SnowBlaZeR2
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As a self-proclaimed Lee fanboy, I haven't had any issues with my Dillon.
Press recommendations??
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As a self-proclaimed Lee fanboy, I haven't had any issues with my Dillon.
jmorris
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Ah, a sign things are getting back to normal, I have been waiting on another “what progressive?” thread, the “where’s the ___?” Ones we’re getting old already.
If you are wanting a progressive to load more ammunition with fewer strokes of the ram, forget about any turret press.
As you said rifle might be in the mix, you can scratch the Dillon SD off the list too.
How many different (& what) calibers are you wanting to load and how many of them at a time and/or between converting the machine to another?
Are you wanting to be set for every caliber at under $1000?
If you are wanting a progressive to load more ammunition with fewer strokes of the ram, forget about any turret press.
As you said rifle might be in the mix, you can scratch the Dillon SD off the list too.
How many different (& what) calibers are you wanting to load and how many of them at a time and/or between converting the machine to another?
Are you wanting to be set for every caliber at under $1000?
Welcome back to the forum. In light of the father/son team and what I presume to be a budding interest (son), a progressive is an excellent choice. Your (son's) volume will likely increase a year or two from now so today's choice is laying the groundwork for many, many years. Forget about 'what's available this minute' and patiently acquire. Purchase what you want regardless of any relatively modest wait. X months/years from now the wait, if any, will have been well worth it as you will be operating on your chosen equipment.
Spend some time researching (Youtube) the merits/demerits of various presses to solidify your preferences. My volume is very comparable to yours (among 6 handgun cartridges). I went with a Dillon 550 and remain very pleased with their hardware and support. No powder check (550 is 4-station and I separate seat/crimp) but I'm cool with that. If I were into big-time volume an auto-indexing 5-station press, incl a powder check, would be the ticket. Many progressives can be used as a single stage either 'as-is' (D-550) or via simple adjustment. Good luck.
Spend some time researching (Youtube) the merits/demerits of various presses to solidify your preferences. My volume is very comparable to yours (among 6 handgun cartridges). I went with a Dillon 550 and remain very pleased with their hardware and support. No powder check (550 is 4-station and I separate seat/crimp) but I'm cool with that. If I were into big-time volume an auto-indexing 5-station press, incl a powder check, would be the ticket. Many progressives can be used as a single stage either 'as-is' (D-550) or via simple adjustment. Good luck.
George P
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And if it works for YOU, that is awesome; BUT there are competitors that will work as well or better for less; and for a new shooter/reloader, Dillon IMO is not the best choice for the newbie
jmorris
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I have or have had progressive presses from Lee, RCBS, Hornady and 4 different models of Dillon progressives. They will all work, and in the right hands even the cheapest will work better than the best, in the wrong hands.
If you love to fiddle with things and are a good problem solver, you could get along with any of them. If you want the most reliable press, Dillon has a well deserved following. If for example, any other press performed as well for less money, the Dillons would not be as sought after.
The lines of brand loyalty crumble if one were to get into throwing money away. It’s not like we are a bunch of teenage girls buying jeans with holes already in them, because “so and so” has them....some tools just work better than others.
If you love to fiddle with things and are a good problem solver, you could get along with any of them. If you want the most reliable press, Dillon has a well deserved following. If for example, any other press performed as well for less money, the Dillons would not be as sought after.
The lines of brand loyalty crumble if one were to get into throwing money away. It’s not like we are a bunch of teenage girls buying jeans with holes already in them, because “so and so” has them....some tools just work better than others.
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Mark_Mark
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you can bad mouth Dillion all you want, pick on the Blue, talk smack about the user’s wife.... But Lee is no joking matter!
Lee Life Matter!
Klaatu Barada Nikto
Member
I had zero issues with small primers on my XL750. But when I switched to large primers I had a lot of problems.
So I attempted to ream out the large primer tube and coated it with graphite lube. That helped a little but I still had a lot of misfeeds (about 1 in 20).
Finally I called Dillon and complained. I was told that some of their primer tubes had concentricity issues. They shipped me a replacement large primer tube and that was it, no more problems.
Sounds like you got rid a good press.
Mark_Mark
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moral of the story... call Dillon, not Email
Mark_Mark
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Oooh no you didn’t!
Otto
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If you choose to buy a Classic Turret, be sure to bookmark Lee’s stickie on how to replace the broken parts. https://support.leeprecision.net/en...link-on-classic-cast-and-classic-turret-press
nettlle
Contributing Member
A Dillon 550 can be used like a single stage. The accuracy of the powder measure on my 550 is excellent. The only disadvantage is that there aren't enough stations on a 550 for a powder check die but I check each charge visually. The 550 doesn't have auto advance but that isn't a big deal to me. With an additional tool head caliber changes are quick and easy on a 550.
