looking for press or kit advice

I have to laugh at the comments on Lee durability. I probably loaded at least 10K to 15K rounds on their turrent. Quite possibly even more before I gave it to my son in law last year who still using it to grind out pistol ammo. I hate to say it but I miss that press. It really worked better than the Rockchucker overall. Now I use a Rockchucker for rifle and a Hornady LnL AP for pistol. I bought another single stage Lee 2 weeks after I switched to the RCBS Rockchucker to use for loading at the range and depinning before I modded the Rockchucker with a piece of packing foam and a plastic straw. Shame you have to modify what many on here claim is the best single stage press on the planet to stop it from spitting spent primers all over the floor
 
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Jamaica, you are welcome to your opinion, but three posts knocking Lee is pushing a reasonable limit. In my opinion, the Lee Classic Turret is exactly what I recommend for 150 rounds per week without spending more than really needed. However, I would hold off for a month to get some feedback from the field on the new Lee Pro4000.
 
Comment to hounddawg regarding spitting spent primers all over the floor.
The Herter's Super Model 3 press does the same thing but who cares when you have truly the best single stage press on the planet. Everyone should have one. They handle those monster Remington Ultra Mag calibers and others with ease. A little whisk broom is the spent primers worst enemy.
 
Hornady and Dillon Precision reign supreme at my reloading station. Some repetitive tasks,
like de-priming, can be done in front of the TV in the evening, with a Lee hand-press.

I don't shoot enough to merit a progressive, or automated system. But a turret saves a lot of fiddling about,
even if you hand press every load.
 
comment to condor bravo - There are several aftermarket "fixes" for the problem as well as the home made work arounds. After years of complaints perhaps the RCBS engineers might notice there is a problem. Why do they ship it with a "primer catcher' for all the good the one supplied does. I can go back 15 years on forums and find complaints on its lack of function. Perhaps they should include a foxtail and dustpan instead. As far as comparing it to a Herters press, maybe there is a reason I can't go to Midway and order a new Herters press
 
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In my opinion, anyone telling you to get anything other than a single stage press to start out with is telling you to run before you have learned to walk.

There is a lot of empirical knowledge to be gained in order to become a proficient reloader. There is also a whole host of sub-processes that have to be mastered to reload safely. Progressive (and to a lesser extent turret) presses remove you from those experiences by at least one degree, sometimes two and that's greatly increases your chances of becoming a reloader who cannot recognize or diagnose his own problems.

You noted that you asked the same question on TheHighRoad, well go back there today and look at the post of the guy who had numerous hangfires and failures to fire and can't work out why. That could be you if you try to run before you learn how to walk.

It's not rocket science, it's reloading. Starting out on a progressive press can be easy as long as you use the press as single stage press and break down the steps. I learned on a Dillon 650. It can be done and it's not all that difficult.

I encourage people to buy want they want and can afford. And if you're good at figuring out mechanical problems, don't let a progressive scare you away. But not sure it matters in this case since not the OP's first rodeo. He has some reloading experience already and has acquire some knowledge about reloading presses.

A Dillon press would be my choice. I like the quality of Dillon and I don't have a lot of time for pulling the handle on a press.
 
I won't hijack this thread with a lengthy answer, but I spent most of my career in aerospace parts manufacture.

And I will also note that the Lee Classic Turret Press makes an excellent single stage press with the auto index rod removed.
 
skinned:
I'm not doubting your comment but I think the main turnoff to Lee equipment is that they don't look sturdy, like they were assembled with nuts and bolts and erector set pieces. Although I do have about a dozen Lee dies and, other than the aluminum lock nuts, have no objections to the dies. Lee is a great inventor for inexpensive tools but they lack good eye appeal, not as streamlined as would be desired.
 
All depends on your budget and the time you're willing to spend. For low budget/high time. I recommend single stage. For high budget/low time. I suggest progressive. I would go with Lee bc I still use my grandpas Lee press that's been in use since like the 70s or so.
 
