Looking for new reloader
- Thread starter elkhuntingfool
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I was in your boat a few years ago. I ended up getting a couple of dillons on ebay. I haven't regretted it. BUT, if I were to do it again, I would either get a lee classic cast turret if money were tight, or a Hornady if money weren't as much an issue.
I have a good friend who has a lee pro 1000, and it's worked great for him. But, he's an engineer. I'm much less mechanically inclined, and frankly I probably wouldn't have liked it. If you're a natural mechanic, you'll do great with a lee. You can find them used very cheap, then fix the issue and get them running smoothly.
If you're not a mechanic, then get something besides a lee progressive. I picked up some dillons, and although they were a lot of money, I'm extremely happy. They were worth every penny. Luckily this is America, and they are choices for every situation.
Good luck!
-John
I have a good friend who has a lee pro 1000, and it's worked great for him. But, he's an engineer. I'm much less mechanically inclined, and frankly I probably wouldn't have liked it. If you're a natural mechanic, you'll do great with a lee. You can find them used very cheap, then fix the issue and get them running smoothly.
If you're not a mechanic, then get something besides a lee progressive. I picked up some dillons, and although they were a lot of money, I'm extremely happy. They were worth every penny. Luckily this is America, and they are choices for every situation.
Good luck!
-John
I have loaded on both the Dillon 550 and Hornady LNL. IMHO; the LNL powder measure significantly outshines the Dillon.
ALSO, If you are looking for value, Hornady is giving you 1000 bullets free with purchase of the LNL. With the value of the bullets taken into consideration, the LNL will cost you less that $100.
I bought the LNL 2 years ago and absolutely love it.
But, There are Dillon owners that love their machines as well.
Both are great! You just have to decide which suits you.
ALSO, If you are looking for value, Hornady is giving you 1000 bullets free with purchase of the LNL. With the value of the bullets taken into consideration, the LNL will cost you less that $100.
I bought the LNL 2 years ago and absolutely love it.
But, There are Dillon owners that love their machines as well.
Both are great! You just have to decide which suits you.
benzuncle
Member
The Lee Classic Turret Press is the best bang for the buck. Lee's service is very good. (I haven't needed it but being a lurker I have read the comments of others that are very pleased.) Parts and accessories are inexpensive and easy to come by. My "kit" cost $230.75 to thow 45acp's. This included upgrades to the Pro Auto Disk powder measure, the safety prime system, calipers, scale and bullet puller. Somewhere along the way, I calculated it would take me 75 boxes of 230gr 45acp ammo to pay for the setup. I'm already at 60 boxes in 10 months. RustyFN's testimonials are spot on. His #3 ball on the handle has become infamous. (Lee needs to wake up and do some marketing in that direction.) Caliber die change out couldn't be simpler or quicker. "The money" was the exact reason I chose it. I wanted something to load with that had an easy learning curve, could load a decent amount of ammo in a reasonable amount of time and would leave me with some money left to be able to go to the range and the gun shows. I thought that if I really liked reloading, I would move on to one of the other brands, probably Dillon. After 10 months and having built enough rounds to have almost paid for my setup, I am not really interested in spending more money to build the same rounds I build now. The Lee Classic Turret Press is easy to use and fast enough, my ammo works fine in all my firearms and each round is a pleasure to build. I have added the 380acp to the original 45acp setup and am now looking to add 357magnum. The cost to add a caliber (4-hole turret and carbide dies) is $42.00. Once again, the low cost of the dies and turret and the ease of changing calibers is a huge plus. All of the brands I read about on the forums have happy and contented owners. I hear less complaining about the brands of loaders than I do about the major brands of firearms. Good luck in your research and deliberation. Let us know...
Rollis R. Karvellis
Member
Shoney
Member
I’m going to plow right thru this minefield of big steaming piles of RCF. What the double hockey stix is RCF????
Well, since Dillon “don has no stinking BS”, ya gotta call it RCF - Runny Cow Flop.
I swear, if someone asks, ”Which restaurant serves up good sandwiches?”, several Dillondofile will answer, “Get a Dillon, cuz it’s the greatest thing since sliced cumquat and rutabaga bread, and never look back, you won’t regret it.”
I started loading on a single stage press in 1960. About 17-18 years ago, I bought a used Dillon 550 and then became an official member of the Blue Buffoon Battalion, and became guilty of spreading “lots of RCF”, remember Dillon “don has no stinking BS”. I was like so many of the dishonest or blindly brand loyal people who have never owned or loaded with any other progressive, yet cluelessly advocate for a single brand. Remember that dillon used to be the only game in town, with years of building up a loyal fan base. Times have changed.
When I first saw the Hornady LNL Auto Progressive 8-9 years ago, my blue product loyalty was badly shaken. I soon after bought the LNL Auto and have never regretted it. The 550 is still a good machine, and I have it dedicated to one cartridge. I used to load regularly with a friend on his 650; until one day (after years of loading on my LNL and after extensive testing we discovered that the LNL AP produces ammo with considerably less run out), he soon after announced that his wife had given him permission to sell his 650 and buy an LNL.
The LNL AP is by far a much better machine than a 550 or 650. One major problem with Dillon is their old tech powder system. It take$ more cent$ and le$$ $ence to buy blue. The LNL AP also procudes measurably better ammo when you measure run-out/concentricity. I could go on for pages as to why the LNL AP is so much better if you are interested,
Sooooo!!!! “Caveat Emptor.” As my dear departed grandpappy used to say! Then he would loosely translate it as: “Never trust a naked used chariot salesman.”
Well, since Dillon “don has no stinking BS”, ya gotta call it RCF - Runny Cow Flop.
