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Looking for setup and load help


Djp55

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Hey all. I've been collecting brass for a while, and have about 3,000 9mm casings I'm looking to reload. I don't have much room at all, so I was considering one of the folding tables for the sake of space. My dad has an old RCBS reloader he's going to hand down, so I'm planning on using that. Anyone have experience with the folding table or the RCBS reloader?

I shoot production/limited class uspsa and some 3gun, so I'm looking to load specifically for that out of my M&P pro 5" with no ports. 

 

Sorry if any of these are dumb questions, just trying to learn my way around. 

-DJ

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I would not set up a press on a folding table. The press has to be solidly mounted to something that doesn't move. If you have a bar in your home, you can "C" clamp it to that, and that should be solid enough.

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23 minutes ago, Djp55 said:

 

DJ - I have my Hornady LnL AP press bolted to this exact table. It is sturdy and works well as long as you don't put it all the way up as high as it will go. I have it maybe a third of the way from the bottom and it works perfectly. Very sturdy with no rocking issues as long as the floor it is on is flat. 

 

I dont have any spare room at my house to reload so I bought the FA table and it has worked fine thus far. 

Edited by R1_Demon
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Thanks for that input. Do you have a small cabinet or something that you use to keep all the other components in? Do you have your powder rig set up on this as well?

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No. I just bring out what I need at the time of reloading from my closet shelf. LOL!  My AP press has the powder measure already on one of the stations. However on the bench pictures it shows the press mounted to one side and the powder measure mounted across from it on the other side of the bench, so I guess you could do it that way. 

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Kind of hijacking my own thread here, but have a follow up. I have most of my setup, been slowly working through the process. How many rounds does it take to effectively understand a load? That is to ask if I have 200 rounds, should I try 4 sets of 50 rounds, each set having a mildly different amount of powder, all within the acceptable range provided? For example, if it says 4.5-5.4grains, should I do 50 at 4.5, 4.8, 5.0 and 5.2 or some other arbitrary setup? I'm using Unique powder with 124 grain Rainier bullets and Winchester primers. Also suggestions on more "match grade" stuff would be greatly appreciated, I figured this was just to get me started. 

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I usually load 5-10 of each and chrono them.  Check accuracy while shooting thru

the chrono - gives you both velocity and accuracy potential of the load.

 

Get in the range - find out if I should be closer to 4.5 or 5.4 before I load up too many.

 

Then I start with 20 and run them thru the chrono - make sure they ALL are PF.

 

Of course, I set the OAL before any of this - run The Plunk Test, and get my OAL

and taper crimp just right - that eliminates any problems with those two variables.

 

But, someone will be along when the sun rises to tell you their load with Unique

and 124 gr Rainiers.

 

Good luck.    :) 

 

 

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Thanks for the info, Jack.  I don't have a chrono, so I just loaded up about 50 at 4.2gr, 50 at 4.7 and 50 at 5.2 (the range provided was 4.2 - 5.5).  I have to try it through both my gun and my girlfriends to see if either like any of this setup.  I see Midway has a sale on Hornady bullets, about 11c a round.  Anyone have anything bad to say about those guys?

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I've been loading on a black and decker work bench on my back porch for over 20 years.  The top gave out after a few years and I replaced it with a pressure treated stair tread and it's been fine ever since.  I take the tool head inside after a reload session, and cover the frame with a Dillon machine cover.  

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