Thinking about reloading rifle calibers

[Omega13device]

Rayra good points on the pricing - thanks.

I would still be interesting in hearing more about the issues around metering powders for .308.

Also if people are loading match-quality ammo on their 550s what is easier/harder than doing it on a single-stage.

[CSACANNONEER]

Horse****. Who in the **** trims bottlenecked cartrdiges EVERY time??

Well, when I do a run of +1000 pieces of range pick up brass I run all of them though a trimmer and I find it easier to use a SS press to do the initial sizing. I guess, if a guy only had 100 pieces of brass, only shot lighter loads and trimmed them a bit short the first time, he probably could get away without trimming for a while. But, does everyone load like that? When I'm loading match rounds, I wouldn't think of not trimming each one. Of course, I did buy a Giraud to make my life easier.

As far as the difference in price between the SD and the 550 go, I was accounting for trade-in value. I still think that the OP would end up spending more than $150 to up grade what he has to the exact same caliber combination for the 550. Personally, I would never buy a SQ because the 550 is a much more productive machine that is capable of loading so many more cartridges. But, the OP already has a SD and appears to be content using it for straight walled cartridges. If that's the case and the OP is only going to load a few hundred bottle necked rounds a year, he would be fine with a SS press.

[Beelzy]

The issues with powder metering are with the extruded (stick) powders.
I happen to prefer ball powder and it meters perfectly.

Personally I don't think ammo made on a progressive is truly Match quality.

[Timberwolf]

Horse****. Who in the **** trims bottlenecked cartrdiges EVERY time??

Ah I do or at least every other loading for consistency. But then I'm a little annal as I'm not just satisfied hitting that steel plate at 400 yards, I'm not satisfied unless I hit the bolt holding the steel plate.

[ar15barrels]

Horse****. Who in the **** trims bottlenecked cartrdiges EVERY time??

the shell plates for .45 and .30-06 are the same, as are those for 9mm and .223

I trim 223 brass every time because I pickup 223 brass at the range during matches and I have no control over how long the cases I get may happen to be.
You don't have the option to re-load only your exact same brass when you shoot action matches because it all gets mixed up with everyone else's brass.

9mm and 223 use different shellplates.

[ar15barrels]

I'm a little annal as I'm not just satisfied hitting that steel plate at 400 yards, I'm not satisfied unless I hit the bolt holding the steel plate.

Stay away from our new steel at the spot.
Ryan already shot one of the bolts.

I have a solution though...
All the holes are getting plugged and I'm welding chain to the back of the plate.

[Chaingun]

I trim 223 brass every time because I pickup 223 brass at the range during matches and I have no control over how long the cases I get may happen to be.
You don't have the option to re-load only your exact same brass when you shoot action matches because it all gets mixed up with everyone else's brass.

9mm and 223 use different shellplates.

9mm and .223 are different shellplates

.308 uses .45

Not knowing where the range brass came from, I trim each time along with case gage check for headspace. It's a pain, but prevents at a minimum feeding issues.