[elkhuntingfool]

Okay - been doing the single stage for quite a while now and I'm thinking of jumping up to a progressive reloader. Money IS an issue right now. I'll be reloading 9mm, 45acp, .223, .243, .270, 7mm Mag and .308

I've been looking at the Lee Turret presses - but just want some other opinions. Again - money is an issue.

Thanks!!

[oldfortyfiveauto]

Dillon 550....you won't regret saving for it.

[72V]

I don't own a progressive press, and I've been reading up on them lately. Here's something that's worth a read....

http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf

After reading this, I came away favoring the Hornaday L&L AP over the Lee Loadmaster and Dillon.

[HisSoldier]

I'm new to progressives, but bought an RCBS Pro2000. I like it! All my single stage presses were RCBS so it came naturally, and I like cast iron instead of aluminum.

[SASS#23149]

IN my mind, a turret press is not a prgressive...a progressive uses all the dies at the same time,a turret uses one die at a time.
ie: a prgressive is faster,a turret is cheaper,usually.
I love my dillon 550b,but then I"ve not used any others so maybe I don't know no better. :)

[RustyFN]

I load on a Lee classic turret and can load around 200 per hour at a comfortable pace, that's fast enough for me. I load 9mm, 38/357, 45 auto and 223. I have also loaded on a friends Dillon 550 and it was a very nice press but I can't justify the extra money when the classic meets my needs. I load four calibers and to get a 550 setup for all four calibers I'm probably looking at around $700 to $800. That will buy a lot of components.
Rusty

[The Bushmaster]

If you decide on the Lee Turret. Get the Lee Classic CAST Turret...

I, like RustyFN, have been reloading on a Lee Classic Turret for the last 22 years (it has served me well) and plan to up grade to the CAST some time in 2009...

[atblis]

Guy in our club uses Lee. Trying to remember which one. I am thinking the Pro 1000 but... maybe it is the load master.

It works. His loads seems to shoot just as well as anybody elses.

I happen to like blue flavored Koolaid.

[Dirtypacman]

Regardless of your money situation save up and get the Dillon. It will last a lifetime, customer service is great, you will be pleased with the end result of some fine ammunition.

[ants]

Save up your money and buy me a new Dillon.

[ants]

You determine your financial situation, don't let other people do that for you.

I own Dillon, RCBS, Lee, and (I am one lucky dude!) Forster. They are all worth the money. No doubt about it. You determine the amount of money you can afford, and you make your own personal decision.
They all work extremely well, they all make excellent ammunition.

[amlevin]

When you look at used Lee Progressive presses that sold new for just under $300, selling for $50 or less and then you look at a Dillon Press that sells used for 80% or more of it's original price you get a feel for which was "built to last".

I am one of those that tried to "do it cheap" and now am the proud owner of several presses that sit on the shelf in boxes while I use my Dillon 650 to load my ammo.

Save up your $$ and get something that will do the job and keep doing it for years. Lee Progressive presses may "work" but they take a lot of tinkering to both get working and then keep working. For me, my choice was Dillon and I have not been sorry.

[RustyFN]

Lee Progressive presses may "work" but they take a lot of tinkering to both get working and then keep working. For me, my choice was Dillon and I have not been sorry.
That may be true for the Load Master and Pro 1K but not for the classic turret. My classic has worked without needing tinkering since the day I set it up, two years ago. It makes very consistant ammo. It only takes one minute to change calibers and primer feed. It is also very cheap to add a caliber, $9 turret plus dies. Most people I know with Dillons make thousands of one caliber before they change to another because it's a PITA to do a caliber change, not so on the classic. In fact a lot of people I have talked to that have progressives also have a classic for when they only want to make a couple hundred rounds they use the classic rather than do a caliber change on the progressive. Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying that a progressive isn't a good way to go for some people but when you only need 200 rounds here and there it is overkill. Why spend $800 on something when you can meet your needs for $350.
Rusty

[Hunter0924]

I prefer Hornady myself.

