I originally posted this in the reloading section over at AR15.com but wanted to post here as well.

And this is my first post over here so Hello to everyone.

Okay, I've searched, researched and shopped till I'm blue in the face. Now I would like some opinions on the products I will list below. But first I will provide a little background. I have some limited reloading experience having reloaded 9mm and .357 Magnum in the past. I have an old Speer reloading manual from then and intend to take all the normal safety precautions and invest in new manuals.

I shoot about 1-2 times per month. I plan to shoot more as time allows. The calibers I shoot are the following along with the approximate amount that I shoot them each time out.

9mm 100-200 rounds (pistols and an AR carbine)
.40 50-100 rounds (pistol only)
.357 sig 50-100 rounds (about every 3rd or 4th time out) (pistol only)
.45acp 50-100 rounds (pistol only)
.223 100-200 rounds
.270Win 10-20 rounds (only 2-3 times/year to verify zero and stay in practice)
30-06 10-20 rounds (only 1-2 times/year to verify zero and stay in practice)
.458 Socom 10-20 rounds (This will be about 1 x month)

Future planned calibers:

6.8spc or 6.5 Grendel or some other larger AR caliber good for deer hunting
.357 sig or .40 in an AR (will increase my round count on that one a lot)


I don't plan to reload plinking rounds for any of the first 5 listed above. It's just not cheap enough to justify the time.

I do plan to reload premium rounds for them that I can load to as close a match as possible to my carry/SD ammo. That way I can mix in full power self defense loads into my regular plinking. This is one place where I think reloading will be cost effective. I carry Ranger and Gold Dot ammo in the pistols and have MK262 and Ranger 64gr SP for the AR's.

For the .270 and 30-06 I don't know that I will ever reload since I don't shoot them enough.

The .458 Socom is the big one for reloading due to the very high ammo cost. It alone will pay for the reloading equipment in a fairly short time.

With all that being said, I am looking at single stage presses and kits since I don't intend to do high volume reloading. Of the one's I am listing below please give your recommendations and reasons for doing so knowing my requirements are as follows:

Quality of reloads
Ease of use
Dependability
Warranty

Dillon AT500 Kit
Forsters Co-AX
Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic
RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme w/Hornady bushing set for quick die changes
RCBS Turret Press
Lyman Turret Press
Redding T7 Turret Press

I already have a Cabela's digital powder scale.

I have been looking at the kits from RCBS, Hornady, Lyman and Redding. All are comparable in price and come with comparable items.

So, having said all that. Considering I don't shoot a ton but do like to shoot a couple of calibers that are expensive to feed, what are your opinions/recommendations.

I've already got the safety and learning part covered just from reading other posts and from past experience. I intend to do this the right way from the safety stand point and will do a lot of research. I want to produce high quality premium ammo at a decent rate.

My vote is a Dillon Press. Any problem and they ship a replacement part no questiosn asked.

I use their progressive press for all my reloaing needs. Very easy to setup, stays set, and gives very consistant and accurate laods. I started loading for the 40S&W as my first cartridge. That was over 12 years ago. I have not had to reset the powder measure on the press in all that time. Every time I check the amount on a beam or digital scale it records right on.

I now load 38 spl, 357 mag, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, 500 Mag, 30 carbine and 300 SAV. Will shortly be loading for 7mm-08, 7X57, 30-06, .257 Roberts, 35 Whelen. Have also loaded for 9mm but sold that gun.

I've been using a co-ax for several years and load a large selection of calibers, 6 centerfire rifle and 3 centerfire pistol. For what you are doing I'd look at either the co-ax of the dillon.

The pro's and con's are, the co-ax will be the fastest to change between calibers, but the dillon will produce ammo faster in large runs. The co-ax may show some accuracy advantage, but IMHO quality dies are a bigger factor than the press.

I load between 100-500 rounds a month and find the co-ax works great, though I am debating a dillon in the future for larger runs. For working up loads, the flexibility of single stage is a big plus.