Well you all can sit here and argue how crappy the Lee Presses are and which press is the best or last the longest and has the prettiest color. Then you can all make suggestions for a larger, stronger press just in case that labnoti at some point in the future decides to move into rifle calibers and starts making wildcat rounds or shooting 1000 rounds a week.

I really do not care what press you are using or how much Lee presses disgusts you, that is for you to decide for yourself I don't have a bias or derangement syndrome I just enjoy reloading.

So on that note I have 500 Berry's 124gr Hollow Base Flat Point and another 500 115gr RN Xtreme to load on my worthless, useless Lee Pro1000 press. While I am at it I can hope I only have 1 primer fault because I got carried away and didn't pay attention to the fact I ran out like the last batch I ran..
 
As long as one is satisfied with his equipment and it works well, you can't ask for much more. I'm sure that the Lee 1000 fills that bill. If I were to see one in operation I might want one also.
 
Condor I agree, what works well for me might not for anyone else.

I also do not try to convince anyone that the Lee is the best press out there, far from it. If one looks at my 1st post here and the recommendation I made I support that the Lee Turret press is the best choice for someone loading pistols in the volumes the OP is looking to do. I also state that because he begins by declaring that he has reloaded before so this is not new to him. He may need to become reacquainted but this isn't his 1st time. He also points out that he has NO INTEREST in reloading rifles so why is everyone bringing it up? What nobody believes him?

Anyways again I do not try to pass off the Pro1000 as a press everyone should have or use. Many cannot figure it out and make it work. I always joke that mine must be broken or that I'm doing something wrong because the one I have just seems to work and work just as it was meant to. I would not suggest it to anyone that has no mechanical ability or refuses to follow recommended suggestions as to what makes it work. For a progressive style press it really is very simplistic.

Now if you were close enough I would gladly invite you over to show you how I make it work. And enjoy doing it!
 
I started out with reloading for my 50 caliber Maynard that was done by hand. Then I went to 357MAG with a Lyman JR turret press and a Lyman 55 powder measure mounted on it. Next came the Lyman All American Turret with the same 55 powder measure. Then I ventured into a progressive press by Lee for 9mm. I had one round not get powder that soared me on progressive. By this time I was loading 357, 38special, 38super, 9mm in hand guns Also loading 30-06, 308, 35rem in rifle calibers. from here I went to a T7 redding and setup my 55 powder measure on one turret with 3 rifle dies and I bought redding pistol measure put that on a separate turret for pistol loads. I don't load many but this leaves my press set to load what I need to without the setup just need to check before loading. For used brass I have a rock chucker that gets the depriming and sizing task. Recently I've ventured into 30 Luger reloading which is fun. All this in a little over ten years. My conviction was I want to be able to reload for everything I own.
If I were to start over I probably would start with the Redding T7 but hind sight is 20-20. The question I feel you need to answer is this a hobby that will last or a fad?
 
If you shoot with any frequency, get a progressive. Use 1 die at a time until you fully understand the function of that die, then start adding more into the mix. I feel that is the best route for a beginner who knows they will stick with the hobby.

IMO if you start out with a single arm press, you will want to upgrade very soon. Then when you have a progressive you will want to start adding things like a bullet feeder and case feeder to make it even more automated. You don't HAVE to use every station on the progressive, take it slow, learn and fully understand what you are doing then ramp up your process and take advantage of the progressive feature.

Something to consider...
 
It is pretty hard to argue against the LCT as the best thing to come down the pike in the last decade, or whenever it came out.
I am of the opinion that rock chuckers should be left back in 1972 where they came from, a lot of innovation has happened since then. None from RCBS
If you drive a car but don't change a tire or oil, or anything more involved than that you should stay away from anything more complicated than the LCT, however.

But if you are somewhat mechanically inclined, and can thread a sewing machine, you can run a 650/LnL AP no problem. I would recommend them over a manual indexing turret like a 550 any day.

