What am I missing out on by not having a single stage press for precision rifle reloading?

[wombat13]

My process is similar to Nature Boy and Walkalong. I'm glad to know I stumbled onto a good process. I use a RL550. For rifle, I neck size and deprime all of the brass, then trim etc. At steady state, each downward stroke of the handle drops a charge of powder and seats a bullet. I weigh each charge on my balance and trickle to the correct weight.

I do rotate the shell plate to advance the cases. I've wondered if tightening down the shell plate might hold the cases more consistently relative to bullet seating die. Then I'd have to move each case rather than rotate the shell plate.

 

[kwg020]

I don't do it any other way. I have a Lee 4 hole turret for resizing and necking but I can't get my hand under it for bullet seating so I go back to my 1975 RCBS Junior for bullet seating.

 

[Slamfire]

I only have a Dillon 650 and load everything on it.

Mind you, when loading for precision rifle rounds (.308 mostly) I’m running it as a single stage.

I prime, throw a charge, remove from station 2, trickle up to my desired weight, then stick it back in station 4 to seat bullet, then pull it off and stick it in the box.

The exception is on sizing. I load my lubed brass in the auto case feeder with a Dillon FL sizing die in station 1. I turn on the feeder and start pulling the handle until it’s empty. That’s got to be a huge time saver. Factor into the equation that all of my dies are set up in their dedicated tool heads. That has to make the process even easier and faster than a singe stage press.

As for precision goes I believe the results speak for themselves. Just completed my 3rd F Class match this month and I’m anticipating a NRA Mid Range High Master Classification to come in the mail in a few weeks. There may come a point in the future of this ridiculous hobby when I feel like my ammo is hold me back and I need a singe stage, but I’m not there yet

That is a great example of how outstanding ammunition can be produced on a progressive. I recall the Palma Team was using a Dillion to reload their ammunition. I don't know their current practices, but the human in the loop always creates the greatest errors.

I size my rifle brass on a single stage because I never purchased the Dillion 550B on press rifle trimmers. I have to trim off the press and I might as well size on my Redding T-7. I initially used a Rock Chucker, sold that for a Lyman T Mag, still have that, a great press, but primers jump out of the cup and on the floor, and they don't do that with the Redding. Then I trim. I also hand prime.

But, I won medals at Camp Perry out to 300 yards with ammunition loaded on my Dillion 550B. This ammunition was sized and primed before I dumped the powder and seated the bullet, but the stuff will shoot knots. Because my long range loads were maximum loads, I weighed the individual powder charges, but used the Dillion to seat the bullets. Progressive presses are very handy, they load quickly, but it is worth having a good single stage press around.

And when weather gets cold, my balance beam scale is not bothered by temperature, and my Pacific Powder measure still functions well.