[LCTitan]

The RCBS Pro 2000 is a very hard press to beat. The ease of setup and learning curve make jumping from a single stage press to a progressive press a breeze. Very happy with mine. If cost is a factor keep in mind the cost to chage callibers on the Pro 2000 is relatively inexpensive as well and the priming system and powder dispenser are top notch.

[Griz44]

LCT, I am not familiar with the 2000, is it a 4 stage or a 5 stage?

[karnaaj]

Don't forget about the great rebate Hornady has going on right now. Buy their lock-n-load progressive and get 1000 bullets free! As far as Dillon goes it was those caliber conversion kits that turned me off.

[LCTitan]

It's a 5 stage press that's built like a tank.

[DEDON45]

On a Budget, but want something you won't have to fiddle with a bunch? Get the Hornady LnL AP... Seriously, it's a great press.

[oldfortyfiveauto]

I actually have two Dillon square deals just so I don't have change over the priming. All progressives are a PITA to change over. Some times it goes smooth and some times it don't. I have two MEC 9000's, 12ga & 28ga. one worked well out the box, the other I would have been better off if they gave me the machine in parts. It would have been easier to tweak in that way. I have used my friends 550's, 650's and 1050's. I've become partial to Dillon. The others I've seen all work well, just depends on the deals you get and what your friends all have.

[jfh]

On a cost-benefit ratio, I don't think you can go wrong with a Lee Turret.

The latest version is the "Classic Cast (Iron)," and you can put together a decent complete package of all tools needed for about $300.00 or so.

Personally, I still use the older / standard Turret, upgraded to 4-die, and with the safety prime. That's an even-more, cost saving approach, but the Classic Cast is still worth its cost. I was going to buy a Classic Cast, but The Bushmaster has invited me to live with him for the winter (that damn stock market has me down and about out), so I will use his instead.

With the auto-indexing feature on a Lee Turret, you can readily load 200 rounds an hour once you've got it figured out, and with complete reliability--but with the same machine, you can remove the indexing rod and set it up for single-stage use.

Here (http://www.realguns.com/archives/122.htm) is a comprehensive review of the Classic Cast Turret, including loading some rifle rounds, IIRC--

Jim H.

[lgbloader]

I don't own a progressive press, and I've been reading up on them lately. Here's something that's worth a read....

http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillon...Comparison.pdf

After reading this, I came away favoring the Hornaday L&L AP over the Lee Loadmaster and Dillon.

Of course you would, the guy that wrote that preferred the Hornady and if you want to base your purchase on somebodys opinion that you have never even met, Go for it. But, remember, that is ONLY his opinion.


But... Some people swear by their Loadmaster. Others love the blue thingy while others claim that the RCBS 2000 is the most solid and best of all.

The question you should ask is "What do you want?" and save up for it and get the one you want. I bought my friend a LEE Classic Cast Turret for his birthday and I found out today that he went out and bought a Dillon 550B because that is what he really wants. He still wants the LCT but he finally got the press he has always wanted. More power to him.

Same thing with firearms, You can shoot a vanguard fine but do you want to wait and save for that MarkV? I have a couple of 9mm's that are top notch but I still want a Hi-Point POS just because I want one. Who cares what people think. More power to me. You make your money so spend it like you want to.

Bottom Line, Get what you really want. Only you know which one that is and more power to you. After all, only you will be using it.

It's called pride of ownership and as you can see, this site is full of it.

Good Luck and cheers all.

LGB

[1858]

I have two RCBS Rock Chucker presses that I've had for years ... one is in the single stage form and the other has a Piggyback II progressive conversion kit on it. I've loaded thousands and thousands of rounds with that Piggyback II without any trouble and I like that fact that I can pull off the Piggyback and use the Rock Chucker as another single stage press if necessary. The Piggyback can load .223 but nothing longer but basically it's designed to spit out handgun ammunition all day long. Anyway, that's another option for you ... a single stage press with a progressive kit.

You'll find that most folks here are loyal to one brand or another and many (like me) only have experience with one brand. I have RCBS, Redding and Lee dies so I can be a little more objective when discussing those. The truly useful members here are those that have been reloading for years, have loaded hundreds of thousands of rounds and have used most if not all of the mainstream offerings (past and current) but those folks are hard to find.