Just keep in mind they aren't very handy for working up loads and running small batches of different calibers often.
That is when you team it up with a LCT for a winning combo.
 
Threads of this type are always interesting and this one should provide enough pros and cons to assist with an informative decision. For handguns only, I'll put in one more plug for a progressive of choice. Enough mechanical dexterity is needed to recognize problems as they start to develop later on. Once recognized they are usually easy to repair (or call the vendor).

But to get started, single stage for a while as lnl refers to above. This means to initially get all the die stations set up individually, including the powder station, and now with all stations adjusted properly, run a single case through indiviidually to completion, and then another, etc. Continue that way until comfortable and any final adjustments made and then progress to progressive mode.

I'm inclined towards the Dillon 550 or 650. The 550 has four die stations with manual advance between ststions, while the 650 has five stations and automatic advance. There's always some commentary as to which model might be the most error prone during operation. I hope to end that discussion by simply saying it's six of one and half dozen of the other. Do not let that be a determining factor.

Take a look at the Lee 1000. It is auto advance but I think a poster said that auto can be disabled if desired.
 
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Being retired and on a fixed income I was pretty much pushed to look used and truly believe that is a viable way to go for anyone looking to start. I just happened to come upon a nice used Lee press and have no problems with it. At the same time I was looking to buy if I would have come upon a nice used Dillon SDB for the right price I would be just as happy using that.

My advice to everyone looking at buying their 1st press is to keep an open mind, look at ALL the presses, not just one brand because of internet popularity. Read the forums, read the reviews at the retailers, watch the videos for all of them. There is enough information out there to make an informed decision on what best suites your needs and style w/o all the personal opinions and biases.

I find most people coming to the forums are smart enough that they don't need me telling them what to buy. Like here I will make suggestions yet I will not be offended if my suggestions are ignored over something else. I have no skin in your game.
 
Lee kit is entry level stuff. S'ok, but their warrantee isn't as good as either RCB or Dillon. You'd be better buying an RCBS Beginner's Kit just for the warrantee. Comes with everything you need less dies and shell holder. A single stage press is dandy for 150 or so rounds per week. Been using one for 40 years myself. Speed comes with technique.
"...won't need to trim the cases..." Probably never have to trim .38's at all. Especially using target loads. 2.5 to 2.8 of Bullseye with a cast or swaged 148 grain WC.
"...spitting spent primers all over the floor..." Fixed with a vacuum cleaner on carpet. A corn broom on tiles. You could try yelling, "Honey!". Just remember I don't live there. snicker.
 
Your post indicated that you used to reload.

So the well-meaning fellas who don't want you to move to a progressive yet, just didn't read your post more than a glance. (wise advice for newbies though)

I did notice that you sold your reloading stuff 20 years ago. That may or may not mean you are over the ridge and going down the back side like me.......hope not!:)

Why this tack? Just that the one thing I bought a progressive for was wear and tear......not on the equipment, on me! A single or a turret is more exercise on my shoulder, arms, and hands than I want. Did that for 40 years. And the result is worn out.:rolleyes: Recuping at the moment from carpal tunnel release surgery....for example. Current keyboarding is hurting...but necessary physical therapy!

All those strokes of the press gets older and older the more you get older and older.....

From my point of view a progressive is just plain wise......and you know what? You may find yourself shooting twice what you indicated, just because its so easy (and fun) to pump out 500 rounds in the same number of strokes as you used to crank out 100 rounds......period. Just pick a color....any will work. My color is green, but that just ain't that important.

I've just ordered an upgrade.....just because I'm curious what 7 stations can do......and they've finally worked out the "new press" bugs, made it more affordable, and I need a new project to play with while I recuperate. (wife spoils me...I admit it, however her Bernina toys make mine look cheap)
 
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I cannot recommend the Lee Classic Cast Turret press highly enough.

I'm not a particularly high volume reloader any more, so it suits my needs exceptionally well.

I also have a Lyman T-Mag turret. It does a good job, as well.
 
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