Any opinions on which press to get. I am experianced with reloading and had two rcbs's presses. I sold those :banghead: with the plan on gettting a dillon 550. now 3yrs later I am ready to get a press... iam looking at either the Hornady lock-n-load, rcbs rockchucker or turret or the dillon 550. yur opinions are greatly appreciated. Thanks.......
reload presses
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db_tanker
Member
Get the RC...then later you can always add on the Piggyback for doing pistol cartridges...
RCBS is the only way to go IMO...their service is A1 and most of the time you don't even NEED it.
D
RCBS is the only way to go IMO...their service is A1 and most of the time you don't even NEED it.
D
What are you going to load? If you are looking for low volume rifle and hand gun loading the answer is either the Rockchucker, or even better the Redding T7. Now, for combination loading in volume the Dillon 550 is the answer for sure. For strictly turning out ammo, the 650 fits the niche for that!
brasskeeper
Member
If you are loading for a single rifle go with a RCBS Rockchucker or a Dillon 550, If your loading pistol and rifle and go to the range often get a dillon 650. I have a dillon 650 and a dillon Square deal B. I have had good luck with dillon and their customer service.
OneFireStick
Member
I've been using a Dillon 550 for the last year for pistol and rifle ammo. It has worked out great for me and I like being able to use one press for everything I need.
For low volume rifle loads I would go with a single stage press. Although I use the Rock Chucker, I would recommend you check out either the new Lee Cast Classic or the Redding Boss. Both these presses have an extra bolt hole at the back of the unit. Not a major advantage, but the extra bolt does help spread the work load away from the edge of your bench which I think is a good thing..
Regards,
Pete
Regards,
Pete
Sunray
Member
So, you had a couple of RCBS presses and sold them before you had the money for the Dillion? And now you have the money for a Dillion? Silly boy. Buy the Dillion. It's why you put yourself through this torment. You've been buying and shooting factory for 3 years.
Six-Gun
Member
I'll start by saying that I have a Dillon XL650, but I learned reloading on a neighbor's Dillon RL550.
It's a good press, but the one thing about it that irritated me to no end was the priming system: if you didn't keep the little reciprocating arm that feeds the primers absolutely clean, it would skip primers. You'd have to stop and clean out the arm, then clean all the powder out that got all over the place. If you kept it free of powder in the primer area, this was a non-issue, but even a few grains could jam up theworks, and the primers would not feed into the priming arm.
This is one of the big reasons I invested in the XL650 - the primer magazine system works almost flawlessly, even when some crap makes its way into the priming station. It uses a cylindircal magazine (looks like a flattened revolver cylinder) instead of the reciprocating arm. It's all difference in the world, but it's also all the world of difference in price for the press and all of the options - my setup (including electric case feeder, digital scale, large media tumbler, aluminum roller handle, strong mount, blah, balh, blah...and all the trimmings) cost me right around $1,100
You can get into a RL550 for a little over half that.
I have no experience or words for you on the Hornady press, but an old Lieutenant Colonel I used to work with LOVED his RCBS rockchucker and would never have it any other way.
It's a good press, but the one thing about it that irritated me to no end was the priming system: if you didn't keep the little reciprocating arm that feeds the primers absolutely clean, it would skip primers. You'd have to stop and clean out the arm, then clean all the powder out that got all over the place. If you kept it free of powder in the primer area, this was a non-issue, but even a few grains could jam up theworks, and the primers would not feed into the priming arm.
This is one of the big reasons I invested in the XL650 - the primer magazine system works almost flawlessly, even when some crap makes its way into the priming station. It uses a cylindircal magazine (looks like a flattened revolver cylinder) instead of the reciprocating arm. It's all difference in the world, but it's also all the world of difference in price for the press and all of the options - my setup (including electric case feeder, digital scale, large media tumbler, aluminum roller handle, strong mount, blah, balh, blah...and all the trimmings) cost me right around $1,100
You can get into a RL550 for a little over half that.I have no experience or words for you on the Hornady press, but an old Lieutenant Colonel I used to work with LOVED his RCBS rockchucker and would never have it any other way.
