How many rounds can you load per hour?

[zoid 24]

I'm doing maybe around 300-350. I don't go very fast.

I do a visual powder level check on every round before

I seat the bullet as to avoid squibs and double charges.

This is with handgun loads on a Let Pro 1000 Progressive

Press.

 

I've actually timed myself at a quicker pace and I have

done 8-10 in a minute which equates to much more per hour.

I feel like I should be over 500 an hour, but it never

works out that way.

 

Not sure if I'm below average, too slow, or whatever. I

know it's not a race. Just trying to get a sense of an

average pace if there is one.

[Old School 611]

I think you are doing very well. Pistol calibre? Right?

[Jon 264]

You load a shiteload faster than me, but I'm on a Lee Classic Turret.

[MrP 81]

I actually timed myself a few days ago. I average 4.9 rounds a minute or just under 300 an hour. 9mm using a Lee Classic Turret, powder checking each round.

[zoid 24]

Oh wow, I thought I was slow. I read on the interwebs people doing 500-600 an hour.

I don't mind doing a session here and a session there. A few days later you have

enough ammo for the month or more. Fine with me.

[Jon 264]

Oh wow, I thought I was slow. I read on the interwebs people doing 500-600 an hour.

I don't mind doing a session here and a session there. A few days later you have

enough ammo for the month or more. Fine with me.

 

Clearly you need to shoot more.

[zoid 24]

Clearly you need to shoot more.

 

I won't object to that!

[NicePants 58]

0 an hour, because I don't reload!

 

Although, once I have the cash I wouldn't mind learning how to so I can load my own .357 magnums.

[Babaganoosh 192]

Probably could do 500 to 600 an hour if I had the primer tubes already loaded up. That's one every 8 seconds. Probably could go a little faster but that's more than enough for me. I actually had a squib at this past Sundays steel match, so obviously I need to slow down a little.

 

I load on a Hornady LNL by the way, no powder check station. Going to do the RCBS lock out die after that squib. Granted it was 1 out of a few thousand but probably worth it unless I hate the powder thru expander.

[Maksim 1,504]

Probably could do 500 to 600 an hour if I had the primer tubes already loaded up. That's one every 8 seconds. Probably could go a little faster but that's more than enough for me. I actually had a squib at this past Sundays steel match, so obviously I need to slow down a little.

 

I load on a Hornady LNL by the way, no powder check station. Going to do the RCBS lock out die after that squib. Granted it was 1 out of a few thousand but probably worth it unless I hate the powder thru expander.

 

 

RCBS lock out die for the win.

 

I load about 400 an hour with various stoppages to refill primer tubes and all, with case feeder on lnl.

 

Separate seat/crimp, 5 stations. Resize, powder through expander, lock out die, seat, crimp.

[Old School 611]

#1 don't believe all the internet BS. For all you know those 600/ hour guys maybe the guys that give reloads a bad name.

BTW all my reloads go through a chamber block when they're done. It takes time but you can do it watching TV.

[usnmars 136]

I only use single stage for both pistol and rifle. On the nights I dont feel like loading but doing something in the "cave" I just process brass. I have a stash of fully processed and primed brass for every caliber I load. I average about 150-200 per hour for pistol and for rifle about 100. For the pistol I just use my "little dandy" powder measure and weigh every 10th charge. For rifle I weigh every charge and get it exact on what I want it. I dont trust progressives so single stage for me.

[Socom 19]

i can load about 100 in ten mins or less on my xl650 so i would say roughly 500 because of primer flipping and loading the tube usually i just count out brass in 100 stacks and i have like 8 primer tubes i fill them if i am in a go fast mood then i could probably knock out 6-700

[zoid 24]

I don't know about other presses but the primer system on the Lee slows things down in my opinion.

Especially since if you're not paying attention and the primer count gets low they stop feed correctly

and it can cause all sorts of issues. That can be a 5-10 minute ordeal right there.

[Maksim 1,504]

I don't know about other presses but the primer system on the Lee slows things down in my opinion.

Especially since if you're not paying attention and the primer count gets low they stop feed correctly

and it can cause all sorts of issues. That can be a 5-10 minute ordeal right there.

