Single stage or multi stage press?

T

Toddrod505

Inactive
I just inherited my dads Lyman Spartan single stage press, it has been in his basement for a few years. Some surface rust, and sticking parts, I tore it all apart, cleaned and wire wheeled everything, repainted and gonna be putting back together. After thinking I may just mount as a momento and purchase a new single or multi stage press. What are the starter reccondmendations?
 
Started with a RCBS single stage years and years ago, Still using same press. never found the need for progressive. I shoot a lot.
 
I really enjoy getting the rust of old well designed equipment and putting oil on them.

I would mount the Lyman on a 2x4 or a 2x6 and clamp the board to a bench.

I would load some ammo, and wipe some of the dirty oil off the press and put some clean oil on the press.

See what you can do and what you can't do. You can probably do anything, just not fast. If you load 50 rounds of rifle ammo a year, it will be just fine. If you load 5,000 rounds of handgun ammo per year, you will need to watch TV while loading it, or get a multi stage.
 
Keep with the single stage for now. You will always have a use for it.
Plus it gives you the opportunity to learn each step in detail.

After a while you will figure out what kind a re loader you are going to be.
Then you can decide what you want.

If you did not already have a single stage. I would have recommended a Turret press. Just because you can work it as a single stage to learn and then up the volume by using the turret.

But if the bug catches... All bets are off. it wont matter what you buy. Your still gona buy another one.
I have 7 presses now. So I guess the bug caught.:rolleyes:
 
I have debated with myself in the past whether I would want a progressive or not. I have decided to stay with a turret press of which I have two on my bench. I keep my different caliber dies on a turret and adjusted. Then I simply change the turret when I want to reload a different caliber in either handgun or rifle.

You use the same principle of a single stage press with the turret press, but have a much higher capacity of reloading.

As another poster stated, put your Dad's single stage to the side, admire it and use it from time to time. There will always be a good use for it.
 
The main difference between single-stage and multi-stage presses I've gleaned from people who have used both in their reloading process is, ammo from single-stage ones end up with more consistent sized case headspace and powder charge weights.
 
Keep the old Spartan press, never know when you'll need another press. I shoot a lot of rifle ammo, different calibers and load for accuracy. Most of the time I weigh each charge so I like single stage presses. I have a number of single stage presses, a Lyman turret press, and a P&W P-200 Turret press. For my F class rifles I don't like changing dies once they are set up and dialed. So for these rifles, I have three old CH - H style presses set up with my sizing dies and three Lee Classic cast presses set up with micrometer seating dies. I have an old lee single stage press set up for just priming rifle cases with large primers. An old RCBS Partner press just for a spare, sometimes used to remove stuck cases and etc. My Lyman T-Mag Turret press is used most often for rifle and hunting loads, and has four turret plate tops which are all full with dies, including .223 rem loaded for accuracy. My P&W P-200, normally a pistol semi-progressive press is set up for small rifle, .223 and .25-20 with auto powder measurers for blasting and fun shooting. I just picked up another P-200 press which I'll use for .38, .357 and 9mm reloading which I don't shoot much anymore.
 
COZ is right, keep the single stage. You will always have a use for it. Heck, I'm using my Lee Turret press as a single stage, most of the time and when I do use it for handgun rounds, I use only two stages, de-prime and bullet seat/crimp.
 
I agree with the single stage, a turret press is a good compromise, it speeds up reloading without compromising quality by going too fast.

I usually load in stages, I will clean my brass weeks before I get ready to load (I use the stainless steel media/wet tumbler), then I will size and prime the brass.

I always have tons of prepped & primed brass ready to load, so when I am ready I sit down & load I get the powder measure & scale set correctly and charge the cases (50 at a time) and then seat the bullets.
 
Why limit yourself?
Keep the single stage, for sure.
It will always be useful in some way.
If you need a faster way to reload ammo, then move up to either a turret or a progressive.
Can't go wrong with both.
When I got my progressive, I let the turret go.
Big mistake, should have kept it.
They all have their uses.
 
That Spartan is one BEEFY press ! Absolutely keep it and put it back in service ! Single stage is the most trouble free way to get a solid foundation of reloading experience. Heck I even load pislol on my RCBS Rock Chucker single. Yes, loading larger quantities is redundant on a single but I don't shoot a lot of pistol my main gig is precision rifle so single stage is the best option for me.
 
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You haven't mentioned what calibers you intend to reload. If, for instance, large rifle calibers along the order of belted mags, plan to use a heavy duty single stage press for that. If mostly handgun calibers and light rifle calibers, go with a progressive and the single stage. There has been an abundance of dissenting information lately on the forum as to which progressive is best and probably most will be repeated here. In the end it is just up to you.
 
If you were learning to drive, what would you like to learn in? A Toyota Camry with auto trans or a Conventional Cab Pete with a 10 speed and a split rear end? Same for reloading; start with simple equipment, simple calibers, and simple loads (classic, tried and true loads). You soon will branch out as you gain experience.
 
