Reloading press opinions

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Garye5007

New member
Well, I want to reload pretty much .38 special exclusively. I had a Lee 1000 that I foolishly sold a few years back that worked ok. Would love a Dillon Square Deal b but even new they are as easy to find as chicken teeth (and$$$)I know there are many opinions about presses. I’m even considering a Lee turret.
What would you suggest for next step up without breaking the bank that you all have had luck with. Would love any advice! Thanks!
 
Well, I've never found the allure of a turret press. It's still only one operation completed per stroke. It's just a fast way to change dies, as far as I can tell.

If you're loading for 38 Special - as I have been doing more than any other caliber for 40 years - then I would recommend what I have: A Dillon 550.

I do however, load differently than most. For me, case reconditioning (prepping for reloading) and the actual reloading process are two discreet operations. In the case of 38 Special, I resize/decap, and flair in one operation. I then wet tumble the brass. After it's dry, I then prime and charge off-press; and then, seat and crimp on the press.
 
Sage advice sir! I like the idea of a progressive! They show up now and then and I’m not in too big a hurry,Call me paranoid but I have trust issues so I must find something I can pick up in person. Thanks again!
 
Most of my shooting is for test loads and I take my time assembling everything. My bench is really small so a progressive doesn't work for me. At best, I have an Old RCBS Piggyback whenever I'll have the need to assemble a lot of rounds.
 
If your goal is just .38 SPL in moderate quantity, you'd be hard pressed (pun intended) to do better than a Dillon 550.

I'm at about 1.2M rounds loaded, and I've done that on a lot of presses and a lot of different ways. I've told myself I could be fine with a progressive set up to produce primed sized brass and then just use a simple press to drop powder and seat bullets.
 
I can also recommend the Dillon 550 (mine is a”B”, recently upgraded by Dillon to a “C” frame since my original frame cracked). Particularly if you have standardized on a given load in a single cartridge. A square Deal might be even better and less costly but not nearly as versatile as a 550. And you may want to add some additional cartridges in the future. Now, if you want to experiment and try a lot of different of bullets and powders, you might do just fine with a single stage press. My RCBS Rockchucker II continues to serve me well after 42 years. I probably still use it more than my Dillon, since I only load 9mm, .357 Magnum and .45 ACP on the progressive. The .223, 22-250, .243 Win, .270 Win, .270WSM, 30-30, .308 Win, .300 Win Mag and .338 Federal are all loaded on the single stage, along with.38 Special, .40 S&W and 10mm. If you aren’t shooting a high volume of the same load, a simple single stage press might be just fine and save you some $.
 
I have and use both a 550 and a Lee classic cast turret. I load 9mm exclusively on the 550 since it’s the highest volume caliber I shoot. I load all my .41mag, .357mag, and .38sp on the turret since I shoot them at a lower volume. I also have the 550 set up with the Lee pro disc powder measure and I’ve rigged up the bullet feeder from my old Lee loadmaster which really speeds up using the 550. Personally I would let the 550 go before the Lee turret, mainly because of its simplicity and reliability. Sure it’s slower to use and you are pumping the handle more but it also lets you monitor what you’re doing because all you have to pay attention to is one stage at a time. The 550 is a great machine and I plan on keeping it forever but if I had to change calibers often and volume isn’t the first concern the turret is more convenient. Just my personal experience and opinion.
 
I too have a 550 and a Lee turret. With the shortage of components I find myself using the turret press more than the 550. The 550 is great if you only load one caliber and have quantities of components. For loading 50-100 rounds I find the turret is much easier to use. The downside of the 550 is loading the priming tubes and getting the powder set up. Also the unloading and cleanup of the powder system is time consuming. I do not leave the powder in the machine when I am finished. Some people do.
 
If you can find an older RCBS 5 station press they will work OK. I have a piggyback conversion on a Rock Chucker but it's not the most ideal due to the flex in the system. I would love to find an ammo master 5 station that would use my shell plates.
 
For bulk pistol ammo, I load in full progressive mode on my Dillons.
Tumbler to press to gauge to gun.

"Brass prep," hand priming, powder weighing, is for target rifle ammo.
 
I started out with a Lyman Spartan in the early 70s. Went to the Lyman Spar-T turret press shortly after. The second time I destroyed a round because I forgot to advance the turret, I packed up the turret press and went back to the single stage.

its slower, yes, but its about as foolproof as it gets, and that was something this particular fool needed.

Went to a Dillon progressive in the mid 80s, used it for several years. Loved some of what it did, hated some of what it did, and eventually sold it and went back to my old standard of a single stage press. This time, an 0 frame RCBS, which has given me fine service over the past 40+ years loading rifle rounds from .22 Hornet through .458 Winchester Magnum, and pistol rounds from .32ACP on up.

I load for two main reasons, first, to get the ammo I want, for MY guns, and, second, because I actually enjoy it. For me, the single stage works very well, as I'm not an ammo factory, and being the "arsenal of democracy" is someone else's function.
 
I used to use a RCBS Jr. and would do things in batches.
Now I use a Hornady LnL; just loaded up 200 wcs using 4 different powders. I have it mounted on an Inline Fabrication press riser
 
I have one, it is a great press, works smoothly, cartridge changes aren't that hard to do; mounts well on top with an Inline fabrication press riser
 
The downside of the 550 is loading the priming tubes and getting the powder set up.
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Which is why I don't bother. I do these operations off-press; which, is my preferred method anyway.
 
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