To date I've loaded over 3k rounds of .45 ACP on a Lee Classic Turret Press, and I feel like it's capable of producing pretty decent and fairly consistent loads. My average SD with mixed brass with shot strings of 10 is in the 14-15 range and have done as well as 10. I don't regularly chrono, this was just during load development. These numbers are the same as S&B factory loads which I like, so I feel pretty good about it...I think. I don't shoot competition, at least right now, and my loads have proved accurate and reliable enough for my needs. No issues except a single round (Win brass) that wouldn't fully go into battery in my 1911 but would in my G21. The question at this point is time involved.
If I want, I can do 100 rounds in a little over 25 minutes, but call it 30 due to checking charges randomly and measuring OAL, lubing brass, filling primers, (hunting primers on the floor due to not holding my mouth right when using the Lee Safety Prime), etc. With taking breaks it's probably more a pace of 150/hr than 200+. I also have a love/hate relationship with the Auto Drum Powder Measure and go through periods where I want to check 10 charges in a row and have spent countless hours (days) just dicking with the measure to test charges and try and somehow stop leaking while getting a consistent throw. For OAL, I get variances of .002"-.003" depending on brass.
The most I have loaded in a session was about 650, and it literally took the entire afternoon into the evening with taking a couple breaks, and imagine how many pulls of that lever. All I could think about was if I had a Dillon, I'd been done several hours ago and could have spent the rest of that time doing something else, like shooting. I've already bought dies to load 9mm, but as is, feel like enough of my spare time is dedicated to just .45. I've been trying to get my numbers up so there's not as much pressure to replace what I've shot as quickly as I'll shoot 400 rounds of .45 per trip. With also shooting 400-500 rounds of 9mm per trip, multiple trips per month, I'm having a hard time realizing how I might keep up 2 calibers and still have time to do anything else. First world problems, I know right? Loading is obviously not a chore for me though as I get great satisfaction from it.
So...as tasty as a 650 looks to me despite the cost to get one up and going...in your opinion, does a blue press make any better quality ammo, first of all? If you went from one brand to blue, did you notice better ammo? I don't hate the Lee dies although I've basically mangled my size/decap die getting the collet tight enough not to pop up every other round. I've heard of people using Lee dies in Dillon presses, and I might would too, but Lee is my only experience. I feel like my quality is pretty decent although I'm sure I could do better. At this point, it's a time thing, and I feel like I have to do so much tinkering and Mickey Mouse-ing (Auto Drum) it'd be nice to just load up some components and within a minute or two be cranking out some quality reloads and within an hour already replaced what I shot that day.
I do believe in buy once, cry once, but I knew in the beginning I was not ready for a progressive and wanted to take it slow. I'm trying to not impulse buy and see maybe how much I shoot this year to justify it. Just wanted to get some opinions from folks that have tried Lee or other brands, especially turrets, then went to blue and wished they'd been there all along. How is it worth it to you?
If I want, I can do 100 rounds in a little over 25 minutes, but call it 30 due to checking charges randomly and measuring OAL, lubing brass, filling primers, (hunting primers on the floor due to not holding my mouth right when using the Lee Safety Prime), etc. With taking breaks it's probably more a pace of 150/hr than 200+. I also have a love/hate relationship with the Auto Drum Powder Measure and go through periods where I want to check 10 charges in a row and have spent countless hours (days) just dicking with the measure to test charges and try and somehow stop leaking while getting a consistent throw. For OAL, I get variances of .002"-.003" depending on brass.
The most I have loaded in a session was about 650, and it literally took the entire afternoon into the evening with taking a couple breaks, and imagine how many pulls of that lever. All I could think about was if I had a Dillon, I'd been done several hours ago and could have spent the rest of that time doing something else, like shooting. I've already bought dies to load 9mm, but as is, feel like enough of my spare time is dedicated to just .45. I've been trying to get my numbers up so there's not as much pressure to replace what I've shot as quickly as I'll shoot 400 rounds of .45 per trip. With also shooting 400-500 rounds of 9mm per trip, multiple trips per month, I'm having a hard time realizing how I might keep up 2 calibers and still have time to do anything else. First world problems, I know right? Loading is obviously not a chore for me though as I get great satisfaction from it.
So...as tasty as a 650 looks to me despite the cost to get one up and going...in your opinion, does a blue press make any better quality ammo, first of all? If you went from one brand to blue, did you notice better ammo? I don't hate the Lee dies although I've basically mangled my size/decap die getting the collet tight enough not to pop up every other round. I've heard of people using Lee dies in Dillon presses, and I might would too, but Lee is my only experience. I feel like my quality is pretty decent although I'm sure I could do better. At this point, it's a time thing, and I feel like I have to do so much tinkering and Mickey Mouse-ing (Auto Drum) it'd be nice to just load up some components and within a minute or two be cranking out some quality reloads and within an hour already replaced what I shot that day.
I do believe in buy once, cry once, but I knew in the beginning I was not ready for a progressive and wanted to take it slow. I'm trying to not impulse buy and see maybe how much I shoot this year to justify it. Just wanted to get some opinions from folks that have tried Lee or other brands, especially turrets, then went to blue and wished they'd been there all along. How is it worth it to you?