Hey guys I am new to the forum and new to reloading. I have some reload book and have been reading on the whole process. I am looking to reload 9mm, 40s&w, 45 ACP, .223, and 7.62. The majority of the reloads will be for the hand gun ammo. I am unsure what the best press is for what I am looking to do. Should I go progressive? Any help appreciated. Thanks
Whats the best reloading press
- Thread starter tech135
- Start date
The typical answer to this question, from a beginning reloader, is "No".
The reason why is that a progressive press makes it entirely too easy to create 500 bad rounds before a mistake is noticed. While a single stage press is no guarantee of safety, it at least slows the beginner down. Which can be a good thing.
However, it is entirely possible to learn to reload on a progressive, if you can handle detailed instructions, and understand that each station has to be set up correctly before proceeding to the next. Once the stations are set up, you can be successful if you are then consistent and work at a safe pace.
Progressive presses do not lend themselves to "fiddling" with the dies or powder measure during a reloading session. This is much easier to do with a single-stage press.
Also, you should be aware that progressive presses do not generally work in full progressive mode with bottleneck rifle cartridges, due to the need to trim after resizing. Many reloaders use a single stage for bottleneck case prep, then move to a progessive press for powder charge and bullet seating.
It is possible to use a progressive press as a single stage, provided auto-indexing doesn't get in the way too much. For this reason, some prefer a manual indexing progressive, such as the Dillon 550B.
Then there's the turret press, which offers speed somewhere between a single stage and a progressive. These can definitely be used as a single stage for reloading rifle cartridges.
In summary, each reloader has to determine the best equipment for his needs. Sometimes this is dictated by the number of rounds you plan to reload (available time) and sometimes it is dictated by cost.
(Have you looked at Dillon's prices?
)Press
WOW...thanks for all of the information. I have looked at Dillon's. I was looking at the 650 XL. I do want the option of reloading rifle ammo. So with this being my first press and needing to do rifle reloads as well as handgun maybe a Turret style is the way to go for me. Lee make the best turrets from what I have read???
WOW...thanks for all of the information. I have looked at Dillon's. I was looking at the 650 XL. I do want the option of reloading rifle ammo. So with this being my first press and needing to do rifle reloads as well as handgun maybe a Turret style is the way to go for me. Lee make the best turrets from what I have read???
Someone will probably be along shortly to explain more about turret presses.
From what I've read, the Lee Classic Cast is the one to get. Built like a tank, will last forever.
There is nothing wrong with a Dillon 650 except the price, and the need to be extremely careful when learning to use it.
Many use a progressive press as a "pseudo single stage" while learning by removing the locator buttons (Dillon terminology...Hornady et al differ).
Do all the depriming/resizing/repriming at station 1. Now you have a "batch" of brass, possibly in loading blocks.
Proceed to station 2 for powder charge. Now you have charged cases.
Proceed to station 3 for bullet seating. Now the cases have bullets.
Proceed to station 4 for crimping. Done...ready to be taken to range.
The 650 has an extra station, which can be used for a powder check die. In progressive operation, this can add some reassurance that you haven't created a no powder round (aka "squib") or a double charge (aka "kaboom").
I suppose this die could be used in "batch" mode, to verify the charge is correct. But you can also do a careful visual inspection of the charged cases in the loading blocks. Something that can't be done when running in true progressive mode.
By the way, you need to add up the caliber conversion kits to see the true cost of a Dillon 650...
From what I've read, the Lee Classic Cast is the one to get. Built like a tank, will last forever.
There is nothing wrong with a Dillon 650 except the price, and the need to be extremely careful when learning to use it.
Many use a progressive press as a "pseudo single stage" while learning by removing the locator buttons (Dillon terminology...Hornady et al differ).
Do all the depriming/resizing/repriming at station 1. Now you have a "batch" of brass, possibly in loading blocks.
Proceed to station 2 for powder charge. Now you have charged cases.
Proceed to station 3 for bullet seating. Now the cases have bullets.
Proceed to station 4 for crimping. Done...ready to be taken to range.
The 650 has an extra station, which can be used for a powder check die. In progressive operation, this can add some reassurance that you haven't created a no powder round (aka "squib") or a double charge (aka "kaboom").
I suppose this die could be used in "batch" mode, to verify the charge is correct. But you can also do a careful visual inspection of the charged cases in the loading blocks. Something that can't be done when running in true progressive mode.
By the way, you need to add up the caliber conversion kits to see the true cost of a Dillon 650...
Lost Sheep
New member
There is some disagreement on whether Lee makes the best turrets or not.
