Moving to a Progressive - Which One?

[ATLDave]

I see no reason why not... the activation method is the same. I still use my AutoDisk for almost all my non-gamer loads with thrown powder, so it lives with my LCT, but I imagine the answer is the same.

 

[Hanshi]

I bought a Dillon 550B over 20 years ago and have been completely satisfied. Money was a factor for me and the 550B was an exceptional buy. I've loaded many thousands of .45acp and .38spl on mine.

 

[CraigC]

Never tried any other but really dig my 650’s, especially with the electric casefeeder but they’re a pain to switch priming systems. Been wanting to try a couple SDB’s for cartridges I don’t shoot quite as much.

 

[Dudedog]

It was not the LNL Progressive - it was the LNL Classic (Single stage)

Was thinking about it and since there are other LNLs than the progressive that's why I added (..... progressive?)
Bummer the LNL single stage did't work out for you.

 

[cfullgraf]

Been wanting to try a couple SDB’s for cartridges I don’t shoot quite as much.

I have three SDB's, each dedicated to 45 ACP, 9x19, and 380 ACP respectively. The cartridge change consists of unbolting one from the bench and installing a different one. I have a storage stand on the shelf to hold the two not in service.

I really do not shoot much 380 ACP but that press used to load 38 Special wadcutters. It was too much of a pain to verify the powder charge in the taller 38 Special case. I am uncomfortable loading something that I cannot see the powder level or verify with a powder check die of some flavor. I shoot other short cartridges like 40 S&W and 357 Sig even less than 380 ACP so 380 ACP is for the press at this point in time.

They are not as fast as a Dillon 650 since everything is manually fed but when you do not have to rebuild the press to run a different cartridge, you can make short runs quickly off setting the change over time of the 650.

 

[TigerCreek]

Thought I had found the "responsible" deal at Natchez Shooters Supplies.
The are out of TN - but won't sell to TN, GA or AL.
Oh well, that saved me spending $600+ with someone who does not want my business.

 

[ATLDave]

Yeah, I have been frustrated at Natchez more than once over that policy. I have always wondered whether it was a sales tax dispute with those states or what. In any event, they get zero of my dollars.

 

[TigerCreek]

After a lot of reading and practicality I made my move.
I already have a good bit needed that can easily be moved to the Hornady.
So, for under $600 I have the LNL AP press, 4 shell plates, 3 additional quick change metering inserts and a powder cop on the way.
Should be able to move from the Lee turret and continue my reloads for 9mm, 45auto, 44 mag and 223 without any additional purchases and relatively quick changeovers.
Still planning on keeping all the large rifle reloads on the ol' reliable single stage RC.

 

[TigerCreek]

Plus - not that it was a selling factor - I can't ignore saving $180 worth of bullets in a rebate.

 

[joed]

I figured all along you'd go Hornady, usually the bullets are why people go with them.

I looked at them too when I went progressive. My reason for passing was mostly because they upgraded the powder drop system and shell plates. Fine if you are buying new at that time but an expense if you bought the press prior to the upgrade.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

Well, if you have noticed this is my first post on this post. I do not recommend a press to anyone but I do help out if you have a problem with your Hornady. And if you attack a Hornady I will attack back. I do have bad news on your free bullets though. The X-Mass of 2014 I bought three of my son-in-laws each an Ammo-plant and a set of dies. I kept the free 1,800 free bullets I got from the purchase. The day they arrived I loaded them up and the following day I shoot them up. They didn't even last 24 hours!

Now if you have any problem (and most do) do not hesitate to ask for help. I and many others, can and will help.

 

[Dudedog]

Oh dear,
you started off thinking Blue then changed to Red, no doubt a sign that the world is coming to an end

Would have suggested an LNL progressive but it sounded like you were thinking Dillon.

Having said that when I bought my LNL I looked at the 550 but it only had 4 stations and was manual index. 650 solved that but was a couple $100 more by the time I got everything I wanted so I went with the LNL (free bullets sweetened the deal)
Again for pistol I do prefer the RCBS lockout die over a powder cop. (have both, bought the powder cop first)

Hopefully you will like your LNL progressive and it will work well for you.

Edit: Not trying to knock Dillons in any way. Dillon owners seem quite happy with their presses and Dillon has a loyal following. You don't get this if you don't do it right.