Mark_Mark
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Rainbow Press very Progressive
BCR#1
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The ONLY problem I've ever had with my 550's is the primer bar would start to drag on the return stroke from spent primer gunk building up under the bar. A quick tear down and cleaning had me back in action. I finally broke down and bought a Lee universal de-capping die and now I use my RC to remove all primers before water tumbling and both my blue machines stay clean.
Bill
Bill
KB Hill
Member
+1. I use a Lee Breech Lock to decap. Also find the primer feed system to be the weak link in an otherwise fine press (both SDB and 550).
One thing i have noticed since the interwebs were a thing, if you pay alot for it and it breaks then its just a lemon and the company (Colt/Dillon/Glock) will stand behind you. If you get it at a lower price and it breaks and the company (Taurus/Lee/Ruger) still stands behind the product, then its s POS and you are a cheap SOB.
Lefty
Lefty
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I agree.
The only progressive press I have that I prime on the press is my Dillon SL900 (shotshell press). On the SL900, I can see that a primer is in position to be inserted in the hull before actually pressing the primer in place. Looking for the primer is part of my scan during reloading and if I miss seeing the primer, it is easy to move the primer shuttle arm by hand and verify the primer is in place.
On the metallic cartridge progressive presses, verifying that a primer is in place to be seated is virtually impossible.
I've removed the primer systems on all my metallic cartridge progressive presses as I deem them too unreliable and I am not willing to waste the time fixing the problems the manufacturer should have fixed in the first place. Also, if a case misses getting a primer seated, the time involved cleaning up the spilled powder negates any time savings from priming on the press.
Besides, I really prefer to clean my cases after sizing anyway and I can prime 100 cases with my hand priming tool in the time it takes to peck a 100 primers into a primer tube.
Mark_Mark
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Lee App press stays permanently attached to my table next to my Dillion! that thing is amazing.... chunk - ting - chunk - ting - chunk - ting
Average Joe
Member
Lee single stage, I've loaded thousands of rounds with one.
The Lee Classic Cast single stage is a great press...........back when it was $125. And I think that is what it’s worth, $125. I know with the shortages of reloading supplies everything has went up some. But at the current price of $200 at MidwayUSA (but with free shipping) it’s not better than a RockChucker Supreme, RCBS Rebel, or Redding’s Big Boss around the same price. In fact Redding’s Boss press is $160 with free shipping.
My LCC is the older version, non BL, and I won’t give it up for nothing. But I’m not going to replace it for $200 either when others are at the same price range.
Lefty
My LCC is the older version, non BL, and I won’t give it up for nothing. But I’m not going to replace it for $200 either when others are at the same price range.
Lefty
oley55
Member
The only problems I have ever had the primer feed system was inadvertently using the large primer feed tube with small primers. In each occasion I just couldn't figure out why I was getting jambs or even a rare upside-down primer. I have since color coded the top of the tubes to match the color of the pick-up tubes. Just saying, sometimes it's not the machines, but the operator.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
I like my LNL because with a bullet feeder and no case feeder I can feed cases with my left hand and pull the lever with the right..
The LNL was about the same price as a Dillon 550 and gave me auto advance and a extra station. (for me four stations are not enough and I could really use more than 5) At the time to get a Dillon 650 was more money. Caliber change overs on the Dillon were more. The Hornady has bushings to change dies which are cheaper than Dillon tool heads, primer size change on it appears to be easier than on the Dillon.
Not saying it is better than a Dillon overall, it was just better for my needs at the time than a Dillon.
When I bought it if I wanted to buy a press with a bullet and case feeder I probably would have went with a Dillon 650.
The LNL was the right choice for me at the time, but it might not be the right choice for someone else.
Lots of good presses out there in different colors.
I don't really think there are any Dillon "Hater's" out there, more like a bunch of people tired of some Dillon Fanboys who seem to think that Dillon is the only option.
The LNL was about the same price as a Dillon 550 and gave me auto advance and a extra station. (for me four stations are not enough and I could really use more than 5) At the time to get a Dillon 650 was more money. Caliber change overs on the Dillon were more. The Hornady has bushings to change dies which are cheaper than Dillon tool heads, primer size change on it appears to be easier than on the Dillon.
Not saying it is better than a Dillon overall, it was just better for my needs at the time than a Dillon.
When I bought it if I wanted to buy a press with a bullet and case feeder I probably would have went with a Dillon 650.
The LNL was the right choice for me at the time, but it might not be the right choice for someone else.
Lots of good presses out there in different colors.
I don't really think there are any Dillon "Hater's" out there, more like a bunch of people tired of some Dillon Fanboys who seem to think that Dillon is the only option.
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Mark_Mark
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Lee is as good as Dillon
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