I'm thinking about ditching reloading on a progressive press.

[flip180]

I have a Lee Pro-1000 that I've been using for over a year now to reload .38/.357. I started reloading .223 on a Lee single stage press and am thinking about going to single stage reloading for my .38/.357 also and not to mention .45 ACP. I barely have time to go to the range anymore (about twice a month) and when I do go, I will maybe shoot 100-200 rounds. It is wierd for me to say this but, I like all of the steps involved in single stage reloading. After I put the baby to bed, I have about two hours to myself that I can do a little here and a little there as far as reloading for my next trip to the range. I also feel that I can concentrate making each round perfect instead of pumping out gobs of range fodder on the Pro-1000. I've noticed lately that my crimps aren't as uniform as I like them to be and is harder to prep, trim and size each case properly on the progressive press due to having to intercept each case before going to the next position in the press. I also want to start developing loads for my M520 and 1894C and feel that that would be best done on a single stage. Case preparation is easier due to being able to deprime and size/trim each case for cleaning before going to the reprime stage as on a progressive. I guess there will always be a place on my bench for the Pro-1000 but, I really want to put together some barnstorming rounds and I think that the single stage will be the best way to go. I can see myself ordering a set of Lee deluxe pistol dies real soon along with the 158 or 180 gr. JSP's to work up some loads.

Flip.

 

[SASS#23149]

sounds like you have it all figured out..

faster is not alwasy better.
I see no problem here.

 

[Hook686]

I understand ... perhaps I have taken your thoughts to the extreme ... I use an old Lyman 310 Tong tool (looks like a large nut cracker) to load my .38, .357, 9mm and 6mm. I load for my S&W 686 6" and Marlin 1894C using 158 grain SWC, JHP/GD, and Hornady 180 HP/XTP ... in the 158 grain SWC (Hunters Supply .357 dia. 15 hardness SWC) I have found 13.4 & 13.5 grains of Alliant 2400 does a very nice job with one cartridge for both revolver and carbine. The Hunters Supply 158 grain SWC bullets are reported by the manufacturer to be good up to 1600 fps.

What I like about the Lyman hand tool is that I personally handle each shell along each step of the reload process. If I missed a cracked casing during, or after depriming and neck resizing, I still handle it for priming and then adding powder and seating bullet. A lot of personsal contact. I've caught a few I missed earlier at each step of the process. I really like that I charge then seat a bullet in one operation ... no double charges here.

A single stage press is one step up from the Tong Tool press. While it is not as convienent to take to the range, it can be taken. I like to try a modified load sometimes at the range without having to come back. With prepared cases, powder, scale, scoop and trickler I find it a simple undertaking using the hand press at the range.

I'll be interested after you begin single press loading if you urge to get back to the mass production process. Keep us informed.

Hook686

 

[bogie]

I load almost everything single stage. It's not that slow, if you do large batches.

 

[Kamicosmos]

I sold off my Loadmaster progressive and bought a RCBS Turret Press. I still use a hand primer to prime cases. Most of the time, I weigh each charge. Even if I use a thrower, I still weigh every 5th charge.

You might look into a turret press. It saves quite a bit of time just because you have all the dies ready to go. It's a very nice half-way between single stage and progressive reloading. I am very happy that I switched back to the 'slower' way of reloading.

 

[Delmar]

Nothing wrong with loading on a single stage or turret press. I loaded on a Pro 1000 for a while, but was not very satisfied with the experience and went back to my rock chucker.

I cheat a bit on pistol cases, using the Lee powder drop which bells and drops powder in a single stroke, but other than that, I have the manual thing down pretty well.

I can load 100 pistol cases an hour and don't have to worry about some of the things you should be worried about with a progressive press.
It helps if you like playing with case gauges, micrometers, calipers and the like, which I do very much!

Same with my rifle calibers, of which I am verrry finicky about. Every charge is weighed, every primer is hand seated, not to mention that you get to play with some other cool toys, such as the Stony Point OAL gauge, which has helped accuracy in my bolt guns very much.

Delmar, the tool junkie!

