Thoughts on why I have a single stage and turret presses

[webrx]

Again, I have to agree on the Turret for pistol and .223 - it works for my needs, and the single stage for small batches (usually 60 or less) a box or two of 30-30, a few boxes of precision 6.5, a box of 45 colt or Schofield, .357, .38, .243, etc.

I could load any of these on the turret I guess, but there is something about setting the die, and then running a batch of 50 or 100 on the SS that still feels rewarding to me. the 9mm and 223 in the turret feels faster and less like the work than it was when I was trying to load a few hundred on an SS. 4 pulls, a round is done, if I need to walk away, I finish the round which only takes about 10 seconds maybe 15, and then start a new round when I get back.

I may set up the auto drum and try adding powder on the turret press, I wont be able to weigh every load and that does not feel right to me, as I occasionally get an oddball .2 variance with the ppm - usually light (most drop right at or +/- .1 99% of the time once it is setup and I get my rhythm). But for range rounds, loading middle of the band it might be ok, I can still look at every drop but it can be hard to see small differences.

Maybe I will set it up off press, and run it a bit, measuring each drop until I figure out if I can trust it or not.

Thanks to all who have participated so far it has been fun to read all the opinions and history and reasons why, and in typical High Road fashion, it has been extremely civil, and educational.

Dave

 

[Kaldor]

When I had my kids at home.....they never bothered me. Why so lucky? My loading room is in the garage. I always have work for my kids to do in the garage. When they showed up, they were put to work. Bet you can guess why when Dad was in the garage the kids were scarce.

My wife knew not to bother me when reloading....my master bedroom is on the second story right on top of the reloading room.....I showed her the famous picture of primer tubes going through the ceiling.....think that might have helped. Also helps that I never bother her while she's quilting. I'm of the opinion that happy families have to respect each other's space.....that includes me respecting my kids' space.

No squibs for me yet......but then I probably don't load at the volume many of you do either. But I'm getting up in years.....may be in my spacey future.......

Mine were pretty little yet, probably 5 and 10 years old. You know how little kids are when they want attention

 

[GW Staar]

I have a lee turret for 9mm. If I focus, I can produce a round in about 7 seconds, sometimes faster. I am wondering if a progressive really is faster if you include the loading of the primer holder and case holder for the progressive?

I'll probably still get a progressive, because I don't want to pull the handle 4 times for every round anymore. I shoot alot per week.

One more post and I'll be expended.

There are so many different ways to reload and just as many different types of and needs of reloaders. Your last sentence is close to where I was when I bought my first progressive.....the "anymore" word is telling! It wasn't forever ago when I was perfectly happy with my Rock Chucker II. I got tireder. I looked at the ways to fix that.....turrets, progressives, Dillon, Hornady.....then RCBS. The Pro 2000 I settled on was not the most popular, but it was the safest, fastest caliber change out there. For my needs APS priming was a God send. Safe, fast, and even better, primers could be loaded in strips and stored. Can't do that with tube feeders unless you have a death wish. And when you have thousands of primers ready to just plugin and go, you save time.

It didn't have a case feeder like the blue and red machines, but I figured it was easier to stick a case on the merry-go-round then trying to coax a bullet to stay put on a case, on same merry-go-round going at a clip. So I bought a pistol bullet feeder and loved the decision. I could load 3 calibers a week and caliber changes were 15 minutes tops. That's changing primer size, bullet feeder caliber, populated die plate, shell plate, and powder setting using but one powder measure. But......I was not the majority, the press was discontinued for lack of sales. The blue crowd wasn't even dented.

But word to the wise (and this goes for any progressive), grease a bottleneck and you get impatienter. That means you find more bottlenecks to grease. Pretty soon you have a whole new hobby of greasing bottlenecks to go with the reloading hobby! After a month using the Pro 2000 and I was building a faster Forster Trimmer, then it was a new bullet feeder, then a home made case feeder......and on and on, more presses, more everything. At least I've refrained from a motor drive.

