Ending Your Reloading Session

[djcsmith]

Dillon, Hodgdon, and others, recommend emptying the powder funnel at the end of each reloading session, and storing the powder back in it's original container.

So how do you end your reloading session?:

1/  Let the brass &/or primer feeders run out?

2/ Just stop, and manually remove brass in the shell plate?

3/ Leave the powder in the funnel, and convince yourself that returning powder to the original container recommendation is just a liability thing?

4/  ???

Having just upgrading from a 550 to a 650, this is a bit of a pain.

 

[jtielke]

1. Let the primers run out, stop the brass feeder a bit before that so I don't have to clear as many out of the tube.

2. You can crank the handle 12 times after the primer buzzer goes off before you actually run out of primers.  I stop new brass from going in when the last primer is seated.

3. Leave the powder in the funnel if I'm going to be reloading the same load in the near future. Clean out if not.  I reload in a climate controlled space, my plan would differ if you reload in a humid garage. 

[aandabooks]

I've been stuck on 9mm for the past 3 months but here is what I do:

 

Leave a few primers in the feed, turn off the brass feeder and run out the shell plate.  Leave powder in the hopper.  I have powder measures for all of the calibers that I load for.  Walk away from the press until next time.

 

I normally do 300-400 rds at a session 2-3 times a week.

[djcsmith]

Having a fully-indexing shell plate is great when you are cranking out loads, but a pain when setting up, or finishing a session.

I'm thinking, I'll just keep the primer tube full, and stop the case-feeder when I'm almost finished, then feed the case drop-tube one by one until I call it quits.

Emptying the powder hopper is not a big deal.

I'm loving he 650, but the 550 sure was simpler; manually indexing the shell-plate gave you lots of control, and options.

 

[d_striker]

This is what I do on my 650.

 

After the last primer is seated I insert a twist-tie through the casefeed body bushing so cases stop feeding.  I remove the cases from station 1 and 2.  Then finish loading the last three rounds on the shell plate.

 

I don't empty the powder funnel.  

[lgh]

Basically what others do but I always empty the primers out.  A dirty press has been the source of problems on a few occasions so I always finish with a blast of compressed air. Empty powder if I'm done for a few days.

[rishii]

I'm anal, on my 650

when the primer alarm goes off, I turn off the case feeder 

when I run out of primers, pull the feed tube and dump the cases

i then pull the unused cases off the shell plate and after I finish the last 3 rounds , I dump the powder back in the original container 

 

[WiII]

I generally load till the primers run dry. So no primers or brass in the 650. I return the remaining powder to the original container when I have long periods in-between loading. If it's only a few days, I'll leave the powder in and just weigh the charges as I always do at the beginning of a loading session. 

 

[benos]

Even in the dry AZ desert, I'd always return the powder back to its can when finished. If I didn't, at the start of the next session, the powder that was left in the measure would not weigh as consistently as it did during the previous session. After numerous times of observing that it became a rule to always empty the powder measure.

[shootin-blanks]

I load some this week, walk away.. .load some next week,  walk away, repeat as necessary

 

[echotango]

I load in large sessions for a couple months(1050 w/M7).  When finished, everything is empty. Then the cover goes on. 

[warpcorps]

I've built my process around 100 round batches on my XL 650, so this is easy for me. At the end of 100 rounds if everything went as expected, case feed and primers are empty. I have a separate marked powder funnel for each of the powders I use so I just leave the powder in the funnel and put the cap on. Oh, and I turn the light off on the press... ;-{)}

I don't use the primer low alarm or the powder low alarm since these are checked and replenished on the start of each "batch". 

[Flatland Shooter]

I load on a 550 and when I'm done I clear the shell plate and turn off the overhead lights.   I don;t empty the primer tube or the powder measure,  But then I have the habit of loading a few shells everytime I walk past the bench.  It may be only 25 or 50 rds loaded, but I might do that several times each day.

 

I don't mind reloading but breaking it up like this I keep a good inventory of loaded rounds on hand and it don't feel like I've lost a bunch of time reloading.

 

I've done it this way for years and see no reason to change.

 

Bill

[missed it by that much]

Empty the hopper after every loading session

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[Steve RA]

I've always left the powder in the hopper and the next reloading session I run a fired case with the expended primer in it through about 5 times to get the powder flowing the same again.

[Dr Mitch]

I leave everything where it is.  Brass on shellplate, etc, I just walk away.  My reloading session never stops, it just goes on hold.  Been doing it that way for almost six years.  Rifle loads are treated the same, although I use all my powder up before I switch back to pistol loads.  It makes a lot of sense to do it that way.

[Brooke]

I run the primers dry and return the powder to its container. I leave cases as they are and the bullet feeder as it is. Turn off the case and bullet feeders and the Mark 7. 

 

[motosapiens]

i dont end it. i leave my press set up all the time,and when i get a chance, i load 100 rounds.

[JayWord]

The only thing I do is put bullets, upside down on the 2 loaded cases and turn the case feeder off.

When I start back up, I just drop 5 powder loads into a 45 colt case and dump back in powder hopper. Check powder load is correct.

Then back at It.

 

I have been doing this for years. Newer Dillion Powder measures tend not to get as discolored as the older ones did.

 

Jay

 

[eboos]

17 hours ago, Steve RA said:

I've always left the powder in the hopper and the next reloading session I run a fired case with the expended primer in it through about 5 times to get the powder flowing the same again.

Same here

[theWacoKid]

I queue up brass and primers equally every loading session so they always run out at the same time. I leave powder in the hopper but watch it so it's not very full when I finish. Bullets just whatever. I load indoors. 

 

I notice the first couple powder dumps after sitting are a touch heavy so I run three dumps and then confirm charge weight before starting. 

Edited May 11, 2017 by theWacoKid

[SilverBolt]

I typically load 2-3 days a week.  At the end of the session I make sure I am prepped for the next session.  Primers topped off, all primer tubes filled, case feeder loaded, powder topped off, and bullet tray full.  When I sit down for the next session I am ready to roll.  If I know it will be a long period of time before I will be loading I clean everything out.

[Argie]

Nothing, just keep going when I have time, replenish powder, bullets, cases and primers when necessary.

Load on a RL 1050 with Mr Bulletfeeder

[dvc4you]

Nothing, just keep going when I have time, replenish powder, bullets, cases and primers when necessary.

Load on a RL 1050 with Mr Bulletfeeder

I do cover the powder hopper with an old VW (1lb n105) container to eliminate direct sunlight exposure.

[Grandpoobah]

Hi djcsmith:

 

I think emptying of the powder measure after each use is a great idea - in fact why don't you suggest to this gentleman that while he is at it he count and record the number of partials of powder he has used and how many he is returning for storage?

 

Grandpoobah

Edited May 15, 2017 by Grandpoobah