More confused about press possibilities

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

MeanStreaker

Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2005
Messages
206
Location
Dayton, OH
I've been thinking about starting to reload for quite awhile now. Over the past three weeks I've pored through every internet reloading source I can find. I'm also on my second reading of "The ABC's of Reloading." I thought by now I'd know what I want, but am more confused than ever. :)

For a bit of background:

I shoot 100-200 rounds/week of 45ACP and probably another 200 rounds with a mix of 9mm and 38/357. I don't shoot rifles very often right now (as I don't have many), but have recently been bitten by the MilSurp bug and plan on slowly building a collection.

I don't know if I want a RockChucker, Lee Classic Turret, or Dillon 550B.

1) I fear a progressive because so many wise folks recommend against learning with them. I'm fairly intelligent and think I can handle some complexity, but don't want to take a chance in losing my hand. As I can foresee my rifle collection growing, it sounds like a single-stage will be necessary down the road anyway for accuracy's sake.

2) I fear a single-stage would be so slow for my current handgun needs that it would cause me to buy factory produced ammo anyway... making the press useless until I bought more rifles that would require the accuracy from single stage reloading. It sounds like I'll eventually want a single stage , but it may not be prudent right now as I'll be focusing on handguns for awhile.

3) I fear that if a get a turret, I'll eventually move to a progressive rather quickly once I "get my feet wet" as the turret doesn't seem to be much faster than a single-stage. It also doesn't seem to provide the accuracy people desire for handloading rifle rounds. Thus it would sit unused after I "graduated" to a progressive and perhaps got a single-stage for rifles in the future.

I'm looking forward to spending some time at the bench, but with a full time job, young marriage, and still wanting a life at 26, I can't devote every waking moment right now. :)

So what am I to do? Any help would be appreciated.
 
Let's take it like this: Normally, you will decap and size all your brass, then recap and flare the case mouths, and finally charge all the cases, seat the bullets and crimp.

1. A single stage would not be best for you. You use three dies to reload pistol cartridges, and you have to remove each die, then install the next die and adjust it so you can go on with your reloading.

2. A turret press allows you to keep several dies set up and adjusted -- so you can go from one operation to the next with no difficulty. Some presses have up to 7 holes, so you can keep two calibers set up and have an extra hole for a post-sizer, universal decapper, etc. Contrary to popular opinion, you can turn out ammo on a turret press that is just as accurate as that loaded on a single stage.

3. A progressive is ideal for the amount of shooting you do -- and it isn't hard to learn. You're not going to lose a hand or a finger in a progressive.

I'd recommend you go to either a turret press or the 550B.
 
I would buy a good strong single stage press instead of a turret press. If you use die rings that lock to the die (and not the press), it's a simple matter to remove one and install another without losing any adjustments. Once you get a progressive running, you may not have much use for a single stage press, but a strong one is handy for swaging primer pockets on mil brass among other uses.

I have to say that a 550B sounds like a good fit given your needs and maturity. It's simple enough, yet can be fast enough to meet your rifle and pistol ammo needs. With as much pistol ammo as you are currently shooting, you could easily justify a progressive press.

Another thing to consider is you may start shooting more than you are now. Once the per-box cost of ammo gets cut in half due to reloading, it's very easy to start practicing more which is good. Just don't plan to save too much ammo money overall; you will get to shoot alot more for the same ammo money though.
 
550B.

With a single you will spend more time reloading than shooting...that's bad unless you consider reloading a hobby in and by itself.

I use the SDB and it's easy. It appears the 550 is a better, simplier machine and if you want, you can load one at a time. I'd bet that won't last long though!
 
I learned on a progressive press.
Click to expand...
Same here. Not hard to do really. Besides, your progressive can act like a single stage to cut your teeth on.
 
As you could probably tell, I was slightly leaning towards the progressive. In my continued research, I think I'll be fine learning on one.

With that decision almost put to bed, would you steer me away from the Dillon 550B?
 
Several options for progressive presses, or getting there gradually:

1) Dillon AT500: A stripped down 550, without auto primer feed or PM. Use it turret style and upgrade a piece at a time to a full 550, though it will end up more expensive than the 550 in the end. No longer on Dillon's website or in their catalog, but some dealers still sell them, and I've heard Dillon will sell you one if you call and ask.