:)

[72V]

I don't own a progressive press, and I've been reading up on them lately. Here's something that's worth a read....

http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillon...Comparison.pdf

After reading this, I came away favoring the Hornaday L&L AP over the Lee Loadmaster and Dillon.

Of course you would, the guy that wrote that preferred the Hornady and if you want to base your purchase on somebodys opinion that you have never even met, Go for it. But, remember, that is ONLY his opinion.


I haven't blindly made up my mind based on this guy's opinion. He does make a good point by point comparison of the three presses, which is especially interesting since he's actually owned all three, IIRC.

[aerod1]

What RustyFN said!! He is giving you the straight skinny.
I also own a "Lee Classic Turret" and Rusty is telling the honest truth. It is incredibly simple to use and is durable. The cost allows you to buy more components. It is a GREAT press. It is actually the bridge between single stage and progressive.

[WmCC]

Another vote for the RCBS PRO 2000! Makes my old 650 look like a toy.

[John C]

I was in your boat a few years ago. I ended up getting a couple of dillons on ebay. I haven't regretted it. BUT, if I were to do it again, I would either get a lee classic cast turret if money were tight, or a Hornady if money weren't as much an issue.

I have a good friend who has a lee pro 1000, and it's worked great for him. But, he's an engineer. I'm much less mechanically inclined, and frankly I probably wouldn't have liked it. If you're a natural mechanic, you'll do great with a lee. You can find them used very cheap, then fix the issue and get them running smoothly.

If you're not a mechanic, then get something besides a lee progressive. I picked up some dillons, and although they were a lot of money, I'm extremely happy. They were worth every penny. Luckily this is America, and they are choices for every situation.

Good luck!

-John

[Waldog]

I have loaded on both the Dillon 550 and Hornady LNL. IMHO; the LNL powder measure significantly outshines the Dillon.

ALSO, If you are looking for value, Hornady is giving you 1000 bullets free with purchase of the LNL. With the value of the bullets taken into consideration, the LNL will cost you less that $100.

I bought the LNL 2 years ago and absolutely love it.

But, There are Dillon owners that love their machines as well.

Both are great! You just have to decide which suits you.

[benzuncle]

The Lee Classic Turret Press is the best bang for the buck. Lee's service is very good. (I haven't needed it but being a lurker I have read the comments of others that are very pleased.) Parts and accessories are inexpensive and easy to come by. My "kit" cost $230.75 to thow 45acp's. This included upgrades to the Pro Auto Disk powder measure, the safety prime system, calipers, scale and bullet puller. Somewhere along the way, I calculated it would take me 75 boxes of 230gr 45acp ammo to pay for the setup. I'm already at 60 boxes in 10 months. RustyFN's testimonials are spot on. His #3 ball on the handle has become infamous. (Lee needs to wake up and do some marketing in that direction.) Caliber die change out couldn't be simpler or quicker. "The money" was the exact reason I chose it. I wanted something to load with that had an easy learning curve, could load a decent amount of ammo in a reasonable amount of time and would leave me with some money left to be able to go to the range and the gun shows. I thought that if I really liked reloading, I would move on to one of the other brands, probably Dillon. After 10 months and having built enough rounds to have almost paid for my setup, I am not really interested in spending more money to build the same rounds I build now. The Lee Classic Turret Press is easy to use and fast enough, my ammo works fine in all my firearms and each round is a pleasure to build. I have added the 380acp to the original 45acp setup and am now looking to add 357magnum. The cost to add a caliber (4-hole turret and carbide dies) is $42.00. Once again, the low cost of the dies and turret and the ease of changing calibers is a huge plus. All of the brands I read about on the forums have happy and contented owners. I hear less complaining about the brands of loaders than I do about the major brands of firearms. Good luck in your research and deliberation. Let us know...

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

You can always try a C-H.

[Shoney]

I’m going to plow right thru this minefield of big steaming piles of RCF. What the double hockey stix is RCF????

Well, since Dillon “don has no stinking BS”, ya gotta call it RCF - Runny Cow Flop.