I swear, if someone asks, ”Which restaurant serves up good sandwiches?”, several Dillondofile will answer, “Get a Dillon, cuz it’s the greatest thing since sliced cumquat and rutabaga bread, and never look back, you won’t regret it.”
I started loading on a single stage press in 1960. About 17-18 years ago, I bought a used Dillon 550 and then became an official member of the Blue Buffoon Battalion, and became guilty of spreading “lots of RCF”, remember Dillon “don has no stinking BS”. I was like so many of the dishonest or blindly brand loyal people who have never owned or loaded with any other progressive, yet cluelessly advocate for a single brand. Remember that dillon used to be the only game in town, with years of building up a loyal fan base. Times have changed.
When I first saw the Hornady LNL Auto Progressive 8-9 years ago, my blue product loyalty was badly shaken. I soon after bought the LNL Auto and have never regretted it. The 550 is still a good machine, and I have it dedicated to one cartridge. I used to load regularly with a friend on his 650; until one day (after years of loading on my LNL and after extensive testing we discovered that the LNL AP produces ammo with considerably less run out), he soon after announced that his wife had given him permission to sell his 650 and buy an LNL.
The LNL AP is by far a much better machine than a 550 or 650. One major problem with Dillon is their old tech powder system. It take$ more cent$ and le$$ $ence to buy blue. The LNL AP also procudes measurably better ammo when you measure run-out/concentricity. I could go on for pages as to why the LNL AP is so much better if you are interested,
Sooooo!!!! “Caveat Emptor.” As my dear departed grandpappy used to say! Then he would loosely translate it as: “Never trust a naked used chariot salesman.”
The Bushmaster
Member
Shoney...What flavor is blue kool-ade??
Oh the hell with it...
Oh the hell with it...Shoney
Member
Dilon apparently repackages "Tidy Bowl" as their Blue Koolaid.
You can sometimes detect drinkers by their blue teeth, but there are oral bleaches that make it less noticeable.
During autopsies, many a blue brain has been see, from extended over use of Tidy - - - er - - - Blue Koolaid
And then there is the dreaded Blue Anterior Orifice, which is actually a full body symptom.
(I wish i could color the "emoticons" eyes and teeth blue)
Hello! My name is Shoney, and I have been Blue Koolaid free for 8 years. It all started when I went to a Garbage Sale - - -
You can sometimes detect drinkers by their blue teeth, but there are oral bleaches that make it less noticeable.
During autopsies, many a blue brain has been see, from extended over use of Tidy - - - er - - - Blue Koolaid
And then there is the dreaded Blue Anterior Orifice, which is actually a full body symptom.
(I wish i could color the "emoticons" eyes and teeth blue)Hello! My name is Shoney, and I have been Blue Koolaid free for 8 years. It all started when I went to a Garbage Sale - - -
DEDON45
Member
Shoney, you're a riot! I'm a Hornady fan too... make my Kool-Aid Red...
Shoney
Member
DEDON45
There is a problem with having Red Koolaid. Is it Lee or is it Memor - - - opps - - Hornady.
And if you are a recent blue convert, your teeth will turn brown. EEEEEEEEuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!
And if you had yellow smokers teeth, a little sip of red would make you look like a Lyman fan.
There is a problem with having Red Koolaid. Is it Lee or is it Memor - - - opps - - Hornady.
And if you are a recent blue convert, your teeth will turn brown. EEEEEEEEuuuuuuuu!!!!!!!!!!!
And if you had yellow smokers teeth, a little sip of red would make you look like a Lyman fan.
The Bushmaster
Member
I thought that yellow and red made green...
Shoney
Member
Actually, mixing yellow and blue gets green. I guess that when those heavy smoker yellow teeth meet with a "litl dab a tidy mix" you get an RCBSofile for a few days.
And remember that blue and red under normal conditions would produce purple, but dillon (Hey! Those 2 words together sound good!). anyway, but dillon takes the Tidy Bowl and repackages, repackaging it with lots of road apples mixed in. That’s done to add a swaggering horse sense attitude with a canter to the step. But when mixed with the red, those horse patutes make whatever it touches turn to a doggieduuu brown.
Any questions??????
And remember that blue and red under normal conditions would produce purple, but dillon (Hey! Those 2 words together sound good!). anyway, but dillon takes the Tidy Bowl and repackages, repackaging it with lots of road apples mixed in. That’s done to add a swaggering horse sense attitude with a canter to the step. But when mixed with the red, those horse patutes make whatever it touches turn to a doggieduuu brown.
Any questions??????
The Bushmaster
Member
If yer packaging dillons. I can provide the "road apples"...I have an ample supply here on my place.
Johnny Guest
Moderator In Memoriam
Enough for this time
I really believe some here need to go back and read lgbloader’s post #22 in this thread. It is a well balanced and open-minded assessment. Other members have also tried to keep the discussion on topic. Unfortunately, some have jumped the track and are more interested in product bashing and seeking for silly turns-of-phrase than contributing to the thread.
In any case, this is one of those regularly-appearing questions. I usually ask that individuals use the SEARCH function with a few simple key words. We tend to let the topic run on for a couple of pages, though, or until the participants become too contentious.
Looks like most folks have had their say for now.
Closed
Johnny Guest
THR Staff
H&R Mod
I really believe some here need to go back and read lgbloader’s post #22 in this thread. It is a well balanced and open-minded assessment. Other members have also tried to keep the discussion on topic. Unfortunately, some have jumped the track and are more interested in product bashing and seeking for silly turns-of-phrase than contributing to the thread.
In any case, this is one of those regularly-appearing questions. I usually ask that individuals use the SEARCH function with a few simple key words. We tend to let the topic run on for a couple of pages, though, or until the participants become too contentious.
Looks like most folks have had their say for now.
Closed
Johnny Guest
THR Staff
H&R Mod
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