2) Dillon 550: Can be used one cartridge at a time, turret style if you want. Manual index is kind of a pain once you get going, double (or no) powder charge more likely than on auto-indexing presses. 4 stations means you cannot use a powder check die unless you crimp and seat in one step (must use non-dillon dies for that).

3) RCBS 2000: 5 stations, but since it expands and drops powder in two stages, it is really the same deal as the 550. The 2000 also manually indexes. A lot of folks like the PM better than the dillon. (I've seen RCBS, Hornady, and Lee PMs on Dillon presses, never a Dillon PM on anything else)

4) Hornady LNL AP: 5 station, and their new powder through expanders give you the same utility as the Dillon 650, but at a 550 price. Auto-indexing. Easier to remove/insert cartridges at any station than on Dillons. Dies change out one at a time with a 1/4 turn and no tools, which can be useful, especially when learning or using turret style. Better PM than Dillon (similar to RCBS).

5) Dillon 650: 5 stations, auto indexing. Not recommended for turret-style use, since the primer feed continues to feed primers whether or not a case is present (unlike the other presses). Otherwise, same features as the LNL AP, except the dies all mount to one die plate that changes all of them at once (like the 550, except 5 stations). A little quicker, a little less flexible.

Andy
 
Progressives are nice. But they do have a high cull rate.

I have been loading on a single stage press since the early 80's. I must admit I don't shoot pistol as much as I used to, as I'm shooting High Power rifle 3x a month plus practice. I must admit the single stage is getting old, but I do like the way the ammo shoots.

I can load up a bunch of pistol cartridges any time as I have brass in various stages of dis-repair I have brass already belled ready to go as well a primed brass ready to go. Powdering and seating the bullet isn't so hard.

There are a lot of good powders over looked because they won't meter well in a progressive. My rifle rounds recieve an elec weighed and metered powder charge each time.
 
P-32, What do you mean by cull-rate?


Meanstreaker: Having used both hornady and dillon presses, I think the 550 would be slightly easier to get started with than a LNL-AP (my current press). The main reason is the priming and powder drop are in the front half of the press where you can monitor what's going on easier. That also avoids having to deal with setting up crimp dies in the LNL-AP 5th station. For pistol ammo, it's easy to position a light to shine down inside the case after it gets powder. I'd say a powder check is not a big deal for pistol loading; rifle is a different story and why I sold my 550. Dillon measures work fine with everything but the IMR type rifle powders.
 
presses

Sounds like a Dillon 550 would be suited for all your needs. I started on single stage for years before trying a SDB and then a 550 and I have never regretted it. So far as learning on a progressive you set it up one station at a time and it can be used that way till you are comfortable with it. The great part about a progressive is you can go as fast or as slow as you desire for quality control. So far as accurracy with rifle on a Dillon, unless you go really long range never felt I was at any disadvantage.
Hope it helps
 
I would say.

If you can get a progressive.

If you want you can load one round at a time until you are confident. (Which should take about ten minutes)

If you ever feel the need you can use your progressive like a single stage. But no matter how hard you try you can never use a single stage like a progressive.


al
 
I am also cunfused by "cull rate". What is "cull rate"?:confused:


I load 38 super, 45, 38, 357, 44, 22 Hornet, 223, 243, 35 Rem on my RL-550B. I go as fast or as slow as I want. I do single load the 22 Hornet most time due to the thin cases. they are easy to crush even on a single.
I'm normally getting standard deviations over the Chronograph around 6 to 15, which is an indication that powder charges are very uniform.
Just get the Dillon. You will not regret it.
 
One other option available that I haven't seen mentioned would be the Redding turret press, much faster than single stage but still up to the task of loading rifle ammo in match configuration. I have a 650 dillon, a Rockchucker, a lee turret press, each is used for one application or another, I believe you would be comfortable with the 550 B dillon in short order.

"cull rate" I assume that this refers to cases that are wrinkled ( usually caused by an over length case) when the bullet is seated, primers turned upside down, seated sideways ( usually caused by the shell holder not being aligned with the primer seater) split cases etc. Don't tell me I am the only one who has culls?:banghead:
 
I vote for the 550. I did some simple handloading on a Lee hand press years ago. Dropped out for 20+ years, then restarted on a 550. I like the manual advance for loading rifle one round at a time. I can turn the shell plate forward back, etc.