 

[TigerCreek]

Part of my initial thinking was based on the satisfaction of Dillon owners and my dissatisfaction of the Hornady LNL classic’s priming system - along with the additional effort to pull vs my RC. True side by side comparisons and $ led me to choose LNL AP. You have me second guessing my powder cop. Lock out die may be a better alternative.

 

[Dudedog]

Lockout die is nice because you don't have to watch it, powder cop you need to watch.
Powder cop will work with .223 etc, the lockout die will not.
Price on the RCBS lockout die seems to vary quite a bit from place to place, worth shopping for it.

I shoot more 9mm than .45 but when I took my free bullets I took the .45s since they would have cost more to buy.
So you might not want to take the ones you shoot the most of but the ones that might save you the most.

 

[DRAINSMITH]

If I was you I would just use the power cop until you are ready to move on. Now Dillon offers a power die that will sound an alarm if you power is too high or too low. Now you can't use this on the Hornady press unless you drill a hole in your press. RCBS offers a lockout that will lock up the press if the power is too high or too low the cost is about $53.00 Now, Hornady came out with a Lock and Load Deluxe Control Panel. It will count your rounds and has an audible and visual alarm for a stuck primer slide, a low primer, and a low power hopper. But it also has an audio and visual alarm for a low or high power that will also lock up the press. Now the bad part it cost about $169.00. but the good thing you get 100 free bullets. Now a special note: The Hornady and the RCBS lockout die is for pistol only so your power cop will come into use if you are going to load rifle.

 

[ATLDave]

Lockout die is nice because you don't have to watch it, powder cop you need to watch.
Powder cop will work with .223 etc, the lockout die will not.

Ah, this explains a lot to me! I have wondered what the heck the point of the cop die was - if I can watch the cop, I can watch the powder in the case directly! How is watching a little rod better than watching the thing the rod is measuring? The answer, obviously, is when the narrow bottleneck of something like a .223 case prevents you from seeing the powder level directly!

It's amazing how one's views on reloading are influenced by the kind of reloading one does and the particular equipment used....

 

[jmorris]

Plus - not that it was a selling factor - I can't ignore saving $180 worth of bullets in a rebate.

I used to buy and sell them when they offered 1000 bullets and so could get the press at cost. Likely one of the few folks running a belt fed 308 with JSP’s...

I put two of them to use a pre and post EZ Ject and didn’t have some of the problems others have had and might pick one over a 550 for some applications and maybe over the 650 if I knew I never wanted a case collator.

That said I have never sold a Dillon for less than it cost me new. They hold value like no other, my 30 year old Dillon’s would sell today for twice what I paid for them. I never could get anyone to trade me a used 550 for a new in the box LNL (minus UPC) and I understand, they are not equal in dollar value. So the “savings” is actually lost perceived value, as long as they keep giving away “free” bullets.

In the end as others have said pretty much any press can load your ammunition, it’s what the user expects that makes for the different choices.

 

[Blue68f100]

I use the cop, for I want to get in a habit of watching it when I'm loading bottle neck cartridges. So I use it during pistol loads too. The lockout die has a low max range that it trips on. With the cop you can see much less difference if your paying attention. This includes when using mix brass. This at first through me till I determine the difference was only the brass. The lockout die is not sensitive enough to detect this.

 

[jmorris]

With the cop you can see much less difference if your paying attention.

My Dillon PC dies can detect slight differences in internal case volume even with the same powder charge.

 

[foxmeadow]

I fought the Loadmaster and the Loadmaster won. I tried. I really tried, for years, to get the priming system to consistently cooperate. One Saturday I pumped out 600 perfect rounds, went to lunch and returned to a machine that refused to properly load another primer. That experience, and a few repeat performances led me to get into a 550b. I'm still using Lee dies and Pro Auto Disc powder measures with great results. The powder measures had to be converted back to the return spring configuration from the goofy bead chain return used with the Loadmaster.

 

[jmorris]

The Loadmaster was not one that ran well for me from the start but I was not the first owner.

I spent a number of hours getting it to run like a Dillon will out of the box.



If you can get one to run smooth, you will be armed with the knowledge of how to keep it running though.