Primers on progressives- differences between brands?

[Eljay]

The warranty thing on the 1050 is overblown. If you own one and call them with some small part that needs to be replaced, they replace it. They just reserve the right to cut you off if you buy a half dozen of the things and are calling once a week (and probably running them on auto drive...)

[jericho89]

Just an FYI the 1050 is nice but it is deemed a commercial machine and it does not hold a lifetime warranty, I think it is a year. I have never seen an upside down primer come through as long as you are picking them up the correct way (human error is the curse of all brands systems). I do know a few people who have had primers go in sideways, but that was because they had the shell plate holder too tight and it was not putting the shell in the right place. If you were closer I would make a few phone calls and get you behind a machine to turn out a few rounds of your own. But is sounds like you are trying to do all of your homework and I am sure you will make the right decision that works best for YOU...

[stilly]

That is all good to know.

I like quality things and I like giving the underdog a chance. But in this case, I had my fun with the Loadmaster, but I want to see about the grass on the other side of the fence and whether or not it is blue grass or greener grass... Since I was playing with a Dillon today, it DID feel pretty nice, I personally do NOT hate on dillon, just the fanboys out there. Someone needs to keep the balance. But I also like the way that RCBS does things as well and I am willing to bet they have a nice winner with their PC7. I like that the 1050 has a swager for primer pockets, but I like RCBS a bit more because of their excellent CS they have given me. Lee too, which is why I would consider getting a pro-1000 now, but if everything pans out well for me, I can get a 650 and a PC7 both fully loaded and that will only be like half a paycheck so I am still in the green. THAT will not be for a while, but I am planning things out now. At least I am fingering the blue presses anyways...

I DO like how the 650 has the adjustable charge bar that is similar to the Lee charge bar. I also like that I can see the primers and I can tell if they are flipped or not and I like the tolerances on that whole priming setup. If RCBS is anything like that then I will like that press too.

[Eljay]

It really just takes a couple of seconds to dump in another 100 primers. Inline Fabrication makes a nice little hanger if you want to have them all ready to go. Holds a dozen of them. I have ten so if I really want I can do a thousand rounds without pausing. As a practical matter my arm gets tired before then and I'd rather do shorter runs.

[jericho89]

.... I think it would be nice to get a tube holder that can rotate up to 6 tubes in for a 600 shot magazine but hey, maybe later I can think something up...

To tell you the truth I never felt the need and I would load 1000 in just over an hour on he 650. That did not include the time it took to preload 10 primer tubes, but when I would get started I would have a hopper full of brass, powder system full of powder, 10 primer tubes per filled, and a box full of projectiles. I had also machined a powder check system for station 3 long before Dillon offered one (darn should have patented that). Get into a rythem and go, when the buzzer goes off pull the primer rod, dump he primers, reset rod and go go go. Would loose about as much time as it would take to load 5 rounds... I would run slower on the rifle stuff, but when I put my mind to it I could have some great production. I can honestly say of the tens of thousands of rounds I had reloaded I never has a squib or FTF, call it lucky or good machine and reloading practices. I would not sweat the 100 primer capacity as long as you have pickup tubes you can preload it will not make a difference.



Oh and GO BLUE

[tylenol9999]

Yeah I was at Reload OC today, It was just down the street from where I was (Ontario) so I thought I would give it a shot. I got to finger a 650 and look at the priming system. THAT is a cool store and Brian is a cool guy. He said he likes the 650 and in some cases it is made of similar materials as the Loadmaster. They both have delrin case feeders, but they just work differently. I saw the priming system and he was telling me about the low primer alarm when it gets down to about 10 or so. I think it would be nice to get a tube holder that can rotate up to 6 tubes in for a 600 shot magazine but hey, maybe later I can think something up. Now I just need to see the priming system on the RCBS PC7 before I make my decision... Or who knows, maybe if things go as planned, maybe both...

When did you turn to Dillon, I thought you were always against them due to them being overpriced for what they are? I have only ran CCI and WSP primers in 550, but no issues with priming on the press.

[stilly]

Yeah I was at Reload OC today, It was just down the street from where I was (Ontario) so I thought I would give it a shot. I got to finger a 650 and look at the priming system. THAT is a cool store and Brian is a cool guy. He said he likes the 650 and in some cases it is made of similar materials as the Loadmaster. They both have delrin case feeders, but they just work differently. I saw the priming system and he was telling me about the low primer alarm when it gets down to about 10 or so. I think it would be nice to get a tube holder that can rotate up to 6 tubes in for a 600 shot magazine but hey, maybe later I can think something up. Now I just need to see the priming system on the RCBS PC7 before I make my decision... Or who knows, maybe if things go as planned, maybe both...

[Eljay]

Actually in terms of safety nets, if you get the $300 Dillon primer filler (RF-100) it puts them into this extra robust tube, doesn't it? It's sort of a big double walled magazine, not the usual thin primer tubes.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ds_ZpW2L_c - he dumps them into the press at 7:30 and you can see the tube there.


Personally I haven't had any trouble with the 650. I think the whole idea of the primer tube system is backwards and weird but it does work. I preload the tubes with a vibra prime and when the alarm buzzes I dump in another 100, throw some more cases into the hopper, throw some more bullets into THAT hopper, and get back to pulling the lever.

[jericho89]

only a bonehead blows thier **** up like that......

[stilly]

Yeah I rely on my fingers and hands for a lot of things, playing the keyboard, guitars, accordion and fiddle to name a few and then there is also the pc tech part and the reloading part and powdercoating and removing with hemostats etc etc etc. Oh yeah, and stringing glass bead necklaces and all plus my daily crotchet and friendship bracelets with DMC floss. On top of that my new garage work center will be based on a VR glove and goggles so I will certainly need my fingers and hand dexterity so yeah, I am excessively paranoid about blowing the **** out of my hands via stupid primer mistake. Okay that is good to know. Any links to extra safety nets while using these things or not needed and only a bonehead blows thier **** up like that?

[jericho89]

The Dillon primer pick up tubes are aluminum with plastic pickup tips on them. The back side has a pin that you pull when you put the tube on the top of the primer system, pull the pin and they all go in. As for the primer system there are two different internal tubes, one for large primers and one for small primers. As long as you have the correct internal tube in you will not have any problems such as bubbala talked about. I had put over 50,000 primers into a 650 press and never had a primer issue in the tube or the primer disk.

[bubbala]

the primer tubed are aluminum, so no sparks. and extra tubes are pretty cheap if you wanted to fill a bunch and have em ready.

although,,,,the high road had a tread a few months back about a guy that had a problem with his dillon. his fix was to somehow jimmy his primer tube to get them unstuck.
well they went off like a shot gun and blew a few holes in his hand.lucky he wasn't looking down the tube.

[stilly]

Yeah, THAT is what I am afraid of.

I like the idea of the 1050 primers, but This is looking to be a showdown between a 650 and a PC7... The PC7 IS the favored one here but I want to see how tough their primer system is first.

I REALLY want to use APS, but it is not a dealbreaker and I doubt that any manufacturer would budge on using them in any new presses or current setups.

If I have to go with a primer tube then so be it, I will just have to figure out something on handling the pickup tubes. It would be nice if they could be made out of carbon fiber or resin or something that will not throw a spark. Or a spork for that matter...

[bruce381]

get a dillion 550 or 650 and use winchester or CCI or even the russion tula stuff and sell all other press's.

They (do not know who) say that federal are too soft for a dillon but I have used them with no problem.

And yeah going from a lee anything to a dillion is like comparing whoopie goldberg to Kim K, OK

[stevec223]

I think a piggyback on a RC is a pro -2000 basically... I have a pro-2000 manual index and really like the APS strips... Caliber change overs are quick and easy with the removable die plates and shellplates... Yes it is a 5 station press,, with the powder measure staying on the press during caliber changes... I have recently heard talk of changing the position of the uni-flo to a different station,, but havent looked into it... If the PC-7 changes calibers as easy as the Pro-2000 that would be a plus.. Not having the APS priming system would be a minus to me though... I think I will check out u-tube about several questions I have.. I won't be parting with my Pro-2000 though.. Good luck... Cheers...