Reloading Presses

[dwsUSA]

I am thinking about getting some reloading equipment and would like some feedback on different presses. I am eyeballing the Hornady lock and load because I really like the idea of a progressive press. I have also heard the Dillon makes nice equipment as well. Any feedback on progressive presses and pros/cons of different brands (or any drawbacks to a progressive press) would be appreciated.

[Jeremae]

There are several threads in the Reloading Sub Forum that address these questions both in technical detail and personal opinion. Those of us who reload will be happen to share our knowledge or expouse our opinions if you have additional questions that those threads don't answer so just add a new reply to them or start a new topic.

Short answers

Dillon progressive press is the cat's meow for loading lots of pistol ammo, expensive but well worth it.

A neophyte probably (unless very mechanically inclined) should start with single stage or turret.

[135boomer]

I have a Dillon XL 650 and LOVE IT!

[Mike1951]

Money spent on a GOOD single stage is never wasted.

A single stage will teach you the procedures better than trying to understand everything that goes on with a progressive.

The single stage is excellent for rifle cartridges as you can control and verify much more than a progressive.

Do not buy a low end single stage. You can pass a RCBS Rockchucker or something similar on to your grandkids.

So make sure you have room on your bench for a good single stage and a good progressive.

[dwsUSA]

My dad has a rockchucker and I have reloaded with him for many years so I am familiar with reloading but haven't looked at reloading presses for years. Can you operate a progressive press in a single stage mode?

(moderator can you move this to the reloading forum)

[HighVelocity]

Thread moved to the Reloading Forum.

[Jeremae]

Ok here are a couple threads that will answer some of your questions:

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... =28&t=4133

and

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... =28&t=7506

and maybe

http://www.texasshooting.com/TexasCHL_F ... =28&t=8259

Questions you need to answer are:

How much money do you want to spend and in what increments.

Are you only loading one calibre or multiple and which ones.

How many rounds do you shoot a month.

At first it may seem expensive but depending on calibre, your choice of components and which press you pick you can save enough after just a couple 1000 rounds to pay off your equipment.

[dwsUSA]

Questions you need to answer are:

How much money do you want to spend and in what increments.

Not sure yet but I would rather spend more up front than to go cheaper now and then wish I hadn't later. I look at this as a life time investment as I hope I have many years of shooting ahead of me. I also hope that my kids will work with me as they get older. I loved reloading with my dad when I was a youngster (and still do).

Are you only loading one calibre or multiple and which ones.

I would want to reload both pistol and rifle: 380, 45, 357, 38, 222, 30-06, 338, 7mm-08, etc.

How many rounds do you shoot a month.

Not nearly enough !!!

[Mike1951]

For the rifle calibers, it will be easier to measure powder charges individually on a single stage.

You don't need the high volume of a progressive for those.

No one is suggesting lowballing your equipment.

The point I was trying to make is that you WILL need a top quality single stage, whether you ever buy a progressive or not.

It is much easier to learn reloading and to understand what you are doing in each step with a single stage.

[dwsUSA]

Thanks for the info Mike. So how/why is using a progressive press in single mode different from using a regular single press (I know very little about progressive presses)? What can you do with (or do better) on a single press that can't be done as well on a progressive press using it in single mode?

[Jeremae]

Major advantage for a beginner with a single stage is the same step is repeated for the entire block of rounds and variance really stands out. If you use a progressive and just run the round through all the stations before starting another round you may not notice a mistake at 1 particular step of the 4 or 5 steps you complete for each round. Based upon your experience loading with your dad, I would not consider you a beginner and suggest a progressive press would be most useful. However some of the rifle cartridges you list are not shot in high volume and always loaded for accuracy so I agree with Mike that you should also aquire a good Single Stage press.

For progressive presses, the Cadillac, nay Rolls Royce, line is Dillon with the XL650 being your best bet. They also make a 1050 but if you shot enough ammo to justify buying one, you would probably already have one. The 650 can be used to load all the pistol calibres and the 223, 308, 30/06 (particularly if you are shooting them out of semi autos like ar-16, m1a1 and Garrand). The best place to buy dillon is from Brian Enos at http://www.brianenos.com/store/dillon.html. There are plenty of people who like the Hornady presses but myself if I wasn't going to buy a Dillon, I would get the Lee Loadmaster.

For single stages, What does you dad have? Although there may be better single stage presses, since you have used his and he is available to help you set it up, it would probably be better to get the same press.

Dies--- Most people buy dies from the manufacturer of their press but actually they are pretty much universal and you can get a Lee set of dies and use it in a Dillon press and viceaversa. I would suggest that no matter what die set you choose for a particular calibre, you also get the Lee Factory Crimp/Final Sizer Die as it seems to fix a LOT of problems.

All of the non-press equipment like Brass prep gear and measuring instruments, just get the same or similar to what your dad has.

[dwsUSA]

My dad has a RCBS Rockchucker. Since he already has a single stage that I have access to I think it makes since to get a progressive press, especially for loading pistol ammo. Thanks for all the info fellas.

[Venus Pax]

I use a Lee single stage. It works for me, but I don't exactly crank out mass quantities.
It sounds like you're wanting a progressive.
I know nothing about them, but everyone that owns a Dillon loves it.

[Jeremae]

My dad has a RCBS Rockchucker. Since he already has a single stage that I have access to I think it makes since to get a progressive press, especially for loading pistol ammo. Thanks for all the info fellas.

Well the 'chucker is to single stages what the Dillon 650 is to progressives, so you would have access to what many people think is the best press of each type. Wonder how long before you get tired of waiting to inheirate and go buy your own RockChucker.....

[Stupid]

here's my article talking about Dillon 550B.

With what you need, get a progressive.

http://www.ar15.com/content/page.html?id=396