Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading Another one for Waders

I figured you wouldn't mind if it was in this forum, considering.

OK, so you reloaded 1000 of .45 ACP. Please tell me about your setup, and in particular, what you might change if you had to start all over again with handgun reloading.

I am still semi-paralyzed with all the Dillon options, trying to make sense of all the different machines, accessories, and setups. Leaning toward a 750 with a Casefeeder, since I plan to load for a few different cartridges, and caliber swaps are said to be more manageable and less expensive on a non-1050 or non-1100 setups.

Also, would love to know hear about .45 ACP recipes.

I went through the same issues some 25 years ago. The only options I really considered were the 450 and the 650. Too much mechanical for the big one and the price wasn't worth it to me. The extra station in the 650 for the difference in price from the 450 was a no brainer and I've never regretted the choice. I got the case feeder and the primer and powder checks also and I've never regretted that. I've been loading 44 mag single stage (on a RCBS Rockchucker) but have just decided to go to the progressive since I quit hunting elk. I loaded that cartridge for extreme accuracy to use for elk hunting and I just wanted what I felt was an edge by loading it as I do for rifles, perfection for each cartridge. No experience with 45's. I load for 9X19mm, 9X21mm, 38/357, 41 mag and 44mag on the 650. Of course, the 650 became the 750. I looked at the 'upgrades' to make mine a 750 and passed. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

I guess it all depends upon how fast you want to turn out the ammo. I use a Dillon 550 to load 45 acp ammo. I can turn out 100 rounds in 15 minutes. That works for me. It's just a stock press with no extra's.

If "fast" is an issue, maybe one shouldn't be reloading!!

Rick, I have an RL650, that I bought back in the 90's and I have used it to load 9mm and 223. If you are going to be reloading rifle cartridges too, definitely go with the 750 and a case feeder. If you you are just going to reload handgun cartridges, you might want to look at the Square Deal B aka SDB, if the still offer it.

I'll say up front, I've never loaded 1000 rounds of .45ACP at one time. I load on a single stage press so I batch load. Shoot, polish brass, put it in a coffee can. When I get a couple hundred then size and bell. Another day prime. Another time, powder and bullet and taper crimp. I have about 500 loaded all the time and another 800 in various stages of being loaded.
For my purposes of plinking and shooting bowling pin matches twice a month it seems to work fine. Would like to have a Dillon or other progressive press but the cost is a little more than I want to spend.

Strange timing--I've loaded about 1200 .45 ACP rounds over the last week or so.

I slum an ancient 550b that I bought used. I've loaded probably 15,000-20,000 .45 ACP rounds on it. As a far as the average "Dillon Owner" goes, I'm a pretty low volume reloader, so I manage just fine on a 550. I have watched videos of the bigger/faster Dillon models in action and have thought about how cool it'd be to have one, but I really couldn't justify the expense, given my low volume of rounds and what I paid for my current setup.

What I'd change: I'd go back in time and buy Deluxe Quck Change Conversion Kits for several calibers rather than waiting. Changing dies is kind of pain; it takes longer than you'd think. Slapping in the new head with the dies and powder hopper all ready to go is the only way to fly. I also wouldn't have bought bunches of MTM 100 rd plastic boxes--they're great, but it's better to store ammo in bulk containers and then load ammo boxes for trips to the range. I could get by on about 3 of them. My favorite container is from WalMart; it's a 1.2 qt Sterilite with a secure snapping lid. It holds 200 rds and they stack nicely. I also use the 2.4 qt which holds 400 rds. The containers all stack interchangeably. I can't really say there is much else I'd change.

