Single stage press bad for pistol ammo reloads?

[Naterater]

IMO, the little lee c press is the best for pistol--you can load it from any direction because it's a C frame, and it's definitely strong enough for pistol. It's smooth and it gives you a much better feel than larger presses. And it's only $24!

 

[beatledog7]

Using a single stage press for any round is perfectly ok, and it will almost certainly provide a higher level of quality control than can be achieved with even the best progressives. That's why I would not recommend a progressive to a new reloader.

I did consider a progressive as my first press. I almost bought a LNL AP, but settled on the LNL classic kit, which netted me most of the other things I needed to get started for the same money as the AP alone would have cost. I have loaded a mere 3900 (nearly 120 different recipes) rounds thus far, each one requiring at least two strokes of the press (size/de-prime, seat bullet) and some as many as five (size/de-prime, de-bulge, flare, seat bullet, taper). That sounds like a lot of work so so few rounds, but I've learned an enormous amount from the process.

The most important lesson--by far--was one I already knew from playing musical instruments: that asking my tools to do my job for me is asking too much. A handloader must be accountable for every step of the process.

I believe kingmt is onto something. Aside from the tedium of brass prep (a much debated topic itself but essentially an off-press task), the most tedious, least interesting part of handloading is metering/weighing powder. Most measures that are quite consistent once they're set. But with some powders they can be a bit fiddly to get calibrated.

If I'm only going to build 20 or so rounds of a proven recipe or any number of a new recipe, I don't bother with a powder measure. I just select a dipper that's going to hold a bit over my desired charge and pour into the scale pan until I'm there. I've learned how to use a dipper to remove .1 grains from the pan very nicely and to trickle from a dipper to get the exact charge. For less than 20 rounds or so, this is less frustrating (and maybe faster) than using a powder drop.

All that leads me to this revelation: the biggest reason to move to a progressive is to avoid the manual powder measuring step. But that would still require the fiddly part of calibrating the powder drop.

The next biggest reason would to avoid so many handle strokes for each round. But to maximize that advantage, the reloader has to forego most of the brass prep steps that many of us perform. No trimming, chamfering, primer pocket cleaning, etc. are possible without interrupting some part of the progressive process.

To summarize: the speed and volume advantages of a progressive press in progressive mode only come into play when the reloader has proven the recipe, has already prepped his brass to whatever degree he chooses (or chooses not to do very much), has verified the die and the powder throw settings, and has decided to make a butt ton of rounds at one go. Maybe it also requires that he is more interested in having the job done than in enjoying the craft of ammo making.

If I ever reach that point, I'll get a progressive.

 

[James2]

I have used only a SS press for many years, loading several rifle and pistol cartridges. I enjoy the reloading, so am not worried about the time spent. When loading pistol, I clean the brass, then size and decap a bunch, maybe 200-300. Then prime with a hand primer tool, not the press. Much easier. I use a powder measure to throw powder and a loading board that holds 50. I will charge 50 then take the board and hold it under the light and look into each casing. This lets me visually check that each has powder, and none has a double charge, then I will seat bullets. No squibs nor kabooms doing this.

Certainly you can pay attention to detail and make some very uniform and accurate loads with a SS press. Pistol or rifle.

No problem to load 200-300 a week with a SS press. If you need more than that, you may opt for a progressive.

 

[kingmt]

Beatledog
You missed taking the case out & putting it back. I haven't cleaned a primer pocket in 10 years. Even with a SS this is a waste of time for me.

I even use my progressive to work a load or just to build a mag full. It doesn't take me any longer to set up the progressive then it does to srt up SS.

 

[jcwit]

Years and years ago I started with a Lee Loader using a rubber mallet, progressed to a Bair single stahe in the 60's which was slightly faster. Moved on up to a turrent press that I used for years. Have now returned to single stage presses, 2 of them side by side with a powder measure to the right hand side of the presses. I now batch load only, able to control myself better this way as I've gotten older.

May not be the fastest but it suits me and I'm more than happy doing it this way.

 

[highlander 5]

Before geting my 550/650 I used a SS press and with my set up I could load 100-150 rounds in an hour,granted it was slow but none the less effective. As many have said do each step as a batch and the whole reloading process will go quicker. And if you think a SS press is slow try the original Lee Loader,the best I could do was 25-30 rounds per hour.

 

[beatledog7]

You missed taking the case out & putting it back.

True, and that's actually a very good point. I could add that I spend more than zero time picking up cases and finished rounds that I've dropped while performing these steps. That's why I'm extra careful when I pick up and insert a charged case. But I tend to fumble more often taking out than inserting.

I haven't cleaned a primer pocket in 10 years.