They only have 4 die stations, so if you want more than that, they are out.
But they do have certain advantages.
The Lee Turrets are the only turret presses that have the ability to automatically advance (index) the turret (which can provide a substantial speed advantage). Turrets are very much less expensive ($10-$15) and the presses are a bit more compact. Swapping turrets takes a few seconds, vs a minute or more on other turrets or several minutes to 15 minutes on progressives.
On the question of whether turret or progressive is the way to go depends on how many rounds you want to load in a session. Larger quantities, the progressive looks better and better. If you swap calibers a lot, the turret looks better. If you shoot several hundred rounds a week, a progressive looks better.
If your budget allows a Dillon 650 (or even a 550) including decent scale, caliber swap setups, all the miscellaneous small tools and accessories and you have the space for the setup and the need for the quantities that justify a progressive, good for you.
I started loading with a single stage press and was happy with that until I became proficient and moved up to a pair of progressives (one for small primer ammo and one for large) and discovered I did have the personality to monitor multiple simultaneous operations. So, after 30 years I bought the best press money could buy (that fit my needs and style).
I settled on a Lee Classic Turret (far better and stronger than the Lee Deluxe Turret), RCBS 10-10 scale (which I had already) Lee Dies multiple powder measures and a mess of accessories. One could start with nothing and duplicate my setup for $600 and have everything for a first-class setup for loading 5 different calibers (exclusive of manuals). This is essentially the base price for a Dillon 650 properly set up for one caliber.
So, what's your budget and what kind of quantities do you need?
Lost Sheep
See the original story here
www.rugerforum.net/reloading/29385-...you-will-never-outgrow-novice-handloader.html
They only have 4 die stations, so if you want more than that, they are out.
But they do have certain advantages.
The Lee Turrets are the only turret presses that have the ability to automatically advance (index) the turret (which can provide a substantial speed advantage). Turrets are very much less expensive ($10-$15) and the presses are a bit more compact. Swapping turrets takes a few seconds, vs a minute or more on other turrets or several minutes to 15 minutes on progressives.
On the question of whether turret or progressive is the way to go depends on how many rounds you want to load in a session. Larger quantities, the progressive looks better and better. If you swap calibers a lot, the turret looks better. If you shoot several hundred rounds a week, a progressive looks better.
If your budget allows a Dillon 650 (or even a 550) including decent scale, caliber swap setups, all the miscellaneous small tools and accessories and you have the space for the setup and the need for the quantities that justify a progressive, good for you.
I started loading with a single stage press and was happy with that until I became proficient and moved up to a pair of progressives (one for small primer ammo and one for large) and discovered I did have the personality to monitor multiple simultaneous operations. So, after 30 years I bought the best press money could buy (that fit my needs and style).
I settled on a Lee Classic Turret (far better and stronger than the Lee Deluxe Turret), RCBS 10-10 scale (which I had already) Lee Dies multiple powder measures and a mess of accessories. One could start with nothing and duplicate my setup for $600 and have everything for a first-class setup for loading 5 different calibers (exclusive of manuals). This is essentially the base price for a Dillon 650 properly set up for one caliber.
So, what's your budget and what kind of quantities do you need?
Lost Sheep
See the original story here
www.rugerforum.net/reloading/29385-...you-will-never-outgrow-novice-handloader.html
If you are familiar with all stages of reloading, I see no problem with a progressive press. Like the previous poster said, you can use it as a single stage. If you go to the range once or twice a week, a progressive would be yoour best bet.
In all my years of reloading, I have never seen a bad single stage press. Conversely, some of the progressives, IE Lee and the RCBS green machine have been duds.
In all my years of reloading, I have never seen a bad single stage press. Conversely, some of the progressives, IE Lee and the RCBS green machine have been duds.
press
I plan to goto the range once a week. The weekend is the only time I have to goto the range. I plan to make ammo during the week after work. Not really concerned with budget just want the best machine that makes sense for a beginner. I plan on doing this for years to come and understand if I should start with one machine the graduate to a better/ more complex later. I plan to do multiple calibers on the same machine and I will change calibers often. As well as some rifle ammo also.
I plan to goto the range once a week. The weekend is the only time I have to goto the range. I plan to make ammo during the week after work. Not really concerned with budget just want the best machine that makes sense for a beginner. I plan on doing this for years to come and understand if I should start with one machine the graduate to a better/ more complex later. I plan to do multiple calibers on the same machine and I will change calibers often. As well as some rifle ammo also.
serf 'rett
New member
...But you haven't really told us how many rounds you would normally shoot during your range visit.