As for load data, everything works with the .45 ACP. In horse-land, the .45 would be known as an "easy keeper." It's well-behaved, not picky, eats everything, and has no vices. I load almost everything with Titegroup even though it's a popular powder to hate. It's accurate, meters perfectly, and generally gives more speed for less powder, making it very economical. The last time I bought it, I was getting 4 lb jugs for $80. My bowling pin load is 4.7 grains of Titegroup for either a 230 plated round nose or a 230 cast lead truncated cone. Both work fine. For lighter loads for my wife to practice with, I load 5.1 gr of W231 for a FMJ or plated bullet (any profile). That load runs a 5" 1911 fine, but can fail to cycle a 3" 1911 with stiff springs. It's pretty light. Finally, for light target loads, probably everybody who's ever loaded for the .45 ACP has loaded 4.0gr of Clays over a 200 gr LSWC. That load is just sweet. I don't load it anymore simply because I like to practice with my bowling pin load.

Good luck!

If you're planning on loading a bunch of one cartridge it's hard to beat a S1050 or maybe the new 1100. Once set up they just roll out. I load all volume stuff on it including .45acp target loads. Its also much easier on my damaged shoulder, no pushing at the top of the stroke to seat a primer, it's all done on the down stroke.
I know they are a bit pricey but its definitely one that you can sell used and get almost all your money back. At least you could a while back anyway.
Having mumbled all that, the 750 with a case feeder is probably as quick if not quite as easy on the shoulder for less $.
Good luck with whatever you buy.

True, but he specifically said he plans to load several different cartridges.

If I were starting over again, within the OP's requirements I'd go straight to a Dillon 550 without messing around with other presses or equipment. As mentioned above, get all the tool heads and conversion kits for the different cartridges you'll load.
For me, that 1,000 rounds is a little over 2 hours work, and not a very big deal to do.

I recommend the 550 over the 650/750 because of easier swaps to different cartridges. There are a few things, like cartridge swaps and dealing with hiccups, where the 550 is better than the 650. But if a guy wants high volume and can pay for it, just go straight to the 1050.

Powder: 4.0g of Bullseye
Bullet: 185g Zero JHP or any 200g LSWC

Good luck!

^^^^^
Yes, good ones.

I have two "wad guns" that love Zero 185 LSWCHP over 3.6 grs BE.

550 here, does everything I need.

Still watching used ads for a bare 550 so can keep one large primer and one small.

Good answer, that is what I do
You can save a lot of money by using Lee dies and powder measures in Dillon heads, I actually prefer them in a lot of cases

Call me old and too conservative if you will, but I'm with Bob. If you are "in a hurry" to turn out lots of ammo for your handgun, you are taking chances I don't want to take. I've been handloading since 1958. Started handloading handgun rounds about 1962 or 63. Handguns, folks, are not near as strong as most rifles. It is ALOT easily to ruin one or blow one up when handloading. All it takes is a double charge of fast burning powder, or a bullet seated too deeply with some rounds in some guns. Especially semi auto guns. E

I have never had a double charge with my old RL550 B. Maybe because I am paranoid but you do have to watch what you are doing. That's just reloading O. I like the idea of gettting another one to stay with one size of primer in each machine. I have got way more than my money's worth out of this Dillon. Be Well, Rustyzipper.

Go with the 550 because it's "agile", meaning it's faster to change things up on it, plus it's plenty fast for thousands of rounds. I use one for R&D because I can adjust things faster. Once I get things tuned to where I want them I transfer the pattern to 1050's with Mark 7 drives, or Camdex machines. Many guys think they need a 1050, but in truth a 550 will crank out plenty of ammo in little time with minimum fussing around to change to a different cartridge. In general I'd need to crank out at least a couple thousand rounds to feel justified messing with a 650 or 1050. Additionally, a guy would have to shoot more than the average Joe to pay for a machine above a 550. We run 3 1050's and 3 Camdex units fwiw.

This is pretty much what I've been doing since the 1980's. I load on a single stage RCBS RS-2 press, When I was doing steel shoots at my club I needed about 1000 rounds per summer of 45ACP. I would do my loading in the winter months, batches of 100 at a time. Size and bell one day, clean and prime another, use a Lyman 55 measure for powder, weighing every 10th charge, and seat bullets. Store brass in coffee cans at each stage of the operation.

I wouldn't consider a progressive unless I needed >5,000 rounds/yr.