[UltimateReloader]

Hey all- thought I would post links to some articles I'm working on:

Reloading Safety - A basic primer
Reloading Safety: Powder Check Systems Overview
Dillon XL-650 / 1050 Powder Check System

Safety is perhaps the most important aspect of reloading, so please check out these posts, and share your experiences.

Here's a spoiler:

Image copyright 2010 Ultimate Reloader

Stay tuned for more coverage, including the RCBS lockout die!

You can also subscribe to my blog via email here:
www.ultimatereloader.com/subscribe

Thanks,
Gavin

[XDRoX]

Saw it yesterday on your site Gavin. Looks great. Keep up the good work.

[Bello]

you are definitely one of my fav's on youtube im def a subscriber

[IndyGunFreak]

I saw this the other day, informative read, as always.

You plan on doing any videos of the RCBS Lockout Die? I'm curious how this die works, and when it does "lock up", how you go about clearing the stoppage.

IGF

[shotgunred]

Two of the four systems you talk about offer nothing better or safer than you looking in the cases. the other two are not necessary as long as you keep an eye on how much powder is in your press. You should never let the powder get low enough for any of these devices to do you any good.

[XDRoX]

Originally Posted by shotgunred

Two of the four systems you talk about offer nothing better or safer than you looking in the cases. the other two are not necessary as long as you keep an eye on how much powder is in your press. You should never let the powder get low enough for any of these devices to do you any good.

This is the on going argument against powder check dies. The way I see it, it's one more safety device that may prevent an accident. I don't use them either, but I'd never fault anybody for using one. And I have to admit, it'd be nice loading 357mag.

[GOA Guy]

Has anyone here used the Powder Cop die for 22 caliber rifle reloading? Specifically .223 and 22-250.

[GioaJack]

Originally Posted by GOA Guy

Has anyone here used the Powder Cop die for 22 caliber rifle reloading? Specifically .223 and 22-250.

Just turn the metering rod upside down for use in small mouth cases like .223... after that it works the same way.


Jack

[shotgunred]

26 post all in threads started by himself. Ultimatereloader must not be very social.

[unclebob]

Of the powder check dies, I only like two of them the Dillon and the RCBS Lock Out Die. I have seen where I person on here a long time ago made it so the Dillon powder check worked on his 550 press. I like the Dillon because it well give you an audible and a visual check for no powder or too much powder. And the RCBS because it well lock up the press
A lot of people say you do not need the powder check die. Yes and no.
First of all if you do like you should and like the books say don’t let your powder measure get below ½ empty. So you should not run out of powder. You should look inside each and every case. But there are cases where you cannot look inside the case too verify the charge. Then what do you do. You can have powder bridge in the powder measure. And not drop the charge. You can be temporary distracted and not check the case for powder and install a bullet on an empty case. There are a lot of reasons for using one.

[GOA Guy]

Originally Posted by unclebob

You should look inside each and every case. But there are cases where you cannot look inside the case too verify the charge. Then what do you do. You can have powder bridge in the powder measure. And not drop the charge. You can be temporary distracted and not check the case for powder and install a bullet on an empty case. There are a lot of reasons for using one.

This is where I'm at....I have never loaded for rifle on a progressive and at least while getting started I'd like to verify charges. I have to admit to rarely checking powder charges for pistol rounds on my progressives and will probably treat the rifle rounds the same after the novelty wears off. I don't even know how you could use a mirror to see the powder charge in a .223 when in the shell plate. I'm about sick of loading 5.56 for my AR15s on my single stage presses. I'm thinking of using my 550. I think that means the Dillon set up is out, without rigging it up in some fashion. The RCBS Lock Out Die won't work on 22 caliber cartridges and I don't know if the RCBS powder check will or not. That's why I'm thinking Powder Cop. It's cheap too if I decide all is well without it after my initial break in to progressive rifle reloading. I looks to me like I could put it in station 3 and still quickly start a bullet in the case at station 4. I won't be crimping so this should work. Any thoughts.....?

[GOA Guy]

Originally Posted by GioaJack

Just turn the metering rod upside down for use in small mouth cases like .223... after that it works the same way.


Jack

Thanks Jack!

[Colorado4Wheel]

Originally Posted by shotgunred

26 post all in threads started by himself. Ultimatereloader must not be very social.

He comes here to promote his site.

[XDRoX]

Originally Posted by Colorado4Wheel

He comes here to promote his site.

