DogmaDog Posted January 10, 2003 Author Share Posted January 10, 2003 Hey all, Well, I went to my buddy's house and checked out his reloading stuff. I got to load a couple hundred rounds of .45 on his SDB, and some of his .38 Super on his 1050 (wow!). He offered me a good deal on the SDB, so I'll probably just buy that from him. Two questions: 1) The No B.S. Warranty; I haven't seen it in print anywhere, but does it apply even to used presses (will I be covered)? 2) Do the dies in the SDB function in the same way and have the same features as Dillon's regular pistol dies? Are they, for example, easily disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled without removing them from the press and disturbing their adjustment? Thanks for all your help, DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricW Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Answer: 1. Yup. 2. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loves2Shoot Posted January 10, 2003 Share Posted January 10, 2003 Dogma, 1. No bs is no bs - when I was using a square deal I ended up replacing EVERY part over 3 years including the frame, I got one that was really old on the internet for $100. They have improved the press (judging by the new parts I got.) Just call them and describe what is broken and you get new parts. 2. The dies work different, but they work good. Once you have them set you can remove the die after you take off the top part and it doesn't effect the setting as they are screwed into the top, the dies just drop in. I don't see why you would need to clean the dies though, I loaded many many thousands on mine and cleaning the dies never crossed my mind. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DogmaDog Posted January 10, 2003 Author Share Posted January 10, 2003 Loves2Shoot, I don't really see why either But The Blue Press advertises that the standard dies can be dissassembled and cleaned without screwing up the "critical adjustments". They say it, so, not only must it be true, it must be relevant! (or so I'm told) It looked to me as though bullet lube could get around and gum up the works a bit, too. Thanks, DogmaDog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 11, 2003 Share Posted January 11, 2003 In my experience, the only die that gets gummed up with lube is the seating die. Keep an eye on your OAL; after about 1,000 rounds - again, in my experience - it'll start getting shorter. This seems to happen all at once. At this point you need to take the top end off the machine and clean both pieces of the die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downzero Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 I'm in the same situation. I've never reloaded, but I want to start. I'm shooting .40 though. Someone early on posted that loading .40 and .38 super is not for novices. So, there it is, BTW. If I can buy 1,000 rounds of .40 for about $160 and the brass for reloading costs $98 and the bullets are $70. The savings must be in reusing the brass. How many times can .40 be reloaded? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dunn Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 Downzero, If you buy once fired brass you can get 5,000+ .40 cases for under 98 bucks, 1,000 bullets are way under 70 dollars as well. As for case life, I'm much more familiar with the .45 ACP and have cases with 10+ reloads on them. The .40 is a higher pressure round, and I would be happy with 4-5 reloads. The reloading process is exactly the same for .40 as for .45, so I don't know where the "not for beginners" comes from; I disagree, though. A squib is a squib, and a double charge is a double charge, be meticulous, follow the directions, and the .40 is not daunting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRG65 Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 downzero, I started reloading on 45 and 9, and now I reloaded almost exclusively 9mm. It is a high pressure round just like the 40. I rarely have to throw a round out because of a cracked mouth. I have 3000 or so cases that I cycle through, each is reloaded about 4-5 times per year. Unless you are pushing the case with a upper end load each time, I load my to make 126-127 pf, you shouldn't have a problem with case life. I expect 10+ reloads also. Others can point you in different directions for good brass prices, but I get once fired from Midway 22 or 23/1000 (9mm). My problem with brass is I lose it when I go to matches. Some I have time to pick up some brass some I don't. I would figure on buying 1000 "new" once fired cases each year if you shoot matches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downzero Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 Thanks guys. I was looking at Starline Brass and Montana Gold bullets. In general reloading is 1/2 the cost of new? 1/3 the cost? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flexmoney Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 The cost is about half. And, if you are the type of person that hunts around and finds deals on factory ammo...then you will hunt around and find deals on brass, primers, powder, and bullets as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 The cost is about half for cheap factory ammo. You can't buy clean burning, high quality, power factor tuned for your gun ammo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downzero Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 I got it! Thanks. Curious, is there a "better" internet site to purchase components? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shred Posted January 12, 2003 Share Posted January 12, 2003 The reason .40 and .38 super are sometimes suggested as "not for beginners" is that if you want to get to IPSC Major (and especially the 'old -major 175 PF), you have to run the loads right up to (and sometimes over) the pressure limits. With .45 ACP, you can be in the middle of the load tables and still make major. If you start out with normal book loads, you should be fine. Most reloaders find they end up shooting twice as much instead of saving half as much money.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeb9550 Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 I am in the same boat. I am looking to buy a .40 or a .45 (maybe both some day). I really want to get into reloading and also was looking at the SDB. I never plan on shooting rifles but many diff cal of pistols. Are the dies easy to change? Would it be better to go with the 650? I shoot 9mm currently and the ammo is so cheap that it doesnt justify the equipment but I figure it would be worth 40.00 for an extra die. Reloading sure does look fun.. I dont want to rebuy in a year or 2. Most people I have seen have "moved up" to a 650. The price isnt that much more.. (Edited by mikeb9550 at 8:56 pm on Jan. 14, 2003) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1badmagnum Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 midway has the best prices on componants period.their shipping prices are very very fair and honest like they advertise.I use gibrass for surplus powder and once fired brass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 15, 2003 Share Posted January 15, 2003 "With .45 ACP, you can be in the middle of the load tables and still make major." According to the Hodgdon load manual, you can make 170 pf with many, many different powders in .45 ACP and only be generating in the 13,000 to 14,000 psi range. SAAMI max in 21,000 psi. I appreciate that safety margin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IPSC CHIK1 Posted January 16, 2003 Share Posted January 16, 2003 regarding the Dillon no BS warranty. i bought a VERY used 1050. since it is considered a commercial press it is sold without warrranty. this press was a mess. i took it to Dillon for a rebuild. they replaced the cam mechanism that operates the ram with an updated version, replaced the powder measure with the latest version and rebuilt the case feeder. total cost $0.00 yes, nada,zip, zilch sadly i had to sell it before Christmas as we were seriously bucks down. however, it became a Christmas present for the son of one of our forum members ! Dillon has also updated the cam mechanism on my remaining 1050, replaced the powder measure with the latest version and rebuilt the case feeder for the same price $0.00 without appologies, if it isn,t Dillon, it isn,t jack. DVC SharonAnne L2387 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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