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You are right. No definitive answers

And if you get a definitive answer (like the "pro" who suggested the Dillon 1050) it will probably be wrong for you. There are so many different sets of needs, simple answers are usually off-target.

floorit76 said:
Btw, I'm not made of money. I just hate to buy twice. I like to do a bunch of research, then buy what I need.
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My first advice: Read "The ABC's of Reloading", an excellent tome on the general processes of reloading. Some people have found it a little intimidating, but just remember, handloading is not rocket science. It does involve loud noises and things that go very fast, but it is safer than driving and a lot simpler than baking a souffle or changing a tire. Just follow the directions assiduously.

Let me share with you some posts and threads I think you will enjoy. So get a large mug of coffee, tea, hot chocolate, whatever you keep on hand when you read and think and read through these.

The "sticky" thread at the top of TheFiringLine's reloading forum is good, entitled, "For the New Reloader: Equipment Basics -- READ THIS FIRST "
thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230171
www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=230171

The "sticky" thread at the top of TheHighRoad.com's reloading forum is good, entitled, "For the New Reloader: Thinking about Reloading; Equipment Basics -- READ THIS FIRST"
thehighroad.org//showthread.php?t=238214
www.thehighroad.org//showthread.php?t=238214

"Budget Beginning bench you will never outgrow for the novice handloader" was informed by my recent (July 2010) repopulation of my loading bench. It is what I would have done 35 years ago if I had known then what I know now.
rugerforum.net/reloading/29385-budget-beginning-bench-you-will-never-outgrow-novice-handloader.html
www.rugerforum.net/reloading/29385-...you-will-never-outgrow-novice-handloader.html

and this one, titled "Interested in reloading"
rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=13543
www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=13543


My post, Minimalist minimal (the seventh post down)
rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=107332
www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=107332

Thread entitled "Newby needs help."
thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=430391
www.thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=430391
My post 11 is entitled "Here's my reloading setup, which I think you might want to model" November 21, 2010)
My post 13 is "10 Advices for the novice handloader" November 21, 2010)

If you think you might go for used equipment, here is some encouragement, titled "How much to start reloading....dirt cheap! "
Thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=439810
www.Thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=439810

I am looking at getting into reloading for the first time
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=658971

Just bought my first press. Needs some info tho.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=659358

Considering reloading
http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=488115

Thoughts on The Lee Classic Turret Press
http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=135951

I hope you enjoy the reading. Thanks for asking our advice.

Lost Sheep

disclaimer:

I do not know you, so if my advice seems over-obvious, take into account my ignorance of your experience level. Also, other readers of all experience levels are reading.
 
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I read the stickies once before, and reread alot of it today. There is alot of "generally", and "you may" language. I had hoped there would be a more definitive answer. Doesn't sound like it. Thanks everyone for their input thought.
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a "definitive answer" is what the "professional" at the gun show gave you. would you like the same here?

it's just not that straight-forward. google, read, watch youtube videos, and repeat. you already said you like to do research, so go ahead...
 
I read the stickies once before, and reread alot of it today. There is alot of "generally", and "you may" language. I had hoped there would be a more definitive answer. Doesn't sound like it.
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Okay, then I will add - take the info that has been supplied on this thread that you started, plus the info in the stickies. Then make a decision based on all that and come up with a plan to get started in re-loading.

I wish you luck and it is fun no matter if you use a SS or a 650, etc...

The Dove
 
The only definitive answer is the one you make for yourself. Do you go to a car dealership and buy what the salesman tells you to? Figure out how much you shoot and go from there.


Brought to you by TapaTalk.
 
There is nothing wrong with starting out with a good single stage press. It's a good way to break into the hobby of reloading. Much less to worry about as you perform each stage of the process individually. If you go to the "pictures of your reloading bench" thread, you will see a lot of advanced reloaders who still have a single stage press mounted alongside their progressives. You can always find a use for it down the road.

