[DougCarden]

I have been using a Case Pro for about 6 years now...(it gets loaned to me in the fall for a couple of months)
My buddy bought it for 38 super years ago, and luckily got dies for 9mm and .40 as well.
I thought I would share some observations from using it, as I see a bunch of people will be getting them in the near future.
Why Case-Pro in the first place?
Good question. Reliability and Consistency.
I started using it for .40 since I got a lot of Glocked .40 brass and fed it to my Limited gun with match chamber. Works like a dream for that. I now just set up two dies on my 1050, the Dillon die first, and then a Lee regular .40 die and it does the same thing, and less prep time for me.
I do Case-Pro 9mm brass and here is why. I load ammo for accuracy, and also shoot the Bianchi Cup. The bullseye guys found that for terminal accuracy at 50yds new brass is the best, but mixed brass that has been Case-Pro'd shoots almost as well. The reason is the cases are all squeezed in the same, so they are consistent. For my match ammo I use all the same headstamp brass, and that ammo is as good as I can make it. I just did a 5 gallon bucket of range brass I scrounged up, shot in Glocks, Sigs, Berettas, and other factory guns. It was amazing how blown out a lot of the brass was and this will also make my arm last longer when I load it, as there will be less resistance when I pull the Lever on the 1050.
I made a platform next to my 1050 on the left side of it. I turn the casefeeder 180 degrees and run the casefeed tube down to it. If you have any model with a casefeeder it will make your life much better and help you speed up your production time....
When starting out, I clean and degrease the sliding ram. I then use a light grease and everytime I load more brass into the hopper I use a light machine oil on the ram as well. This thing is just a sliding ram going back and forth sliding the brass between two hardened steel plates. It "rolls" the bulge out of the case and also cleans up the case rim too.
****Here is something important!******
Make sure that the brass is all the way on the bottom when you pull the ram back, rolling it through. If it is not flat on the bottom it will mash the case rim, which actually fattens the rim. Once this is done throw the case away. It will not fit in the shellplate and will cause a Malf in your gun. Been there, done that. I originally thought about mechanizing it, but after damaging some case heads because I went on auto pilot and was cranking through them fast to get done, I now realize that you have to watch it, just like you are running a Press. Another helpful item is to have a pair of suture scissors or some thin nosed pair of pliers handy, so if you get a 9mm case in a 40 case you can pull out the 9mm case before you squeze them together forever.....
Another important thing is to thoroughly clean all the media out of the brass. I cannot stress how important it is to take the time to make sure the media is gone. Take the time and sift the brass. This way the cases will feed smoothly down, and you wont have chunks underneath the case head, boogering up the brass when you pull it through. Just like a press, working the lever smoothly is the best way to not booger up cases. Herky jerky pulls will ensure that you dont know if the cases went through correctly or not....

When I put out a lot of money to go to matches, I want my gun to run, and if you put crap ammo in it, you will not be happy. I probably go overboard on my ammo production, but when I am at a match, I dont worry about malfs from the ammo, and that is a good thing!
I hope this helps someone, and keeps people from buggering up brass like I did!
Do you need to Case-Pro ammo. Absolutely not. Does it have positive benefits....Hell yes. Only you can decide if you need one, but if you know someone that has one, I encourage you to try it and see for yourself if it is a benefit to your reloading and ammo production.
<definitely not a paid endorsement and I dont even own one..... but hope to someday.....>
Regards,
DougC

[wooddog]

I use the Case Pro on all of my 9, 40 and 38 super too. Well worth the extra time and $$.

[RePete]

Very well written and informative Doug.

I have a CasePro100 too, and load 9mm, 40S&W, 45ACP and 38Sp, and have to appropriate dies for each EXCEPT 38Sp. I don't feel the need for it.

I could have gone the LFC die taken apart route but I decided this was the route for me.

I, too, use the case feeder from my 1050.

[20nickels]

Tks for the writeup. There is not near enough info out there on these. I bought 2000 pcs of brass last yr. The seller said he would clean & casepro them for $20 more. My frantic searching turned up little on the subject. BTW are these still hard to get?

[RePete]

There is a waiting list.

Tip.

I found that after doing a large number of brass, my hand was getting sore.

Cure.

Take a foam bicycle handle bar grip, spray silicone onto the handle and slide the grip on. No more hand fatigue.

[tazzdizzi]

Rich has had one for about 10 years and swears by it. Zero jams (due to brass) in all of his guns.

It's a VERY simple machine to use as he puts me to work on it, on occasion. He placed his next to the 1050 so you just rotate the case feeder 180 degrees and it'll feed cases in to the CasePro. Get a good rhythm and have at it. It's very easy to go faster than the case feeder can feed.

Keeping it cleaned and lubed makes life easy and watching the plastic screw for it walking out and/or shortening due to cycles will ensure proper stop and case feed in to it.

Rich's has done well over 100k pieces on the machine and no hiccups. If you do roll a case and ruin the rim, toss it. $0.10 isn't worth the head ache.

Stef

[CocoBolo]

I do 38 Super Comp on my CasePro life is good. I wish I had a 40 die and a 9 mm. Never seem to have an issue with 45's.

I use the Redding GRX for 40 does the job, sold the U die etc.

Thanks for the Info, I'm going to move mine next to my 650 and feed it thru the case feeder.

[BlackBuzzard]

I want one.......................whatz the wait - like 4 months?

Why are the dies like $180 each set for caliber change?

In 9mm its strange how I can go 300 rounds reloaded with nothing failing the case gauge check, and then a different box of second-hand brass comes up with 10% failing the gauge.



BB

[Squishy]

I bought a case pro when they first came out. Love it. Use it for all my brass. 9mm ,38 super comp, 38 super , 40 , 45. Best peice of reloading hardware I have ever bought. Well worth the wait and price.

[Davidp1911]

Does anybody know where I can purchase a new or used CasePro? I've search all over the web looking for at least a used one?

[DougCarden]

There is a thread on the reloading subforum about the current orders, and one guy has been lead on the orders. I would look over there for his info. He may have posted current contact info as well.
Gotta fly for a match today!
DougC

[tazzdizzi]

Rich just called the guy and a couple weeks later his 9mm and 40 dies for his Casepro just showed up. Of course, he can be more charming than most.

Stef