A single stage press is very good if you want to make yourself hate reloading.

It is also really good for picking up and throwing right through your window.

A single stage press is also very good at a garage sale. Usually, you will have no problem selling it.

In all seriousness, if you are a competitive shooter who shoots for accuracy, the single stage makes for a good target. You can shoot it to bits, throw it in the trash, then go buy yourself a progressive and enjoy life again.
 
The Lyman Spartan press handle tends to bend at the threads if you put too much pressure on it. I use mine for priming and bullet seating as it has more sensitivity than my Rockchucker press which I use for resizing. It is nice to have both. A lot less die switching.
 
Don't know if it's been mentioned yet (wait it has) but...You will find a need for a single stage! That puts you at two presses at least if you want a multistage. So I am with those who suggest keeping and using it.

Beyond that why not start there with what you have (already suggested too) and get some good experience in. Then move up (already suggested I think?) to a multistage.

All that and I am just repeating what others have suggested already! Well at least you know where my vote is ;)
 
Machineguntony- So do you like single stage or not. I can't tell by your post:D
Actually I shoot comp and shoot more than 80% of people here. Every Sat and Sun about 300 - 500 rounds a day. I use a single stage press and find it very easy to stay on top of making rounds. Time consuming-Yes, Enjoyable- Yes.
Still find lots of time for the wife and kids too. Been using a single stage since day one years and years ago. Quality not quantity
 
Clark said:
See what you can do and what you can't do. You can probably do anything, just not fast. If you load 50 rounds of rifle ammo a year, it will be just fine. If you load 5,000 rounds of handgun ammo per year, you will need to watch TV while loading it, or get a multi stage.
Click to expand...

That's good advise right there!

If you are going to do a 50 round 'Load Tray' at a time,
Then the old 'O' ring, really solid presses are a joy to have.
Ultra solid and accurate, if slow since you have to change/adjust each die for each process.

I don't know ANY hyper accuracy shooters that don't have a big old 'O' frame press that is rigid and dead accurate.

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If you intend to load more than a 'Load Tray' at a time,
Consider something like a Lee Turret Press.

Since the turret rotates with all your dies left in place, it's MUCH faster for slightly larger batches.

It's NOT the most accurate thing in the world, but you CAN crank out sub-MOA rounds on a Lee Turret Press,
And they are VERY reasonably priced, extra turrets are inexpensive so you can set up for different caliber changes in a snap since the dies are already set up in the turrets,
And it takes about 30 seconds to change turrets and shell holders.

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If you are going to crank out 500 at a time or more,
Spend the money on a SOLID progressive press.

'Turret' presses get shaky when you start adding a bunch of crap to them,
So a SOLID FRAME, auto indexing progressive is the way to go.

I tried the 'Upgrade' for my turret press, it just didn't cut the mustard...
Went with a Dillon 650, but there are other fine brands of progressives out there that will do exactly the same job or better...
 
O.P. Start out with your Spartan. You can Upgrade to a progressive later if you want. I added a progressive about 6 years ago after many years on a single stage Rock Chucker. I wouldn't think of giving up either press. I use both at what they are best at.

Bart B said, The main difference between single-stage and multi-stage presses I've gleaned from people who have used both in their reloading process is, ammo from single-stage ones end up with more consistent sized case headspace and powder charge weights.
Click to expand...

That can be true......but it can be false too. First, pistol competitors in IPSC or IDPS use progressives......they need a lot of ammo and progressives makes ammo plenty accurate for their use. Second, as far as rifle loading goes, I've not found serious head space issues at all. What I have found is that there is powder measure friendly powder and powder measure very unfriendly powder. But that's true even with a single stage unless you weigh every charge. A lot of high power competitors have found that powder measures often can make groups just as small.

For example, loading .223, I don't use Varget in my progressive.....it meters terrible in my Uniflow. If I want Varget loads I would use a scale and my Rock Chucker. But I don't have to. I can meter TAC just about perfect for every stroke of the progressive and it performs just as good in my AR.

Most progressive users who load rifle calibers deprime and size them in a single station press. (The O.P.s hand-me-down classic is as good as any press for that.) Then the cases are trimmed and prepped off press. Only then are they fed to the progressive to be primed, charged and seated, which is still way faster than doing those steps on a single stage. So loaded that way, where's the head space issue?

I really feel spoiled now that I bought RCBS Gold Medal Seaters for my AR's.... .223 and .308 both. Being able to just drop them in the die from above the progressive press is a great time saver, and the dies are straight line, and mic'd so seating is pretty accurate. The other perk is one can't catch his too slow fingers between the die and the case and draw blood. :rolleyes: (one of the negatives of progressives....you get on a roll and find your fingers too slow. ouch!)
 
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