...or maybe progressives in general.
Right now, I'm using a Lee auto-indexing turret press. When I bought it, I had planned to primarily reload .45LC and .45ACP and a couple of rifle calibers in moderate quantity, but since I got started in this particular activity, I have found myself going out to the range more often. I am now shooting (more than) enough that one bullet per 5 strokes (I prime off press) is entirely too slow. I am now contemplating the purchase of a progressive.
I already have a lot of Lee acessories, and certainly like the price. I have read a lot of the stuff praising the Dilon equipment, and the ocassional blurb about the Hornady and RCBS offerings. The Dillon has gotten a lot of positive press (sorry) from it's users, and the pirce is certainly better than the RCBS or Hornady, but I've never seen one in the flesh, nevermind used one. I have seen the RCBS in stores and monkeyed with one a little, but the prices are far less attractive than the blue and red varieties. I have never even seen a Hornady or Lyman (new, at least, and not less than 30 years old.)
Right now, I shoot about 200 rounds of both .45 calibers when I go to a range, and a lot more on desert trips. I usually dont shoot more because my arm might fall off otherwise, and I still have to have time to reload the rifle cartriges. I do like the idea of automatic bullet and cartrige feeders. I would probably still be content to prime off press, if for no other reason than to wash the primer pockets out along with the rest of the case. This progressive would in all likelyhood be used exclusively for pistol ammo.
My questions are as follows:
(Most have been asked before, but redundancy is nice.)
1) Has anyone had the opportunity to do a side-by-side comparasion of the Lee LoadAll and Loadmaster-1000? Which do you prefer, which is more reliable, etc.
2) If I do make the jump to another brand, will I be able to use the Lee carbide pistol dies that I already own, or will I have to buy new ones at 2-3 times the price?
3) So far as Dillon goes, what are the difference between the "Square Deal B" and RL 550B presses, and what else, aside from what comes in the box, will I need to get the thing running? Does there exist a bullet and brass feeder for these presses?
4) From my limited perspective, the RCBS has little going for it aside from the color. (I like green, but a can of spray paint is really cheap.) Certainly, the price isnt seemingly competitive with the first choice, and has nothing like the reputation of the second. Also, the APS primer system doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense to me, just more work for little reward, and the press is described as non-indexing (at least on the midway site), which would seem to defeat half the purpose of the thing. Am I missing some great and inobvious advantage with this press?
Thank you for your time and input.
Right now, I'm using a Lee auto-indexing turret press. When I bought it, I had planned to primarily reload .45LC and .45ACP and a couple of rifle calibers in moderate quantity, but since I got started in this particular activity, I have found myself going out to the range more often. I am now shooting (more than) enough that one bullet per 5 strokes (I prime off press) is entirely too slow. I am now contemplating the purchase of a progressive.
I already have a lot of Lee acessories, and certainly like the price. I have read a lot of the stuff praising the Dilon equipment, and the ocassional blurb about the Hornady and RCBS offerings. The Dillon has gotten a lot of positive press (sorry) from it's users, and the pirce is certainly better than the RCBS or Hornady, but I've never seen one in the flesh, nevermind used one. I have seen the RCBS in stores and monkeyed with one a little, but the prices are far less attractive than the blue and red varieties. I have never even seen a Hornady or Lyman (new, at least, and not less than 30 years old.)
Right now, I shoot about 200 rounds of both .45 calibers when I go to a range, and a lot more on desert trips. I usually dont shoot more because my arm might fall off otherwise, and I still have to have time to reload the rifle cartriges. I do like the idea of automatic bullet and cartrige feeders. I would probably still be content to prime off press, if for no other reason than to wash the primer pockets out along with the rest of the case. This progressive would in all likelyhood be used exclusively for pistol ammo.
My questions are as follows:
(Most have been asked before, but redundancy is nice.)
1) Has anyone had the opportunity to do a side-by-side comparasion of the Lee LoadAll and Loadmaster-1000? Which do you prefer, which is more reliable, etc.
2) If I do make the jump to another brand, will I be able to use the Lee carbide pistol dies that I already own, or will I have to buy new ones at 2-3 times the price?
3) So far as Dillon goes, what are the difference between the "Square Deal B" and RL 550B presses, and what else, aside from what comes in the box, will I need to get the thing running? Does there exist a bullet and brass feeder for these presses?
4) From my limited perspective, the RCBS has little going for it aside from the color. (I like green, but a can of spray paint is really cheap.) Certainly, the price isnt seemingly competitive with the first choice, and has nothing like the reputation of the second. Also, the APS primer system doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense to me, just more work for little reward, and the press is described as non-indexing (at least on the midway site), which would seem to defeat half the purpose of the thing. Am I missing some great and inobvious advantage with this press?
Thank you for your time and input.