 

[lgjhn]

I’ve been reloading since the mid-80s. Over those years, I’ve had two squib loads all within a 6 year period...both were off the progressive as a result of being interrupted...both times. I’ve had one full primer tube light off/explosion on the progressive taking out a good chunk of the ceiling above it...kinda like shotgun style. Wanna talk about crapping in your skivvies? Fortunately, no one, myself included, was hurt, but it certainly got my attention.
From those experiences, I no longer prime on any press; I do it all manually by hand. I don’t even listen to a radio when I’m reloading. IF I happen to be interrupted, I make it a point to just STOP right where I’m at and make a written note, or nowadays take a pic, of where I’m stopping. I’ve learned there is no shame in dumping powder charges right back into the hopper and starting over because of an interruption.
As far as presses are concerned:
I ended up with 4 presses over those years: my original RCII that has served me well and is now used as a depriming station utilizing a Mighty Armory decapper. Lord only knows how many strokes that poor, old press has had over the past 40 or so years, but it’s still going strong.
I have an old, old Lee turret 3-holer that hadn’t been used in years. I don’t even remember purchasing it....LOL. I recently cleaned it back up/overhauled it for use to prep brass, particularly turning 5.56 brass into 300BO.
I bought a progressive Hornady Projector that got traded in on their new LnL progressive model. The progressive was purchased when I was shooting USPSA and going thru about 300 rounds of .45ACP/week. These days, it’s rarely used and have even thought about selling it.
A couple of years ago, I happened to catch a Redding T7 on sale and added it to the stable. I found it to be a beast of a press that suits my present needs perfectly for the amount, and type, of shooting I do these days. Which one would I pick IF I could only have one? The Redding T7.

 

[vsteel]

What I have got most out of this thread is since I can keep up with my shooting needs with my RCBS Rock Chucker II, I am not shooting enough.

 

[gonoles_1980]

I only load 100 rounds at a time, so a Lee Single Stage works fine for me. I think it all depends on how much you reload. I do 2-4 times a month, seems to keep me in supply. Unless your shooting a lot, not sure why you'd need much more than a Single Stage. I like having the flashlight check when I've loaded all my brass with powder. Makes me feel a little better about my loads.

 

[kmw1954]

My story.

Started in 1980 on a Bonanza 68 press loading for a 357mag. Simple operation with simple tools and loaded thousands of rounds for a good few years.

Life changing event and left shooting for many years. Then another life change and back to pistols about 6 years ago and once again back into reloading.

From my previous experience with loading pistols I knew I did not want to do it the same way on a single stage press so I started looking for a nice used turret press. After a couple months watching forums and ebay I came across a complete Lee Pro 1000 for much less than I could find a used turret press and dies. So I bought it. Still have it and still use it greatly. Then after loading on it for a while I found it was a struggle to try and work up loads on the Pro1000 with trying to take cases in and out of the press to do checks or adjustments.

From there I decided to find a nice used Lee 3 hole turret press to compliment the Pro 1000 which I did. Actually came across a NIB one that was never used. Paid a premium for it too because they were discontinued and I did not want a 4 hole turret press.

Today I have an RCBS JR3 press, still have the Pro 1000 and have added an ABLP Pro4000 and a new model 4 hole Value Turret press. Yes I use them all. Am currently using the JR3 and the 3 hole turret in combination to load all my 223 and it is working tremendously.

 

[cfullgraf]

There are so many different ways to reload and just as many different types of and needs of reloaders.

GW Staar has said it so well.

As long as one uses safe operating practices, there are many different ways to use the various equipment available to reloaders that will make excellent ammunition.

I have my reloading idiosyncrasies that work for me but may not work for others. I enjoy reading about what others are doing and sometimes try out their methods.

 

[johnjohn]

I started with a Lyman T-Mag and later got a Lyman Crusher (on sale $75) . I don"feel any need for "speed",too easy to make mistakes.

 

[GW Staar]

........ I enjoy reading about what others are doing and sometimes try out their methods.

Had to smile at that one! The only method you've shared in the past that I didn't try was the pedestals you like. My space too small for that....maybe if I can get my son to sell his weight lifting machines.....that'd be nice.

As for my latest methods.....Don't buy a 3D printer.......warning you.....it's a bottomless pit and too fun to stop the falling. (it also crowds your benches with the collators....4 now....I'm nuts.

 

[Gone Hiking]

Sounds like a good rationale. I started with a Dillon 550 progressive and that remains my only press. I can crank out pistol rounds or general rifle range fodder quickly with that. But I also hand weigh my charges for match and precision loads, and run those through the press without the powder die inserted (or just thumb the shell plate twice to skip the powder die station). One press gives me the best of both worlds.

 

[cfullgraf]

As for my latest methods.....Don't buy a 3D printer.......warning you.....it's a bottomless pit and too fun to stop the falling. (it also crowds your benches with the collators....4 now....I'm nuts.

I hear ya!

I've been resisting the urge to buy a 3-D printer in part because I have a computer controlled plasma cutter and a computer controlled router. They are priceless when they get used, but spend most of the time under dust cloths.