Hi, all!

Let me start this with a bit of an introduction and background. I'm a reloader of approx. 15 years now... I purchased my first press in 1992. A "new to rifle shooting" youngster at the time, I had to have "the best" of everything, and figured there was nothing better than a Dillon RL-550B completely decked out. I bought the press, convinced every friend I had who was into shooting to buy one too, and happily reloaded for several years.

Fast forward. Messy divorce in 2001, followed by business collapse following 9/11, and I was forced to sell all my reloading equipment and most of my guns. I only recently (2006) got back on my feet, and began rebuilding my collection of guns.

Fast forward. Present day.

I've been reloading with one of my friends RL-550B presses that he purchased at my suggestion back in the early 90's. After recently making a little extra $$$, I purchased the "rifle of my dreams", a Sako 85 in .260 Rem. and had enough cash left over to buy my own reloading equipment.

I did a LOT of research, instead of following my first impulse to just buy another RL-550B and accessories. I read everything I could get my hands on re: reloading for several weeks, then finally decided that a single-stage press would fit my needs far better than the dillon. I can still use my friend's RL-550B for loading pistol ammo, but my interests have shifted somewhat as of late, and I'm far more interested in small lots of accurate rifle ammo than I am in mass production and reloading speed.

I purchased a Hornady L-n-L Single Stage (Classic) press with bushings about 1 week ago, and so far I'm absolutely THRILLED with it. I love the quick-change bushings, it gives me the high-speed caliber changeover of the Dillon without the expensive die holders, shell plates, and time spent messing with bolts, springs, retaining clips, and wrenches.

I'm not saying this will work for everyone, or that my situation is even that typical... but for new aspiring reloaders who what to load accurate rifle rounds in a slow, deliberate, and careful manner, I would highly recommend you look at the various single-stage options instead of the typical knee-jerk "buy a dillon" response that many adopt.

Thanks for listening... looking forward to hearing any responses some of you might have to this!

thankx for the honest post . It really does me good to hear someone NOT pushing the most expensive whiz~bang shoot'em up home roller! I am about to take the plunge myself and I doNOT want to get caught up in the FORD , CHEVY , DODGE debate ....you know !!as for my choice in a press well I am not sure but I am gonna check out the L-n-L!!

Sounds to me that the maturation process is advancing at a nice rate. roger

I forget the last name, but in 1995 one of Dillon's techs named Darryl _________, who shot benchrest (6ppcs) built a carry box for his 550 and hauled it all over the country to matches. He loaded all of his ammunition on the 550B on the back line, and shot many, many groups in the .1's and .2's at 100 and many at 200 yds. I load my 12BV-SS single shot 308W on one, and the Redding Competition dies work very well, thank you.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

Hi again!
Idaho sharpshooter...
I didn't write my post to say that you CAN'T load accurate ammo with a Dillon RL-550B, on the contrary - I managed to work up several sub-half-MOA loads for my .308 rifle using my previously owned Dillon press. Read the end of my previous post to see where I'm trying to go with these thoughts.

I guess the main idea behind my post is that you just don't NEED a Dillon progressive if you are doing a certain type of loading, mainly the type I'm currently interested in doing (low volume, high accuracy experimental loads). While it is certainly true that a progressive press (particularly a Dillon) will give you many loading advantages, I've personally come to the conclusion that it also comes with a set of disadvantages as well. For me, doing the type of loading that I am currently interested in, a single-stage press will serve me better... and at a lower cost.

Thanks again, and keep the comments coming!

that is why you own at least two of each flavor...

At 58 I don't have enough time to switch from small to large primers and back. I have an A4, a regular Rockchucker, and a Lyman Crusher, two 550's and a Dillon SDB for each pistol caliber I shoot. Somehow I also ended up with nearly a hundred bullet moulds, three pots, and three sizer/lubricators, from .224" to .585". They follow me home...

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

For rifle shooting a single stage press works great unless you want quantity in say 223 or 308 then the dillon comes on its own. Of cource the Dillon is great for pistol rounds much more so than a single stage press right! I load super accurate loads in 223 and 308 on my Dillon 450. Bit i have the best of both worlds with a Lyman orange crusher single stage too. I have loaded literally thousands of rounds on both. Isnt reloading fun!!

Wow!! Idaho sharpshooter and I thought I had a lot of equipment. Yes that changeover on the Dillon can be a pain in the butt!

Generally speaking presses of "O" frame construction are strongest followed by the "C" type. I would also think material is secondary to design except where one is forming cases or otherwise operating a press at its strength limits.

That said, I never sneer at press "kits" and often recommend them. My personal favorites are Dillon and Bonanza, but they aren't the answer for everyone. I also have friends that have loaded 10s of thousands of rounds on Redding and RCBS presses with complete satisfaction.

I have two Bonanza Co-Ax's, a Rock Chucker, Big Max and several others... from SAS, Corbin, Lyman, C&H, RCBS and Mec

My "go to" press is the Co-ax... It's just a damn nice press to load with. Super smooth, loads very accurate ammo and the dies slip right in and out!

I use the Rock Chucker mostly when forming cases, and the Rock Crusher to form copper tubeing into jackets, to use when i'm in the mood to swage bonded core bullets...

I guess if i could only have one loading press, and it had to do "everything", i'd pick the Rock Chucker... but, i hope i never have to give up my Co-Ax's!!

DM

I have lost track of how many presses I own, but I am just using the co-ax 95% of the time.

It depends on what kind of handloading one does.

I load 60 different cartridges.

I load a median of 20 rounds per week.

quote:

Originally posted by tnekkcc:
I have lost track of how many presses I own, but I am just using the co-ax 95% of the time.
.

Did your brother get that home brewed press working yet? Any feed back? roger

My brother is the real shlameil for handloading.

What does it all mean?
Don't hold your breath.