New Press question

LE Wilson 'Headspace' gauge IS a Datum Line index gauge, meaning the 'Stop' or index is the Datum Line on the shoulder of the case.

Confusion comes with terminology,
'Headspace' PROPER is from a closed bolt face to the Datum Line contact point in the CHAMBER of the rifle.

The CASE simply fits that rifle headspace or it doesn't...
You are gauging the CASE from head to Datum Line to see if it fits in YOUR HEADSPACE in the rifle.
The case doesn't have a 'Headspace', so 'Headspace' gauge is a bit of a misnomer, but it's common usage since everyone calls them 'Headspace' gauges.

Drop a loaded FACTORY round in the gauge (or several & take the average),
Measure from head of brass to the bottom of the gauge,
This will be your 'Start' or 'Zero' point reading,
YOUR SIZED BRASS will be + or - that 'Zero' point.

Once you produce brass that fits in the FIREARM chamber without feeding or bolt closing issues, that will be your new 'Zero' to work from.
Bump the shoulder back a little at a time until the brass fits the chamber correctly and that is your 'Zero' if you aren't looking to produce SAAMI specification rounds from your brass.

If you are shooting the rounds in more than ONE single firearm,
You have no choice, the brass MUST be SAAMI specification and fit in between the 'Go/NoGo' groove on the head end of the LE Wilson gauge.

Don't attempt anything tricky until you gain experience!
It's either/or...
Either you produce SAAMI specification tolerance brass,
OR, you produce brass for one single firearm...

Right now, you simply don't have enough experience to determine which firearm has the tightest chamber and produce rounds for multipul firearms that are not SAAMI spec.

That case gauge has a groove cut into both ends,
Head end is minimum/maximum for SAAMI chambers,
Mouth end is minimum/maximum trim to lengths.

The gauge also works as a 'Last Word' gauge for loaded rounds.
It will tell you quickly if you buckled shoulders or bowed cases when loading.
This is particularly handy when making Semi-auto rounds where SHOULDER buckles often happen due to crimping. Drop the reloaded round in the gauge and if it doesn't seat (sticks up) the shoulder is probably buckled and it won't headspace correctly/get jammed in the chamber.
(Virtually every new loader buckles the shoulder at one time or another)
 
Powder measures are anywhere from inexpensive/used to stupid expensive new and everywhere in between.

I use the sliding 'Charge Bar' types for flake or ball powder,
Some 'Short' extruded (stick) powders do OK through charge bars.
If you use the 'Long' extruded powder there is no substitute for metal that will break sticks reliably.

Without question the most aggravating thrower on the market is Lee Auto Disk.
If the PLASTIC parts aren't warped when they come in, the will wearwith much useage at all, and they are a pain to adjust/keep working without leaking everywhere.

Once you use a Lyman or RCBS rotary drum with a single micrometer adjustment you will wonder why you ever messed with a Lee Auto Disk in the first place...

Most of the better micrometer adjustable rotaries come with two drums, one for PRECISE smaller charges, One for precise larger charges,
Takes about 1 minute to swap drums...

This is something you will have a lifetime, even Dillon makes an adapter for precision powder measurers since Dillon metal charge bar throwers don't like stick powder...
 
I have the following Lee presses: Classic cast single stage, Classic Turret and Loadmaster progressive. I use and enjoy them all to load both pistol and rifle. But....if for some reason I could only have one press, it would be the Classic Turret. You will not be sorry with your decision.

For the powder thrower, the press package comes with the Lee Auto Drum Powder measure. Will that work, or should I get another one?
Click to expand...

The Lee Auto Drum is excellent. You will not need a second one because it comes with a large and a small drum insert. The small for pistol and smaller riffle calibers and the large for rifle calibers. You can fine tune your charge weight very easily and quickly. You can also get multiple drums so you can set them for each caliber and not have to adjust when you swap out, but honestly, the adjustment is so easy and quick it is really a waste IMO. I ordered the extra drums and they just sit on the shelf collecting dust. It is very consistent with all the powders I typically use.
 
Viper, I've got all the presses you've discussed. The XL650 is my workhorse. But the Lee Turret kind of has a zen quality to it. I've kind of used it for load development after doing some real short tests on a RCBS Single stage. If they do well here then it either goes to my XL650 or a RL550B. Personally the 550B is much simpler to setup than the XL650, so certain calibers that I don't shoot as much get loaded on that one now. The XL650, gets the longer 500-1000 reload sessions.

The Autodrum on the Turret has made life much easier, though I do own a Hornady Auto Charge and it gets used on some of my rifle loads where I'm only loading maybe 20 at a time.
 
The case doesn't have a 'Headspace', so 'Headspace' gauge is a bit of a misnomer, but it's common usage since everyone calls them 'Headspace' gauges.
Click to expand...

Not everyone; I don't, O'Hara doesn't and the case does not have a datum line, the gage has the datum, you left out the part about the Wilson case gage datum. The Wilson case gage datum has a radius, the Wilson case gage datum is used to measure two lengths.

All of this and just a few years ago the Wilson case gage was called a drop in gage. A few of those that called it a drop in gage were trying to sell reloaders another tool they called 'head space gage' but in reality the gage they were and are still trying to sell is a comparator. Who knew??:eek: I did.

F. Guffey
 
So just an update for all those who were kind enough to give me some insight. I ended up getting the Lee Turret. Press is all set up and man do I love it. I've loaded up 100 rounds of .45 so far and other than the snafu of finding that .45's now have 2 primer sizes.....all went well. Just got a new batch of bullet heads in so will load up another 100 and then give reloading the .308 a shot.
 
I still use mine, and I have Dillon 650 & 1050.
Hard to beat the speed of caliber or tool changes.
One tool head (Turret) has the swaging tool die, collet bullet puller and universal decapping die.
Makes taking down suspect loads REAL quick...
 
Yep, after loading 200 rounds the other night, I can see where the Dillon or a progressive in general would be nice. I am sure I will get one in the future to reload my .45, but for Rifle I would definitely stick with the Turret. Are there bullet puller dies? I grabbed the hammer looking one. I actually bought an additional turret which holds my cutter die at the moment, but I think I may set up 2 dies for the rifle..one for sizing and cutting the other for loading.
 
Yo, they are POS LLM's, that have been smashed off a bench with a sledge hammer, I mean Cherokee hammer.

They're junk remember, no body uses those trash red presses anymore. You have to use the blue ones only. I'll try to salvage them.
$60
 
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