Round count to move to a progessive

[bad375]

I would like to know at what round count did you decide to move to a progressive press. I currently use a Lee Classic Turret which I like. But I have been shooting a lot more lately due to a new range opening up about 15 minutes from my house. While I enjoy reloading it is eating up my time in the evenings.

 

[RhinoDefense]

When I had to leave the range because I was out of ammunition rather than other reasons.

 

[Yotecallr]

For me, it was after loading for several rifle calibers for FORTY YEARS on a single stage press. I realized my time is more valuable than I thought, and I wanted to shoot a lot of 9mm so I bought a Dillon 550B press. I beat myself up pretty bad and still do for not buying a Dillon years before.
Now I wish I would have bought a 650 Dillon because I enjoy reloading now so much more. Good luck.

 

[bad375]

Rhino - that's exactly where I was yesterday, having a great time, and bam, no more ammo

 

[kingmt]

I had quit reloading because it took to much time. I was loading on a SS & measuring every load on a beam scale that wasn't any good. I didn't know any other tools so I didn't know any better.

After maybe 6 years I pulled my stuff back out I found out it hadn't gotten any better so I started researching. Funds were a big restriction but with my wife pushing me to get one I did. I really wanted a Load Master but even the Pro1000 was out of my means at the time. I had just started a good job & I had just a few dollars so I bought the Pro1000. It is a very nice press but I wondered what I was missing out by not having the Load Master. My wife has been pushing me since we have gotten to the point that we have money to get the other press. I did & I'm very happy with the press but I also learned I wasn't missing anything with the Pro1000.

As far as round count I would only sit down & load 50 or 100 at a time. I still only sit down & load a few at a time. I'll make 1 or 2 go out & shoot them then come in to adjust a charge or what is needed. I just made 25 for one guns carry load then 15 of a different load for another gun. They don't like to eat the same thing. It only takes a few minuets to crank them out. Setup is just a few minuets switching charges or bullets is only seconds.

I also don't hurt my hands from priming on the press any more.

 

[jmorris]

If you have plenty of time and enjoy reloading there is no need for a progressive.

I have some that don't get loaded on at all in a month or more but may load 5000 rounds in a day. Others I have, load only 200 rounds a week for local matches. You don't need a progressive for that amount but its nice to spend less than 10 min loading for a match than more than an hour.

 

[Steve H]

I have been using a SS rock chucker from day one. In the past few years it seems my shooting time has shrunk due to the slowness of the single stage. The day is coming to drink the blue kool aide and order the 650.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

If you're shooting 100-rounds or more of one caliber more than twice a month, I would get a progressive.

 

[Blue68f100]

When it took me 15 min to shoot what I reloaded in 1 hr. I normally shoot 200 min when I go to the range. This is around 1 hr of shooting and it was taking be around 4+ hrs to reload and it was aggravating my tennis elbow badly forcing me to stop. My time is limited to how long I can sit or stand too, with my bad back. After reloading 200 round in several days I had to give my elbow 4-5 days for the soreness to go away. I did my research and the LNL was the best price for the money. It has worked great for me. The brass feeder was added 1 yr later when I fell and broke my left hand and wrist. I'm able to do 300-400 rounds in 1 hr then I can take a short break and go again if needed. I have collected enough brass now that I do not have to reload in order to shoot. So I take my time and reload when I want to and the temp is nice. It's no fun working in a hot (100F) garage in the summer time, so I reload in the spring and fall.

 

[mbopp]

I have a Rockchucker but bought a used Lyman turret for 45ACP since I started shooting IDPA, IPSC, and Steel Challenge. My personal breakpoint would be 150 - 200 rounds a week to get a progressive.

 

[gahunter12]

I started on a Dillon RL550b. I knew from the start my wife and I would be shooting 300+ rnds per week. We visit a local indoor range every Friday night for "Date Night" since we can both shoot for $12.00. Then I also shoot some local IDPA on the weekends about once or twice per month. It usually works out to about 200-300 rnds of 40s&w, 100-200 rnds of 45acp, and 100 rnds of 38spl per week. I can easily run 400 rnds per hour safely.

 

[bad375]

My back starts hurting me after about 100 rounds which takes me about 30-40 minutes barring any problems. On average I shoot around 300 9mm and 2-300 hundred 45 per weekend, and it takes me all week to load for a couple of hours of fun.
Looks I may be spending my income tax return on a new press instead of a new gun, darn the luck

 

[sugarmaker]

I have dedicated dies and powder measure for a given caliber and now use the progressive exclusively. I used single stage for 35 years and got spoiled quickly. If I'm near max I will still meter / weigh charges using the Uniflow on a separate stand. Even for 10 rounds I will set up the LNL and manually weigh charges as the powder measure is what takes the most time to set up.

 

[cfullgraf]

I bought my first progressive not because of volume but because I wanted a new toy to play with and I wanted to eliminate some of the case handling when processing handgun ammunition. Funds were available so why not.

I prefer to decouple resizing from reloading so I do not reap the "apparent" production volume capability of the progressive. I prefer to tumble after resizing and hand priming the cases. My choice. I resize and clean cases shortly after shooting and store them until I have a quantity for a good reloading run. I can hand prime 100 cases as fast as filling a primer tube.

