BP reloaders

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

What's the general consensus on a "best machine" for reloading BP?

 

I keep seeing people hem and haw about using Dillon machines for BP.

 

Got shotgun shells covered thanks to a hell of a pard, but not suppositories.

 

Oh, and Mary Ann.

[Randy Saint Eagle, SASS # 64903]

What's the general consensus on a "best machine" for reloading BP?

 

I keep seeing people hem and haw about using Dillon machines for BP.

 

Got shotgun shells covered thanks to a hell of a pard, but not suppositories.

 

Oh, and Mary Ann.

Scattergun Kid has used a 550 Dillon for years.

 

Randy

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

Scattergun Kid has used a 550 Dillon for years.

 

Randy

Thanks Randy.

 

Do you know if he uses a separate powder drop?

[Jackson Rose, SASS #45478]

I use a 550 with regular powder measure.

[Doc Fill 'Em 67797]

I load BP on my Dillon Square Deal B but I don't use the powder measure to drop the powder because I use filler. The powder measure is there to flare the case but the hopper is empty. When the case gets to station 3 I pull it out, drop the powder and filler with Lee dippers then put the case back in to seat the bullet and crimp. It's a little slow but I enjoy the process. In the past I used a Lee turret press and it worked well.

[Tom Bullweed]

I use a single stage Lee press and spoons for every powder charge, bp or smokeless. I have loaded 300 to 500 rounds per month with this set up since 1986 With very few problems.

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

I load on a Dillon 650. Only change I made was the powder bar. I went to the "large" bar and the 650 runs 3F just fine.

 

Coffinmaker

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

Thanks for the responses.

 

You ever fooled with 2F in your Dillon, Coffinmaker?

[Blue Wolf , SASS# 29424L]

I use a 550 but drop powder seperate.

[Barry Sloe]

I use a Dillon 650, but I break the loading down. I size/deprime, prime/bell the top, and then pull the case and set it to the side. Once I've rolled out 50 or 100 I'll add powder and filler. The last step is to set it back in the press, seat the bullet, and then crimp.

Sort of semi-progressive.

 

BS

[Tyrel Cody]

I use the same method as Barry Sloe only with a Hornady LnL.

[Blackey Cole]

I use my 550 for most thing the only hard ball ammo that I load on my rcbs is 38-55 and that's due to the round being finicky more than the powder I'm using. I use app for powder 3f on the 550 I forget which bar but I think I use the large one. I use 2f for the 38-55 and 12 guage both brass and plastic rounds. Iirc it the same load except I use a over shot card and a rolled crimp on the brass rounds.

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

+1

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

I use a Dillon 650, but I break the loading down. I size/deprime, prime/bell the top, and then pull the case and set it to the side. Once I've rolled out 50 or 100 I'll add powder and filler. The last step is to set it back in the press, seat the bullet, and then crimp.

Sort of semi-progressive.

BS

+1 with 550

[Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329]

I'm the oddball.

I load on a lee Turret.

I scoop out the powder with lee dippers.

I save my dillons for smokeless.

Like I said, I'm the oddball.

--Dawg

[Elk Creek LeMieux]

I use the same method as Barry Sloe only with a Hornady LnL.

I was thinking that's what you used.

 

Wondering if a guy can get reliable results out of a progressive, using it as a progressive, with the integrated powder drops.

[Rafe Conager SASS #56958]

I am Just like Dawg, finally broke my Lee single after 8+ years and bought a Lee turret press 2 years ago, load 6 months worth in a few weekends, 2-3 matches a month and 2-3 large/regional matches a year

Rafe

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

I don't think there is a 'best machine' for reloading BP. I simply use the same machine I use for Smokeless. I use a Hornady Lock & Load AP, but I replace the powder measure with a BP measure from Lyman.

 

[Fingers McGee]

Hornady L-N-L progressive with the Hornady BP measure in place of the smokeless measure. Works great, and don't have to take case off to put powder in the case or use dippers or any of that other jazz. Like DJ, I change to the smokeless measure for smokeless loads.

 

Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee

[Judge'm All Duncan, SASS#67320]

 

Dillon 650 with FF or FFF out of the dispenser next station I have a Lee disc to drop the filler.

 

Load 44/40 with this setup 500 rounds or more at a time.

 

EASY

[I. M. Crossdraw, SASS# 8321]

I use the 550 for loading and charge it separately with a Lyman 55 powder charger. A little slow but works fine for me.