I'd say if you're cranking off 200-500 rounds at a session, the dillon makes sense, around 100 rounds you have to balance out the setup time to swap calibers with the time saving in production, less than 100 rounds I bet you'd find the co-ax is faster.

The co-ax is a big time saver for swapping out dies, and it's faster than a turret when you look at changing out the turrets. Also when you add up the 3 additional turrets you'd need for a turret press, cost is a wash or perhaps benefit to the co-ax.

Another way to go is a quality turret type press. Not as fast as a progressive but faster than single stages. For the single stage, I like the RCBS RC kit. Forster is certainly the porche of single stages.

vortech347,

Don't kid yourself into thinking you will have enough time in a month to load all that ammo with a single stage press.

Does Dillon even sell the AT500 any more? I haven't seen it on their website or in the BluePress for a very long time.

Bite the bullet (pun intended) and buy a RL550B. The removeable toolheads make caliber change as fast as a Forster co-ax.

Do yourself a favor and give Dillon a call. It's toll free. Tell them what you told us. I'll guarantee they'll give you a dozen reasons why one of their presses is going to be your best lifetime investment.

Guys, thanks for the info.

onefunzr2, I don't intend to load 500 rounds a month. That is just the amount of shooting I do. I mainly want to reload the expensive calibers and premium loads. The majority of my shooting will still be plinking and I will buy that for the most part.

I should have mentioned it but the presses I listed are all available at Cabela's and I have some Cabela's bucks to spend to help offset the cost. The Dillon AT500 just happens to be available at my local Cabela's as a kit for $200.

I'm really trying to keep this from being a $1,000 purchase when I know I won't reload 500 rounds a month. That's the main reason I was leaning towards the single stage setups.

Thanks again for the info and keep it coming.

You don't need to spend 1000 bucks to get started. My advice would be Forster co-ax, Redding or Forster dies, Redding br powder measure and a good balance scale, not to mention a 4" dial caliper.

I have no problem loading 500 rds/month with a co-ax, 125 week no problem. But if I was cranking out 500 of a paticular load, I'd definately want a dillon.

If you're switching between 1/2 dozed different calibers to crank off 20 rounds each, I think you'd hate a progressive.

When I get a progressive it will only be for 2-3 chamberings, everything else will go on the co-ax.

You may not plan on loading that much right now but once you had a Dillon set up and running and you saw the cost savings and the rate at which you can produce ammo you might find that you'll shoot more.

quote:

Originally posted by vortech347:
...this is my first post over here so Hello to everyone.

Hey Vortech, Welcome Aboard!

quote:

I shoot about 1-2 times per month. I plan to shoot more as time allows. The calibers I shoot are the following along with the approximate amount that I shoot them each time out.

9mm 100-200 rounds (pistols and an AR carbine)
.40 50-100 rounds (pistol only)
.357 sig 50-100 rounds (about every 3rd or 4th time out) (pistol only)
.45acp 50-100 rounds (pistol only)
.223 100-200 rounds

When you shoot that much, a Progressive Press simply makes good economical and rational sense.

I see the above folks are heaping high praise on the Dillon equipment - and justifibaly so. They make excellent Reloading Equipment and when something does (rarely) get hosed-up, they get the replacements out to you as if their reputation was riding on it (which it does).

All the above Cartridges can be Reloaded on a Dillon. You only need to buy the extra Mounting Plates and Dies. Once you get the specific Cartridge "Set-Up" on the Mounting Plate, it is a simple matter to switch between Cartridges.

quote:

.270Win 10-20 rounds (only 2-3 times/year to verify zero and stay in practice)
30-06 10-20 rounds (only 1-2 times/year to verify zero and stay in practice)

These are not worth the investment to get into Reloading them - unless you just want to. The Factory Ammo that is available today is just excellent in both of those Cartridges.

quote:

.458 Socom 10-20 rounds (This will be about 1 x month)

I don't know anything about that Cartridge, so I can't comment on it.

quote:

Future planned calibers:

6.8spc or 6.5 Grendel or some other larger AR caliber good for deer hunting
.357 sig or .40 in an AR (will increase my round count on that one a lot)

All of these can be loaded on the Dillon. Again, you just need another Mounting Plate and the Dies.

quote:

I don't plan to reload plinking rounds for any of the first 5 listed above. It's just not cheap enough to justify the time.

If you do get a Dillon Progressive, it goes so fast that you might just change your mind about that.

quote:

I do plan to reload premium rounds for them that I can load to as close a match as possible to my carry/SD ammo. That way I can mix in full power self defense loads into my regular plinking. This is one place where I think reloading will be cost effective. I carry Ranger and Gold Dot ammo in the pistols and have MK262 and Ranger 64gr SP for the AR's.

If by "Self Defense", you mean against humans, then it is ALWAYS best to carry Factory Ammo - not from a reliability standpoint, but from a Legal standpoint.

quote:

With all that being said, I am looking at single stage presses and kits since I don't intend to do high volume reloading. Of the one's I am listing below please give your recommendations and reasons for doing so knowing my requirements are as follows:

Quality of reloads
Ease of use
Dependability
Warranty

Dillon AT500 Kit
Forsters Co-AX
Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic
RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme w/Hornady bushing set for quick die changes
RCBS Turret Press
Lyman Turret Press
Redding T7 Turret Press.

All the equipment you have listed is good stuff. And yes, you could load all your pistol/revolver/semi-auto rifle Cartridges on the Turret Presses. It will just be a bit slower than using the Dillon.

The good old single stage Presses also have their place, but from what you posted above, it does seem the Progressive Press would best fit your needs - just as all the above posters have said.
-----

By the way, some Shooting Clubs have rooms full of equipment for their members to use as part of being in the Club. You might want to see if that is available wherever you happen to be. Then you can see the benefits of Reloading and only be out the cost of the Components which you would have to purchase anyhow.

Best of luck to you.

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

Originally posted by vortech347:
...this is my first post over here so Hello to everyone.

Hey Vortech, Welcome Aboard!

quote:

I shoot about 1-2 times per month. I plan to shoot more as time allows. The calibers I shoot are the following along with the approximate amount that I shoot them each time out.

9mm 100-200 rounds (pistols and an AR carbine)
.40 50-100 rounds (pistol only)
.357 sig 50-100 rounds (about every 3rd or 4th time out) (pistol only)
.45acp 50-100 rounds (pistol only)
.223 100-200 rounds

When you shoot that much, a Progressive Press simply makes good economical and rational sense.

I see the above folks are heaping high praise on the Dillon equipment - and justifibaly so. They make excellent Reloading Equipment and when something does (rarely) get hosed-up, they get the replacements out to you as if their reputation was riding on it (which it does).

All the above Cartridges can be Reloaded on a Dillon. You only need to buy the extra Mounting Plates and Dies. Once you get the specific Cartridge "Set-Up" on the Mounting Plate, it is a simple matter to switch between Cartridges.

quote:

.270Win 10-20 rounds (only 2-3 times/year to verify zero and stay in practice)
30-06 10-20 rounds (only 1-2 times/year to verify zero and stay in practice)

These are not worth the investment to get into Reloading them - unless you just want to. The Factory Ammo that is available today is just excellent in both of those Cartridges.

quote:

.458 Socom 10-20 rounds (This will be about 1 x month)

I don't know anything about that Cartridge, so I can't comment on it.

quote:

Future planned calibers:

6.8spc or 6.5 Grendel or some other larger AR caliber good for deer hunting
.357 sig or .40 in an AR (will increase my round count on that one a lot)

All of these can be loaded on the Dillon. Again, you just need another Mounting Plate and the Dies.

quote:

I don't plan to reload plinking rounds for any of the first 5 listed above. It's just not cheap enough to justify the time.

If you do get a Dillon Progressive, it goes so fast that you might just change your mind about that.

quote:

I do plan to reload premium rounds for them that I can load to as close a match as possible to my carry/SD ammo. That way I can mix in full power self defense loads into my regular plinking. This is one place where I think reloading will be cost effective. I carry Ranger and Gold Dot ammo in the pistols and have MK262 and Ranger 64gr SP for the AR's.

If by "Self Defense", you mean against humans, then it is ALWAYS best to carry Factory Ammo - not from a reliability standpoint, but from a Legal standpoint.

quote:

With all that being said, I am looking at single stage presses and kits since I don't intend to do high volume reloading. Of the one's I am listing below please give your recommendations and reasons for doing so knowing my requirements are as follows:

Quality of reloads
Ease of use
Dependability
Warranty

Dillon AT500 Kit
Forsters Co-AX
Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic
RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme w/Hornady bushing set for quick die changes
RCBS Turret Press
Lyman Turret Press
Redding T7 Turret Press.

All the equipment you have listed is good stuff. And yes, you could load all your pistol/revolver/semi-auto rifle Cartridges on the Turret Presses. It will just be a bit slower than using the Dillon.

The good old single stage Presses also have their place, but from what you posted above, it does seem the Progressive Press would best fit your needs - just as all the above posters have said.
-----

By the way, some Shooting Clubs have rooms full of equipment for their members to use as part of being in the Club. You might want to see if that is available wherever you happen to be. Then you can see the benefits of Reloading and only be out the cost of the Components which you would have to purchase anyhow.

Best of luck to you.

Hot Core, thanks for the excellent information. I want to clarify the self defense loads statement I made. I totally agree with you that for SD factory loads are th e only way to go. I want to reload similar loadings to be able to practice with comparable ammo and not spend a fortune at the range. I would still shoot limited quantities of my factory SD ammo to verify function and refresh inventory of those rounds.

Thanks again to everyone for their recommendations. As an addition, what do you guys think of the Hornady Lock-n-load progressive? I have read good things about it.

the co-ax - nothing else is close - if you want to get into progressives then look toward the dillon 650

quote:

what do you guys think of the Hornady Lock-n-load progressive? I have read good things about it.

Hey Vortech, I'm not a fan of them myself. The reason why is fairly simple, it only saves you 2-4 seconds per Die movement. Once you have the Lock Ring set properly on the Die, it is simply a matter of screwing it into or out of the Press.

But, you do not have to take my word for it, stop by any Gun Shop that sells Reloading Dies and try one for yourself. It just isn't that big of a deal. I see them as an answer to a "non-existant problem".

Doesn't mean you shouldn't get them if you like them, it is just that I don't need them for the Reloading that I do.

If you go with the Dillon, I don't think they will fit into the Mounting Plate. On a regular Press, you need to remove the 7/8-14 Bushing so there is enough room for the Hornady Lock-n-load Bushing.

No doubt they will work, but once you start using them, you are tied to them forever and that is just an additional unnecessary expense - one for every new Die you buy. If it is a 3-Die Set, then you need to buy 3 Lock-N-Loads to go with them.

Best of luck to you.

quote:

Originally posted by fredj338:
Another way to go is a quality turret type press. Not as fast as a progressive but faster than single stages.

If you go with a Turret Press, the only one to consider is a Redding T-7. It's well built and won't spring during heavy resizing operations like some of the others will. The turret itself is much better supported across it's center diameter. It also has a very simple spent primer catcher, (neoprene hose), that works very well. I bought the Redding Priming System to go with it and am very pleased with it as well. Bill T.

quote:

I bought the Redding Priming System to go with it and am very pleased with it as well. Bill T.

Hey Bill T, NICE flick of the Redding Priming System.

I agree with all those above who recommended the Dillon (RL550B). I have 2: one set up with the small powder bar, one with the large. I do small pistol (.40, .357/.38, .45 ACP) on one and everything else on the other. Like the others, I'll parrot the statement that what you plan to load NOW might change after you find out how easy it is to crank out 100 .45 ACPs in a few minutes. I've got about 6-7 different toolheads.

If you are absolutely convinced you only need a single stage, the RCBS will do you just fine...

MKane160

quote:

Originally posted by Hot Core:

quote:

what do you guys think of the Hornady Lock-n-load progressive? I have read good things about it.

Hey Vortech, I'm not a fan of them myself. The reason why is fairly simple, it only saves you 2-4 seconds per Die movement. Once you have the Lock Ring set properly on the Die, it is simply a matter of screwing it into or out of the Press.

But, you do not have to take my word for it, stop by any Gun Shop that sells Reloading Dies and try one for yourself. It just isn't that big of a deal. I see them as an answer to a "non-existant problem".

Doesn't mean you shouldn't get them if you like them, it is just that I don't need them for the Reloading that I do.

If you go with the Dillon, I don't think they will fit into the Mounting Plate. On a regular Press, you need to remove the 7/8-14 Bushing so there is enough room for the Hornady Lock-n-load Bushing.

No doubt they will work, but once you start using them, you are tied to them forever and that is just an additional unnecessary expense - one for every new Die you buy. If it is a 3-Die Set, then you need to buy 3 Lock-N-Loads to go with them.

Best of luck to you.

Hot Core, my last question was what was everyone's opinion of the Hornady press, not the bushings.

Thanks again and I am leaning towards the progressive setup.

Go Dillon, they are progressive presses.

Vortech
I have personally owned a Hornady progressive and managed to load about 200 40 S&W and 45 ACP rounds per hour with the "Projector" model I had if I was diligent with the various operations of that press. I have since upgraded to the Dillon 650 which runs about 700 rounds per hour without breaking a sweat! The funny thing about converting to a high rate progressive machine you will end up training more because of the lack of investment of your valuable time loading, or hard earned money purchasing factory ammo.

The Dillon features a quick detach tool head which holds ALL of your dies including your powder thrower all set to the specific caliber/ chambering you are loading for, when you change all you do is pull 2 pins and the whole head slips out and all you do is replace it with another tool head already set for the other chambering if you own multiple powder throwers for each tool head. The only thing you will have to change out is the primer feed assembly in the event you are converting from small to large primers. I only use my progressive for pistol and carbine loading. I still load my precision bolt gun ammo on a Rock Chucker one at a time.

The blue press also features a no excuse or BS warranty policy on their product of which I can attest to first hand...

The Dillon is the ONLY way to go IMO.

Aug ><>

vort, if you go w/ a single stage to start, you can always buy a Dillon later. I still load all of my rifle ammo on a single stage. I have 2 Dillon 550Bs, one for large & one for small primer. I used to shoot a couple thousand rounds a month & w/ 3 small boys, time was at a premium. Now days I am shooting a lot less but the equip. is still in top shape.

Guys, thanks for all the great responses.

I have decided to go ahead and get a 550B. That way I can crank out lots of .40, .45 and .223 since those are the rounds I will shoot a lot of and can save the most money on.

With the 550 I can still load the other rifle calibers in single stage mode since I don't have to be in a hurry with them.

9mm will be a while before I load it since I have a little over 3K plinking rounds stocked up.

Thanks again for all excellent responses.

Wise move! You won't regret buying Dillon blue. I bought the AT500 and then later on upgraded it to RL550B specs. It costs a lot less to buy the 550 all at once.

AT500 is only a single stage with the toolhead. The shellplate is set up so you only use one casehead size at a time. I bought all the progressive parts to be able to load 357SIG which is bottlenecked. Only straightwalled cases can be loaded on my Square Deal B.

Be sure to check out the Dillon dies. They have some nice features for progressive use. My 357SIG dies have dual carbide inserts; top for the neck, bottom for the body. Sweet! Except for the price: 104 bucks.

The progressive press by Dillon will make short work of long runs of loading. Some thoughts though. The accuracy and care one takes with loading custom ammo is lost with the auto/progressive presses. The folks that use that press are volume shooters and not necessarily accuracy shooter. Match grade accuracy requires match grade loading techniques.