I'm entertaining the idea of buying a progressive press in the next 45-60 days. Currently considering the Hornady Lock-N-Load and the RCBS 2000. Looking for the best value for the money, including the "extras" such as shell plates, die plates and so on which can add to several hundred $$. Used a Rock Chucker for the last 10 years to load rifle and handgun cartridges. Now the questions.
1- What is indexing? What are the advantage/ disadvantage manual vs auto?
2- Is anyone using either one of these presses? Experiences
3- If you answer yes to question 2. Would you buy the same model and why?

Thanks.

I had the Hornady progressive model that is essentially the same as the new one except I didn't have lock and load.

I have since sold this unit. For accuracy minded rifle reloading I found a progressive to be darn near worthless--too much trouble fiddling. I now have a Forster Co-AX and an old Pacific C press that is permanently set up with a Lee universal depriming die. The snap in snap out aspect of the Co-Ax makes it very fast to switch dies.

Indexing means that the shell plate rotates automatically when you pull/release the handle. If I did want to use a progressive, I'd want indexing. IF I were loading handgun ammo, I'd have a Dillon 550 with the tool heads I needed and still use a single stage for rifle.

I used to want a Turret press, but then I found out about how good the Co-Ax is....

I have no experience with either the Hornady or RCBS models you mention. When I changed from a single stage [RCBS Jr.] to progressive I bought a Dillon. Square Deal B for straight wall pistol cartridges. It has auto indexing. Place a case in station 1 and a bullet at station 3 and pull the handle...voila! a loaded round for every pull of the handle. I think it's the greatest invention since sliced bread. 500 rounds an hour if I'm coordinated enough. I've had two small problems in thousands of rounds and they were both my fault...but both fixed quickly by Dillon for free. One broken spring and a scratched carbide sizing ring.

I also bought a Dillon AT500 because I liked the idea of the replaceable toolhead. Four stations on each...buy one for each caliber and never have to screw dies in and out ever again. I have since upgraded it to the RL550B progressive to load 357 Sig...Square Deal B won't load bottle-necked cases. But I don't use it as a progressive for rifle cases. For that task I want more control not more speed. But hey, to each his own. It will crank out 500 .308's an hour just as well, but with manual indexing...load the case, load the bullet, pull the handle, turn the shellplate, catch the loaded round.

As you can see, I happen to like Dillon. Investing in the best is never a mistake. I like to be an informed consumer before spending my hard-earned money. IMHO Dillon is a much better mechanical design and backed by the best lifetime warranty in the business.

BTW, if I was to get a single stage press again, it would be a Bonanza Co-ax. But that 31 year old RCBS Jr. press still works fine for the only cartridge I still load on it; 416 Rem mag.

I started with a Co-Ax, then bought the RCBS 2000 progressive. I chose it over the Dillon's because I felt it had the features I wanted the most at the best price. After learning to seat primers on my Co-Ax press (something I recommend for beginners despite it's problems), the APS system seemed like heaven. It's ridiculously easy to load the plastic strips with any primer brand of your choice using the included tool. Then using either the press or the hand tool you can seat primers as fast as you can get the brass in and out of the tool.
The RCBS also has 5 die stations so I can use seperate seat/crimp dies to load my pistol ammo.
A complete caliber change is cheaper on the RCBS (die plate, shell holder and star wheel) then what Dillon sells it's caliber change kits for; and it looks like it is easier to do on the RCBS than the Dillon (I don't have a Dillon so I don't know for sure, but I don't have to mess with any "buttons" etc for my caliber changes).
The RCBS 2000 is cheaper than the Dillon 650, but can't be upgraded with a case feeder.
If you think you will be loading enough rounds to want to use a case feeder, then the 650 is the machine you want; else I think the RCBS 2000 is the best progressive available.

Dillon or bust.............

go to Hornady.com click on products then click on lock and load AP
There is a chart that compares features

[ 02-17-2003, 07:08: Message edited by: Hairtrigger ]

I bought a Dillon 550 in about 1988, can't say enough good things about it.

The Dillon 550 is the benchmark that all the others strive to equal. By the Dillon and you'll never regret it.

JUST A REMINDER ... know what you're going to use the press for.

I am not opposed to progressive presses ... I have and use a Dilloin 550, a Dillon 1050, and a monster that isn't made any more but it slick!

Remember that these things are for high production rates. Powder measures best meter small ball powder ... making progressives great for pistol calibers and small rifle cases (like .223).

I've literally loaded tens of thousands of rounds of very hot pistol ammo and have been very, very pleased with the results.

If you're building larger rifle cartridges for great accuracy or hunting (where you want to know that you did your very best on the ammo ... to reduce that variability in the hunt), a progressive press is not an advantage. I use an RCBS Rockchucker and weigh every charge on a calibrated electonic balance.

I have seen three guns blow up with reloads made on progressive presses. One blew a part of a barrel off right next to me and I would be dead had it hit me.

If for some reason I needed a progressive press it would have a fail safe inspection device to check to missing or double charged powder.

I don't feel sorry at all for spoiling some of your fun here. I would not shoot next to anyone shooting such ammo let alone shoot it myself.

Of course the same mistake can be made with a single stage press. I look down into the cases in the loading block twice before I seat the bullets.

I have caught myself making a mistake. Everyone must make them some of the time.

Don,

In which rifle cartridge that you shoot,is a double charge even POSSIBLE,assuming standard pressure loads(as opposed to squib cast loads)? If you see propellant run over the top of the case mouth,it is a subtle hint that you brain farted.

I like the manual index feature of the 550-B,as I feel it gives me added control,but that is my subjective bias.

Everybody that I know,that purchased a progressive other than Dillon,did so for a single reason. That was to save a little initial loot. All sold those "investments" for a loss and went Dillon,as they are simply superb and can be customized as per your whim.

Dillon or bust,the choice is easy..............

I've had my Dillon 550B for about 10 years now and loaded thousands of rifle and handgun rounds on it. I've never had a problem with over or under charged loads. As for accuracy, I've loaded ammo that would touch at 200 yards. Why buy a single stage when I can load 200 rounds of match grade ammo an hour. And if you insist on loading some ammo on a single stage, you can use the Dillon 550B as a single stage

Two of the guns were S&W revolvers and a bullet stuck in each barrel from I guess no powder and the next shot blew the cylinders out on the guns.

The third blow up was on a trap door with cast bullet reloads. Again a squib load stuck the bullet in the barrel. This was a very close call for me. I saw the wood forend go by my face. We never found the section of barrel.

I don't think that the 45/70 was loaded on a progressive press as they are not that common.

I have no idea what those Dillon #'s mean and I am not going to look them up. It's something I am going to avoid like I said.

Don,

That was very compelling commentary to avoid a Dillon progressive,because somebody somewhere,brain farted on a lesser machine(grin)............