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I may be interested in a progressive reloading press for rifle and handgun. What presses are available? I have looked at the Dillon 550B, and I have heard of the Hornady press. I am not looking to reload more than a few hundred rounds an hour and the $325 is a max budget. I know Dillon is good, but all of the accessories seem pretty spendy to get all the extra goodies and the dies are expensive. Is the Hornady good enough?? I was even going to to stoop to a Lee 1000 for $123 or so. I guess Lee stuff is OK, but it's almost too cheap. I doubt I'll load 500 rounds of 300 Weatherby, but my primary round would be 45 LC, some 44 mag and 223, 243. Can all of these be done on progressive presses? | ||
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I just got the Dillon RL550 and am very pleased. If you can scrape the funds together I vote for that one.. Awesome setup. Choose a ball powder (I'm using W231 for 45LC and 40 S&W) and the Dillon measure will throw very consistantly. You can use any dies with it, I'm using Lee and RCBS. I used to have an RCBS Auto 4x4 and ended up disabling the auto station advance because it was so jerky that it slung powder out of the case as it left the charging station. A bud of mine is using the Lee Turret Press and it seems to work fine, but they really aren't in the same class IMO. Good luck, and remember the ol saying that usually holds true, "You get what you pay for" Just my 2c, Ruger#1 [ 03-24-2003, 07:25: Message edited by: Ruger#1 ] | |||
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quote:My, it sounds like you don't reload as of now. With the different rounds you want to reload, you should consider starting with a single stage so you can decide what steps you want to do with each caliber as they won't all be identical. Also, setup for another round with a single stage can be done by buying a set of lee dies with shellholder for about $20. The conversion for a progressive will cost you several times that. Even a single stage like the RCBS master reloading kit plus dies and misc will consume your budget. As to lee, I have both the lee pro1000 and their loadmaster. While both work well, they are not as versitile as lee advertises. Also, to get the most out of lee products, it is common to do a little hand tuning. An example is the collet die which must (IMHO) be disassembled, polished and greased to work as it can. This is well worth it as nothing else can even come close to what it does. My lee pro1000 does a wonderful job on 9mm and .45acp but can't do a separate bullet seating and case mouth crimp as some want because it is only a 3 stage progressive. I don't find the separate seating and crimp needed on 9mm and .45acp, but do see why you would want it for revolver rounds. Another consideration is powder checking. On 9mm &.45acp I can see the powder level as I place the bullet on the case mouth. With .38spec target loads I can't see the powder, so how can I check the powder level? Your .45 LC will probably be hard to impossible to see the powder charge, and the cheapest progressive reloader to solve this (as far as I know) is the dillon 650. It is a true 5 station reloader with: station 1 resizeing, (primes on backstroke) station 2 Flareing and dropping powder, station 3 available for a powder check die station 4 for seating the bullet station 5 available for crimping. Another consideration is a few hundred rounds a week is many thousand per year. At that rate, the cost of a dillon 650 will be really small after a few years. JerryO | |||
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A solution to consider that's much cheaper than the Lee is to get some Hornady Lock-N-Load bushings. You can switch dies in a couple of seconds, and the dies hold their adjustment. Midway and Natchez sell the bushings and adapter. I think the bushings are $2-3 a piece and the adapter (replaces the 7/8-14 sleeve in your press) is around $10. I like these Lock-N-Loads a lot, and I use them for all my rifle reloading except high-volume 30-06 batches. By time you pay for the Dillon RL550B and accessories, you will have around $450 in it, and that's money very well spent.* The priming system on the Lee will drive you nuts. I know a guy (sort of accentric fellow) who likes his Lee. He sizes on the Lee, hand primes, then runs cases through to charge powder and seat bullets; because the priming system does not work. H. C. *The only thing I bought for my Dillon that I think was useless is the cleaning kit. I think it contains grease (which you have already), pipe cleaners, and a can of freon. I dust off my press and bench with a medium sized paint brush rather than blowing crap all over the room, and I don't know what the pipe cleaners are for. Another thing I haven't enjoyed as much as I expected are extra powder funnels. It's pretty easy to change them from toolhead to toolhead, and you can store pre-set charger bars for each caliber. You probably also don't need the instructional video (the press is very easy to assemble), but you may want it if it has pretty girls in it like on the Dillon covers. Extra primer tubes are handy if you'll be loading in large batches. Midway sells a primer tube filler much cheaper than Dillon's. | |||
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I guess I wasn't clear enough, as I didn't want a post too extensive and not be read. I've reloaded for several years. The Dillon 550B is priced universally in Blue Press, meaning that it doesn't fluctuate. It $325 in Iowa or California. Several are available on Ebay with extra components. I can swing it. I am just tired of reloading 45LC on a Rockchucker. Takes 30-40 minutes to load 50 rounds and 10 minutes to blow them off. As for the Hornady, Russell Taylor posted a while back saying it was much better than his Dillon. I've not had the oportuninty to view either press in person. I was just not exactly clear about progressives and rifle cartridges, i.e., other than 223 or 308, can any progressive press load 200-600 rounds an hour of 300 Weatherby if I chose to do it?? I wasn't sure about powder thru dies. I was under the impression that a die was used similar to a funnel at the bottom stroke to get the powder into the case. Also wanted other options I may not be aware or other than the two mentioned. Does Redding make a progressive?? The RCBS model is also priced at $325ish, but Dillon seems to have the market cornered, I assume because it's that good. | |||
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Redding makes the T-7 turret press and it is a beast. Very well built with 7 stations. One definitely wants the optional auto-primer feed. Station changes are smooth and positive. Additional heads are available for quick cartridge changes. The Redding T-7 has no problem with the big cases as it has a 4.75" opening. To achieve the number of loaded cartridges you desire per hour will necessitate a Dillon, in my opinion. Given your criteria, I believe the 650 would be a better acquisition than the all popular 550. Realistically, the RCBS and Redding progressives are going to yield 125-150 rounds per hour, (straight-wall cartridges). Holmes | |||
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I have had lots of problems with the Lee 1000 and will not use it any more. Among other things, it can set off a whole tray of primers in your face. I have had it happen. The Dillon RL550B sets the standard. Mine has untold thousands of rounds through it. It serves best when you have lots of cases and can load quite a few of each caliber before having to change. Frequest changing of calibers is not difficult, but is tedious, with any progressive. For a few of this and that, and most rifle loading, I use an ancient RCBS single stage press. I use mostly Lee dies in the Dillon. They work fine. | |||
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quote:I have a couple of single stages, couple of progressives, turret press and hand dies.....and worked at a commerical reloading co.....the DIllon is the standard in modern progressives....BUT 2-3oo 243/308 rounds a hour is a lot for getting good powder filling and good loads for accuracy....the 223 will work but progressives do handle the pistol cases with the straight bodies and ease of powder thru the expander setups easier and the 300 per hr is doable for them once you get the setup going and develope a feel for the process.....your are pushing the limit for results on investment with your figures.imo...good luck and good shooting!! | |||
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If you buy the Lee, order extra primer parts. Everytime a primer gets crooked, and they will, you destroy a part. Best to have it in stock. If you don't feel like that is something you want to do, buy a dillon. No broken parts that way. Cost more but not in the long run. | |||
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The presses to consider in progressive reloaders are Dillon's 550B and 650, Hornady's AP and RCBS Pro 2000. I went with the RCBS 2000 as it has the five stations and a better priming setup than any of the others. The 550B only has four die stations, and I need five to do seperate seating & crimping of my revolver rounds. The 650 was just too expensive, especially when you compare the cost of adding a new caliber. The Hornady Lock N Load system looks okay, but the press has auto-indexing (the case advancement system is automatic), which I didn't want as they tend to be jerky and cause problems keeping the powder in the cases. | |||
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How do you all lubricate bottleneck cases for your progressive. I roll 30-06 cases on my RCBS pad before putting them in Station 1 on my RL550. It slows down the operation considerably compared to loading nonlubricated straight-wall pistol cases with carbide dies. H. C. | |||
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quote:This is true of rifle dies (at least for most). For pistols, Lee and Dillon have the case mouth expander hollow. This expander flares the case mouth, then is pushed up, which in turn lifts the whole powder measure !!! As the powder mesure lifts, linkage will push a charge bar forward which drops the charge down thru the hollow expander. The first version of the above powder measure had a spring return, but it was found that extra powder might be dropped if someone stopped just as the powder was being dropped, then backed up slightly and then went fully up with the ram. This has been fixed by lee and dillon by removeing the spring and using a pullback link which resets the powder measure only when the ram is at the bottom of its stroke. RCBS and hornady don't use the hollow expander for pistol and so use 2 stations to expand and then drop powder. The last I looked, both also used a spring return and therefore are exposed to double chargeing. A real odd ball is the lee loadmaster. It is advertised as a 5-station press, but primes on the up stroke at station 2. To me, this makes it compare to a 4-station like the dillon 550 which primes at the bottom of station 1. With your experience, you can decide how you want to process your brass. Many reloaders use thier single stage to resize and deprime (just as you must do now). After cleaning and preping the brass is primed and ready for loading. This eliminates loose fired primers and handleing during the loading process. With my lee's this isn't required, but does keep the progressive cleaner. So decide on your preferred routine for powder checking, bullet seating and crimping. If you decide you want to use a powder check die, with separate bullet seater and crimp die, THEN you have pretty well defined the dillon 650. If you don't need all three then a lessor press will work for you. JerryO | |||
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quote:I'm looking at my lee pro1000 and can't find the part you are suggesting to keep on hand. Can you better identify which part I should have on hand. Or are you talking about the loadmaster. It has an O-ring that must be lubed or the primer arm doesn't move far enough and the primer pin will break it. So lube the O-ring before useing the Loadmaster. JerryO | |||
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I'm another satisfied Dillon user. Bought an old RL450 18 years ago, and as they came out with the automatic powder and primer features I upgraded mine. Their support is secound to none! Easy to load 300 an hour with a steady pace. I've loaded 38SP, 44 Mag, 45 auto, .40S&W. | |||
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quote:The pro1000 primer system could be better. I put oil on my shellplate and it worked its way into the primer chute and jammed the primers. Now I only lube the shellplate with a slight amount of grease. Also grease the post that the shaker wire slides on. Further, I put a wire support to the back on the tray to hold it up which helps the primers feed. I also had problems with keeping the primers in the tray while replaceing it on the machine. Drilling a hole in the tray, lid and chute (I slotted the chute) let me put a pin thru the lid and tray so the primers stay in the tray while putting it on the machine. It now feeds without problems, I don't think any priming system can be gauranted not to set off a primer. Like much of lee's stuff, most of the parts are there, but more finishing is needed. JerryO | |||
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quote:Spray case lube! The secret weapon!!! I can't stress that enough, it is such a time saver, and is what really makes a progressive press worthwhile. Do a search here, it was covered a bit a year or two ago. | |||
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One thing to consider is that the Lee Pro 1000 can only load pistol calibers and .223/7.62x39. I have two and am about to upgrade to Dillon...the nickel and dime routine has become tiresome. | ||
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CMcDermott, I have been considering getting a RCBS Pro 2000, how do you like yours? Are there any problems you have experianced? | |||
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Thomas I don't know about the RCBS 2000 but I currently use a RCBS Ammo Master. It works great. I load around 400 to 475 rounds per hour on hand gun loads and up to 350 on small rifle (.223). As long as you keep loose/spilled powder out of the die plate and primmer feed it works great. I use a lube die on the first stage when loading rifle rounds. This is a true progressive press that ejects a loaded round on each stroke. | |||
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I really like my 2000, and am very happy I bought it. It's a very complete kit and comes with everything from the powder measure with both pistol and rifle drums; both sizes of primer punches; the plastic primer strips in all sizes and the loader tool so you can use any brand of primer and even two plastic bins, one for empty brass and one for complete cartridges as well as all of the allen wrenches needed to asssemble and adjust the press. You do need to have a couple of open-ended wrenches to finish the press assembly and of course the dies and shellplate have to be purchased seperately and depend on the cartridge you are reloading. The instructions for putting the powder measure together and getting it mounted on the press could be better - the bottom port where the powder drops out of the measure is offset under the drum and if you try to mount it backwards the linkage binds up and won't work correctly. After I had the press together correctly the only problem I ran into was caused by my "short-stroking" the lever. Sometimes the plastic primer strip wouldn't fully advance if I didn't hit the top stop with the main lever, and I would then shove the primer punch through the plastic strip between primer holes trying to seat the next primer. Remarkably I never set off a primer the three times (ok, it takes awhile for me to absorb that somethings wrong) I have done this even though twice the primers were fairly well mangled. A little more care with how I worked the press has solved this problem. | |||
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Go with the 550B, it will work single stage or progressive style. I use a seperate crimp die in the fourth station too, but I use all Redding dies not Dillons and don't load them progressively either. If you use Dillon pistol dies you need to use their powder measurer on top of the powder funnel to bell the case mouths as you drop the charge, you don't with any normal die but you can't drop the charge through them either. I basically use it to modify my single stage loading style and speed things up alot. The auto index on the 650 would screw up my single stage loading when I do it, cleaning primer pockets, trimming cases etc, kind of alters the procedure. With the 550 you can insert the case under any station seperatly if you leave the pins out and I often do. Changing toolheads is quick, that's one of the main reason I got it, that and the top is held perfectly parallel to the ram as it is not with the turret style's no mater what you do comensate for the flex or slop. The auto primer system, I happen to love, beats loading them one at a time any day and takes no time to load the tubes. Shell plates etc are way cheaper for the 550 than the 650 too. The flippin powder out from the auto indexing only feature of the 650 I never liked. You won't regret buying the 550 if you do, that's for sure. ![[Smile]](images/icons/smile.gif){kind=icon} [ 03-27-2003, 02:20: Message edited by: Brent Moffitt ] | |||
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I'm with Holmes. I think you ought to look at the big Redding turret . IMO it would be easier to work with than the Dillion types . | |||
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HERE'S AN ALTERNATIVE: Hire some poor unemployed slob at minimum wage or less (alternates: teenager, migrant worker, bored housewife/desperate female - the prettier the better ![[Wink]](images/icons/wink.gif){kind=icon} ) to do your resizing, decapping, and repriming. Then you can do the easy part (powder load and bullet seat). Quick, simple, and easy. ![[Big Grin]](images/icons/grin.gif){kind=icon} Whaddaya think? [ 03-27-2003, 05:12: Message edited by: sonofagun ] | |||
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I size all of my bottle neck cases in my rockcrusher,trim and do a final inspection,and polish in dry corncob,before running through my 550.Pistol cases,I check length and run the whole thing through the 550.The 550 will accept all std. thread dies,Pick up a 550 and don't look back! | |||
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Jesse,I forgot to mention the most important thing about ALL progressive presses,that is if you make a mistake,you make it progressively.Just be wary and keep a close eye on things.Happy loading and good luck,Clay. | |||
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