blue christmas

Well, I decided to take the lee pro 1000 off the bench ( the classic cast turret is staying) and mount a dillon square deal.
I got the dillon in a trade a while back, and never went through it, or set it up. So I figured its time.

So after trying to fight small primers, and realizing that it wasn't going to happen without the plastic peices on the bottom of the primer magazine tubes, I ordered some blue parts, (the primer pickup tips don't work very well on the primer magazine tube as it needs the primer orifice, I had extra large ones but not small) no large primer slide, found that out when setting up a 45 toolhead..so its on the way.

I'm aware of the limitations of this press, with proprietary dies and pistol cartriges only, and I'm fine with that.
The shellplates and dies toolheads, etc, were included in the trade, so no big deal. 2 toolheads, 2 caliber conversions as well as what it was setup in were with it.

How much time savings over the lee turret remains to be seen, but 1/4th the lever pulls, so that should be an improvement.

When the parts get here, I'll see how 4.0 gr of bullseye runs under a 124 gr cast bullet. Then I'll try some real ammo,as Rumber would say.

It has a small footprint on the bench, and that's a plus.

So its a blue christmas for me.

Merry Blue Christmas. You won't be sorry switching from red to blue although I really like some of the Lee Products such as the Universal Decapping Die and the Lee Auto Disk Powder Measures. The Blue Customer Service is great too. Warranties are on the Blue Product and are not based on who or when purchased.

Like you,
There are some Lee products I like, powder funnels, universal decap dies, rifle charge dies, the pro autodisc powder measures, pistol die sets, and the classic cast turret press. Those work good.

Other things are better served by a competing company.
I'm looking forward to using the blue press, looks like a well thought out design.

But that said, I like the green rifle dies and other case and powder tools.
So I'm still tri color.

The powder measures Dillon has are the most consistent of the "home" reloaders. I read a report which I posted here in the past, but it was as a part of someone else's thread. Impressive stuff.

I like the old style Dillon Powder measures with the 2 springs better than the newer fail safe models. But here again I am a dinosaur. I have found everything that Dillon makes to be quality items.

I do a pretty easy modification and add the two springs to make the new one work like the old one did. I don't know that it's any better than the new one but it's what I've used for more than 30 years.

Thought about doing that. Did you take any of the fail safe stuff off of the measure.

No . I just disconnect the spring and bend the hook on it to hold the lever down so it doesn't lock. Its only purpose is to prevent short stroking on a 650 press. It's of no advantage on the other presses. They just make them all the same and they work on the other presses ok. I just don't care for the bump that it causes. I've got several tool heads set up and each one has it's own measure. I'll bet I haven't changed the powder charge on the 45 or 9mm tool head in 10 years . I always check the powder charge and it's always the same so there's no need to adjust them.

After. Some primer feeding issues, new parts, adjustments, it is working fine now.
seems a little faster than my lee turret, and it is easier to load on from a motion savings.

I'll l just get another complete priming setup Instead of adjusting small to lg primer slide throw and return. That would be easier for me.

But after many trouble free rounds loaded, I'm liking it so far.

Powder measure meters bullseye very consistient.
I'm getting a little quicker now ..it likes a full stroke.


Small primer federal 45's mixed in with large primer 45's are a pain in the butt.
It's unamerican, dammit! Federal and fiochii were small, but there was also some lg federal.
I just ran them, if they wouldn't prime, id complete it, then pime those on another press.

(Yes I know, seperate the brass by primer size and the issue will go away)

Well, it has developed a problem.....
I can't keep enough bullets on hand to keep it fed, and ammo cans for the reloads coming out of it.
I guess I'll have to live with that problem.

Well Tim will be at the Gun Show with plenty of ammo cans. LOL

And ga arms will have cast lead...( if I don't order some bayou bullets instead)

I went straight from a single-stage RCBS to the D650. I thought I had enough components on hand for a good reloading session and ran out of stuff in the first hour!

It makes one rethink quantities on hand, that's for certain.
As well as how many primer tubes you have.

So I have loaded the 3 calibers, and set up each in their own toolhead,
Got a complete primer assembly and slides set up in large and small, and spare parts for each of them.

I need a few more small primer pickup tubes, and I'll be happy equipment wise.

Component wise is another story.

But since it is set up in 38 special now,
I need to pickup some 148 dewc's

I have a long way to go to catch up with Mapper, lol

I went ahead and bought 10 primer tubes. I can put a whole box into tubes at one time (before the kid came, my wife would usually do it for me just to be nice) and I don't have to break my reloading momentum to load primer tubes.

With a Dillon , I can load them faster than I can shoot them. :cool: