Manic Casting and Loading Session(s)

[FISH4BUGS]

I am in the middle of a manic .223 loading session and my goal is 3000+ loaded rounds.
Prior to the last component shortage, I stocked up on projectiles, powder, brass and primers. 3000 will just put a dent in my component stash.
I have come to the conclusion that I hate set up time. A Dillon 550 is a wonderful press, but setting it up is tedious when you use different bullets and a number of different calibers. So I have adopted the manic style of reloading. Set up and cast/load in larger quantities.
Since I don't have TV (not for 30 years) I can actually do productive things at night. Since I work from home, I can quit at 5 (or whenever), load for a couple of hours, have some dinner, then go back into the man cave for more reloading.
It is not hard, once you are set up, to bang out 300-500 in a leisurely evening.
My casting and case prep is on the same kind of schedule. I'll cast at night for a week or so and build up some inventory, Size and lube, and I am ready to reload.
The bottom line is that once set up, the production line is there. Just go out and start cranking out loaded rounds.
Winter is a bit tougher because the man cave is a converted (mostly rough finished) horse stall in the barn. The Hurricane heater can get it up to a working temperature (maybe 40) on all but the coldest days. Winters are long and hard here in New Hampshire.
Last spring, I cast some 2000 H&G #51's and loaded 2000+ 38 specials. Now I don't have to worry for a year or more about running out. Ditto on the 44 Specials with H&G #503.
That is kind of my goal: load large quantities and don't have to worry about it. It also has the side benefit of being relaxing and Zen-like. Yes, even case prep is enjoyable. Like gardening, it is cheap therapy.
Like gardening and putting food by, you are making something of value and usefulness. My other half calls it "man knitting". She does have a point.
It is a good feeling to have a closet full of ammo, particularly in this day and age. I'm sure the Fire Chief would have a stroke, but small town NH doesn't worry about that kind of stuff.

[Winger Ed.]

I'm a big batch guy too.
I use a Hornady, but the cal. change over is kind of tedious on it too.
Once it's all adjusted & such, I always load in increments of 1,000 with it, or more until I run out of that flavor of brass.

[Four-Sixty]

I doubt most fail to realize how much time they waste watching TV, or streaming. I've only shot about 4,000 rounds in the past year. But, they were all my reloads with bullets I cast.

[Rapier]

Loading on the Dillon 550 in my room setup is usually a larger volume project. I run a drop box full of reloads then pack them in seal a meal bags. Run more, etc. I found that the seal a meal bags store flat and stack well in those small cardboard shipping boxes.

[ShooterAZ]

I load big batches too, on the same setup as you, a Dillon 550. The description of "manic" for me though would be trying to load them all on a single stage press Once I find a load that I really like, I will usually stick with it. That keeps my settings the same and I keep my dies and powder measure on a Dillon toolhead stand. Just a toolhead switch out makes it pretty straight forward. That way the only real setup issue is if I have to change primer sizes, yeah that can be kind of a pain.

[Finster101]

I do the same on a 650. Once I get a recipe I like I tend to not change my load and setup so swapping out the tool head makes it fairly easy, but why not run a bunch at one time. Other than rimfire and some 6mm ARC to get brass I don't think I have shot a factory round in ten years.

[RayinNH]

Donald, if you ever need to, I can let you cast in a nice warm shop this winter You're not far away.

[Dave W.]

Interesting the different perspectives. I have a 550 & 650. Once the tool heads are set, it is pretty fast to change calibers on the 550. I prefer to run at least 100 at a time, but do use it for load development.

650 is a bit more troubling, mostly to change primer sizes and get the case feeder set up. On it, I try to run at least a 1000 at a time.

Lately I have been using up small quantities of powders and bullets that have been setting around.

[contender1]

I used to try & load up all my empty brass to where I had a lot of ammo available. However,, as I've aged,, I've decided that I need to shoot up loaded ammo, and keep plenty of components instead of loaded ammo.
That way,, my ammo is always "fresh", and if something were to happen to me,, the components can easily sell, while reloads, can't be sold.
Casting,, is often done during any real down time I can muster between my job, and other projects. Bullets are easily stored,, and converts raw metal into a salable component.

