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Going to load some lead boolits in 30-06, and others if I get this one figured out. Station 1 sizing and de-priming die, station 2(this is where I need help.) what die do i use to flare the case mouth to get lead boolits to seat, and is this where it goes? Or do I put it in after I drop powder like in station 4?
I think either location would work. I would put it in hole 2 (where it also primes).
A Lyman M die is what you want. (or another manufacturer's equivalent)
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/129...0-caliber-long
I've never loaded lead rifle before but here's what I'd do.
FL size in #1 (of course)
Try seating a boolit. If it shaves any off, then maybe look into a Lyman M die.
If nothing seems to get shaved, pull the round & remeasure to see if it got sized down at all.
I've got a Pro2k & I would, if need be, use the M die in #2 but I suppose it can be placed after your powder drop.
Fluxed beat me to it
One thing I don't see mentioned in this thread is that with rifle cartridges, unlike pistol, you generally need to trim the cases before you go further in the reloading process.
I own a Pro 2K and here's how I handle things:
Run 1 - lube/deprime, size/trim and tumble off the press. To do this, I use an RCBS lube die in station one to lube the case and deprime it. I then skip a station and use station 3 with a Dillon size/trim die and a Dillon 1200 trimmer on top. I also attach a small shop vac to the trimmer to vacuum up brass trimmings. I keep the felt in the RCBS lube die really well soaked with RCBS lube and cases are very quickly processed and dropped in the bin. I think take the cases to my tumble with corn cob/walnut shell mix to clean off the lube and mild polish. At this point, the cases are ready to load, but can be stored in a plastic shoe box with lid until I'm ready to load them.
Run 2 - prime, expand case/drop powder, place boolit and seat boolit. For this, I use the Pro 2K for priming, then I have a powder through/expander insert in my powder measure. The expansion part is very similar to a Lyman M-die. If these are not available commercially for the powder measure I want to use in the cartridge I'm reloading, I get a machinist from the board to make me one. Once the case is primed and the next expanded and powder dumped, I seat the boolit by hand or use a bullet feeder if I have one in that caliber. Finally, I use a Forster seating die to seat the bullet. I prefer it over the Redding brand because it's got a larger, more easily seen and adjusted scale, leaves less mark on the bullet/boolit than the Redding and is a more durable die than the Redding.
I've found the above method of reloading rifle brass to produce excellent cartridges and is about the fastest way to get the job done.