I do clean them most of the time. Since I'm chamfering anyway, it takes almost no time per round to rotate the case and do the other end (I use an RCBS case prep center). The mound of crud that accumulates around the pocket cleaning head tells me this step may be worthwhile, though I have no empirical evidence that it makes any real difference.

I can finish prepping tumbled brass (size/de-prime, trim if needed, decrimp if needed, chamfer and pocket clean) in about 20-60 seconds per case. That's the stage at which most of my brass gets labeled and stored. From there I can hand prime, set up the dies, flare, charge, seat and crimp 50-70 rounds in an hour. That's very roughly a total of a minute and a half per finished round, which is as fast as I need to go for the volume I shoot. And at that pace, it's still enjoyable.

 

[jcwit]

Before geting my 550/650 I used a SS press and with my set up I could load 100-150 rounds in an hour,granted it was slow but none the less effective. As many have said do each step as a batch and the whole reloading process will go quicker. And if you think a SS press is slow try the original Lee Loader,the best I could do was 25-30 rounds per hour

Heck, I can easily triple that with a Lee Loader and loading in batches. I still use a Lee Loader at the range when wishing to work up loads.

Why does everyone wish to load so fast, I look at reloading as an important segment of my hobby and something I wish to enjoy, not a job I wish to get over with.

When my hobbies turn into work its time to find something else to do in my spare time.

 

[ShadowsEye]

Heck, I can easily triple that with a Lee Loader and loading in batches. I still use a Lee Loader at the range when wishing to work up loads.

Why does everyone wish to load so fast, I look at reloading as an important segment of my hobby and something I wish to enjoy, not a job I wish to get over with.

When my hobbies turn into work its time to find something else to do in my spare time.

Reloading can be both a hobby and a means to an end (shooting) for economic reasons. For me it's both, there's not a great deal of fun in cranking out 200 pistol rounds, but it's a lot less tedious on a progressive press. Conversely there is something very satisfying about cranking out perfect match grade rifle loads slowly and methodically.

 

[918v]

I enjoy reloading. But I break up the steps:

Sizing/Depriming/Case Mouth Flaring/Priming can be done on a Lee Hand Press while watching TV or relaxing outside or whatever. Once your brass is prepped, charging and seating/crimping takes only minutes. You can charge 50 pistol cases in two minutes with a RCBS Little Dandy. You can seat/crimp these rounds in three minutes. Thats a total of five minutes for 50 rounds.

 

[kingmt]

On a SS I didn't enjoy it because it was to time consuming. That is why I quit twice. There was still a draw to it tho & my whole family wants to be part of it. If they aren't part of it thwy want to be a distraction so it is best if everyone has a job. It is also good to have someone else do your QC. With my wife feeding cases keeping the second eye on the primers everything keeps moving along. Her & one of my sons are doing QC & boxing while another is feeding parts. My 3year old girl even helps at times. My 1 year old wants to so bad he can't stand it but I haven't found a job for him yet. I'm thinking a coffee can with brass & walnut might be perfect for him.

If it wasn't for the progressive we wouldn't be able to enjoy it as much as we do. Without the powder measure & scale/despensor we wouldn't enjoy it at all.

 

[GLOOB]

All depends on how much you shoot. It works for me, but shooting time is my limiting factor. I'm a bit of a drive to the nearest range. When I do go shooting, I never manage to run out of ammo. I shoot til I'm tired of shooting. I haven't bought a single factory round since I started reloading, and I have more assembled ammo in stock then I ever had before.

 

[OrangePwrx9]

I've found a combination of turret press and SS works well for me on pistol ammo. I size, decap, bell and prime a single case on my Lyman turret. Then take the case out of the Lyman to inspect the primer and charge. Finally it goes into the old iron RCBS JR to get the bullet seated.

The RCBS appears to provide dead-nuts alignment between ram and seating die, whereas the Lyman always seems a bit iffy.

 

[Lost Sheep]

(truncated for brevity)
Why does everyone wish to load so fast, I look at reloading as an important segment of my hobby and something I wish to enjoy, not a job I wish to get over with.

When my hobbies turn into work its time to find something else to do in my spare time.

I wish to load that fast, not because I don't enjoy loading, but because I also enjoy shooting. More rounds loaded, more shooting.

The regular stroke-stroke, chunk of the press is relaxing, as is the focused concentration on the powder drop, bullet seating, etc.

They say stroking a furry pet lowers people's blood pressure and relaxes them. I suspect (for some, you and me among them) loading might do the same. For others, (those who really DO want to achieve the highest output rates) it may be as invigorating as a tense competition.

Maybe I should start a poll thread asking if people feel they fall into one category or another? Or maybe not enough loaders think about such things.

I keep watch on my output rate not as a race, but for the same reason I keep track of my time commuting to work. It is a curiosity.

Lost Sheep