What are my press options? 4 stations after powder drop

[mpmo]

Loading 9mm, if I want to have 4 stations after the powder drop, what are my options for a press?  After powder drop, I want to have:

1.Powder check

2.Bullet feeder

3.Seat

4.Crimp

 

Currently using a LNL and having to combine the seating and crimp with the Hornady die.  Not a big fan of doing both on at the same time.  

Doesn't look to me like even the Dillon 1050 would allow this setup.  

 

Thanks!

 

[ddc]

I think the 10 station presses are your only option for that requirement.

Mark 7 Evo/Revo/Apex or perhaps the not yet released Frankford.

And as you suspect the Dillon 1050/1100 will not allow that setup.

Edited February 23, 2021 by ddc

[travail]

An alternative solution, with a Dillon 750 and 9mm, it's very easy to physically look in each case for powder prior to the bullet feeder step. That's my current process for several thousand rounds. Was uneasy coming from another brand press so initially wanted the same setup you mentioned. Since options are limited, the eyeball test seems to work fine for me.

[mpmo]

8 hours ago, ddc said:

I think the 10 station presses are your only option for that requirement.

Mark 7 Evo/Revo/Apex or perhaps the not yet released Frankford.

And as you suspect the Dillon 1050/1100 will not allow that setup.

 

I was looking at that Frankford.  That would work.  I have several other concerns with that one.  They are looking to the end of the year to release, which means may not be readily available for 18 months from now.  First iteration of a product is scary, especially in the reloading world, at least for me.  And it looks like they accomplish it by using the bullet feeder station to also seat the bullet.  No telling yet what system they are using for seating and how well it will work on a variety of brass/bullet combinations.  

 

I will take a look at the Mark 7.

 

5 hours ago, travail said:

An alternative solution, with a Dillon 750 and 9mm, it's very easy to physically look in each case for powder prior to the bullet feeder step. That's my current process for several thousand rounds. Was uneasy coming from another brand press so initially wanted the same setup you mentioned. Since options are limited, the eyeball test seems to work fine for me.

 

I'm just not there yet.  Been reloading less than a year.  Probably 12,000 rounds but still consider myself pretty green.  I do look into each shell, but use the DAA magnetic powder checker as a double check.  I have found when I'm keeping an eye on 4 other things on the press, that i have forgotten to look.  It's nice to have the backup.  On the other hand, maybe if I was running a press where I didn't have to keep my eye on several things that would keep me better focused.  (3d printed case feeder doesn't feed consistently lately when tubes are filled to the top, and 3% of rounds come down upside down, I have to watch the MMBF to make sure to rotate or I end up dropping a shell down the tube with powder and no bullet, etc.). Some of that wouldn't be an issue if I had a more advanced and reliable setup.

 

 

[ysrracer]

On 2/23/2021 at 1:41 PM, travail said:

An alternative solution, with a Dillon 750 and 9mm, it's very easy to physically look in each case for powder prior to the bullet feeder step. That's my current process for several thousand rounds. Was uneasy coming from another brand press so initially wanted the same setup you mentioned. Since options are limited, the eyeball test seems to work fine for me.

 

I run a 750 with a bullet feeder, and look into each case. So far all of them have had powder.

 

How many have you found that were empty?

[Miranda]

so far... none.   my powder check alerted me that I had forgot to fill the powder hopper.

 

buuuuuut.... the reason one trains to look at every charge is to check that your backups work.

 

I truly dislike the bullet feed in position 3  because you have only one place where that important

check gets done...  assuming you have a camera or can crane your neck to look in...

 

and... I will state a better feeder than Lee's running in station 4 is the way to go on a 650.

 

miranda

 

ETA:

Lee's feeder supplies the bullet as the case goes into the seating die.

what I like is that type of bullet feeder. only better more reliable and otherwise more

stable in service.

 

I have seen a photo of kind that looked to have a wheel  rotating the bullets like a revolver

 

that might be better.

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Miranda
added clarification