how much time is saved with a progressive press?

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Shadow9mm

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So I am trying to justify a progressive press by time saved. I am currently using a RBCS Rock Chucker. On average it take me 25-30min to load 50rnds. I loaded 400rnds of 5.56 and it took me a little over 3hrs.

Based on Components, I am reloading for about $0.25 per round or $25 per 100 rnds, $250 per 1000
Estimating the value of my time at $25 per hour that brings the cost up to $0.50 per round $50 per 100, or $500 per 1000

Granted I cannot work all the time. But with my time included it almost make more sense to work extra and just buy ammo at the high prices

Unless I invest that Money into a progressive press and can significantly reduce my time investment.

I watched a video where he said it took about 1.5-2seconds per round once set up. Based on those numbers that means I could load 100rnds in under 5min.

The guy was using the hornady ammo plant that costs $1500, but im sure I could get buy with something less expensive.

Right now my powder seems to to be my holdup, I can seat and crimp faster than my scale can throw. Just nee things to go faster and less tedious.

Is it worth it to invest in a progressive press? or should I just keep going slow.
 
I went from a RCBS Jr. to a Hornady LnL and the volume increase is amazing. I can load 50 rounds of 38 in about 6 minutes. Same for shotgun on my MEC progressive; from a single stage loading 4-6 boxes per hour, I went to 8-10 boxes in the same time frame.
Yes, you need to pay more attention. Yes a single stage is great for working up a few loads to try before commencing cranking out a large volume.
 
I'm not trying to set any speed records with mine or see if I can get the grease to liquefy on the ram but, yes, it's WAY faster than punching them out 1 case and process at a time. A leisurely pace for me, loading 223, is probably somewhere around 10-12 RPM. I could speed things up, but see no need.
 
Everyone tends to be a bit optimistic about loading rates. Having experience with a single-stage, a turret and a progressive - I can tell you that I would never go back to a single-stage.

It would take me about an hour and a half to crank out 400 rounds on the progressive. Why? Because I get freaking bored with the process and need a break every so often. It takes me the same time to crank out 100 rounds on the turret for the same reasons. And forget the single-stage - I Craigslisted my RockChucker so long ago thst it is just a distant painful memory.
 
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Estimating the value of my time at $XX.00 per hour I have still not been able to find anyone willing to pay me to reload! So I guess my true monetary value for this activity/endeavor is $00.00 per hour. I certainly am not going to pay myself a dollar wage.
 
I comfortably run a Dillon 550 about 6-8 times faster than a good rhythm with a single-stage or turret, depending on cartridge and components.
 
It really breaks down to quantity needed and accuracy and how much time you want to put into re-loading. There is no monetary return or formula involved.

I have yet to find anything factory that shoots as good as I can handload in my various rifle calibers.

Fiddly rounds like 32/9mm and lost of them are the natural for a progressive. I put 5.56 in that category.

Somewhere around 243 they are less fiddly and more target if you will.

Smallest I will go is the 6.5. I target shoot. So slower hand loading is bonus for accuracy and I can afford it. I might just shoot less if they really made match ammo that worked as good as hand loads (not so far or available here)

So slow is not an issue, 200 rounds last me easily 8 hours of shooting.

Its really a choice. For 9mm I could not load anything that was accurate (gun shoots fine, it just likes good SD stuff, grrr) - I may be forced to load 9mm with the ammo shortage, I have the stuff to do it. Otherwise, cheap factory for practice is all I used.

Same with 5.56/223. Gun(s) I had did not shoot it all that accurately, so why bother with hand loads? Same with Ruskie 7.62 x (47?) I just sling lead with the AK so.....

Got enough stashed to keep me going until the ammo shortage eases.
 
I’d rather spend time reloading than at work. I do bulk loading on my Lee Classic Cast Turret for pistols and 7.62x39, all other rifle calibers on single stage presses, but I have three of them set up like three stages.
 
