There is always a Factor to Consider for everything in life.
If you want consistency of OAL, another factor to consider is the design of where the ram is placed to minimize shell plate tilt/deflection.
Most progressive presses utilize ram under the center of shell plate/subplate and when operated while resizing brass, differing amount of resizing force can apply different amount of shell plate tilt/deflection to vary the bullet seating depth/OAL. And for this reason, you can improve OAL variance by using pre-resized brass to reduce/minimize shell plate tilt/deflection.
Surprisingly, the "humble" 3 station Pro 1000 with smallest shell plate utilizes floating shell plate "offset" ram design under station #1 so resizing force has less affect on bullet seating depth/OAL variance and when full force is applied, shell plate engages the shell plate surface "flat" as "floating shell plate" makes contact. (ABLP/Pro 4000 also utilizes "offset" ram design under station #1)
In this "Myth Busting Pre-Resized Brass Affect On OAL Variance - Progressive Press" thread, use of consistent nose profile/ogive RMR bullets, Pro 1000 produced .002"-.003" OAL variance with mixed range brass and .001" with pre-resized brass -
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...progressive-press.833604/page-2#post-10779806
I'd say not bad for "cheapest" progressive press and reason why I have used Pro 1000 to reload most of THR myth busting/range testing rounds:
BLAZER - 9mm RMR 115 gr FMJ:
- Regular: 1.115" - 1.118" = .003" OAL variance
- Pre-resized: 1.115" - 1.116' = .001' OAL variance
R-P - 9mm RMR 115 gr FMJ:
- Regular; 1.115' - 1.118" = .003" OAL variance
- Pre-resized: 1.115" - 1.116' = .001" OAL variance
WIN - 9mm RMR 115 gr FMJ:
- Regular: 1.114" - 1.117" = .003" OAL variance
- Pre-resized: 1.114" - 1.115" = .001" OAL variance
BLAZER - 9mm RMR 124 gr FP:
- Regular: 1.070" - 1.072" = .002" OAL variance
- Pre-resized: 1.069" - 1.070 = .001 OAL variance
Pro 1000 shell plate carrier showing ram hole offset under station #1 (Center hole is used for hex rod/nylon ratchet gear mechanism)
ABLP/Pro 4000 exploded diagram showing ram hole under station #1 (long case slide ramp) and space center of shell plate is used for auto-adjusting index mechanism.