Gen. Remington
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Here we go again,
Dillion, Dillon, Dillon, Dillon, Dillon, Dillon. :banghead:
Isnt this getting boring to anyone else yet? You would think there are no other presses made, when there LOTS of other GOOD kinds. Do all you guys get PAID to pound this stuff out or what?
Check out a Redding T-7 turret, and make bullets the way YOU WANT TO, and not how a complicated machine wants to make them.
Dillion, Dillon, Dillon, Dillon, Dillon, Dillon. :banghead:
Isnt this getting boring to anyone else yet? You would think there are no other presses made, when there LOTS of other GOOD kinds. Do all you guys get PAID to pound this stuff out or what?
Check out a Redding T-7 turret, and make bullets the way YOU WANT TO, and not how a complicated machine wants to make them.
Six-Gun
Member
WHOA! 
This was the first post I made in this forum (reloading) - I had no idea that Dillon was the end-all-be-all around here, it just happens to be what I own, so that's all I'm qualified to speak of directly.
I'm sure there are tons of other options out there that I have no experience with, but I can't credibly speak to them.
This was the first post I made in this forum (reloading) - I had no idea that Dillon was the end-all-be-all around here, it just happens to be what I own, so that's all I'm qualified to speak of directly.
I'm sure there are tons of other options out there that I have no experience with, but I can't credibly speak to them.
Gen. Remington
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I am not replying to you Six-Gun, but you notice how many posts we get praising Dillons?
You honestly do get a lot more freedom to make bullets the way YOU want to, on a turret press. Everything does not have to be done ONE way. It is possible to make better ammo your own way, believe it or not. For instance, you dont need a BIG PRESS to put primers in, at the same time you do every other operation. A turret press can let you FEEL the way each bullet goes together. An RCBS hand primer will let you feel how primers seat pretty well, and they work fast.
You just happened to wander into Dillon-Land, and I am one of the few posters who doesnt wear the special blue-colored glasses.
Its just my hope to get anybody else out there who doesnt use a Dillon to speak up, but most of them are afraid to get out-voted around here anymore, so they dont seem to post much. Could be they lost their freedom to choose something else. Or maybe they all got brainwashed by the repetition here in Dillon-Land.
You honestly do get a lot more freedom to make bullets the way YOU want to, on a turret press. Everything does not have to be done ONE way. It is possible to make better ammo your own way, believe it or not. For instance, you dont need a BIG PRESS to put primers in, at the same time you do every other operation. A turret press can let you FEEL the way each bullet goes together. An RCBS hand primer will let you feel how primers seat pretty well, and they work fast.
You just happened to wander into Dillon-Land, and I am one of the few posters who doesnt wear the special blue-colored glasses.
Its just my hope to get anybody else out there who doesnt use a Dillon to speak up, but most of them are afraid to get out-voted around here anymore, so they dont seem to post much. Could be they lost their freedom to choose something else. Or maybe they all got brainwashed by the repetition here in Dillon-Land.
Six-Gun
Member
Gotcha Gen. Remington - I misread your tone.
I know other folks who use other presses, and I have been itching to get a Lee Classic press for a while now: it certainly would be nice to see some of the other opinions from the other press-owners out there.
I definately do not wear Blue colored glasses. All of my rifle dies are Redding (and I love them dearly); my bullet puller/collets, stuck-case kit, powder funnel, case lube pad, and other miscellaneous tools are RCBS; and my case trays and bullet boxes are all MTM. I use whatever is best for the job, or whatever I feel comfortable working with: I learned on a Dillon, so I bought a Dillon. If I learned on a Lee, I probably would've bought a Lee up front
I know other folks who use other presses, and I have been itching to get a Lee Classic press for a while now: it certainly would be nice to see some of the other opinions from the other press-owners out there.
