How many rounds can you load per hour

[Sarge]

57 minutes ago, boatdoc173 said:

been reloading about 2 years on my dillon 550c loaders( one for  45  acp large primer, one for 9mm).  read(maybe too much) about issue s  with powder loads, primers flipping... never want to be the squib/misfire/hangfire  guy . I have sat over  every round I load to be sure that  every case is  usable( hand sort out cases that will not load SPP easily or spp 45 acp cases),every  case gets a new primer, all powder loads  drop...I did have issues with  the primer  tower screws  needing to be constantly adjusted. I fixed that issue. THAT one issue took 15 seconds or more every 5 minutes away from  the reloading process). I load 80% 9mm,  20%  45 acp.  ZERO  errors have been found--all  round shot( 30,000 so far)

 

That said, I am wondering  what I  NEED  to do to  produce more  rounds/ hour.  All of you are WAY ahead of me. I produce 150/hour at best( without  malfunctions to be tended to)

 

This thread( and others) have left me wondering if I am overdoing safety?  and what I can to to  increase my production/ hour.?  Also  wondering how some can  safely produce  400-600/hour?  Now it  takes me  all winter to produce the rounds I need  yearly.

 

thanks for any advice in advance

At the risk of being misunderstood, I think safety can be overdone to the point it hinders the process. I have a buddy who loads a few hundred rounds every few weeks for just plinking and it takes him hours because he only has enough primers near the press to load the tower. Keeps powder locked up after loading hopper. Then when done puts everything away, empties hopper, wiped down press, wipes down bench of powder flakes, etc. Then measures length on most every round. 

  It's one thing to be safe, it's another to be so safe that it becomes the focus.

  As for speed, I had to learn to "take in" the entire operation with each pull of the handle. You can't look to see if powder dropped, if a primer got seated, if a bullet is perfectly aligned etc. You have to learn to "see" everything at once. I have a case feeder and bullet feeder. I basically look at the entire shell plate for a split second before each pull of the handle. It takes practice for sure. You should certainly be able to "feel" if a primer does or does not get seated and I pretty much just trust that the powder drop is correct. Powder can look low or much more full with each drop, but if you weigh them they are almost always the same. 

  The biggest mistake we make when loading is to start-stop-start-stop looking for problems. It actually causes more problems than it finds. I sort everything by headstamp and only load one brand at a time because you get a feel for what some feel like. An example would by loading Fed or Win and throwing in some S&B which generally have tighter pockets. Left me wondering is there a problem or was it just a tighter than normal pocket? All of that saves time.

 My routine is to load primers, powder, cases, bullets onto the press then start loading. I toss the first few rounds in a practice bin then measure oal on a few. Then just pull the handle until primer alarm goes off. Reload primers and repeat.

All the while focusing on the shell plate and looking for something out of place.

[Miranda]

hi boatdoc173,

 

I like what Sarge posted while I was writing this.

 

my advice is add light or lamps.   I think I can run a turret press

at a max of 100 in 15 minutes.  and that will never become 400 in an hour.

in the lee turret, the primers were the problem for speed.

but it does mean I can swing my arm at a rate of 1200 pulls in an hour.

I just do not pull that fast on a 650.  Including all else I do in a two hour session,

I might I clear 400 an hour and I think I am very close without any stress.

 

Here is the speed advice. the only problem you will make that you can't see or test

after you have built a round is the powder in the cartridge. 

Make sure you can see the powder before you place the bullet.

Make sure you can see the powder before you place the bullet.

all else should happen without needing attention.

so confirm powder and place bullet and pull to end of stroke.

at this point you are onto a confidence building exercise.

do five or so and check those five.  if all is well, you can be sure

you have your process set.

 

again, all die stations should not need to be checked as you are processing.

check the powder. everything else should be good.

