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Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 87 Location: Middle TN

For all of you current and former PW 375 users, what is your setup for reloading and how fast do you reload?

Now I am not trying to be a speed demon, and I think that my shells look pretty good, but I seem very slow. But then maybe the claims of 150-200 per hour on this machine are a little exaggerated.

Also, by setup, what I really am asking is what is your sequence? How do you have your materials laid out? How do you have your wads and primers laid out? What about the hulls?

If it makes a difference, I am right handed and currently only load about three boxes per hour or about 20 minutes per box.

Or does any of this really matter as long as they all go bang and the bird goes poof!

Thanks in advance,

Flytier

Hello

You are doing well, be satisfied
If you need more production buy a progressive.

Just my opinion

Mike

Joined: 09 Jul 2009 Posts: 510 Location: Central CT

Hi Flytier,

I keep the hulls (150 count or so) in a bin on the side of the reloader that the first station is on. Same with the wads in a bin (250 count). I keep the primers in the plastic container, that way there is no fumbling and having them roll around. I keep powder and shot handy, and fill the containers before I start reloading. I keep all the extra components close at hand so I don't waste time running around looking for items.

75 shells an hour is slow, that machine is capable of at least 150 shells an hour without working like a fool. I would imagine over 200 shells an hour for a guy that is experienced.

Are you being overly cautious, maybe checking powder weights? Once you get the machine going the best way to be consistent is to run the machine fairly swift. Powder and shot drops are a lot more consistent when the machine is run with a fair bit of vibration, going slow does not make the reloads any better and probably worse. You have to run the loading sequence at the same speed ALL the time even when setting the machine up for a new load.

If the crimps won't come out properly when you run the machine with pace then adjust the machine so the crimps will come out properly when you run it faster. Reloaders are manual machines, they will not work the same slow as they will fast, so the idea is to set the machine up to run at a nice even pace.

Also, stay away from load combinations that have you are adding card wads, cheerios, pinto beans, styrofoam etc, so the load crimps properly, as adding junk, furthur slows down progress. Look at the factory ammunition, primer, powder, wad, shot that's it. Keep it simple. Adding paraphenalia only allows you to go slower and adds no ballistic value to the load.

Joined: 18 Nov 2005 Posts: 87 Location: Middle TN

hunNnut,

I do keep it simple. Shot, powder, primer and wad, that is it. Crimps are not the problem, the shell look good and all go bang and if I do my part the bird goes poof.

I do try to keep hulls at the ready and wads ready on the other side. But you must have smaller hands than mine if you can quickly and easily pickup the primers out of the original tray and place them on that little post. I am sure part of is I am new to shotshell reloading. I have only reloaded about a dozen boxes so far.

Flytier

Joined: 09 Jul 2009 Posts: 510 Location: Central CT

No my hands aren't smaller probably, I take an extra large glove.

But I did sell my 375 a few years back as my MEC Sizemaster was doing all the work. I like the collet resizer and the primer feed on the MEC. Both make the reloading job go a bit easier and quicker. I liked the way the 375 crimps but after a little work and understanding the MEC crimp stages I got my Sizemaster to crimp really nice also.

At my normal reloading rate I can do 200 to 225 shells an hour on the Sizemaster, that is a nice comfortable pace for me, I never could comfortably run the 375 that fast but close.

I wish I could have been more help to you. Happy reloading!!

Member Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 592 Location: Minnesota

Flytier - IMO the focus should be on quality and not quantity - reloading is not a race - if you need (or want) a high production machine you might consider moving from the 375 to a progressive reloader. I use the 375 and I think 75 rounds an hour is just fine. If I'm reloading hunting loads production goes way down as I weigh powder and shot for each load. But I enjoy reloading so I don't care if it takes me an hour to reload 25 or 100 rounds.

Relax, enjoy yourself and stay focused on quality.

Joined: 05 Aug 2008 Posts: 7 Location: LaGrange, KY

I keep my primers on the left side of the loader in an old Tupperware container (about the size a sandwich would fit in).

Member Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 1258 Location: Nebraska

I believe most listed loads-per-minute numbers are inflated. I use a PW progressive and can run 100 in 15mins, but am told 600 to 650 is possible. Maybe with a crew, but not by me. I'm happy with what I can do; as with others it's rare that I reload in a hurry.

Joined: 06 Aug 2009 Posts: 960

As far as speed with a reloader goes, and not sure what everyone's background is, but background is important.

If you have been around machines especially manual ones, the higher reloading numbers are not impossible to reach. If a guy runs a manual machine for a living, a reloader becomes an extension of everyday work, no big deal. The quality doesn't suffer because the guy is already used to it. That fella will trust the machine a lot more and knows that running it with confident movements will produce good quality and fair speed without working like a dog.

If you've ever seen a guy that really knows how to run a manual lathe, bridgeport, miller etc. at work, you will understand exactly what I mean.

Everyone should just work at their own speed and make good quality stuff.

Sorta like running 100 straight fairly regular, just because I can't run a 100 every other shoot, doesn't mean others can't do it.