Follow up on the automated press thread

[MakeMineaP99]

I was talking with one of my shootin' buds tonight and this idea came back up, as it's rumored some guy is developing one for the 1050 @ 7 grand.

If someone perfected the technology, as in perfect, including all the concerns discussed just recently, that somehow automated lets say a 650 or 1050, would it even sell?

Are there that many IPSC, IDPA guys that can really benefit from full automation at a price point below a Camdex? Even the guys with the machine guns, do they really shoot that many rounds?

Or would it be more of a novelty? Yeah, that's neat, but I'm not going to rush out and get one.

Further, I can't imagine the kit itself could really sell for more than a grand or so, let alone 7.

I think the reason we haven't seen one of these automated hobbyist presses is the market doesn't exist.

[Oreo]

I think the market exists but not at $7k. $1-2k sure, even $3k- maybe for the really really avid shooters.

What I do see a market for would be local clubs purchasing a camdex and selling time on the machine to club members who supply all their own components and get rounds loaded to spec. Seems that would be more cost effective even for the high volume shooter.

I've been wrong about plenty of this stuff before though. There's always a few people with deep pockets willing to spend money.

[ede]

as much as i shoot, 20 to 30 thousand rounds a year i can't see where the 1050 or even a 650 wouldn't do everything i wanted. for that kind of money i could have a dedicated 1050 for my main 3 calibers i compete with.

[craig110]

$7K just for the kit on top of the price of the press? Yikes! I did a quick google search and found used Camdex machines cheaper than that. If I was setting up a commercial reloading business, I'd go with a used Camdex to get the comfort of a known manufacturer instead of a brand-new kit with no track record.

[AdamN]

+1 on the used Camdex, Ive seen a few around myself for less than 7K.

You could get 4 brand new 1050's for 7k and be a pretty happy reloader.

Having something like a Camdex would only be the begining of the issue if youre shooting that much. Getting clean brass, bullets, primers and powder would be a pretty big cost concern to keep something fed that runs 4k rounds an hour.

[Tailgunner]

I think the market exists but not at $7k. $1-2k sure, even $3k- maybe for the really really avid shooters.

What I do see a market for would be local clubs purchasing a camdex and selling time on the machine to club members who supply all their own components and get rounds loaded to spec. Seems that would be more cost effective even for the high volume shooter.

I've been wrong about plenty of this stuff before though. There's always a few people with deep pockets willing to spend money.

IF most of them shoot the same cartridge AND use the same load data.
IOW it's not a simple/cheap "die change" to convert a Cammi.

Now if you had a (large enough) club that was shooting only 38spl and 45acp bullseye loads (or whatever standard ammo's IPSC uses) AND required that all shooters use "club issue ammo", than maybe that would work out.