I definately do not wear Blue colored glasses. All of my rifle dies are Redding (and I love them dearly); my bullet puller/collets, stuck-case kit, powder funnel, case lube pad, and other miscellaneous tools are RCBS; and my case trays and bullet boxes are all MTM. I use whatever is best for the job, or whatever I feel comfortable working with: I learned on a Dillon, so I bought a Dillon. If I learned on a Lee, I probably would've bought a Lee up front
Gen. Remington
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Six-Gun
To be honest, if you learned on a Lee and you really loved re-loading like I do, you would have replaced it too.
Really, I'm glad the Dillon is working for you!
Enjoy, and shoot safe!
To be honest, if you learned on a Lee and you really loved re-loading like I do, you would have replaced it too.
Really, I'm glad the Dillon is working for you!
Enjoy, and shoot safe!
Six-Gun
Member
Thanks ,and same to you.
trickyasafox
Member
it really comes down to what color matches your load room better
Deavis
Member
If you are interested in a lock-n-load, I suggest you read Cortland's posts on them. A simple search would uncover a ton of information as this subject has been hashed out many, many times here and on other forums.
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=132404&highlight=lock+load+cortland
Here is his page if you don't want to read the trhead, which is helpful.
http://www.cs.odu.edu/~rtompkin/hornady/blue.php
The reason you see a a ton of posts praising Dillon is that they are some of the best made and well serviced presses you can buy. No ifs ands or buts about it. Dillon makes an awesome product.
People talk all day about how great the ammo they load on a single stage is and how they can "feel" this or "feel" that with their non-Dillon or non-progressive press. Many preface their statements with "Once you learn how to load on a XYZ... it really isn't bad." My opinion is that if you have to "learn" a press' "quirks" then you are doing beta testing for a company that didn't properly design and test their product.
As far as the "feel" factor goes, if "feeling" your way to a proper load, or any other manufacturing operation, were the best way to do it, don't you think that is what Black Hills and other match ammunition makers would do? The long and the short of it is that setting a primer depth stop and bullet seating depth on a 1050XL will produce more consistent ammunition than 99% of the "craftsman" out there. No dig against them, or anyone here who loads that way, if you like to do it thatr way, that is a-ok by me. Just remember that the laws of physics don't stop when you start using your press. A mechanical stop, when properly set and maintained, will be more accurate than almost every human being out there at seating primers to a certain depth.
The men of yore who used to treat heat by metal by knowing the color argued against the "new-fangled" technology saying their skills were necessary to produce quality products. The truth is that a pyrometer is more accurate than those master craftsman's method because their method is simply too unreliable to be used for high volume, high quality manufacturing processes. You can load great ammo on a 550XL, a Pro2000, or a Lock-n-Load.
http://thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=132404&highlight=lock+load+cortland
Here is his page if you don't want to read the trhead, which is helpful.
http://www.cs.odu.edu/~rtompkin/hornady/blue.php
The reason you see a a ton of posts praising Dillon is that they are some of the best made and well serviced presses you can buy. No ifs ands or buts about it. Dillon makes an awesome product.
People talk all day about how great the ammo they load on a single stage is and how they can "feel" this or "feel" that with their non-Dillon or non-progressive press. Many preface their statements with "Once you learn how to load on a XYZ... it really isn't bad." My opinion is that if you have to "learn" a press' "quirks" then you are doing beta testing for a company that didn't properly design and test their product.
As far as the "feel" factor goes, if "feeling" your way to a proper load, or any other manufacturing operation, were the best way to do it, don't you think that is what Black Hills and other match ammunition makers would do? The long and the short of it is that setting a primer depth stop and bullet seating depth on a 1050XL will produce more consistent ammunition than 99% of the "craftsman" out there. No dig against them, or anyone here who loads that way, if you like to do it thatr way, that is a-ok by me. Just remember that the laws of physics don't stop when you start using your press. A mechanical stop, when properly set and maintained, will be more accurate than almost every human being out there at seating primers to a certain depth.
The men of yore who used to treat heat by metal by knowing the color argued against the "new-fangled" technology saying their skills were necessary to produce quality products. The truth is that a pyrometer is more accurate than those master craftsman's method because their method is simply too unreliable to be used for high volume, high quality manufacturing processes. You can load great ammo on a 550XL, a Pro2000, or a Lock-n-Load.