Yep, he's not much for forums, but he does have a pretty cool site. I love browsing his photos for ideas. He has a super clean setup and lots of nice toys.

Check out the steel on the edge of his bench and the steel beam under his LNL. When I remodel my garage I'm going to steal a bunch of his ideas.

Image copyright 2010 Ultimate Reloader

[DoctaGlockta]

I thought about getting a powder cop die when I started reloading but opted not to get one.

Instead I do two things:

1. Look into every case before I seat a bullet

2. Use powders that would make it oblivious if I had a double charge ie. it would be spilling out all over the place.

I'm too lazy to have another die that I have to adjust whenever I change calibers.

[unclebob]

Originally Posted by DoctaGlockta

I thought about getting a powder cop die when I started reloading but opted not to get one.

Instead I do two things:

1. Look into every case before I seat a bullet

2. Use powders that would make it oblivious if I had a double charge ie. it would be spilling out all over the place.

I'm too lazy to have another die that I have to adjust whenever I change calibers.

1. That is great it only took me 48 years before I missed one.
2. Great but that does nothing for a squib load.

[DoctaGlockta]

Originally Posted by unclebob

1. That is great it only took me 48 years before I missed one.
2. Great but that does nothing for a squib load.

I knew someone was going to call me on a short charge and almost put that in my post.

Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on your perspective) I have had many squib loads in my short reloading career. All of them within the first few months. I was careful and cautious enough to stop what I was doing.

ANY time I fire a cartridge and don't think anything left the barrel or the slide does not cycle I stop, field strip my pistol, take the barrel out and look.

YMMV

[unclebob]

Originally Posted by DoctaGlockta

I knew someone was going to call me on a short charge and almost put that in my post.

Unfortunately or fortunately (depending on your perspective) I have had many squib loads in my short reloading career. All of them within the first few months. I was careful and cautious enough to stop what I was doing.

ANY time I fire a cartridge and don't think anything left the barrel or the slide does not cycle I stop, field strip my pistol, take the barrel out and look.

YMMV

So that means you have not been doing No.1 100% of the time.

[DoctaGlockta]

Originally Posted by unclebob

So that means you have not been doing No.1 100% of the time.

Yep - when I first started I did a few things wrong I suppose. But with help from the blokes on this board I saw the errors of my ways and kept keeping on. Fortunately no one got hurt and I learned quite a bit quickly.

I now know how to clear a misfire pretty quickly. I also know what a squib feels/looks like and what to do about it (after the range gunsmith charged me $25 and 3 days to clear my squib I learned how to do that real quick).

I am now confident enough to know when to stop and take a closer look at things. I will still make the odd mistake.

[Colorado4Wheel]

I won't be reloading in 48 years so I think I'm safe. If I am reloading in 49 years I will be sure to watch out.

[MrSmoofy]

I knew very little about reloading, but now that I've spent a few hours reading/watching Tim's site I have alot more understanding of how it all works now.

[shotgunred]

Whether his name is Tim or Gavin if his main purpose coming here is to promote his site he should advertise with Eric instead of just doing these drive buys.

[wongman1]

I like the Ultimate Reloader site. Learned lots from it. His vids are much clearer than most youtubes. Even bought his roller handle for my LnL, which improves the ergo's.

If it helps other reloaders, let him promote the site here. I dont think it hurts anyone.

[wongman1]

Originally Posted by IndyGunFreak

I saw this the other day, informative read, as always.

You plan on doing any videos of the RCBS Lockout Die? I'm curious how this die works, and when it does "lock up", how you go about clearing the stoppage.

IGF

I have this die in my LnL now. Although I havent reloaded my first round yet, the test runs seem to work well.

If the powder level is incorrect in the case, the case will not feed thru the die completely, thus preventing the press from turning. Theres a rod that is set at a certain level before it allows the case to pass thru the die, kinda like the case activated powder drops. To clear it, you simply lower the shell plate and fix what is wrong and move on. It seems to be sensitive to a grain or 2.

[XDRoX]

Originally Posted by wongman1

I like the Ultimate Reloader site. Learned lots from it. His vids are much clearer than most youtubes. Even bought his roller handle for my LnL, which improves the ergo's.

If it helps other reloaders, let him promote the site here. I dont think it hurts anyone.

I agree. I find it comical that him posting links to his site actually irritates some people.