[Warden Callaway]

I don't load a lot of black. I shot two matches last year with black. I load on the 550B. I pull the powder measure link and just use it to expand and bell. Then remove the check die from station 3. I charge on up stroke through station 3 with Lee dipper and small funnel. If I did it a lot, I'd do something different.

[Presidio]

Well, some will probably frown on me, but I use my Lee Turret for ALL stages and NO drop tube or using any dippers. Also load my shot shells on Lee. Don't shoot smokeless, in anything or in any sport.

 

Never have had any issues either.

[Warden Callaway]

Well, some will probably frown on me, but I use my Lee Turret for ALL stages and NO drop tube or using any dippers. Also load my shot shells on Lee. Don't shoot smokeless, in anything or in any sport.

 

Never have had any issues either.

Just asking to be clear. Are you using real black powder or a subs?

 

I see so many people say black powder when they are really using a substitute.

[Outrider, SASS #72622]

Well, I guess I'm an oddball too. For black, I use all stations of my Lee Progressive, no dipper. Have since I started reloading with it in '09.

Mostly Goex 2f & 777.

 

Smokeless on a SDB.

[Sgt. Hochbauer, SASS #64409]

I use a Dillon 450 to prepare the brass and do the priming and drop the powder separately using a Lyman BP powder measure. Then finish the process on the machine. I do not want to be the first one to go "BOOM" as much as I would like to do everything at one time. If I used a sub powder than for sure I would do it all on the machine. But I use 2f Goex.

 

 

 

Hochbauer

[Doc McCoy, SASS #8381]

I use a RCBS Pro 2000 for BP (Goex 2F) or the occasional smokeless. Only a couple problems, APP was too dusty, it clogged the powder measure. I see on another thread that may be fixed by a new formulation of APP. And Pinnacle 2F was too coarse, it jammed in the tube, so I had to charge by hand. But even then I put a funnel on the feed-through die and charged on the press. I have wired the press to a ground rod to prevent any static build up.

[Hollifer A. Dollar]

I run 45 Colt, C45S, 38 Spcl & 38 Short Colt on a 550B with the powder measure dropping Goex (3FG in the short colts, 2FG in the others). Full case without filler in all.

 

Holler

[Cowboy Rick, SASS #49739L]

I use both my 650 and my 550 to load BP. Both 2Fg & 3Fg meter just fine. When I occasionally use APP for my wife's loads, I have found that 3Fg meters fine, but 2Fg will bridge and not flow well.

 

CR

[Woody Shootem, SASS # 24816]

I use a Lee Loadmaster to load my 44-40's. First stage resizes, second stage primes, the third stage puts in 25 gr of Goex FFg (using an RCBS BP measure),the fourth stage 8 gr of Cream of Wheat (using a Lee disk powder measure) and the fifth stage seats the bullet. I have to do the Lee factory crimp on a single stage press.

 

I had to do a lot of modifications to get this setup to work, but I've been using it for years.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

+ another for DJ and IMC's approach. Another happy user of a Dillon 550 to load .45 Colt, with a Lyman 55 BP measure on top of a Lee powder-thru-expander die. Trip measure manually to throw Goex or Kik or Diamondback 3Fg before grabbing a slug to seat.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Cliff Hanger #3720LR]

I have been using Dillon 650s for years.

One for small primers and one for large primers.

I use Lee sizing dies and bullet seating/crimp dies.

I have my reasons.

This leaves and open hole in the tool head.

Usually station 4.

When loading black powder round that use filler, Station 4 will have a second powder hopper in which filler is put.

 

Real BP I use FFg and FFFg.

Substitutes I use FFFg.

FFg does as mentioned above and bridges in the powder funnel and slows down loading so much, I find I don't load FFg substitutes.

 

I do clean the machines well when changing from one type of powder to another.

 

I also do not use fillers in small caliber cases.

(small primers)

[Noz]

Lee dies and powder measure on Lee turret press.

[Tequila Jim #14501]

I use a Lee Pro 1000. Only thing different I drop powder at first station.

Prime by hand (RCBS) hand priming tool, then set bullet station 2, Lee

factory crimp die ststion 3. Pro Auto Disk powder measure. TJ

[Dick Dastardly SASS #45219]

The important thing to take from this thread is that there are many diverse ways to successfully load black powder, the one True Powder. There's no mystery to loading black powder ammo. Just don't smoke while you do it.

 

There are red, blue and green presses, primers from a lot of different manufacturers and a genuinely welcome selection of good black powder brands to choose from. I won't go into bullets here because I own the Big Lube®LLC business and it's considered improper to advertise my wares here.

 

Just remember to load sober, don't smoke and minimize distractions.

 

DD-MDA