My guns are starving...

[woo18]

I should have bought a Dillon. I wanted to start reloading so I purchased a Lee Classic Turrent about 6 months ago. It seemed like a good starting reloader. While it is a great machine, it is way too slow (I get about 100 rounds per hour). I can only devote maybe 1 hour a night Monday through Thursday for reloading. This only gives me about 400 rounds max to shoot the following weekend. I don't have enough ammunition to feed my guns.

Though it may not be recommended, I think I am going to get a Dillon 1050. Reloading takes too long...

 

[Bula]

I say try to streamline your process a little. It can do 200 per hour. Keep your components handy, and hand movements to a minimum.

 

[Hawk]

Interesting how we start with different priorities. I was of the "reloading is boring, production is primary" school of thought. Started out with an SL900 then added an SDB for metallics then XL650. Casefeeders on the SL900 and XL-650.

I eventually found that loading can be interesting and find myself lurking about the forum for advice on single stage presses as working up loads in a 650 just isn't my idea of a good time.

Definitely hang on to what you've got. You'll still use it.

The XL-650 with casefeeder might be preferable to the 1050 if you're loading multiple chamberings. Also, if you can live with the 650, you might also look the Hornady LNL-AP with casefeeder.

Hornady is running a promotion with a pantload of free bullets - handy if the offer includes something you need.

If you're looking at the 1050, there's no point in flirting with anything that doesn't have a casefeeder. Also, take a peek at this gem. The bullet feeder, IMO, is inadvisable on the 550, works on the LNL or 650 for handgun and requires the 1050 in .223.

Also, as others have noted, the Classic Turret is generally credited with 200 rph. I don't have one myself but that number pops up often enough it's gotta be right.

Still, there's sure nothing wrong with going with the 1050. It would have the advantage of exempting you from the "blue vs red" wars. It's generally accepted as being in a class of its own - and painted mostly black anyway. Rather like an African Gray Parrot, it will take over the room in which it resides at a minimum. My SL-900 spent its first months on a board "C" clamped to a workmate. While it proved servicable, it looked like a cowboy riding a pigeon and was the source of great good cheer among all those who saw it. Big honkin' bench is definitely the way to go.

 

[mc223]

Ditto Hawk's comments. IMHO The 1050 may very well be too much. The 650 or the Hornady LNL may be better choices, and with the free bullet offer of the Hornady, you will still be ahead.
I load on a 550 and have never had a problem cranking out 500 38 Supers in an hour. About 400+ of 223 an hour.
Keep the Lee for misc. small quantity and load development.

 

[Hawk]

Another observation: with either the 650 x casefeeder or 1050 the primer warning buzzer will be going off every few minutes and seem like it's going off every few seconds.

You definiitely want an RF-100 if you go with the 1050. Probably more than the bullet feeder but that's just my take on it. The RF-100 will slap another 250.00 on the tariff but I'm kicking myself for not buying it right off.

One of the nice things about the 1050 is that the casefeed is included in the price. It has to be added to the XL-650 or SL-900 which makes them seem cheaper than they are - 650s and 900s without casefeeders don't make a lot of sense IMHO, I don't even know why they're listed without casefeeders.

 

[layusn1]

Then your gonna spend all that money on a press and have no money to spend on components...lol.

 

[Hawk]

Then your gonna spend all that money on a press and have no money to spend on components...lol.

Reasonable point, but if one is shooting .41 magnum one will pay off the cost of a full-boat 650 at around 1K rounds even using virgin Starline brass stuffed with Hornady XTP JHPs.

Not everybody is in a position to be buying 9mm WWB at Wally World. If all you have is S&W 57s things might be different.

Not good to assume too much, in my limited experience.

Personally, I still shoot more .40S&W and .45ACP than either .357 or .41 but I reload for the revolver rounds only. I shoot at an indoor range where I "lose title" to the brass when it hits the floor. This makes reloading for the .40 and .45 with virgin brass something of a loser.

We have no clue what the OP's situation is.

 

[yhtomit]

Hawk wrote:

I shoot at an indoor range where I "lose title" to the brass when it hits the floor. This makes reloading for the .40 and .45 with virgin brass something of a loser.

At my indoor range, that's the policy, too -- but I've asked (when bringing my own ammo) whether I can in fact take it with me, and have been told (the few times I've asked) that I can. I don't push this -- I've seen people at the same range take their own and ask for others', too, which I won't do there. Dunno if you've asked, but at least at my range the policy and the reality are not 100% congruent.

timothy

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm fairly new to reloading and I can load ~200 per hour with a Lee Classic Turret press. If you can double your output you will have 800 rounds for the weekend. I know that's not "A LOT" but it's better than only 400 rounds.

I'm lucky enough to have more than 4 hours to reload a week so I can make what I need for shooting.

 

[armabill]

It's not how fast you go or how much it should put out, but the quality of the ammo.

 

[GaryL]

I'm surprised this hasn't turned into a Red vs Blue Vs Whatever thread.

Woo18, I load on a 550B. I typically get 300-400 rnds/hr loading pistol calibers, which includes loading primers and a quick check of the brass being loaded. Some calibers/loads go faster than others for me, probably because I can hold a few bullets in my left hand and work them into position while taking care of brass with the right hand. Rifle goes a little slower for me, but I haven't been loading a lot of rifle rounds, so not as practiced. I suspect a 550 would be borderline for you, and the 650 or LNL may be a better choice. Keeping the Lee setup on a low volume caliber would be advantagous - something I'd like to do eventually.

 

[jr81452]

my well tuned Lee loadmaster will do 700-800 rounds of pistol ammo an hour when i use the bullet feeder of course i realign everything after every 2000 rounds to make sure it doesn't mess up. but all told it cost me about $250 plus $55 for the caliber conversions (tool head, shell plate, bullet feeder+multi tube adapter). but if your not at all mechanically inclined i would stick with the Dillon. because what your really paying for on the Dillon is the ability to send it back and have someone else fix it when you have a problem

 

[Walkalong]

I'm surprised this hasn't turned into a Red vs Blue Vs Whatever thread.

I have no clue how many rounds I can produce on my ( name your color ) press. I go as quickly as I can and still maintain vigilance on what is going on. I SEE every charge I put a bullet over. It goes pretty quickly.