I have found the Hornady L-N-L is flexible enough that it is also easy to do small runs, 50-100 rounds or so, on the press very efficiently.

I do not like loading rifle, except 30 Carbine, on the progressive though.

 

[gahunter12]

My back starts hurting me after about 100 rounds which takes me about 30-40 minutes barring any problems. On average I shoot around 300 9mm and 2-300 hundred 45 per weekend, and it takes me all week to load for a couple of hours of fun.
Looks I may be spending my income tax return on a new press instead of a new gun, darn the luck

If you are leaning over, your back will start hurting. I have my Dillon on a Strong Mount. I built my bench to 37.75" to the top. With the strong mount I can stand or sit on a bar stool and never have to lean. I am short at 5'7", but this worked perfect for me. I have found that I stand more than sit.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I'd suggest the Lee cast turret. It'll up your production by a factor of three or more, have the "control" of a single and'll load about anything, 50BMG included (though only as a single stage for that caliber).
Oh, pardon me, I just re-read your original post so never mind..

 

[Bud0505]

I started out reloading with a Dillon 550B 25 years ago and have never regretted it. I added a strong mount and ergo handle when they first became available. I have the unit mounted on a 37" high bench which allows be to sit on a a bar stool while I reload.

 

[Blue68f100]

My back starts hurting me after about 100 rounds which takes me about 30-40 minutes barring any problems. On average I shoot around 300 9mm and 2-300 hundred 45 per weekend, and it takes me all week to load for a couple of hours of fun.
Looks I may be spending my income tax return on a new press instead of a new gun, darn the luck

I reload setting down, causes less torquing of the back. With the LNL I have the height set so when the handle is all the way down by elbow is strait. My arm is locked straight when I set primers too. Works for me with bad back and tennis elbow.

 

[gregj]

I too started out on a Lee Classic Turret. I got tired of expending 4x the effort per round.

 

[dbarnhart]

When I added the third caliber. I was doing fine with the Rockchucker reloading about 100 rounds/week for each of two calibers (45 and 223). when I added the third caliber (308) I couldn't keep up given the amount of time I had available.

 

[wanderinwalker]

I would like to know at what round count did you decide to move to a progressive press. I currently use a Lee Classic Turret which I like. But I have been shooting a lot more lately due to a new range opening up about 15 minutes from my house. While I enjoy reloading it is eating up my time in the evenings.

Sounds like you're already in progressive territory. Once you start wondering "Should I?", you're consuming enough ammo to make it worth the upgrade.

I load all of my pistol ammo on a LEE Pro-1000. I have a tendency to "binge reload" and make a couple of months worth of reloads in a week or two. I can run off 300-rds in an hour or so and fill 4-5 Gladware buckets in a day or two or off-and-on reloading. (An hour is about my limit.)

For rifle I still use single-stage, but I don't shoot them as much (fast). But I am looking at switching to easy-metering ball powder for my .223 when I finish my current jug of Varget. Just to run my short-line match ammo on the progressive, which would save a lot of time too.

 

[Bowfishrp]

If your wife shoots too that helps in the decision process! In my case my wife and now both kids shoot. We found out that my son who was burning through all my .380 ammo is a very good shot with a 1911....good thing I already have a progressive....now just got to go buy more bullets! I THOUGHT I had enough primers but I am starting to wonder if they will make the year!

 

[RichS194]

For handguns I have been using a Lee Hand Loader for about a year now and have no plans to get a progressive. Although it takes me a few hours a couple nights per week it is good time spend for me to unwind after a long day at the office. Without being in too much of a hurry I guess I load about 50 rounds an hour of either 38, 357, or 40. My only plans at this point are to get a Lee Precision Powder Measure as using dippers restrict some of the powder or boolit options I would like to test with. I suppose I could craft a specific measure using a brass case with wax in the bottom or something like that but think an inexpensive thrower like the Lee is a better option. For rifle I load about 20 rounds of 7mm Remington Magnum every week using an old Lee Classic Loader. I have no plans to change that either as it too is a good way for me to unwind during the week. And for shotgun, which I only reload for a couple times per year for trap shooting I also use an old Lee classic loader and load about 100 12 ga shells each time. This is fun, relaxing, and interesting stuff for me and I really don't think it would be any more fun to simply do it all faster than I already do. Your mileage may vary of course which is one of the great things about hand loading!

 

[bad375]

Thanks for the responses, I do think it's time to move to a progressive, something new to learn and "play" with, I've read a lot of the threads on brands and problems with each, just need to pick the one right for me, but not going to start the brand wars here.

 

[1SOW]

If you're shooting 100-rounds or more of one caliber more than twice a month, I would get a progressive.

I'm retired and shoot an average of 275/week using the LEE Turret Press. I'm just to the point where I occassionally wish I had 'faster' production. I stay about 2K rds ahead of my shooting now, but work at it.

I tend to be anal with my 9mm loads, so I'm not sure I'd be "content" with a progressive where so many things are going on at one time. I would REALLY need to trust whatever progressive I might try. Decisions, decisions.

I'm NOT looking for suggestions, just pointing out some of the changes inherent in making the switch.