A trip back in time.

[Ben]

It wasn't always done with a progressive press.
I count myself fortunate to own this set of 310 tools with
plumb colored steel IDEAL handles ( circa 1947 ). My set is
complete and has a cast bullet sizing die for .310 " and
also one for .311".( those 2 dies are not seen in the photos below, I
acquired the cast bullet sizing dies from Rick at the " 310 Shop "
a few years ago.)

My set loads very nice, very accurate ammo. All my dies
are clean and rust free.

This is all from a time that seems to have passed us by.

PS........
I also have a complete 310 set in 38 Special / 357 Mag. and
a complete set in 358 Win. ( the 358 Win. is a rare one in the
310 die set series and not so very easy to find ).

Ben

 

[Brad]

I think many would be better served if they learned on such a tool. Really learn what happens at each step of the process. Learn why things are done the way they are.

I like the plum color on the handles, makes em look like a Ruger!

 

[Ben]

I was born in 1949, this set is older than I am.
When I'm loading with this set, I often times
will stop and think that someone ( most likely
they are dead now ) was loading ammo with this
tool before I was even born .

I think that is " neat ".

Yes, many reloaders today don't really understand
( and a lot don't really care ) what is going on inside
each of their dies.

Ben

 

[Rick]

I cringe every time hear of someone learning to reload on a progressive. Not a lot better even for those with more experience who say their only goal is how many an hour they can load.

 

[Brad]

I can load plenty fast to fit my needs. It isn't an endure range contest or race.

People today want instant gratification, not education. They want the result but ignore the process.

Ben, an old tool like that has history. It can load very good ammo even today. Best of all it lets you see and understand each step in the process. It is a very intimate reloading process and there is something to be said for that.

I'm sure Charles will be along shortly with a few photos of his 310 tools.

 

[Charles Graff]

Ben..I noticed the priming die in your pics is for the old round primers. Does it give you any problems when seating the new flat primers?

I also am a 310 fan, having complete sets (mostly boxed) to load the following calibers. I am not a collector but use these tools.

222 Remington
38/357
38 S&W
44 Spl and Mag
45 ACP/AR
45 Colt
30-30
308 Win.
30-40
30-06
8 X 57
303 British
32 Win. Spl.
38-55
45-70

 

[358156hp]

I cringe every time hear of someone learning to reload on a progressive. Not a lot better even for those with more experience who say their only goal is how many an hour they can load.

And they ask how to set it up because they don't comprehend the manufacturers directions. And then they get mad when you tell them to set the dies up one stage at a time before moving on to the next. I finally quit trying to help answer questions like that.

Like everybody else, I tried to see how fast I could load 100 rounds on a 550 Dillon. It went fast, but I couldn't help but think that my normal pace would have only taken a couple of minutes longer, and I wouldn't be so wired, and tired.

 

[Rick]

And no doubt have better confidence in your ammo.

 

[Ben]

Charles,

No the priming tool seats flat primers just
fine and doesn't leave any marks on them.

That's a VERY impressive list of calibers you're holding.

Ben

 

[Charles Graff]

I have 310 sets for every caliber I reload for on a regular basis except 25-20 WCF and I am on the watch for a good set in that caliber. I also have Lyman Shell Resizers (FL hand resizers) for each of those calibers, plus a bunch more. I like old tools, like doing things the old slow way and like the idea of reloading on he run.

 

[freebullet]

Wow that's a neat mold.

This just arrived today and I'm quite pleased to have it.

Lyman
Handbook of cast bullets #1

From 1958 it's much older than me. It still has the fold out poster in the back.

 

[Brad]

I am in awe of you guys. I have always viewed tools as just that, tools. I never looked at the history of the tool or what the tools has done or seen.
Nostalgia becomes a bigger factor as I age I suppose.

Great stories guys, keep it coming

 

[Charles Graff]

When forced to use a bench press, I am retro as well, using a battery of 4 pre-war Pacific presses for all handgun calibers except 38 Special which I load on a Redding Turret press, my only concession to the modern world.

 

[SwedeNelson]

Ben

Still have the 310 tool that I used in high school to load 30-30 Win. with.
Yes - had a reloading class in high school.