[atfsux]

I wouldn't describe my penchant for all-day loading sessions as "manic". Heck, I consider it therapy. For me, it is akin to meditation. How so? Well, meditation is really about calming one's mind and soul by pushing out all unnecessary things taking up bandwidth in your head. And because safety concerns when making ammunition DEMAND your full attention so that you don't accidentally blow yourself up with poorly crafted product,...I absolutely HAVE to push everything else out of my mind and just focus on what is at hand. No matter how bad my day or week has been, I forget all about it as I'm cranking out rounds. By the time I am done, I am relaxed and filled with a sense of accomplishment. Its good for my mental health.

And I have also found that once I have the progressive machine all set up and dialed in for a long production run where I don't have to adjust anything and I only have to keep the powder measure and primer tubes filled,...if I choose to I can turn on an educational program that is normally a tedious slog I have trouble sitting through, even though I WANT to learn the subject matter, and can just let it run in the background. Although I'm not actively listening to it and am more focused on the ammo fabrication, it becomes like a subliminal brain-washing or programming, and I retain a surprising percentage of it. Most recently, I spent 2 days playing a college level 10-episode course on the history of Russia. Geez,...is this all I had to do to get through college?! Dayum!!

[FISH4BUGS]

For me, it is akin to meditation. How so? Well, meditation is really about calming one's mind and soul by pushing out all unnecessary things taking up bandwidth in your head. And because safety concerns when making ammunition DEMAND your full attention so that you don't accidentally blow yourself up with poorly crafted product.

I agree wholeheartedly. I work with computers and software all day and like to empty my head at day's end. Casting and reloading does that for me.
Your point is well taken about having to pay attention. I have blown up two guns in my days - a S&W 3914 that was destroyed and a S&W 76 subgun which was built like a tank and just needed a magazine catch and some bolt work to repair it.
I usually listen to classical music just to lighten the background. But I pay 100% attention to my reloading and casting.

[FISH4BUGS]

Donald, if you ever need to, I can let you cast in a nice warm shop this winter You're not far away.

Ray: thanks for the kind offer.
There are usually a small number of days that, even with the heater, are too cold to cast or reload in the room.
That usually gives me a cheap excuse to do something else.

[FISH4BUGS]

I doubt most fail to realize how much time they waste watching TV, or streaming.

My son and I machine gunned our TV some 30 years ago. We administered the coup de gras with a 12 ga. (Yes, we cleaned up the mess). My son still doesn't have a TV.
It was liberating to say the least. I have been able to do so much more in my life without the TV, including yard work, work on the house, gardening, putting food by, casting, reloading and shooting. I think that has contributed to finally finding that work/life balance that is very important to us all.

[GregLaROCHE]

I used to reload in what I considered big batches at the time. 500. Now that I’m into muzzle loading, it’s one at a time.

[dverna]

Different protocols for me depending on the purpose.

I have a hunting load for the .308 and load a box or two at a time. That lasts for a long time. Three shots to check zero. If I am off, another 3 shots to zero. One shot at a deer. So 4-7 shots a year. I do not plink with the hunting rifle.

The .223's are done about 100-200 at a time.

When I was shooting Trap, I loaded in large batches with a PW800+ with Autodrive. On one miserable winter day I loaded 4000 rounds. Typically, would do 1000 at a sitting. But hunting loads are two boxes at a time on a PW375.

When shooting CAS, loaded 1000-2000 .38 Spl at a time. Do the same for 9mm practice ammunition. I can produce 2000 rounds in about 3 hours on the 1050. So not that onerous.

Things are easier when you realize having a half dozen or more "ideal" loads for a caliber is not needed. I use two 9mm loads in six guns. One is a cast bullet training load and another with XTP's. The five .223's all get the same jacketed load.

[Soundguy]

Love to see pics!

For casting I like big batches.. for loading I prefer small to medium batches.

Good luck!

[FISH4BUGS]

Things are easier when you realize having a half dozen or more "ideal" loads for a caliber is not needed. I use two 9mm loads in six guns. One is a cast bullet training load and another with XTP's. The five .223's all get the same jacketed load.

....and there is the answer to the problem.
I use 3 powders (WW231, 296 and 748) and ONE load for every different caliber I shoot.
I tested the loads (typically 1/2 gr below maximum) and settled on one that functioned the way it is supposed to.
My guns can shoot better than I ever will.
I am not the "try to put it through one hole at 100 yards" kind of guy.
If it goes bang every time and shoots well enough, that's fine by me.

[shooterg]

There's a reason I have 3 Square Deals and a 550 - plus the old old Lee Challenger and 2 Corbins . I HATE setting up .