 

 

The priming system on the lee is alot easier than picking up primers with a tube. =)

 

I do have to pick up more primer pick up tubes. Dumping 100, then getting more is the biggest slowdown I have.

[compujas 21]

I've done the math before but I can't quite remember now. It's either 50 per 1/2 hour or 50 per hour for pistol. I have a single stage in case you couldn't tell. And that's starting with prepped and sized brass. I also load rifle, but like usnmars I weigh every charge exactly, so that's much slower. I've only been at it for less than a year so far so I haven't upgraded to a progressive yet.

[raz-0 1,259]

9mm slows me down, .45 is the fastest. .40 is somewhere in the middle.

 

For 45 I could do 100 an hour on my lee turret using batch deprime/resize and hand prime, then load the rest of it normal.

 

On the lnl ap, I could get 450 per hour.

[Maksim 1,504]

Matt, why do you say 9mm slows you down?

 

Just want to see if you are dealing with the same thing as me. The 9mm case seems to take more effort to resize.

[PeteF 1,044]

#1 don't believe all the internet BS. For all you know those 600/ hour guys maybe the guys that give reloads a bad name.

BTW all my reloads go through a chamber block when they're done. It takes time but you can do it watching TV.

 

 

These are the guys with auto brass and auto bullet feeders. If you spend >1K on equipment 600 an hour is not that hard.

[PeteF 1,044]

RCBS lock out die for the win.

 

+1000

 

I the LNL also and can get to 500/hr, I have 4 primer pickup tubes preloaded. But I usually run around 300 or so.

I usually load 500 of a given round, take a break, then switch to the next round I need to make.

[Maksim 1,504]

where did you get extra pickup tubes for it?

[Babaganoosh 192]

where did you get extra pickup tubes for it?

 

I got mine from midway I believe. I used it to bump my order up to get a discount of 10 bucks off 100.

[AS350Driver 56]

Matt, why do you say 9mm slows you down?

 

Just want to see if you are dealing with the same thing as me. The 9mm case seems to take more effort to resize.

 

 

I just started doing 9mm, and noticed this as well. .45acp is much easier to size. I've never really timed myself, i'm fairly new to using a progressive press and just make sure i'm paying attention to everything. BTW, using a Lee Loadmaster, and have had only two tipped primers, everything else has worked fine.

[Maksim 1,504]

I have my lnl mounted to a wood desk, and 40 cal is effortless, with 9mm, which I did not load on this press yet, took quite a bit more effort.

[AS350Driver 56]

When I first set the press up for 9mm I initially thought I screwed something up because of the amount of effort it took. I checked the setting on the die three times, and examined the brass thinking that it just didn't feel right. It's nice to hear from someone else that it takes a bit more effort, thanks.

[Socom 19]

 

 

xl 650 on left

 

lee ss on right

[raz-0 1,259]

Matt, why do you say 9mm slows you down?

 

Just want to see if you are dealing with the same thing as me. The 9mm case seems to take more effort to resize.

 

It's the size of the components. .45 is like duplo, 40 is like Lego, and 9 is like Lego technics... Small and fiddly. On top of that, with .45 you only really have to deal with crimped primer pockets. With 9 you have that plus 9x21, 9x23, 38 super and supercomp, 9x18 and .380 all easily sneaking in and screwing things up.

[Jon 264]

I don't know about other presses but the primer system on the Lee slows things down in my opinion.

Especially since if you're not paying attention and the primer count gets low they stop feed correctly

and it can cause all sorts of issues. That can be a 5-10 minute ordeal right there.

 

Only takes me 2-3min to reload the primer tray, and I'm good for another 200 rounds. I have no primer feeding issues until I have only 2 primers left.

[tbtrout 141]

I load at a comfortable pace. I do not try to crank out as many as I can as fast as I can. My guns are worth more than an extra 100 rds. I average 300/hr on my SDB. sometimes more, sometimes less depending on caliber. You think 9mm is a pain try loading 380.

[zoid 24]

I also notice a little more effort for the 9mm. The 45ACP feels smoother.