 

[45Frank]

The last poster stated it right fast isn't always better.
May I suggest a terret. with the 6 holes you can set up two calibers and boy even thought you get the same quality as the single you can just move the terret and your to a another step.
Good Luck

I have a Lee Pro-1000 that I've been using for over a year now to reload .38/.357. I started reloading .223 on a Lee single stage press and am thinking about going to single stage reloading for my .38/.357 also and not to mention .45 ACP. I barely have time to go to the range anymore (about twice a month) and when I do go, I will maybe shoot 100-200 rounds. It is wierd for me to say this but, I like all of the steps involved in single stage reloading. After I put the baby to bed, I have about two hours to myself that I can do a little here and a little there as far as reloading for my next trip to the range. I also feel that I can concentrate making each round perfect instead of pumping out gobs of range fodder on the Pro-1000. I've noticed lately that my crimps aren't as uniform as I like them to be and is harder to prep, trim and size each case properly on the progressive press due to having to intercept each case before going to the next position in the press. I also want to start developing loads for my M520 and 1894C and feel that that would be best done on a single stage. Case preparation is easier due to being able to deprime and size/trim each case for cleaning before going to the reprime stage as on a progressive. I guess there will always be a place on my bench for the Pro-1000 but, I really want to put together some barnstorming rounds and I think that the single stage will be the best way to go. I can see myself ordering a set of Lee deluxe pistol dies real soon along with the 158 or 180 gr. JSP's to work up some loads.

Flip.

 

[txgho1911]

Once I got my Hornady Pro-Jector

I run it like a turret. I hand prime. Inspect every case 3-4 times in the process. Sometimes when I am expanding the case mouth I leave the shell plate and handle halfway and swap shells with the other hand. I got it used and it may not run smoothly enough for a profit production press but I have plenty of inspections and nothing stuck in just a few houndred rounds.
Considerin just removing the advancing tabs and making it less than auto progressive.

 

[MAUSER88]

Been reloading since 1984 on a Rock Chucker. Progressive loaders take all the fun out of it IMHO.

 

[armoredman]

Love my RCBS jr. May get a turret press in the future, but no hurry. I also don't get to the range all that mcuh, and have over 1000 range ammo built. I still love the relaxation of reloading - did 50 9mm yesterday, just for grins. Now I need more 7.62x54R reloadable brass....

 

[RON in PA]

I use both. I got tired of the priming problems with my Dillon SDB and now resize with my single stage press and prime with a RCBS priming tool. The rest of the loading is done on the progressive. Takes a little bit of extra time, but eliminates entirely rejects due to improper priming.

 

[calaverasslim]

Single stage

I have been reloading for 26 years. WAAAAAY back, some 20 years ago, I got the hots for a progressive press. What a waste. I didn't like the results. Got my RCBS RC back out and have used it ever since. Somtimes I will load only 15-25 rounds but enjoy just sitting there for several hours to load a couple boxes. I like being able to taylor just exactly what I want. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[redneck2]

IMO, a turret and a progressive give you the best of both worlds. When I shoot pistol, I go with friends/family and may end up shooting 500 or more rounds in a few hours. 45 LC, 45 acp, 44-40, 10mm. A single stage would drive me nuts

The turret has all the advantages of a single stage, but you can swap heads and keep the dies set. Also allows precision rifle loading. I guess if you've got the quick inserts like Hornady, the single stage would be a real close second

 

[Cherokee]

I have a Dillon 650, CH 4-station H press and the Rock. Each has its place. All depriming & sizing is done on the Rock. Case inspection and priming is done by hand no matter what. Rifle is always on the CH press. High volume ammo gets run on the Dillon, everything else on the CH.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

I like the ability to handload from my easy chair at a liesurely pace, and a hand press suits me fine for 45 colt. I started out with a Lee hand press, and then got a Huntington Compac hand press that I like a lot better, except I still deprime on the Lee since it has a hollow ram to catch the primer debris. The Compac has more leverage with much less "spring", and is smoother and straighter than the Lee. I hand prime on a Lee autoprime too.

OTOH, if I reloaded in a separate room, I'd probably want to get it done as fast as possible, and would want a progressive...

Andy

 

[Ben Shepherd]

Keep you progressive around-you may need gobs of ammo on the quick one day, you never know.

I do know what you are saying though-I still have an old RCBS jr. press that dad bought at a garage sale before I was born, and I also have a rockchucker supreme. Both of these in addition to my 650XL. Depending on my mood or ammo needs at the moment the ol' jr. press still sees plenty of use.