On to the 30 Carbine!
Posted: 14 Jul 2018 07:33
After setting up seven pistol shell plates and turrets for pistol cartridges on the Load-Master, I moved on to the remainder of my rifle cartridges. I set up the 7.62x39 late last year or early this year on a stand-alone Load-Master and just finished the setup and batches of loads with the 218 Bee, 25-20 Win, and 32-20 Win. Now its the 30 Carbine's turn and this will involve using the Load-Master for load work as I move from the Hornady 110-grain RNSP to the NOE 311-115-LFN GC which is a clone of the Lee C309-113-F with a little more diameter to the body.
For rifle turret setup, based on my experience, I use a bullet seating die without the seating plug in station #2. With pistol cartridges, I use a sizing die with the decapper removed; however, with the extra length of rifle cartridges and the lack of carbide dies, that doesn't work out well as there is too much drag on the case without relubing the cases before the ammo run. The bullet seating die provides case alignment and stability without affecting the shoulder or neck. I set it up as I would if it were going to seat a bullet, one turn or more off shell plate contact (one full turn of any Lee die moves it a distance of .071") so that it does not crimp the mouth. My belief is that a sizing or seating die holds downward pressure on the case in the shell holder long before the Primer Rocker Arm makes contact with the 1/4-20 Screw (bolt) initiates primer movement
So for my setup, acquiring a second die body is an additional expense brought on by the Load-Master, but the positive priming I'm have experienced this year is worth both this effort as is beveling the primer pocket mouth with a crimp remover on every single case that enters the shell plate. Out of approximately 1,500 rounds of ammunition loaded setting up the Load-Masters this year I have not experienced a single missed or upset primer. I don't fret over priming anymore and don't need a camera or a light as I know that every case has been primed through the feel of the press.
You can get a complete sizing die through Lee Precision, in most case you must call them unless they are listed on this page. I mentioned that I use a sizing die with the pistol turrets, carbide sizing dies are listed here. If you want to go a bit cheaper, Lee will sell you the die body only, but you must call. If you don't want to call and want to go a few bucks less, look at FSReloading as they carry most of the die bodies were other dealers don't. The older die instructions have the part number of the bodies listed, sizing start with SD and seating with SB, but the new instructions don't. FS has a good search engine, search cartridge name along with seating or sizing body and it should pull it up.
For rifle turret setup, based on my experience, I use a bullet seating die without the seating plug in station #2. With pistol cartridges, I use a sizing die with the decapper removed; however, with the extra length of rifle cartridges and the lack of carbide dies, that doesn't work out well as there is too much drag on the case without relubing the cases before the ammo run. The bullet seating die provides case alignment and stability without affecting the shoulder or neck. I set it up as I would if it were going to seat a bullet, one turn or more off shell plate contact (one full turn of any Lee die moves it a distance of .071") so that it does not crimp the mouth. My belief is that a sizing or seating die holds downward pressure on the case in the shell holder long before the Primer Rocker Arm makes contact with the 1/4-20 Screw (bolt) initiates primer movement
So for my setup, acquiring a second die body is an additional expense brought on by the Load-Master, but the positive priming I'm have experienced this year is worth both this effort as is beveling the primer pocket mouth with a crimp remover on every single case that enters the shell plate. Out of approximately 1,500 rounds of ammunition loaded setting up the Load-Masters this year I have not experienced a single missed or upset primer. I don't fret over priming anymore and don't need a camera or a light as I know that every case has been primed through the feel of the press.
You can get a complete sizing die through Lee Precision, in most case you must call them unless they are listed on this page. I mentioned that I use a sizing die with the pistol turrets, carbide sizing dies are listed here. If you want to go a bit cheaper, Lee will sell you the die body only, but you must call. If you don't want to call and want to go a few bucks less, look at FSReloading as they carry most of the die bodies were other dealers don't. The older die instructions have the part number of the bodies listed, sizing start with SD and seating with SB, but the new instructions don't. FS has a good search engine, search cartridge name along with seating or sizing body and it should pull it up.