When I had my Hornady progressive once I was in the groove I could do three rounds per minute of pistol or 5.56 AR fodder when everything ran smooth

Now I use a 4 hole Lee turret for everything. With rifle I use it as a single stage. When I am doing pistol I put in the auto advance rod. I pre prime the cases and throw powder off the press so no speed records will be broken.

mainly I chose the turret for convenience and organization. I have a seperate turret set up for every cartridge I load for plus one for my universal deprimer and expander and one for my bullet puller. Makes die storage and changing between cartridges a breeze.
 
For straight walled pistol rounds that can be sized with carbide dies and no lube the increase in speed is worth it. For rifle rounds, there is less savings and more complications. I would suggest cases for rifles should be lubed, sized, trimmed, tumbled and then primed and loaded. With pistol rounds you can just put a case, place a bullet, pull a handle and repeat on a progressive.
 
kmw1954 said:
Estimating the value of my time at $XX.00 per hour I have still not been able to find anyone willing to pay me to reload! So I guess my true monetary value for this activity/endeavor is $00.00 per hour. I certainly am not going to pay myself a dollar wage.
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yes and no, the question is, based on the value of your time, is it cheaper to buy ammo (when you can find it) or load it yourself.

Based on my calculations, components only I'm at $250 per 1000rnds. However including my time it is $500 per $1000.. granted prices are high, but its equal on buying factory ammo.
 
rc said:
For straight walled pistol rounds that can be sized with carbide dies and no lube the increase in speed is worth it. For rifle rounds, there is less savings and more complications. I would suggest cases for rifles should be lubed, sized, trimmed, tumbled and then primed and loaded. With pistol rounds you can just put a case, place a bullet, pull a handle and repeat on a progressive.
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For 223, I anticipated that I would use twice fired brass. I trim the necks back enough that I get a firing or 2 before I have to trim again. And the primer pockets will already be de-crimped. I also used an odd method of lubing my cases but it allows me to do it in bulk. I was hoping this would allow me to use a progressive smoothly.
 
I started with a Rock Chucker which suited my needs very well at the time. I later started shooting USPSA matches and my appetite for ammo grew exponentially. I soon grew tired of loading for three hours and shooting for one hour.

I then bought a Dillon 550. Assuming that the press is set up for the cartridge I'm doing, I can get out all the components, verify that its throwing proper charges, load 1000 rounds, and put everything away in about three hours.

If my time is worth $25 an hour, that's $75 per 1000 rounds.

However, I think of reloading as downtime. It takes all of my attention but is not difficult. It makes me forget about everything for a while, such as life's problems.

I still have the Rock Chucker. I use it for rifle and other lower volume ammo.
 
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I own an RCBS Piggyback II. It is ( to be nice ) less than ideal as a progressive press but still faster than a single stage press. Since most of my reloading is test loads and HP rifle loads, my single stage is fine.
 
I've yet to load any rifle rounds on my Dillon 550b but there is not comparison when loading .45acp rounds. I can leisurely crank out 500 rounds in an afternoon on the Dillon when it would take me a week (or longer) to do that many on a single stage press.

Reloading is an enjoyable past time for me and while no where near as much fun as shooting, it's one of those things I like to do. So the value of my time isn't part of the equation.

Tony
 
I still hand prep and load and double-check powder weight on each and every cartridge I load, probably totals minutes per each cartridge. Otherwise I just buy bulk ammo for the sake of filling the air with lead.:D
 
I have a Lee turret and Lee Pro 1000. I don't have rounds per hour but I know the progressive is faster. My biggest win with the progressive is I don't have to pull the handle as many times so it's easier on my shoulder. Maybe another reason to justify going progressive
 
As long at it is timed and working correctly, yes you can save a lot of time. Again if set up correctly. I could load on my CH Mark V 4 station inline press 50 rounds in about 5 minutes of 38 special. Has a lot of moving parts. Nice machine that isn't made anymore. Still works, and hope to get it set up again, someday, lol. Haven't used it in about 30 years.
 
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