Ammo Manufacturing Speed

[sd1023x]

I'm contemplating reloading and would like to ask the question, about how many rounds a hour of lets say 9mm or .223 can you guys chug out on a single or progressive.

I know making ammo is not about speed, but rather of precision, but I'm under the impression that you have to check Cartridge overall length, headspace of case, length of case or EACH AND EVERY ROUND U MANUFACTURE. To assume new brass or any brass you get for that matter is within tolerances is asking for trouble. How slow do you guys go and what is your procedure?

Oh yeah, I'll buy a case of IMPORTED beer for anyone in the OC area to...essentially have a class on reloading, walk me through the equipment and procedure.

Thanks guys.

[Nodda Duma]

First thing you'll learn is that you'll do your case prep on all your cartridges before you begin to actually reload. Ie deprime, trim, polish. Once that is done, then you'll do the actual reloading.

Once case prep is done, I can crank out 100 rounds with precise powder loads per hour. These are rifle loads, ie 8mm Mauser, .303 British, 223 Rem, 30-06 sort of stuff. This is on a single-stage press (RCBS Rockchucker).

Case prep is what takes a long time. But really, as for headspacing / trim, you just set up your trim to give you desired cartridge length and go. Spot check every 10th case or so.

-Jason

[sd1023x]

yes, so lets say to case prep 100 rounds of reloads you picked up at the range, how long would that take? And its my understanding you have to case prep for new brass also because you cannot trust all the brass is sized correctly. Is that true?

[Hans Gruber]

Your objective plays a big part.

If you're trying to make your own match+ ammo customized for your rifle then it takes some time.

If you're just trying to crank out plinking rounds, not as much I'm sure

I'm only loading match+ right now so I sit down and measure, weigh, remeasure, inspect, grope and clean pretty much every round.

[Beelzy]

Speed and reloading is an Oxymoron.........

Keep contemplating.

[joelogic]

My my dillon xl650 I can pull the handle nearly every second or two. So every second I decap, size, trim, neck expand one round. It take about a minute to lube and pull into the case feeder that next batch. So at max speed I can process about 350 rounds in 15 minutes. I just did this yesterday so its fresh in my mind. The dillon is rated to load 500+ an hour and that is easily achieved.

[joelogic]

I wouldnt say its an oxymoron. With rhythm comes speed. Seat bullet, handle down, handle up, seat primer, seat bullet, handle down.

Speed and reloading is an Oxymoron.........

Keep contemplating.

[sd1023x]

I don't plan on reloading for precision, I'm sick of not being able to go to your local shop to buy ammo for the range because of these shortages. I want to be able to jump on the reloader and pump out a few rounds for the next range day .

Would you guys say, in your experience, that reloading components are more readily available than loaded ammunition? Thanks for all your info! Keep it coming!

My my dillon xl650 I can pull the handle nearly every second or two. So every second I decap, size, trim, neck expand one round. It take about a minute to lube and pull into the case feeder that next batch. So at max speed I can process about 350 rounds in 15 minutes. I just did this yesterday so its fresh in my mind. The dillon is rated to load 500+ an hour and that is easily achieved.

Okay, so if i understand correctly, the dillion u use does all the case dimension checks in one handle pull? HAHA and pricey the dillion is I see.

[Timberwolf]

Right now you'll find way more problems trying to get powder, primers and bullets that loaded ammo. WIth all the shortages in ammo relaoding compenenets and being prioritized to the ammo companies making an even bigger shortage on components to the consumer. It so bad I hear primers were now considered a commodity.

[Hans Gruber]

Right now you'll find way more problems trying to get powder, primers and bullets that loaded ammo. WIth all the shortages in ammo relaoding compenenets and being prioritized to the ammo companies making an even bigger shortage on components to the consumer. It so bad I hear primers were now considered a commodity.

The primer situation is similar to the AR upper situation about 6 weeks ago (things seem to be picking up some on that front). They're available now if you want to (over) pay for it and aren't too picky. You'll be waiting a while if you're looking for something very specific.

[buffybuster]

I'm contemplating reloading and would like to ask the question, about how many rounds a hour of lets say 9mm or .223 can you guys chug out on a single or progressive.

I know making ammo is not about speed, but rather of precision, but I'm under the impression that you have to check Cartridge overall length, headspace of case, length of case or EACH AND EVERY ROUND U MANUFACTURE. To assume new brass or any brass you get for that matter is within tolerances is asking for trouble. How slow do you guys go and what is your procedure?

Oh yeah, I'll buy a case of IMPORTED beer for anyone in the OC area to...essentially have a class on reloading, walk me through the equipment and procedure.





Thanks guys.

Reloading pistol calibers (9mm) and bottlenecked rifle calibers (.223) are not the same.

Reloading pistol on a progressive reloader is significantly simpler and faster than rifle. After you clean the pistol brass you can run them through a progressive reloader with a carbide resizing die and will get a reloaded round with every pull of the handle (keeping components flowing). That's fairly simple and straight forward.

Reloading rifle, you have to decide if you want maximum production or maximum accuracy. Either way, the brass must be prepped by cleaning it, then lubing them and resize/deprime, checking/removing primer crimp, check caselength/trim, remove lube then begin the reloading process either on a progressive or single stage. There is considerably more prep work with rifle cases, especially if you want to load high volumes (multiple K's).

If you are considering shooting competitively then reloading is the only way to go. Unless you're a 3-gunner, most reload pistol on a progressive and single stage for rifle. If you're a 3-gunner, then progressive for everything.


As for production rate, NOT including case prep but just running prepped brass through the loader:

Progressive Pistol 500 rounds/hour (you have to stop about every 100 rounds to switch/replace primers, case hopper etc..)
Progressive Rifle 300-400 rds/hr (I'm slower because there's more powder and I want to make sure the throw is good, etc.)
Single Stage Rifle: Hard to say, since I kind of do it in batches.

[Agustav]

Since I do my reloading in batches of 200, it usually takes me about 3-4 hours to prep and reload 200 rifle plinking rounds (.223, .308, 7.62x54R) on a single stage press. It takes a lot longer if I want to reload for accuracy!

Good luck on your reloading!

[ar15robert]

I can do about 80 of .223 a night easily from scratch once fired brass.Thats trim,clean,deprime,resize,clean out primer pocket.Then reprime,weigh charges and seat bullet.Probably over a 2-3 hour period.With a rcbs rockchucker.Using a 3 in 1 trimmer really speeds things up.But normally i wil prep about 100 cases then throw in bag and do the same again then iwill have a bag full of primed and ready brass all i have left is powder and bullet then i can really kick em out.

Handgun i can do a whole lot more per hour on dillion square deal b

[mvpatriot]

Do yourself a favor and get a progressive press.
I have cranked out 200 rds. every night for the last week.
20-30 minutes with multiple pickup tubes etc.

[jacques]

All I have been doing is preping .223 brass lately. I figured if I just get the 8000 pieces of brass all prepped in one long drawn out process, I will be don with that for awhile.

It takes me 1 hours to deprime and size 500 on my Dillon 500 (including lubing).

It takes 1hour to trim 500 rds on my RCBS trimmer I have a drill attached to.

And it takes 1 hour to swage 500 rounds on the super swagger (for the brass that needs it).

So figure 3hours to prep 500 rounds if it needs to be swagged.

There are easier ways to do this if you want to spend the money.