Got the new press mounted

[Frozenguy]

Mounted the press today and started setting the dies. I think I have them in good spots but I figured I'd come here and share my experience (below) so people can say hey, 'x' 'y' and 'z'.

Here is a picture to add some color to the thread



I set the 45 acp dies according to the dillon manual. I have not used or thrown any powder or primers yet and don't plan on it until I have die setting down for flare and crimp.

Using calipers, I set the flare/powder die so it increased the case mouth by about 15 thousandths of an inch. I can't really see it, maybe I can feel it, but it does take a bullet well. Dillon says 20 thousandths should be good. Anything to add?

I set the seating die so I have a cartridge overall length of 1.255 in.

And the crimp was a tricky one. I've read some don't crimp, I've read to do only a little crimp.

So I set the die where I started measuring a decrease in case mouth diameter around the bullet. Can I use my barrel to check for crimp or is that just for COAL?


Here is a picture of some of the flaring I tried. Left is no flare, middle is close to what I went with, and right I figured was too much.

[Germz]

why does everyone insist on using photobucket...grr
IMAGESHACK!

I'm just mad because photobucket is blocked by most proxies, imageshack isn't, or tapatalk, or calguns uploading, or pretty much anything other than photobucket.

[Germz]

Can I use my barrel to check for crimp or is that just for COAL?

load a couple dummies and cycle them from the magazine. pistol headspaces off the case mouth. if you don't at minimum mitigate case flaring you'll have feeding/chambering issues.

[Frozenguy]

Ok ya I think I was pretty conservative on the flaring. I'll check with my barrel.

And it used to use imageshack in high school back in the day but I for some reason switched. I think it's because I thought they disappeared for a bit

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

If you are using cast or plated bullets, you might need a little more flare. Jacketed bullets are more forgiving.

I alway crimp my pistol bullets but just enough to remove the flare.

When I started using my Dillon 650, I had a problem short stroking it. Don't do that. Causes all kinds of headaches.

[Frozenguy]

These were hornady jacketed bullets but I do have rainier plates bullets too. I'll keep that in mind, thanksz

[alfred1222]

Ya, listen to Drdarrin, short stroking will kill you when you load. How i did it was, i flared out the case mouth about 20 thousands of an inch, then loaded the round, then seated it and crimped it, and then checked the headspace in my gun. The crimp should push the case right against the bullet and remove all of the flare.

[Frozenguy]

I can hardly see any flare initially so it's hard to notice its gone. I guess I should measure a reduction in diameter by almost 15 thousandths

[drdarrin@sbcglobal.net]

I can hardly see any flare initially so it's hard to notice its gone. I guess I should measure a reduction in diameter by almost 15 thousandths

You can feel the flare and you should be able to feel that it is gone.

[jameshenry]

Looking at your picture I think you should/can move the seating and crimp dies one hole to the clockwise and leave hole #3 empty. It will give more finger room for setting bullets into cases. And you can even check powder levels with naked eye.

[jameshenry]

Just checked your picture again, and I think you are good to go as is . Just had to take a better look at the picture.

[gregshin]

you should crimp your pistol rounds so you don't get setback.

[vstromer]

One of these days my lee press will grow up and become a Dillon

[Matixten]

In my opinion your doing a good job. Talking about your flare and all, when I first started doing reload I flared my neck to much and when it came to the sitting and crimp I thought everything was OK....Until they wouldn't chamber. I never recalled how many thousandths I flared, I just used eye measurements.

So my advice (and not that your doing anything wrong) but just be careful on the flare because it will affect stages 4 & 5.

[Frozenguy]

Thanks for the info guys.
Ya station 3 has the powder check
Can't wait to start priming and throwing powder and shooting some of my own work!