I had a lot more problems until I started using the press one at a time and got it set up. Load 50 at least once at a time until everything is set. With my 550 I can load single stage, turret style, or progressive

Cough up the $$$ and get the quick change kits up front as soon as you can. Makes reloading WAY easier.
 
"cull rate" I assume that this refers to cases that are wrinkled ( usually caused by an over length case) when the bullet is seated, primers turned upside down, seated sideways ( usually caused by the shell holder not being aligned with the primer seater) split cases etc. Don't tell me I am the only one who has culls?
Click to expand...

No problem with culls here. I suspected that's what he was talking about, but it isn't a problem that I'm aware of if the press is setup right and good components used. I shoot USPSA pistol so progressives are the normal press used and it just isn't discussed as a problem. My primers don't get flipped or turned, cases don't get crushed or damaged, it just cranks out the good ammo. I do a quick quality check on all loaded rounds for high primers and uniform seating depth; I haven't found a bad round in 7 years.
 
I have only been reloading for a couple of months, and ended up going with the Lee Classic Turret press. I have been very happy with this. It has been a great press to learn on.

I have never counted to see how many rounds I could load in an hour, but I would say I can easily load 2 or maybe 3 a minute.
 
I would just start out with the Dillon 550B. Its not rocket science, and if you can read a book and follow instructions, you can setup and use a Dillon with no problem. If you really are worried, just use the 550B in "single stage" mode, i.e. one round at a time. I started with the 550B and so far I have over 20,000 rounds loaded over the last couple of years, and I still have all my body parts. No squibs either!
 
I just started on a Lee Classic Turret (2 mos. ago). My research also steered me to a progressive. But, the hefty price tag of the initial pay out and future cost of caliber conversions on the dillon or hornady progressives scared me away. I decided to go with the Lee and have been very satisfied. I shoot about 200 rounds of 45acp and a handfull of other straight walled pistol cases(357, 38, 44) weekly. I can easily load 150-175 rds an hour. There is no doubt that there are higher quality machines out there, but for my budget and time restrictions, Lee is a great way to go. Plus I figure if I buy a dillon later, I can keep the turret set up to run a specific, lower usage, caliber. You just cant go wrong with a $70 press and the ease of $40 caliber conversions (20 seconds to swap). Whatever you decide, it's a great hobby. PS. it's true, us reloaders don't save money, we just shoot more!
 
3) I fear that if a get a turret, I'll eventually move to a progressive rather quickly once I "get my feet wet" as the turret doesn't seem to be much faster than a single-stage.
Click to expand...

BZZZZZZTTTT - wrong answer. I fail to see how a single stage can crank out 250 completed rounds per hour of perfect handgun ammo. Lee Classic Turret will, at a mere cost of about $150 for everything needed, including auto powder drop, practically automatic primer feeding, AND your first four-die set.

If you haven't already, check the three-article spread on the Lee Classic Turret over on Realguns.com - excellent articles that speak the 100% truth on this product:

http://www.realguns.com/archives/122.htm
 
Thanks for the link, Ron. As I said before, I've been gorging myself for the past couple weeks on everything press related, so I was already well aware of that thread. :)
 
+1 on what "Nortronics" said. Given the volume of reloading you do, You can get all that done in a few hours a week on a Lee Classic Turret, have all your dies for the various calibers set up in spare turrets, all for a fraction of the price of a Dillon 550 or 650. A single caliber change kit for my Dillon 650 costs more than the Lee Classic Turret (about $80 at Midway, last time I looked) and their new and elegant Safety Primer Feed ($20).
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

T
  • Locked
Single Stage vs Turret press for beginners
2 3
Replies
50
Views
9K
BAGTIC
B
D
  • Locked
Single Stage vs Turret Press
Replies
18
Views
2K
ArchAngelCD
ArchAngelCD
B
  • Locked
advantages of a turret press?
Replies
7
Views
2K
Smythe77
S
S
  • Locked
Got everything but the press
2
Replies
25
Views
1K
jlbpa
J
T
  • Locked
Time for a Press
2
Replies
34
Views
1K
HighExpert
H
Back
Top