Slow poke single stage reloading

[Birdman]

Well, I decided to keep track of how long it takes to reload 100 rounds of 40 S&W, using a RCBS Rock Chucker, single stage. Here are the results:
Time in minutes

• Deprime/size 6:20
  Bell case 4:30
  Prime 6:15
  Dispense powder 6:30
  Seat bullet 8:20
  Factory crimp 6:00

The total time for 100 rounds is almost 38 minutes, or about 160 per hour.
I can't go much faster than that. The rest of you deciding to get into reloading, use these times to help you decide what to buy.

[Jake]

That's not too bad really.

Sounds like a good work out if nothing else. You'll get Popeye arms real quick.

[Birdman]

More like repetitive strain injuries. To make 100 rounds I need to operate the press 400 times, the hand primer 100 times, and the powder measure 100 times. Strain injuries, strain injuries...

[Whirlwind06]

I have a 2 lee single stage presses.
I do everything in stages.

Decap 1000 cases over a few nights.
Prime them over a few nights while watching TV

Then I use the 2 presses to charge and bell a case with the Lee auto-disk, move it to the 2nd press and seat the bullet. I adjusted the seating die to crimp so I can skip the last step. I can do about 300 rounds in an hour at that point.

[weakhand luke]

More like repetitive strain injuries. To make 100 rounds I need to operate the press 400 times, the hand primer 100 times, and the powder measure 100 times. Strain injuries, strain injuries...

.then, pull trigger 100 times, repeat.

[Birdman]

I definitely do my reloading in stages also, usually 400-500 at a time. Get the cases all ready to go at one sitting and then powder and bullet some other day. Sure makes it seem faster that way at least. I just wanted to keep track of the time involved, whenever I happened to do it. I actually don't mind the time spent reloading, mainly because of the big bang when its all done! (So far they all went bang)

[tjeffries]

The single stage press has its place though. There's no better way to learn and control the process, and for small runs of custom ammo, it can't be beat. If you're working up a load, several small runs on a single stage are the way to go.

[Jerry Morris]

When you are working towards very accurate cartridges, it takes a more expensive press, than the RockChucker. The RC is what I use when I am trying to hit golfballs at 200 yards with my .308. I have yet to find a factory load that will compete with my premier reloads in the .308 Win.

I also use a Dillon SD2 for .45 ACP. When/If I am making up hunting/defensive reloads, I use the RockChucker. The Dillon makes decent reloads, but requires a great deal of attention to prevent powder issues. Have a strong light handy that will illuminate the case at that station,,, AND look into every case before each stroke of the handle.

You can never be too careful while reloading. It pays off more in accuracy than in safety, but both issues are important.

Jerry

[Buckshot]

More like repetitive strain injuries. To make 100 rounds I need to operate the press 400 times, the hand primer 100 times, and the powder measure 100 times. Strain injuries, strain injuries...

Birdman,

If you are worried about repetitive strain injuries, you don't want to be shooting in any case!

Sounds like a good argument to a non-existent problem to me.

Buckshot

[Buckshot]

The single stage press has its place though. There's no better way to learn and control the process, and for small runs of custom ammo, it can't be beat. If you're working up a load, several small runs on a single stage are the way to go.

EXACTLY!

Even if you have the biggest, fanciest most expensive Dillon, you will still have a single stage of some kind in your shop and still use it on a regular basis.

No better way to learn, simpler and prevents most newbie mistakes.

Buckshot

[shooterwolf]

The single stage press has its place though. There's no better way to learn and control the process, and for small runs of custom ammo, it can't be beat. If you're working up a load, several small runs on a single stage are the way to go.

EXACTLY!

Even if you have the biggest, fanciest most expensive Dillon, you will still have a single stage of some kind in your shop and still use it on a regular basis.

No better way to learn, simpler and prevents most newbie mistakes.

Buckshot

Yep, and you don't hear about missed powder charges on a single stage.



Shooterwolf.

[deanimator]

Well, I decided to keep track of how long it takes to reload 100 rounds of 40 S&W, using a RCBS Rock Chucker, single stage. Here are the results:
Time in minutes

• Deprime/size 6:20
  Bell case 4:30
  Prime 6:15
  Dispense powder 6:30
  Seat bullet 8:20
  Factory crimp 6:00

The total time for 100 rounds is almost 38 minutes, or about 160 per hour.
I can't go much faster than that. The rest of you deciding to get into reloading, use these times to help you decide what to buy.

I started reloading on an RCBS Jr. Slow but it still saved a poor college student a lot of money.

I use my Dillon for pistol and my Rock Chucker for rifle. The latter really makes a difference at 600 yards.

[willbird]

Do you have a case kicker ?? They are said to make the deal go a LOT faster

Bill

[shaner]

i used progessive for years an got tired of in the middle of a compitition you get a blooper load , and screw up the whole run, i went back to single stage for comp loads , that way i know they are loaded right , still may get a bad primer of some sort ,but that that luck of the draw, progressive are nice for practice loads and plinker loads , in pistol

[willbird]

Even if you wanted to do a portion of the process single stage you can still use the progressive to combine several operations in a single press stroke...one example would be to size and expand using an M type die instead of the "drag it back out of the case" expander typical to most rifle dies.