 

another way to speed up is to explore what you are spending your time doing.

does the sizing die ever change?. skip checking that station.

does the bullet seating die need adjustment?

has the crimp ever failed? 

never skip the step of checking for powder.

move to confirming your process ... only measure every finished tenth round .

I have read that many build 100 and then check the rounds.

 

miranda

[Johnnymazz]

Boatdoc, I started loading in 1988 on a single stage press, got about 100 rounds an hour. Moved up to a Dillon 550. Cranked out 300 RPH. Bought a Dillon 650 . Cranked out 600RPH. I shoot at least 1.600 rounds a month, my arm was getting beat pulling the handle. Started looking into automated drives. Stumbled across the Ammobot. Looked great, purchased a new Dillon Rl1100 and an Ammobot drive. That was a whole new learning curve ! Smashed up a few shell plates, with the machine not indexing properly.Took at least a month of going super slow to get the feel of how the machine operated in full automation. That was 3 years ago. The biggest helpful thing I started doing reloading automated was to do a 2 pass system. 

[Johnnymazz]

Safety is your biggest concern. Dont get hung up on how many rounds you are producing.  Moving up to 2022 I have a full blown automated operation in my basement. its a 6 step process now, from fired range brass to the finished loaded round. Deprime cases, Rollsize cases, Wet clean cases, Process cases, Prime cases, Powder and Bullets. I am running my machines at 1,700 cph in the priming and powder and bullets stages. 

Edited June 26, 2022 by Johnnymazz

[boatdoc173]

johnnymazz,miranda and sarge--thanks for the info and tips. 

 

my safety  concerns are for stations 1+2. primer loaded properly?  powder  dropping as it should?  these 2 things rarely slow me down.

 

The real time grabber is making sure I am using the  cases that prime properly(one or 2 foreign brands do not) as I do not presort  brass. I prefer to do that as I load.  It gives me a  chance to quickly   get rid of stuff that   is questionable (cracked bent or wrong caliber of range brass)or not the right brand. 

 

Now that the primer tower issue is solved( fingers  crossed) and I have a new light for stations 1+2. I can  move along a bit faster. I get  a quick glance of stations 1+2 during loading. #3 is obvious--either a bullet is there to be seated or it is not.  crimping is not something I worry about.

 

hoping to increase production to 250-300 /hour while maintaining basic safety

[Miranda]

Hi Boatdoc173,

I can't just hit a like to let you know I've read and think I understand your post.

sounds to me like you are taking the proper steps to speed up.

we tend to time our activities at the press and if I include the time I spend

sorting cases my reloading time does increase.  as I have to do that part anyway

I tend to skip it...  

ETA:   oh  I see. you are sorting brass as you reload.  yeah that eats a lot of time.

I think Your speed is darned good if you have that in your process.

 

you have a bullet feeder at station 3?   I may have not read that correctly.

 

One of the 'good' things I learned while running the turret press,

is being ready to deal with "now what went wrong."

this hobby has a lot of that. 

may you hit where you aim!

 

miranda

 

Edited June 26, 2022 by Miranda
re-read and forgot a comment

[Johnnymazz]

If you get a primer pocket swager that will take care of the tight pockets. I dont sort my brass at all. IDK how deep your wallet is or how many rounds you shoot. If you can swing a Dillon CP2000 that will take care of all the issues, running mixed brass. When Dillon comes out with the new sensors for the CP2000 they can be wired to a buzzer if you didnt want an autodrive. I struggled with my 650 having to constantly stop and pull out the tight primer seating pockets. Mainly the Winchester brass. Thats the WMA headstamp. The sensors that I have are from Ammobot but they are no longer for sale, since the owner sold the rights to Dillon. They will be out soon.

[Johnnymazz]

To clarify heres a pic of my CP2000 with all the sensors. Station #2 is decap only with a sensor for berodin primed brass. Station #3 is the Judge die that detects a stepped case, or any obstruction logged inside the case Also there is a primer pocket probe to detect if it was removed or there is a ringer. Station #6  is the resize die. Station #7 the case gets swaged. Hope this helps. Have fun !