The Lee turret press may be a good compromise as it can be used as a single stage press. As you get more advanced in your reloading you can run it as a turret. The turret plates are pretty reasonable and you can leave your dies permanently set up and just switch the turret plates when you change calibers. Generally semi-auto pistols and rifles tend to burn up a lot of ammo. The turret will allow you to be somewhat productive to keep up with them. Then down the road you can invest in the Dillon if you find you need more efficiency.

As far as repeatability/accuracy are concerned I remember reading an article years ago on this subject. Ammunition was loaded on both a single stage and on a Dillon progressive. Powder charges were weighed individually for the single stage loads. The charges for the Dillon loads were thrown from a powder measure and of course the loads were "mass produced". When the loads were fired, the Dillon "mass produced" loads ended up being more accurate then the single stage reloads.
 
The only loading I have done was shotshells on an old Mec 600. But I do have the friend that shoots ipsc, and loads thousands of rounds a year. He would be happy to teach me. So the question is, which one will turn out the better product time after time? I did just buy an AR. And the difrence in money isn't worth not being happy later. So which way do I go?
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I load 223 on a Dillon 550 and can shoot sub MOA if I do my part with a stock 16" AR. I bet I couldn't do much better if I had loaded them on a single stage. IF you plan on loading much 45 then I think you will find a single stage too slow. Having a friend with a Dillon press will also make learning on a progressive a lot easier. It's a tough choice I know. I would figure what my needs are now and then think what they might be a year from now and let that be your guide.
 
If you get a single stage kit you will keep the single stage even if you get a progressive. There are many things better suited for the single. I load all of my rifle on the single and a majority of my pistol on my progressive. The single stage as RC stated is the way to start up, and learn the hobby. Get in your rhythm and experiment a bit. The single by no means will be a waste of money. I would say 90% of progressive owners have at least one single stage. And the kits have all of the other small stuff to get started. Hope this helps a bit.

Mike
 
You have mentioned that money wasn't really an issue for you ("a couple hundred dollars either way isn't a big deal"), so why not just get both? You are prepared to drop $550 for the Dillon, just tack on another $100 and get the Lee Classic Cast single stage press. Load your .223 on the Dillon, and your Remington 700 stuff on the Lee. Thats my dream set up anyway...
 
Get an RL550 and a nice single stage and you will be ready for most anything. Don't need a Cadilac to drive to the mailbox.
 
Lee turet is the way to go you can learn the basics without it auto advancing then as you learn more set it up to auto advance .
 
One thing for sure , you will be surprised how fast you can load AND shoot 500 rounds. I shoot significantly more since reloading. I find myself shooting just so I can reload ;)
 
One thing for sure , you will be surprised how fast you can load AND shoot 500 rounds. I shoot significantly more since reloading. I find myself shooting just so I can reload

That's me most the time too.
 
I agree that the person who recommended the 1050 Dillon either misunderstood what you said or was trying to dump a press on you for their own reasons. A Dillon 1050 is a PROFESSIONAL machine, used to turn out 800 to a 1000 rounds an hour! Do you need 1000 rds/hour? Also the number of cartridges it can reload is rather limited and the shellplates/dies are some what expensive.

Yes, it CAN produce match grade ammo, but so can the Dillon 550B and 650. The US Army Palma Team uses Dillon 550s/650s for their Palma match ammo and when the US Army Team was hosting the Palma Shoot (the host team has to supply ammo for all competeing teams, both practice and match ammo) the ammo was loaded on Dillon 1050s and 650s. Yes, even at 800 rounds an hour, it takes a LONG time to crank out the several hundred thousand rounds needed just for practice! If memory serves (it's been awhile), the Dillon 1050s were being used round the clock for several weeks (nearly a month) to provide all the ammo for the various teams.

The Dutch IPSC team uses Dillon presses (I think 550s, gun ownership is EXTREMELY limited in Holland, as are reloading presses/supplies! Just getting permission to BUY a reloading press is a long drawn out process and they are not going to buy any low quality pot metal junk presses as is often recommended here!) and I can not think of any serious IPSC/three gun shooters who use anything other than Dillon, or at least will admit to another brand.

