.

 

[SecondsCount]

Honestly, I think you are putting a bow on a turd. The bullet and powder feed will help but you really need less pulls of the handle. A progressive can do 4 or 5 things with one pull of the handle, which really reduces time.

I reload 223 on a Dillon 550, manual index, and manual case feed. All the brass gets processed before going into the 550- sizing, trimming, and swage the primer pocket. After that, I can load at a leisurely pace of 300 per hour. Accuracy does not seem to suffer by doing it this way.

 

[Milano]

Well thanks guys. I really appreciate the candid answers and information

 

[kenhwind]

IMO, I do not see how you could get a consistent powder charge by rotating the turret with the powder measure in it, as that will shake more powder into the powder drop chamber than when mounted on a stand.

 

[fkimble@charter.net]

Well moving dies between loaders will result in having to readjust them every time. And I can just imagine the rounds that missed the powder throw, or got two throws dumping powder every where. Way too much manual involvement.

Fastest way for me is to do batch jobs. I get a little time I dump brass in the tumbler, or run a couple hundred thru the sizer and then dump in tumbler. or using a hand primer tool, I prime, then powder a bunch, then seat the bullets. Frequently used ammo, I try to keep brass prepped ahead of time. Can prime, powder and seat bullets in short order.

Frank

 

[dfry]

I may have missed it, but I didn’t see if you were using the turret press primer or not?

I have used an RCBS turret press for years to load my match ammo and it has always been very accurate. But the primer tool on the turret never worked correctly so if yours works it will help in steps a lot. I will add that my Chamber in my Palma rifle is very tight and requires a small base die. So, what I do is size and deprime with a small base 270 die so the shoulder doesn’t get bumped to much. Then turn and run them in a sizer to bump the shoulder (extra step that you may not need). I do that to all the brass I’m going to load. Then I prime all the cases on a Lee classic turret press just to use the primer it gives a good feel and is easier on the arthritis! Then I put a case on the turret press, use a powder die and dump powder, turn, seat a bullet and return to the powder die and do it again. Relatively quick and I use and auto trickler for the powder measure.

So, if you are priming on the turret that cuts one step out for you that I do plus the extra sizing die cuts out another. When I’m sizing I do both sizings on The same case and as you know the head moves quickly back and for. You didn’t say if you will use a scale for every charge or not or if you are going to just set the powder thrower only.

My personal experience with bullet feeders is that when they work thy are great. And when they don’t it’s a major pain.

I use the Lee classic turret for my pistol loading and it is fast and works great. I have a Lee Loadmaster but about 90% of the time use the turret for pistol.

Hope that helps, Dave

 

[ncageneral]

I use a RCBS turret press to load pistol and 5.56 on, I use a case activated powder measure. Most of what I load in those two are ball powders, the trick is to mimic movement of the press when you are setting the charge weight of the powder measure. With ball type powders it's been very consistent for what it is. As mentioned above the priming system on the RCBS turret press leaves a lot to be desired and I also do that in a separate operation. If I happen to load a batch completely through with it I resize deprime, prime, expand case mouth (pistols), throw powder with the case activated powder measure, seat a bullet. Done. It will speed up your operation. One suggestion on the priming system, either scribe a mark at the center of the shell holder on the priming arm (the slidey thingy) lol, sometimes it will want to go to far under the shell holder and throw your primer either out of the priming cup or it will orient vertically, and you will crush your primer. I enjoy mine, but you have to train your hands, go slow until you get into a rhythm. Speed will come in due time.