Edited June 26, 2022 by Johnnymazz

[boatdoc173]

Miranda

 

again thanks for the encouragement. I am all manual right now.

 

I pick up a case. make sure it is ok to load(rejecting the brass that I know will not and any defective brass--all previously cleaned and lubed in advance)= 5-8 seconds while . pulling the handle, i make  sure  a new primer  is in the cup with proper orientation(-- take s  less than 1 sec as i pull the handle) ,- after rotating the shell  check station 2 powder  drop in station #3 as I  place a bullet.   then grab another brass case...

 

I know automation makes things faster. However( to me anyway,) it also opens up potential for errors by a machine--primers not loading  correct side up, powder not dropping( very rare)  bullet not feeding as it shield( cases too). having read a lot on this site about set up and problems running  automated machines, I chose to stay in the manual mode=ocd 

 

@johnnymazz-- I load and shoot about 17,000  rounds of  9mm/ year and 5000 rounds of 185 gr light charged 45 acp.

I use the winter months to reload. plenty of time to do so in 6-7 months of cold up north( CT).

 

although I have learned to be  more handy with tools since reloading and having some issues to solve  on my own as well a s a desire to keep my machines lubed and running  properly, I am NOT a mechanically inclined person. I have shied  away from RL 1050 and the likes becaus e  of this.

 

again thanks for the info and replies gentlemen( miranda, johnnymazz and sarge)  your insights have made  me think about how to incorporate your tips into my reloading technique

Edited June 27, 2022 by boatdoc173

[boatdoc173]

miranda

 

 

 you mentioned lights.  I KNOW that there is a "spaceship" set up for the 550c out there   I found  kms squared  UFO--is this the one you use?

 

please let me know

Edited June 27, 2022 by boatdoc173

[RudyVey]

Using a 550, I have timed myself and can load 100 rounds in 12 minutes, so this would be 500/hr, or about 7 seconds per round.

Having primer tubes ready, filled up the bullet tray and have the empties box full with cleaned and lubes cases helps.

But why rush, for me reloading is pure relaxation, I just concentrate on one thing and keep my mind clear or anything else. I do not need to have a record reloading x rounds in y time. Making sure the primer is seated properly and the powder drop is ok is more important to me than making a record number of rounds and have a one f...up round. I am happy to load 200-300/hr, but what comes out is all good!! I have my reloading bench as a part of my shop in the basement, so whenever I have to wait for some glue to set, I load some rounds, sometimes it is just 20, sometimes it is 100 or more.

I definitely need to shoot more as all my storage boxes are full of ammo - yes, I am not a competitive shooter, just for fun and to use up my ammo so I can load (and relax) more...

[Miranda]

Hi Boatdoc173,

the 650 has a hole in the center of the die carrier.  I found a one of those

LED flashlights that fits in it.  that removes the shadows from under the press.

the light comment came from loading in my somewhat dimly lit garage

and then moving to a better lighted room in my basement.

I was a lot more comfortable reloading.  just the additional light seemed the cause. 

 

Went to google kms squared  UFO.   and yeah that should be a good light.

mine is battery powered which can be a pain. usually running wires is easy.

 

about automation...  you can aim your OCD at making sure the things you want to

have automatic run correctly.  That means for a while your hobby is tinkering not reloading.

as an example, you mentioned primer flipping.   If it happens just often enough

every time it happened I would stop loading and look into what caused the flip.

I have read that a small speck in the 650 primer system can cause such problems.

 

The only thing I would change in your process is the case checking.

do that as its own step, inspect and sort cases before you are at the press.

Each shift from inspecting item to item on the press takes a transition time of its own. 

in addition, is the time to chose and pick up another case if the first is found wanting.

 

all that said...  for speed in reloading automation is the real key.

I have seen videos of commercial ammo making, and oh boy that looks

like a lot of money in motion.   the important part is the lack of human checking.

