With lockdown's all over the world I've seen people struggling to find things to occupy themselves with. It must be terribly difficult for those in small apartments although it can be difficult for all of us no matter what the living arrangements are.
I'm fortunate to live in a house and have a bit of yard area which is where I found myself this morning enjoying a breakfast of cereal and coffee. Right after, I headed back inside, my workshop that is...To keep myself busy for a while making ammunition.
Because I shoot so much I need to keep producing ammunition and whilst all the gun ranges are closed because of the virus bullshit I'm still producing rounds; I see an opportunity to get in front with my stock.
I shoot somewhere between 1000 and 1200 9mm rounds a month on average through a couple of handguns plus a heap of rifle rounds but it's the 9mm freedom pills I need to produce a lot of and so that's what I was doing this morning.
What's the process
I use a Dillon progressive press that is capable of producing several hundred rounds an hour. It is a mostly automated process where each stoke of the handle produces a round; All one needs to do is ensure the cases, primers, projectiles and powder feeders are kept topped up.
The cases, cleaned and lubricated, are poured into the top case-hopper which rotates and agitates the cases holding them in a case holder and feeding them around to the case feed-tube down which they are dropped.
The case hopper with a case just about to drop down the feed tube (front of picture)
The projectiles go through the same process in their own hopper and are also dropped down a feed tube to the bottom of the machine.
The primers are loaded into their own feed tube which is done manually although primers are tiny so I use a handheld tool which agitates them all up the right way and feeds them into the tube - This partially-automated system saves me time.
Once the powder is poured into its own hopper I'm ready to go.
Keep in mind this machine requires a good deal of setting up before its first use. The powder measurement is one of those very important elements in the set-up phase. This only needs doing once though, unless I was going to load different calibre's and load combinations.
Here's the full set up. You can see the case and projectile hoppers at the very top and the case and projectile feed tubes leading downwards from each right to the press itself. The clear hopper in the middle-front is the gun powder and the primer feed tube is out of view.
The Dillon progressive press.
A closer view of the feed tubes and where they meet the press. You can see the projectiles in the front, cases to the left rear and powder hopper to the right.
Why is it called progressive
Each pull of the handle performs multiple tasks and produces a completed round. Each cycle turns the turntable advancing the case to the next station where that task is completed and so on.
The processes are:
- Case drops to the platform
- Case de-primed,resized and re-primed
- Powder measure inserted to case
- Projectile placed on case
- Projectile seated (pressed) into place
- Completed round ejected to storage container
Just so you know...The cases have been used before, fired as rounds in my shooting sport etc. They are collected, cleaned and re-used a few times to save cost. The de-prime stage removes the old used primer and replaces it with a new one.
All of these functions are set up in the initial set up stage so they run smoothly throughout the loading process when the machine is in operation.
A close up of the progressive press. You can see the gun powder in the case to the front.
If set up correctly this progressive press requires little attention other than making sure the components are kept topped up depending on how many roads are being made. one just needs to cycle the handle to operate it.
I made a pile of rounds today, around 700 I suppose. I haven't counted them yet although when I quality-check them individually I'll tally them up and store them away with all the rest. Yes, I quality check each one. This is done to minimise the chance for a jam up when I'm operating. Before taking rounds into competition I also drop each one into the chamber of the gun to ensure they fit and will eject correctly. Again, this means less chance for a jam which would cost me precious time.
Drop testing rounds in the chamber - Here you see a live round inside the chamber of the barrel. It is taken out of the gun whilst doing this to make the task easier.
Anyway, there you have it, one of my weekly tasks. It can be a pain in the ass sometimes, if I'm not in the mood but I always ensure I'm stocked with plenty of ammunition for all of the guns I have.
Yesterday one of the Australian States Western Australia closed all gun stores.
"From midday, as part of a direction under the Emergency Management Act, all gun shops across the State are required to close. Whilst it is recognised licensed firearm owners and dealers exercise high compliance, these preventative measures are being taken in the interests of community safety." - WA Government media statement
What a load of shite. This happened on the same day they mobilised the military in all States and territories to "assist governments with new measures around COVID-19 lockdown initiatives...I predicted this a while back, the gun shop closures also...No worries though, I got freedom pills to spare.
I hope y'all have a great weekend wherever you are in the world, and that you're ready for the next stage of this virus craziness.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised.
Be well