The 550B is the most popular progressive made, and can be used as a single stage (it has a manual advance) and the 550 and a RCBS ROCKCHUCKER (mine is about 40 years old and still works as good as new) will do anything you want, from .25 ACP to .50 BMG, bullet swaging, case forming, etc. Even if you get a progressive, you will always find a use for a GOOD single stage press!

When looking at presses and equipment, look at the warranty too. If the "warranty" is a so-called "two year" one, that the company isn't going to stand behind anyway, or a LIFETIME warranty that the company DOES stand behind, that should tell you something right there!
 
When looking at presses and equipment, look at the warranty too. If the "warranty" is a so-called "two year" one, that the company isn't going to stand behind anyway, or a LIFETIME warranty that the company DOES stand behind, that should tell you something right there!
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What company doesn't stand behind their warranty??? I have not ever had to pay for any warranty work for my reloading equipment in any color I have, even if it was my fault, so do you have an example?

If I were the OP, I would get the Lee classic turret and not look back.
 
WELL lots of opinions so far.:scrutiny: There are several points to make here IMHO. If you want speed and not the quality (IMHO) go with a progressive, there are many good presses and blue is not the be all end all as far as that.:p You could go in the middle with a turret press and be able to run in batches to produce ammo that is as good as what a SS press will produce. I have the Lee, the RCBS, and A Lyman Spar-T turret and like them all. The last option is to get a Single Stage press that is built like a tank and hand it own to your kids. I have a Lee and a RCBS type SS press also and use them most often loading rifle ammo. The MOST IMPORTANT thing that you can do today is get your 13 year old to help you reload the ammo they will shoot. From start to finish so that they see what sweat equity you have to put into shooting the stuff. Always under your supervision until the process is foolproof for them. Anybody will "shoot the barrel off" a firearm if provided an unlimited supply of---read this--- "no sweat invested" ammo. I would also.:) With rifle ammo you have to trim the brass and check for head separations after a few reloadings along with other things you do not need to do with shot shell reloading. I think that a progressive is the ticket for mass producing straight walled handgun ammo but the extra care needed IMHO for rifle ammo it is not worth it for my peace of mind. You now see what my thoughts are with respect to MY reloading needs.YMMV

PS using the batch method I reload and shoot 35K+ rounds a year while working 45-50 hours a week at my job.:D
 
Well, due to life in general, I had not gotten around to purchasing either type of press. But with a little nudging from my wife my family pooled all their Christmas presents for me into one. They went together and bought me a Dillon XL650 set up for 223.
 
Legion489 said:
(edited for brevity)

The 550B is the most popular progressive made, and can be used as a single stage (it has a manual advance) and the 550 and a RCBS ROCKCHUCKER (mine is about 40 years old and still works as good as new) will do anything you want, from .25 ACP to .50 BMG, bullet swaging, case forming, etc. Even if you get a progressive, you will always find a use for a GOOD single stage press!
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Will a '70's vintage RockChucker do 50BMG? I thought the vertical space was a little too short?

Lost Sheep
 
floorit76 said:
Well, due to life in general, I had not gotten around to purchasing either type of press. But with a little nudging from my wife my family pooled all their Christmas presents for me into one. They went together and bought me a Dillon XL650 set up for 223.
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Congratulations.

I expect you will have no shortage of ammunition as long as the components are still available. The 650 can churn out cartridges pretty darned fast.

Reviewing posts 4, 6, I suggest you review post #16 again. Re: post 21, I still see a single stage in your future, for ammo you want to make just one...at...a...time. And it's not buying twice (post 22). A Forster and Dillon are entirely different ends of the spectrum. There is little overlap in their strengths.

Is the 650 you got the one you mentioned in post #5? If so, you have a very perceptive family. Cherish them. Aw, they got got you a 650 Dillon. Cherish them anyway.

Lost Sheep
 
Really?? Seriously?? LOL LOL LOL
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Yes really. Just because you may be that way doesn't mean everybody is. The price I load some calibers for I can't shoot enough to not save money. Anybody that reloads should be loading for half of what factory cost. What you do with those savings is up to you.
 
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