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reloading questions/advice if you would please?

My reloading bench is in the garage. The pool noodle on the edge of the bench is to keep my truck grill from hitting it.
When I first read this my first thought was... is he describing from the belly button up or the belly button down?????? Judging from the height of the stool in the picture, I'd guess it's above.

Sorry if I misunderstood what you were describing !!! ;):D:D
 
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Isn't welding cast iron technically called "braising", or "brazing"?
No, while it is possible to 'braze' cast iron, there is also a process of actual metal fusion welding. Done right, it's much stronger and usually reserved for the heavier pieces of cast iron than brazing. It requires a Tig function with a shielding gas and depending on the piece to be repaired may even require much pre-heating and slow cooling..
 
Aluminum will often break easier even than cast iron. Either is very expensive to have welded/repaired. Like bob, I have a 'Spoolmatic' for the aluminum, but it doesn't work for cast iron. That's a very critical Tig job to be done right.
I have had my dillon550 since '84, but if it did break Dillon would replace it free! I had an indexing wheel (pewter most likely) break and they sent me a new 1 no questions asked with no shipping also!
 
Just a tip, but you might want to 'through' drill those bolt holes at the front of the press and add a couple machine bolts/nuts. The way it's bolted now if you were to get a 'stuck' case and pulled up on the press handle too hard, it could easily break out one or both holes on the rear edge of the press base.

I'm pretty sure the "Dillons" are made of cast iron, unlike mild steel, and it is breakable under just the right stresses. It may never in your life time break on you, but if it does, your press is most likely done. Cast can be welded, but it'll never look the same and very well may not ever really be the same again.

Just a little 'food for thought'. You got a great deal ...... it'd be a shame to break it for something so simple to fix.
i actually do have longer bolts. it'll get done, thanks
 
ok, so i got that new credit card the other day, but sleep schedules have been off, so to order what i want will actually be for another day.

i have "planned" on getting the Lee Pro 4000 from one of the online places i do business with.

my first choice of ammo to reload will be .45 ACP, as this is my favorite to shoot.

i "may" buy other dies and plates for (maybe) 38 special, 357, 9mm, and maybe 44 special (even though i haven't any 44 caliber gun, and may never own a 44 caliber gun. my "thoughts" are geared up, for when i go to sell the equipment, i can offer more to the buyer and not limit myself to only the .45 ACP, if you get what i mean?

ok, so i got a hold of a possible purchase of used tumbler and digital scale (Frankford Arsenal) from a RSO.

then i still need a bullet puller, case gauges (maybe one block, rather than separate ones) and a few other odds and ends, like a digital caliper for OAL measurements.

i already have the latest Lyman reloading book. i know that the gun powder websites have specs, as well as another book (or 2) will be in my future.

now, regarding just the gun powder, i'd like "smoke free"? and if so, what do YOU reloaders use for good, dependable, gunpowder for a new guy like me, that right now, just wants, near factory specs. at my age, i am not into competitions, or hot loads, PLUS it is NOT smart to go off the specs for anything BUT factory specs.

as far as primers, i know i'll need (if i can find them) large pistol and small pistol primers. name brand not withstanding, price may dictate what i can buy.

as far as bullets, i have heard of Berry's, and a few others that i have in my search favorite, but what is the general consensus of what YOU buy?

right now, we all know cost is a factor, i clean my guns regularly, so leading may not be an issue, if i do not go FMJ bullets.

also, do ANY of you write down your "recipes" for your reloads, as well as day, date, performance, maybe lot number of the powder, etc, etc?

i will have other questions in the near future, thanks in advance to all that read and help, advise, recommend..!!
Many folks sometime forget that that old 38spl ( single or double action ) has been around many years and a lot of old detectives carried them on duty and off duty and still use them for concealed carry in today's world. Back 60s a lot of us kept that weapon in the night stand but we had a secret load which made a better than great defense load and if you have the hand loader, you know one round which I have for 45s but in the outback helps deal with boredom and I will someday get one for 38spl so I can sit in my hide and load. The best defense load that we came up with was a hollow base 146 semi wadcutter which we reversed and p3gr of Bullseye behind it. this is a close quarters load and was shot out of a model 19 and a S&W model 10, if your 38spl has a lot of rounds thru it or its old probably start with 2gr and move up which is what we did. This nice load was great up to 30ft on accuracy but after that not so much but in a self defence it was better then what we could by in a factory load and it was great for rabbits and varmints. we got all of our lead from a couple tire stores for casting to develop some loads in different calibers which my extra caliber was my 41 mag which I had 2, one with 4'' barrel and one with a 2 1/4in barrel both S&W and 210gr was my favorite. Hope I did not bore anyone ( no pun intended ) but that was the other side of my hill. I these trying times stay below the ridge line.
 
I have had my dillon550 since '84, but if it did break Dillon would replace it free! I had an indexing wheel (pewter most likely) break and they sent me a new 1 no questions asked with no shipping also!
Even if not installed according to directions? That's a pretty good guarantee, but there's still the inconvenience of it being broken and waiting for the replacement. I dunno, two bolts seems like pretty cheep insurance.
 
I prefer to keep my setup as simple as possible. All the essentials are within reach.
 

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i responded to another thread about used brass, here is what happened to me, today..


ok, an update, regarding what "i had", and what "i got" from buying the Dillon press, from the RSO

he said to me that he will even "throw-in" brass as well.

well i thought he had NEW brass.....

but ohhh noooooo.............he had 3, yes 3..........5 gallon buckets of brass that he got, from sweeping the range floor, at the end of his day/night.

a mix for sure, INCLUDING LIVE ROUNDS...!!!!!!

several LIVE ROUNDS, of rifle, and 9 mm, and 22lr...!!!!!!!

needless to say, those buckets were HEAVY, for this old man.

needless to say, to my surprise, when i reached in, with gloved hands and i came up with LIVE ROUNDS....!!!!

so, i had a mission, all i wanted was .45 ACP, and the large primed ones.

i found literary dozens of S&B, and Winchester...then other brands, but i like those 2 the most.

it took me no less than 4 hours of hand scooping all that brass.

so this morning, i took what was left, 96 pounds worth, to the recycling yard....

brass casings i was told, go for .20¢ less than plumbing brass........what did i care? it was going to be money i didn't have....

i went to the bank with $192.00...!! (so used brass shell casings at TODAYS market pricing, was $2.00 per pound..!!)

so, in my posting about me buying that slightly used Dillon and ALL the other stuff for $650...???

well, the way "i see it"...??

all that stuff, and that Dillon, (just NO DIES) only cost me about 4 hours of my retired time.....


and at a cost of a mere.....$458.......

dang it........


more lottery tickets in my future..
 
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