 

Your process is both good and I have no doubt you would be faster than me

should I follow your process.

 

miranda

 

 

 

[RudyVey]

12 hours ago, boatdoc173 said:

miranda

 

 

 you mentioned lights.  I KNOW that there is a "spaceship" set up for the 550c out there   I found  kms squared  UFO--is this the one you use?

 

please let me know

Check also out Reloading Innovations Starlight, they are customized to each tool head of a Dillon press. I have one on all my 550 set ups, just pull out the plug, change your complete tool head and put the plug back in. Much better, shadow free light compared to the one I used before, the one that sticks inside  the middle hole ( mine came from Inline Fab):

 

https://reloadinginnovations.com/products/starlight-press-lighting-system-for-dillon-550

 

[Johnnymazz]

2 hours ago, RudyVey said:

Check also out Reloading Innovations Starlight, they are customized to each tool head of a Dillon press. I have one on all my 550 set ups, just pull out the plug, change your complete tool head and put the plug back in. Much better, shadow free light compared to the one I used before, the one that sticks inside  the middle hole ( mine came from Inline Fab):

 

https://reloadinginnovations.com/products/starlight-press-lighting-system-for-dillon-550

 

Thats the best lighting system available .

[Johnnymazz]

15 hours ago, boatdoc173 said:

Miranda

 

again thanks for the encouragement. I am all manual right now.

 

I pick up a case. make sure it is ok to load(rejecting the brass that I know will not and any defective brass--all previously cleaned and lubed in advance)= 5-8 seconds while . pulling the handle, i make  sure  a new primer  is in the cup with proper orientation(-- take s  less than 1 sec as i pull the handle) ,- after rotating the shell  check station 2 powder  drop in station #3 as I  place a bullet.   then grab another brass case...

 

I know automation makes things faster. However( to me anyway,) it also opens up potential for errors by a machine--primers not loading  correct side up, powder not dropping( very rare)  bullet not feeding as it shield( cases too). having read a lot on this site about set up and problems running  automated machines, I chose to stay in the manual mode=ocd 

 

@johnnymazz-- I load and shoot about 17,000  rounds of  9mm/ year and 5000 rounds of 185 gr light charged 45 acp.

I use the winter months to reload. plenty of time to do so in 6-7 months of cold up north( CT).

 

although I have learned to be  more handy with tools since reloading and having some issues to solve  on my own as well a s a desire to keep my machines lubed and running  properly, I am NOT a mechanically inclined person. I have shied  away from RL 1050 and the likes becaus e  of this.

 

again thanks for the info and replies gentlemen( miranda, johnnymazz and sarge)  your insights have made  me think about how to incorporate your tips into my reloading technique

Dont be afraid of automation. IM OCD to the max LOL. If your shooting that much, I blast out about 20,000 rounds of 9mm every year. You are definitely in the ball park for a RL1100. Price wise your looking at $ 4,7000 for the whole package of 1 Dillon Rl1100 and the Dillon Da3000 drive. MY initial mistake was to get the new Dillon Rl1100 which I had no experience with and bolt the drive to it from day 1. That was the best decision I made, my arm thanks me every loading cession .  If you lived close to me I would give you a hand setting it up gladly. Im in Pa. so thats out LOL. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

[boatdoc173]

rudy--thanks for that  tip. nic e light set up

 

johnnymazz--thanks again for the info  and the encouragement.  I am like yourself as  far as reloading #s.

might take that step as I close in on retirement and hopefully shoot more  too.

hey,it is not  surgery  but an automated reloader is a new experience that would take time to get set up right from what I have read. I need to read more on thos e  dillon reloaders  and  just take the leap once I am more comfortable( and have the extra  $$)  

 

I am in Ct--just a short  ride from eastern pa;)-- just kidding.  Ihanks again for offering to help

 

I sur e appreciate how members of this forum  jump at the chance to offer advice and help.

