Does anyone use either the Ponsness/Warren Metallic II or the Metal-Matic P-200 presses? Are they any good? Have you had any problems?
Does anyone use either the Ponsness/Warren Metallic II or the Metal-Matic P-200 presses? Are they any good? Have you had any problems?
....................I think Deputy Al does. If he doesn't see this before too long send him a PM.
................Buckshot
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I use one as well. I really like it but you have to be careful or you will forget to throw a charge. It would be foolproof if you had an arrangement that would throw the powder automatically when the case was under the measure ala Dillon. I like it because you don't have to buy any expensive conversion kits. It is a very sturdy press. The Metallic 2 looks like it would be a good press but is much more $.
Beau
At one with the gun.
hi i had a P 200 for a couple of years but when the dillon came out i sold it . it worked very well for me and i loaded a lot of rouns on it with no problems i sold it to a frend and he is still useing it .
I really like mine--although I suspect my recent stuck j-word critter in the Marlin 25-20 was caused by failure to dispense powder as per Beau Cassidy's advisement. MY FAULT--not the machine's. I was likely under the influence of a grandson, one (or more) of the Amazon Horde, or some combination of that Disturbance Cartel. Rule #01.133.005(C)--DO NOT LOAD AMMO WHEN DISTRACTED.
The P-W system makes a lot of sense for someone already deeply invested in single-stage dies and shell holders, and who loads small to moderate counts of cartridges in a number of calibers. It's not as fast as a Dillon, but MUCH faster than one-at-a-time. If you only have to buy dies for 3-5 calibers, I think the Dillon would be a better idea. I was looking at buying 12-13 die sets for the then-extant Dillon systems, so that was a non-starter for me. Also, I don't really load enough of most calibers to exploit the production advantage a fully progressive system enables.
I use the P-200, which is good for just about all the handgun calibers plus hyphenated W-W rounds like the 25-20 and 32-20. 22 Hornets did well when I loaded those, and there's enough clearance to do 223's--although I resize on the Rockchucker first, then process the rounds on the P-W. If I still had the HK-91 or M1A, I wouldn't hesitate to get one of the larger rifle machines. Again, I don't shoot enough of any caliber to justify the outlay right now.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
Al, how did you solve your stuck bullet problem? It may be a good thing to post here for further and future knowledge. Maybe even a new thread in gunsmithing, for people to tell how they have dealt with this? I'm sure it will happen to me some day. Last time I remember, was about twenty years ago, shooting a friends reloads in my old Sharps Business rifle. No powder, but easy to remove.
Comments made on the Gunsmithing portion of the board. A powder checking step wouldn't be hard to incorporate on the P-W machine, the cases are easily removed at any step of the loading process.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
I find myself doing more 'spermentin than anything. Should I desire and eventually get a whole hog GOOD progressive press, I will keep the PW for loading the smaller batches of ammo to test. It is much easier than one at a time. Not that single stage is bad. I used to batch pistol ammo in large runs of over 1K rounds. After about 20 years of doing that I wanted something a little faster. I have used a few progressives to include Dillon. I just haven't been satisfied (or is that happy?) with any of them. A couple of years I bought a Star Universal, a powder measure with shutoff, an adjustable powder bar, and a bunch of different powder measure bars. Everything is sitting in the corner. Go figger.
Beau
At one with the gun.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |