Firstly, to all whome have to re-read what may be a frequently asked question my apologies.

I HAVE used the search function to try and locate answers to some of my questions but could not find specific points I need clarifying.
My thanks in adavance to those providing constructive advice.

I load for several different calibers but those that consume the most rounds fired on an annual basis are 375 H&H, 458 Lott, 500 M.D.M ultra mag (based on .375 R.U.M) and (very soon) 500 N.E.

I CAN cope loading the cartridges with my current single stage Redding BUT it is labourious and time consuming considering I need between 150 - 200 hunting/testing/sighting loads of EACH cartridge, each season.

My question is;
is there a Turret press available that will allow me to load quicker than my current single stage and,
a) cope the sizes of some of these cases (3" in the .500 N.E) and,
b) have the camming power required (for the belted 375 & Lott cases) and,
c) not "flex" in the turrets whilst sizing (as some gunstore guys have suggested)
d) allow me to maintain a high standard of finished loads at a quicker loading rate.

I understand that some functions, i.e crimping, will allways be a seperate loading stage, I'm just looking for something that may reduce one or two steps out of the process, leading to finished load, that may save me some valuable time from the loading bench.

Again, thanks in advance for any advice.

Paul Truccolo,
Southern Safaris Australia P/L.

I think Hornady's Lock N Load AP press should do the job. They offer shell plates up to 500 NE.
It is a massive strong press with lots of power!

Rusty,

thanks for the heads-up.

The Lock n load was not even on my radar.

We don't have a lot of selection down here as most of the gunstores only stock one brand, that they deal in, and those presses are really only for the mainstream calibers, up to say 338/375.

I looked up the Lock n load on Hornadys web site, after your posting, one heck of a sturdy looking press for sure.

Listed at 30+ lbs !

Is anyone out there actually using this press that can vouch for it's performance before I part with more than 500 Oxford Scholars.

My current, and first, press has faithfully served me for more than 25yrs and is still going strong. I'd like to limit my next purchase to being my last.

No experience with the Hornady, but another option would be to use a Redding turret press, take one of the turrets to a machine shop, have them open one of the die stations to 1-1/4'-12 for bigger dies. Get an insert from an Ultramag, and you still have seven usable 7/8-14 stations.
That would leave you with a 4-3/4" inch press opening, and over a 3" ram stroke, would imagine that would be plenty of room for the cartridges you mentioned.
Using this set up seems to work just fine for 416 Rigby, and anything smaller.
Wee bit tight using a 1-1/4 die, but still room to use all the other dies.
Not absolutely certain, but suspect using 1-1/2 inch dies would crowd the two adjacent die stations.
Leaves a smaller foot print in the reloading room.
Suits my needs. Be slower than a progressive though.
Just a thought.

Mutly,
thanks for your reply, although I'm not entirely sure I completely understand you.

All the dies I'm using are standard 7/8-14.

My main concern around press suitability is not coping with the physical size of the dies, rather the gape/space spread of the press itself in accepting cases that are 3" long without the bullet.

Also, do these turret/progressives have the strength to cam full length size the likes of the .458 Lott case ?

Considering the cartridges I have listed does anyone believe the Dillon 550/B to be a contender ?

Thanks in advance.

Guess I was,nt paying enough attention. I was thinking of the some of the larger dies that RCBS has for the 505 Gibbs and such. The Lee crimp die for the 416 Rigby is a larger diameter as well.
Size wise, think the 416 Rigby and the 500 Nitro are the same COL, the Lott slightly shorter.
Plenty of room in the turret press for the Rigby case. Full length sizing seems pretty easy, does,nt stand out as being much, if any, tougher than an 06 based case..
Have a friend who uses the Redding turret press for the Lott, don,t recall him ever mentioning a problem with sizing that case.. Will try and double check on that..

Mutly,
if your buddy is re-sizing Lott cases without difficulty on his Redding then it no doubt has the camming to deal with my requirements.

The .500 N.E is only slightly longer than the Lott case and is the longest case I load.
If the Redding has the additional gape that could handle the case length I am now down to three presses potentially capable of handling my reloading requirements.

The Lock-n-load, The Dillon 550B and the Redding Turret.

Which one guys ?

Thanks in advance.

Paul.

I have the LNL ap, and i have reloaded lott, 375 hh, and other long rounds .. i wish i had gotten one 15 years ago. it will ONLY take 7/8" dies

however, are you an experienced reloader?

Jeffeosso,

thanks for your feedback.

I have been reloading for over twenty years and would describe my abilities as experienced but still learning.
Loading has always just been a process I had to get through so that I had more rounds to shoot.
Up until recently it wasn't something I did with passion, rather through neccessity.

Now, things have changed.
I recently got my first wild-cat cartridge (500 M.D.M), and in addition, my big game cartridges include some extremely expensive to buy factory rounds.
Here in Australia one packet of Lott factories can cost $150 (Hornadys), and more for other brands.
I recently paid $600 for three packets of .500 N.E (dies are on back-order).
I also have two client-use .375's which have become too expensive for factory loads.

I have begun fire-forming and chronying loads and my interest in loading has raised and I'm taking far more care and detail in what i'm doing.

I run a buffalo hunting camp in Arnhemland, Australia and am away from home for 6 months of the year.
With everything else that needs doing my window of opportunity to load is limited and I need to "pump-them-out" so to speak.

I'm using quite a few hundred rounds per year currently for field/testing/sighting and the number is growing each year.
I'm not looking at the speed of one of these presses to be able to load 1000 rounds per hour.
Rather I'm looking at the convenience they provide in being able to do mulitple tasks and still produce numbers of rounds.

I'll keep my existing single stage (Redding), it's been extremely durable and reliable, but it is far too labourious and I'm looking for something a bit more effecient.

Thanks again.

Paul.