Kamicosmos
Member
I recently sold my Loadmaster. I replaced it with an RCBS Turret Press. It is a great press. I love the priming system.
After running the Loadmaster for awhile, it took me a bit to train myself to remember to rotate the turret head each time though. I had lots of crushed cases when I tried to seat the bullet using the belling die. Oops. Operator error!
But, I can load ammo on the Turret almost as quickly as on the Loadmaster. And I feel much more confident using the turret, because you have that single stage style of loading, just sped up more. I'm a very hands-on type of guy, and it pleases me to be able to look in each case at the power charge, and yeah...I like to 'feel' the primer seat, call me crazy.
I like the Turret so much, I now recommend turret presses to new loaders in all these 'Newbie looking to start reloading' threads. I still have my RCBS Special 5 single stage, but it is mostly a universal de-cap station now...
If you go progressive I would go with RCBS or Dillion (I hear the L&L is also a great machine). The Loadmaster is a good press, especially for the money. But it does require a constant technical eye to keep it running smoothly.
After running the Loadmaster for awhile, it took me a bit to train myself to remember to rotate the turret head each time though. I had lots of crushed cases when I tried to seat the bullet using the belling die. Oops. Operator error!
But, I can load ammo on the Turret almost as quickly as on the Loadmaster. And I feel much more confident using the turret, because you have that single stage style of loading, just sped up more. I'm a very hands-on type of guy, and it pleases me to be able to look in each case at the power charge, and yeah...I like to 'feel' the primer seat, call me crazy.
I like the Turret so much, I now recommend turret presses to new loaders in all these 'Newbie looking to start reloading' threads. I still have my RCBS Special 5 single stage, but it is mostly a universal de-cap station now...
If you go progressive I would go with RCBS or Dillion (I hear the L&L is also a great machine). The Loadmaster is a good press, especially for the money. But it does require a constant technical eye to keep it running smoothly.
Six-Gun
Member
Ok, so I'm a little guilty of having a reloading "fashion sense."
Chuck R.
Member
I currently use 3 presses for metallic cartridge loading:
Dillon 550B for handgun loads
RCBS Rock-Chucker
Redding Ultra-Mag
The Dillon really is a nice press for volume loading and their customer service is great. I can say the same for RCBS. I bought the Ultra Mag when I had a silhouette rifle built in a custom chambering and had to reform 500 pieces of brass. The RCBS Rock Chucker was giving me a good workout, but the Redding made short work of it. It’s got some serious pressure.
BTW, I do “feel” my match ammo as I load it. I check for primer seating, but more importantly I “feel” while neck sizing and also when seating bullets for consistent neck tension. Any brass/load that doesn’t “feel” right gets turned into a sighter during a match. I now anneal my brass after every 3 firings so my culls are pretty limited, but they’re still there.
I’ve thought about getting a turret press, but the way I load now, prepping 300-500 pieces of brass at a whack, the single stage does OK.
Chuck
Dillon 550B for handgun loads
RCBS Rock-Chucker
Redding Ultra-Mag
The Dillon really is a nice press for volume loading and their customer service is great. I can say the same for RCBS. I bought the Ultra Mag when I had a silhouette rifle built in a custom chambering and had to reform 500 pieces of brass. The RCBS Rock Chucker was giving me a good workout, but the Redding made short work of it. It’s got some serious pressure.
BTW, I do “feel” my match ammo as I load it. I check for primer seating, but more importantly I “feel” while neck sizing and also when seating bullets for consistent neck tension. Any brass/load that doesn’t “feel” right gets turned into a sighter during a match. I now anneal my brass after every 3 firings so my culls are pretty limited, but they’re still there.
I’ve thought about getting a turret press, but the way I load now, prepping 300-500 pieces of brass at a whack, the single stage does OK.
Chuck
Here are some plans for an easy to make reloading bench.
http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~sodapop/recguns.html
There are others too - Google reloading bench and you'll come up with others.
http://www.contrib.andrew.cmu.edu/~sodapop/recguns.html
There are others too - Google reloading bench and you'll come up with others.