I swear, if someone asks, ”Which restaurant serves up good sandwiches?”, several Dillondofile will answer, “Get a Dillon, cuz it’s the greatest thing since sliced cumquat and rutabaga bread, and never look back, you won’t regret it.”

I started loading on a single stage press in 1960. About 17-18 years ago, I bought a used Dillon 550 and then became an official member of the Blue Buffoon Battalion, and became guilty of spreading “lots of RCF”, remember Dillon “don has no stinking BS”. I was like so many of the dishonest or blindly brand loyal people who have never owned or loaded with any other progressive, yet cluelessly advocate for a single brand. Remember that dillon used to be the only game in town, with years of building up a loyal fan base. Times have changed.

When I first saw the Hornady LNL Auto Progressive 8-9 years ago, my blue product loyalty was badly shaken. I soon after bought the LNL Auto and have never regretted it. The 550 is still a good machine, and I have it dedicated to one cartridge. I used to load regularly with a friend on his 650; until one day (after years of loading on my LNL and after extensive testing we discovered that the LNL AP produces ammo with considerably less run out), he soon after announced that his wife had given him permission to sell his 650 and buy an LNL.

The LNL AP is by far a much better machine than a 550 or 650. One major problem with Dillon is their old tech powder system. It take$ more cent$ and le$$ $ence to buy blue. The LNL AP also procudes measurably better ammo when you measure run-out/concentricity. I could go on for pages as to why the LNL AP is so much better if you are interested,

Sooooo!!!! “Caveat Emptor.” As my dear departed grandpappy used to say! Then he would loosely translate it as: “Never trust a naked used chariot salesman.”

[The Bushmaster]

Shoney...What flavor is blue kool-ade??:D Oh the hell with it...:neener::evil:

[Shoney]

Dilon apparently repackages "Tidy Bowl" as their Blue Koolaid.

You can sometimes detect drinkers by their blue teeth, but there are oral bleaches that make it less noticeable.

During autopsies, many a blue brain has been see, from extended over use of Tidy - - - er - - - Blue Koolaid

And then there is the dreaded Blue Anterior Orifice, which is actually a full body symptom.:what::evil::D (I wish i could color the "emoticons" eyes and teeth blue)

Hello! My name is Shoney, and I have been Blue Koolaid free for 8 years. It all started when I went to a Garbage Sale - - -

[DEDON45]

Shoney, you're a riot! I'm a Hornady fan too... make my Kool-Aid Red... :)

[Shoney]

DEDON45
There is a problem with having Red Koolaid. Is it Lee or is it Memor - - - opps - - Hornady.:confused:

And if you are a recent blue convert, your teeth will turn brown. EEEEEEEEuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!:barf:

And if you had yellow smokers teeth, a little sip of red would make you look like a Lyman fan.:what:

[The Bushmaster]

I thought that yellow and red made green...

[Shoney]

Actually, mixing yellow and blue gets green. I guess that when those heavy smoker yellow teeth meet with a "litl dab a tidy mix" you get an RCBSofile for a few days.:D

And remember that blue and red under normal conditions would produce purple, but dillon (Hey! Those 2 words together sound good!). anyway, but dillon takes the Tidy Bowl and repackages, repackaging it with lots of road apples mixed in. That’s done to add a swaggering horse sense attitude with a canter to the step. But when mixed with the red, those horse patutes make whatever it touches turn to a doggieduuu brown.

Any questions??????:)

[The Bushmaster]

If yer packaging dillons. I can provide the "road apples"...I have an ample supply here on my place.

[Johnny Guest]

I really believe some here need to go back and read lgbloader’s post #22 (http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=5004641#post5004641) in this thread. It is a well balanced and open-minded assessment. Other members have also tried to keep the discussion on topic. Unfortunately, some have jumped the track and are more interested in product bashing and seeking for silly turns-of-phrase than contributing to the thread.

In any case, this is one of those regularly-appearing questions. I usually ask that individuals use the SEARCH function with a few simple key words. We tend to let the topic run on for a couple of pages, though, or until the participants become too contentious.

Looks like most folks have had their say for now.

Closed

Johnny Guest
THR Staff
H&R Mod