Reloading Setup Question

[LR1955]

Still amazes me you american folks accept having to pay anything for medical bills

Because we do not accept the oppression and slavery of socialism and seeing half of our income disappear in returned for third rate health care that is rationed to all but the elite.

This forum is about getting performance from a firearm -- not politics or social systems.

Keep it that way.

LR55

[Popeye212]

I too have had negative results in my Marksman with the locknload. I have a hornady progressive I use for pistol and .223 it works ok in that one. But in no way do I expect precision rounds out of that thing. In a single stage the lock n load are made of aluminum which will wear and change the dies depth. And the above stated reasons which Harpoon explained. In a nutshell for precision reloading they are a pain.

[jasper2408]

but not the Hornady Lock Load bushing system

I looked at using the Hornady bushing system when I bought my MEC. I looked around UTube and found some videos of the bushing threads stripping out and other not so good things and decided that the bushings weren't for me. I was looking for some precision on this press so I just got used to changing dies out. If you don't want to change out dies so much then look at a good turret press.

My recommendations for components would be to get the best press, dies, and powder measure that you can up front. You can go cheap on the stuff like powder funnels and loading blocks and there are some good cheap digital scales out there too. I still use my 2 old cheap Lee powder funnels that cost me 3.00 each. They work on everything I reload except for .380 stuff, the cases don't stand tall enough in the loading block. Also the Hornady comparator set and calipers. I use the Hornady on press bullet puller now but I started with and still have a kinetic bullet puller. You can always replace components later on one at a time when money becomes available to upgrade.

[BVickery1974]

Thanks for the locknload feed back. Nixing that.

[LR1955]

I too have had negative results in my Marksman with the locknload. I have a hornady progressive I use for pistol and .223 it works ok in that one. But in no way do I expect precision rounds out of that thing. In a single stage the lock n load are made of aluminum which will wear and change the dies depth. And the above stated reasons which Harpoon explained. In a nutshell for precision reloading they are a pain.

Popeye:

I would like to see what a guy is doing to the Lock N Load bushings to wear them out. I can't imagine how many times a guy would have to unscrew and replace them to wear them enough to even loosen them.

That said, they really don't make anything much faster when it comes to changing cartridges that the locking ring on the die won't do. Just don't have to unscrew them for ever to get them out. I have a Lock N Load A.P. that uses them and they certainly would not be a deciding issue with me in terms of buying a press.

LR55

[Popeye212]

Popeye:

I would like to see what a guy is doing to the Lock N Load bushings to wear them out. I can't imagine how many times a guy would have to unscrew and replace them to wear them enough to even loosen them.

That said, they really don't make anything much faster when it comes to changing cartridges that the locking ring on the die won't do. Just don't have to unscrew them for ever to get them out. I have a Lock N Load A.P. that uses them and they certainly would not be a deciding issue with me in terms of buying a press.

LR55

Every ones mileage varies they are ok in my Lock n Load AP where I am not concerned with precision rounds. Didn't say the would wear out. But I have seen enough movement on my single stage to remove the adapter. I'm retired so the extra time it takes to screw and unscrew the dies is not a factor. The presses he mentioned can all be converted except for the Forster and die change in that is a non issue. The beauty of it is we all have a choice.

[lazyengineer]

Donno what to say. I've cycled my LnL presses close to 200,000 times, probably more - and don't wear bushings out. As to how well they perform - I just tested my Creedmoor run-out yesterday, and measured it to be less than 0.001", from the LnL system. Usually I don't bother to check, as in a semi-auto, you can run 0.005" or even more and it not really matter. And since Grendel is designed as an AR15 round; I run it in an AR15. As to performance, I've got plenty of precision competition trophies and awards running LnL progressive run ammo.

To each their own. Dillon makes a fine machine with certain aspects I like. Lee makes a great turret machine that's quite underappreciated. RCBS makes a solid spectrum of machines. I don't know anything about MEC, but to be honest, this isn't that hard. So long as the ram is aligned with the hole the die goes into, most machines are just fine.

If adjusting or popping out LnL dies is cumbersome; then certainly don't run it. I find it very easy to make adjustments. and if they rotate out of lock while making adjustments, who cares? Let it bottom out rotated that way, finishing making the adjustment, rotate it back into lock, then go. Never been an item for me.