Bullet maker, maker
Al Nelson

 

[Ben]

Al :

If someone tried something like that today, OSHA, the EPA , Eric Holder, and all the henchmen from Wash, D.C. would swarm that school and have a public hanging of the teacher.

 

[JSH]

I'll be danged thought it was just me when discussing newbies and reloading presses. Makes me laugh when one of them gets a progressive then needs help setting it. Go help one, they then tell you how many rounds they are going to load and shoot in a year. A bunch! 300, maybe even up to 500!
Now gents I am just a high school graduate, and no college or higher education. But by no means am I just plain stupid. I may be a tad smarter than the average bear.
My math skills are lacking to my way of thinking, but on today's terms I am down right brilliant. Do the math on cost of initial press dies etc. Even starting with a used cheapy can get costly in a hurry.
I agree 110% with the above. You have to walk before you can run. And if you don't know when to slow down or down right stop the effects are irreversible. As my casting buddy and I tell folks, ammo is cheap, guns are expensive.
I refuse as nicely as I can to help one set up a progressive any more as others above have said too. I figure the manufacture made it let them help set it up.
Lol and here I set with three Hornady progressives just so I won't have to help the 550 crowd out anymore. What can I say, traded a 550 for two Hornady's with a bunch of shell plates. The guy told me nothing wrong with them, but they weren't blue.
Jeff

 

[freebullet]

My progressive loading isn't much faster than my single stage. I wouldn't want to shoot the ammo that comes from the load racing folks.

It saves strokes on the handle with pistol rounds. It also saves my hands from the rigors of hand priming large batches. Since it feeds the cases in the press it saves some case handling too.

I don't even set up the progressive for batches smaller than 1k. All rifle brass gets prepped before it hits the progessive if it does. Production comes after safety and enjoyment for me but I don't want to waste my time either.

If they aren't getting it try to give them clues or actual guidance. The traditions will not continue or advance if it's not passed along. Calling them dumb in your mind and going to do your own thing won't help anything.

I've helped several get started. I do agree a first press should be a single stage for the most part, some folks are just not good with machines. Learning the basics should be over with before throwing in the operation of a progressive machine.

 

[Ian]

Freebullet, I have the same philosophy with progressives. They're a time-saver for me with pistol ammo, but not in the sense most might think. Generally, I load a box of 50 at a time because I'm always tinkering with powder, bullets style, and alloy, but I don't get in a hurry so I can watch each operation carefully, including checking the powder dump with a pen light before seating each bullet. So I have three Lee Pro-1000 presses, with a fourth turret set up with a four-hole head and roll crimp dies for .45 ACP, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum (also have a head set up loaded with push-through sizer dies). When I want to reload a box, I just sit down in front of the appropriate progressive, set up the measure, set the seating die up, dump a box of brass in the collator, and crank out 50. If needed, I take my little bin of ammo the progressive just spit out, move over and do the roll crimping last as a separate operation in the dedicated turret press. Very little setup involved, and no shellplate changes. Most of my die heads haven't been adjusted in years except for maybe a seating depth tweak. One press does both .44 Magnum and .45 Colt, using the same shellplate carrier, all I do is swap loaded turret heads, adjust the measure pullback chain, and it's off to load ammo. Same with .38/.357 Magnum, just swap heads between the two on the same press so no need to adjust dies. All my rifle ammo is loaded on either a three hole or four hole Classic Turret (yes, I made one a three hole, manual index, easier that way for some calibers). Swap the shellholder and turret head, set up a powder measure, get out the loading blocks, and get going. Caliber changes take 10 seconds, and extra, loaded turrets for all calibers store all my dies set up already in the small plastic Folger's coffee cans.

That said, I still load shotgun shells with antique Lee whack-a-mole sets, and have a bunch of hand tools as well.

 

[Brad]

Come on Ian, we all know a REAL progressive is BLUE.

I like the Dillon for small runs of handgun ammo. I don't race and tend to load 200 to 300 rounds at a time then quit. Over a period of a few weeks I can build up a heap of ammo but without it being a race or work.

A noob shouldn't be anywhere near a progressive. Learn what happens at each step and get a really good handle on it. I had been loading for over a decade when I got mine and I still had some growing pains with it.

The Lyman 310 tool is the ultimate noob loading tool. It makes the process very intimate and that is a good thing.

 

[freebullet]