Six-Gun
Member
That bench was definately a helluva deal. It is super sturdy and only cost $67. I bought it as a pre-cut wood kit (fasterners included - read: hardened deck screws) which made the deal even sweeter: I am without real power tools right now (not done unpacking after moving into my new house,) and all I needed to build it was a carpenter's square, drill bits (not essential, but I like to reduce the risk of splitting the wood by drilling pilot holes for the screws) and a drill/screwgun w/ #2 Phillips bit. Such a kit also saves you the hassle of replacing boards from a miscut.
I got the kit from a midwest home improvement center called Menards, but I'm sure any home improvement store carries such a thing for about the same price. For the price and convenience, I highly recomend something like this.
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The Bushmaster
Member
Color coordinated loading room??? I'm in trouble...Again... My loading bench is a hodge-podge of RED, green, orange and blue only because my trickler is Midway blue. The more I read about Dillon and the more photos I see of Dillon. The more I'm glad that I don't have one. I have sat alongside people at the range who load on a Dillon and all I hear is constant complaints of ammunition problems like; bullets seated improperly, primers not seated properly, failure to go bang for one reason or another or why can't I hit the target. Granted...It may not be the Dillon press that's at fault, but it is a hint that too many operations are happening that do not get inspected or regulated by the operater and therefore are missed in the mass production of the end product. 
I will stick with my turret (LEE) press that I've been using for the past 18 years and continue to check each round through a series of 6 inspections during the loading process. All mine go BANG and all mine go down range.
I'm in agreement with Gen. Remington..."Dillon, Dillon, Dillon, Dillon." There are other brands of presses that are just as good as a Dillon and in some cases probably better. It's like the beer that everyone totes as the best beer in this fine country of ours. "Budweizer" Gives me a headache after two of them...Must be the "best" hops that they use...
My loading bench is a hodge-podge of RED, green, orange and blue only because my trickler is Midway blue. The more I read about Dillon and the more photos I see of Dillon. The more I'm glad that I don't have one. I have sat alongside people at the range who load on a Dillon and all I hear is constant complaints of ammunition problems like; bullets seated improperly, primers not seated properly, failure to go bang for one reason or another or why can't I hit the target. Granted...It may not be the Dillon press that's at fault, but it is a hint that too many operations are happening that do not get inspected or regulated by the operater and therefore are missed in the mass production of the end product. I will stick with my turret (LEE) press that I've been using for the past 18 years and continue to check each round through a series of 6 inspections during the loading process. All mine go BANG and all mine go down range.
I'm in agreement with Gen. Remington..."Dillon, Dillon, Dillon, Dillon." There are other brands of presses that are just as good as a Dillon and in some cases probably better. It's like the beer that everyone totes as the best beer in this fine country of ours. "Budweizer" Gives me a headache after two of them...Must be the "best" hops that they use...
Six-Gun
Member
People who have problems with Dillon presses are probably never checking rounds during the course of their loading. They are most likely relying on the "if the first round came out right, they all will" principle. This is simply not the case. A person stops in the middle of using the press tograb a drink, forgets to finish the cyle...oops! Now you have an unprimed piece of brass or a poorly seated bullet. I demand a lot of concentration when I'm reloading, and the Mrs. knows to stay away.
If the reloader fails to periodically check powder charges, ensure uniform seat depth, etc. through eyeball inspection, it's their loss, not mine. There is as much discipline required with using the most expensive/feature loaded press as with a simple, single-stage press.
I never have issues when I load ammo on my press because I also conduct proper inspections. Sure, this cuts the round per hour count down to half of the advertised rate, but like you, all of my bullets go *bang*
If the reloader fails to periodically check powder charges, ensure uniform seat depth, etc. through eyeball inspection, it's their loss, not mine. There is as much discipline required with using the most expensive/feature loaded press as with a simple, single-stage press.
I never have issues when I load ammo on my press because I also conduct proper inspections. Sure, this cuts the round per hour count down to half of the advertised rate, but like you, all of my bullets go *bang*
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