I'm not getting paid to promote it, and my identity isn't really that locked into it, so no worries if the LnL isn't for you. They have a little learning curve to get runnign right, but not that steep. As a heavy reloader who shoots competitive for accuracy out 600 yards several times a month, and out to 1400 yards occasionally for fun, the LnL system works pretty good for me, is all I can say. FWIW, most of my friends in competition prefer to run Dillon's. Some run the Lee Turret. I don't know anybody who runs a MEC.

[Oso Polaris]

I started reloading on a Rockchucker15-20 years ago. I have loaded 50K of rifle cartridges, and pulled the ram another 500K doing case prep and case forming. I recently retired it to become a dedicated de-priming station and case forming (heavy work). I have gotten my investment out of it. I recently upgraded to a MEC Marksman... I have large hands and really like the open front access of the MEC. I was on the fence with the Coaxial Press which was impossible to find, and the upgrade to move the lifter arms for the ram out of the way is another $150... so now you are at +$600.... Might as well buy the Aea 51 press for a $1000.

MEC Marksman is a steal for the price. I am very impressed... it is amazingly smooth and compact. I reload for a bunch of calibers. I have used the Hornady LocknLoad bushings on another press and appreciated the convenience of swapping out dies. For me it wasn't the effort to screw in the die that was a hassle. My issue was the annoyance of unscrewing a die that had tightened down in the press during use. Now I am having to apply some torque to remove the reloading die and periodically the locking ring rotate separately from the die body...even when/if using the reloading die wrench. Now all of my adjustment just went out the window and I have to reset the die, which kills consistent repeatability. The minor variation that the LocknLoad setup introduced didn't seem to be nearly as extreme as the dies periodically shifting when stuck.

I am on the fence and haven't yet installed the LocknLoad bushing into the MEC.

Easy Kit Upgrade - Quality Powder Funnel like the 21st Century with 3" clear tube. No more spills and can see if the powder has gotten backed-up at the case mouth.

[Harpoon1]

MEC Marksman is a steal for the price

[BVickery1974]

Update:

It has begun, took first true steps into getting into reloading.

I have a Forster Co-Ax coming as well as Hornady New Dimension Dies per thread research. I am not sure on which chrono, toss up between MS3 or the upcoming Caldwell Velociradar, will be one of the last things I grab before I actually reload.

What would be some essentials beyond case prep and scale, components.

[myrifle]

Update:

It has begun, took first true steps into getting into reloading.

I have a Forster Co-Ax coming as well as Hornady New Dimension Dies per thread research. I am not sure on which chrono, toss up between MS3 or the upcoming Caldwell Velociradar, will be one of the last things I grab before I actually reload.

What would be some essentials beyond case prep and scale, components.

Some good 1 subject notebooks one for each rifle, to record load data results/weather,temps,humidity.

Comes in real handy down the road.

[BVickery1974]

Some good 1 subject notebooks one for each rifle, to record load data results/weather,temps,humidity.

Comes in real handy down the road.

I never thought of that. Right now only going 1 rifle, but love the idea. Definately grab a notebook.

[myrifle]

I never thought of that. Right now only going 1 rifle, but love the idea. Definately grab a notebook.

Great notes is great science. Great science is great results.

[Oso Polaris]

For Case Trimming this is a good solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FvVZ-_XY1I&t=14s

Hornady OAL Gage ( you mentioned that you already have the Hornady Bullet Comparator and Hornady Shoulder Bump / Body Comparator)
> determine bullet seating to the lands
> not as relevant for AR15 where mag length set the load length

Sinclair Chamber Length Gage
> determine max length of rifle's chamber so that you know max length to trim cases.

Frankford Arsenal Hand Priming Tool

21st Century Neck Expander Die & Mandrel (don't use the factory expander ball that comes with the FL Sizing Die)

LE Wilson Case Gage

[Old Bob]

For Case Trimming this is a good solution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FvVZ-_XY1I&t=14s

Hornady OAL Gage ( you mentioned that you already have the Hornady Bullet Comparator and Hornady Shoulder Bump / Body Comparator)
> determine bullet seating to the lands
> not as relevant for AR15 where mag length set the load length

Sinclair Chamber Length Gage
> determine max length of rifle's chamber so that you know max length to trim cases.

Frankford Arsenal Hand Priming Tool

21st Century Neck Expander Die & Mandrel (don't use the factory expander ball that comes with the FL Sizing Die)

LE Wilson Case Gage

Oso... Is each 21st Century mandrel $21.50 or is that for a specific set of 5 mandrels? 21st Century has some interesting & unique pieces of equipment.