 

Happy 4th of July to all.

Edited June 28, 2022 by boatdoc173

[cool]

Now Double Alpha also offers this lighting system with a big advantage: the support plate is made of aluminium, it's solid. I received 3 of them it's perfect

[xrayfk05]

21 hours ago, boatdoc173 said:

hey,it is not  surgery  but an automated reloader is a new experience that would take time to get set up right from what I have read. I need to read more on thos e  dillon reloaders  and  just take the leap once I am more comfortable( and have the extra  $$)  

 

 

An automated loader is overkill for "just" 25K rounds a year, I'd even say a 1100 is overkill for that unless you need the swaging option.

A 650 or 1100 will do 1000 rounds an hour easy, without even a bullet feeder. Is saving 25 hours a year worth 2 or 3 grand?

(And that's excluding getting it to work properly and still having to keep an eye on it)

Get an automated primer filler if you do not have one, will save you more time for less money.

 

For lighting I use a 12V LED car tail light in the center hole of the 650, works just as well for just a few bucks.

 

As for the topic question:

 

1300 9mm an hour on the 650 with both bullet and case feeder.

1100 .40 an hour on the LnL AP with just a bullet feeder.

(Only counting handle time, not refilling primers/bullets/cases/powder)

[JohnnyD]

I'm around 500-600 on my 650, I have to go slow or my press throws my 9mm 3.8gr loads of Sport Pistol all over my shell plate...well it still does but it's not as bad as going faster.

 

Might need to tweak the alignment or play around with it.

[dannyd]

I have no ideal how many rounds per hour I just enjoy the moment.

 

32 years and 191,725 rounds 

[Boomstick303]

18 minutes ago, dannyd said:

191,725 rounds 

 

Down to the round.  That is some attention to detail.  Lmao

[RudyVey]

20 minutes ago, dannyd said:

I have no ideal how many rounds per hour I just enjoy the moment.

 

32 years and 191,725 rounds 

that is not too much, about 6000 rounds per year, estimate 200 rph, makes around 30 hours per year reloading time, not bad....;-)

[dannyd]

Old guy at the range told me when I started record everything you do; also have casted over 200,000 bullets.

[dannyd]

This is everything but the shotguns rounds.    That would be 11,561 shotgun rounds  :0

 

Caliber	Sum - Number Loaded
223 Remington	1293
30-20 Winchester	20855
30-30 Winchester	459
300 AAC	950
300 Winchester Magnum	3160
308 Winchester	790
357 Magnum	69331
38 Long Colt	870
38 Short Colt	841
38 Special	69433
44 Magnum	170
44 Special	475
45 APC	10887
7 TCU	650
Total Result	180164

[Johnnymazz]

17 hours ago, xrayfk05 said:

 

An automated loader is overkill for "just" 25K rounds a year, I'd even say a 1100 is overkill for that unless you need the swaging option.

A 650 or 1100 will do 1000 rounds an hour easy, without even a bullet feeder. Is saving 25 hours a year worth 2 or 3 grand?

(And that's excluding getting it to work properly and still having to keep an eye on it)

Get an automated primer filler if you do not have one, will save you more time for less money.

 

For lighting I use a 12V LED car tail light in the center hole of the 650, works just as well for just a few bucks.

 

As for the topic question:

 

1300 9mm an hour on the 650 with both bullet and case feeder.

1100 .40 an hour on the LnL AP with just a bullet feeder.

(Only counting handle time, not refilling primers/bullets/cases/powder)

Ahh I just need to keep my mouth shut. But a lot of money all depends on what your income is my friend. As far as 25,000 rounds goes your forgetting that if you process your brass then load it, thats 50,00,00 cases going through the machine until you develop a loaded round. My arm hurts just thinking about it. Just my 2 cents. Have a wonderful week. My comments on this topic are done. Just trying to help the fellow novice loaders.

Edited June 30, 2022 by Johnnymazz