Automated Centerfire Reloading Machine

Keith Foor

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OK, so has anyone attempted in building a fully automated reloading press? I run a lot of 223/556 and would like to build a automated press. I see several case feeders and bullet feeders on the web to feed the unit with but just putting a recycling arm on a standard press ain't gonna cut it for me.

Any ideas, successes or failures would be great info to have and a functioning blue print would be a God sent.

Thanks guys.
 
Either linear or rotary would work well. The down side of the linear is that it requires a more complex indexing system than the rotary.

Either way it would be a fun project.
 
Do you really shoot enough to justify the time/expense?

Since 1987 I have discharged more than an estimated million shotgun shells that I reloaded (do the math, it's possible if you shoot EVERY day for ten years).

I did this on a progressive MEC 650. Granted that at this point, that press is a ship of Theseus and the only original part left is the main center shaft. Imagine my shock when a full shot bottle fell on me at midnight after having reloaded hundreds of shells that day.

At my peak, I was cranking out a box of shells (25) every six minutes.
 
I assume the 5.56 cases will be prepped first before sticking them in an automatic machine to load them? Primer crimp removed and trimmed to length first. Just wondering...Bob
 
Yeah, they would need to be. Dillon and Lee have dies that will trim, and a custom machine could incorporate those to trim cases and swage primer pockets.
 
A linear setup would be able to add a station for a extra process, but cleaning, deprime and cuting out primer crimp and trimming could be done before adding to the reloading machine. Primer crimp removal only has to be done once for the case until you add new cases. A round progressive press is fast once you load it up and thats what takes time. I do believe mass produced ammo uses the linear system like they use in a bottle plant. If you really shoot a lot you should look into buying in bulk and selling the bass as once fired to save you time. Machine gunners buy truck loads at a time for a good price and save money that way and shoot more. Just a thought and my 2 cents.
Paul
 
Be sure to post a write-up of the job. These things start at $25,000 and go up if you buy one.

Jeff

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