For example: This past Saturday I shot an IDPA match with round count of approximately 100 and then did some preliminary sighting of a new AR-15 with 33 rounds. In my mind, this low number of rounds wouldn’t justify the significant expense of a 550, 650, 1050 or L-N-L; therefore, I plod along with my single stage RCBS Rock Chucker.
Lost Sheep has a really good sales pitch for the Lee Classic Cast Turret and has me pretty much convinced to give one a try; however, I can’t seem to stop buying bullets, powder and primers long enough to purchase the Lee turret press. I suspect the Lee would be a good fit for what I do.
On the other hand, if you are blasting several hundred rounds per range visit per week, then a progressive would be the better choice…unless you’re into benchrest shooting where the single stage makes more sense.
How much reloading time do you have between visits to the range? You can do that many rounds in an hour on a Lee Classic Turret Press, once it's set up. When I was late for a match one time, I did 270 rounds in about fifteen minutes on a Square Deal, but I had my wife feeding the bullets and checking powder so I could stay on the press handle with my left hand and feed cases with my right, uninterrupted.
If that's all your going to shoot and you would be loading a few rounds of each every week. A single progressive would drive you nuts with all of the cailiber and primer conversions you are going to be doing.
The Lee turret would be a lot faster to do a caliber change, cost a lot less and take at least 3x longer to load 100 rounds, compared to a decent progressive.
A better set of questions to answer might be.
How much time are you willing to spend reloading?
How much money are you willing to spend to have the best equipment?
The Lee turret would be a lot faster to do a caliber change, cost a lot less and take at least 3x longer to load 100 rounds, compared to a decent progressive.
A better set of questions to answer might be.
How much time are you willing to spend reloading?
How much money are you willing to spend to have the best equipment?
I have a couple hours a night about 4 times a week I can dedicate to reloading. I am willing to pay more for better equipment but don't want something that's just a pain in the but to deal with. If the best Dillon is the way to go then I will go that route. But it sounds like it might be over kill for what im doing. My goal is to make my own ammo for range shooting and build up my invetory 
jaguarxk120
New member
tech135 the Dillon is the way to go. Dillon has one of the best warrenty programs in the industry.
Just as one member signs off with: Oneounceload -- " The bitterness of poor quality is long remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory. Aldo Gucci"
Just as one member signs off with: Oneounceload -- " The bitterness of poor quality is long remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory. Aldo Gucci"
springer99
New member
If you'll be happy producing rifle and pistol rounds at the rate of 160-175/hour and plan on changing calibers frequently, then the Lee Classic Cast Turret will probably be your best choice. AFAIK, it's the only auto-index turret out there right now, and it's pretty rugged and bullet-proof.
You can use the Lee powder measure for your pistol calibers, but you'll want a separate powder measure with a larger drop tube for the rifle calibers. Get a separate powder scale to confirm your drop weights. You should pick up extra 4-hole turrets for each die set you plan to use, as this will make change-over quick, simple, and you won't be constantly fiddling with adjustments.
If you need much higher output than this, then a full progressive press (like a Dillon or Hornady LNL) will fit that bill, but will be more involved in change-overs, etc.
As far as production quality goes, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between any of these press.
You can use the Lee powder measure for your pistol calibers, but you'll want a separate powder measure with a larger drop tube for the rifle calibers. Get a separate powder scale to confirm your drop weights. You should pick up extra 4-hole turrets for each die set you plan to use, as this will make change-over quick, simple, and you won't be constantly fiddling with adjustments.
If you need much higher output than this, then a full progressive press (like a Dillon or Hornady LNL) will fit that bill, but will be more involved in change-overs, etc.
As far as production quality goes, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between any of these press.
I use and learned to reload on a Lee Classic Turret and it does everything I want it too. I prefer to take my time and get it right.
To begin with I used it as a single stage and as I got more confident I used the index system with powder measure.
Now with pistol ammunition I reload it in one go but I index it manually I prefer the feel and sound of turning the turret myself.
For rifle I use it single stage and weigh the charges.
To begin with I used it as a single stage and as I got more confident I used the index system with powder measure.
Now with pistol ammunition I reload it in one go but I index it manually I prefer the feel and sound of turning the turret myself.
For rifle I use it single stage and weigh the charges.
A lot of time the best is overkill. If you are willing to spend 8 hours a week loading ammo though, just about anything will work to load the 10,000 rounds of ammo you plan to shoot yearly. To put it into perspective, with a decked out 1050 you could load the entire years worth in under 8 hrs.