Hello, I have lurked for some time now, and I believe I have worn out the search feature!

As is typical when searching for days on an internet forum, I may have ended up more confused than I started! So I thought I'd ask for advice on my particular situation:

I would like to reload for my 300 win mag, 270 win, and a 41 magnum new model blackhawk (also for hunting). Currently I shoot 50 rounds of the .41 mag per week (love to practice), but I'd love to bump that up to 100 if the ammo wasn't so expensive ($50 per box where I'm at). I obviously shoot much less of the 300 and 270, maybe 50-100 or so per year? I'm also in the market for a semi-auto but still deciding between a 40 and 45/make/model etc. I suspect I'll shoot whatever I choose about 50-100/week when I go out to practice with my revolver.

After my reading, I have the following equipment in mind:

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Kit - It's obviously a fan favorite, and my dad has a RCBS from waaaay back that he still uses. My only concern here is regarding the handgun rounds. Is it impractical to use a single stage to reload 100 rounds of .41 mag per week? And possibly around 200 total when I have my next pistol? I'm not one to rush AT ALL (a little OCD even hehe), but if the equipment isn't appropriate for my application I don't want to get it.

Dillon AT500 - I certainly understand the reasoning behind starting with the single stage and will start there. This setup seems to give the benefits of starting slow with the single but also having the option to upgrade in the future if desired. Some of the bells and whistles available might be nice too. I have a buddy that has the 650 and have seen it in action on 45 and 40, and it's impressive. He thinks they're the best thing since sliced bread, but he reloads FAR more than I do and has more experience. He can occasionally help but we have very different schedules so I really need at least my own equipment. Used slowly as a single stage, is there anything that makes the Dillon a worse choice than the rock chucker for a begnner?

Turrets - I've actually never seen one of these in action, so I suppose they're further down on my list. Perhaps they shouldn't be?

So there's my situation. I'm reading the Lyman manual and have the speer on order. I'm in no hurry to buy anything - I want to make sure I get the best for what I want to do. The price differences between the various setups are within my budget, so that is not a factor.

Thank You,
Eric

You can't go wrong with the RCBS Rock Chucker kit and the RCBS Accessory kit.

I agree with Steve. Plus you can add the piggy back to the Rock Chucker later for more production on the hand gun rounds as you get comfortable.

Get the RCBS RC kit. If & when you start shooting a lot of 40/45s then get a Dillon Square 550B. There are a host of other little thingd. I recommend the ABCs of reloading as a ref. book. Then spend what your budget allows, but buy the best you can afford, it lasts forever.

Thanks for the replies and info. I hadn't looked into the piggy back for the Rock Chucker for later on. The main reason I was considering the Dillon was for the ability to expand, but it looks like the Rock Chucker will be able to serve my needs for a good long while too.

And like Fred said, I can always get the Dillon later too. I guess reloading equipment is like guns - can't have too much/many. I'll grab the ABCs of reloading too - thanks for the suggestion. I've been able to find a pretty comprehensive list of the other things to buy in other threads, so I appreciate the help with the press.

Eric

Dillon is a good press but you will find out you won't need to pay the extra money for one. I load the .41 magnum rifle and was loading a .41 mag pistol for awhile. I use an old single stage RCBS press and used to shoot about 100-150 .41 mags a week. Now I load up about 50 at a time for the rifle. You can get just about anything you want in the way of a press, but if you pay big money for a progressive press and let it sit for days at a time between shootings you can take the extra money and buy a big bunch of .41 mag bullets, powder and primers. Like the guy several years ago who paid 540 for a Browning and I paid 318 for my Remington 1100. I bought 2 1/2 cases of factory shells for the differance and the old 1100 is still talking today and still 2 1/2 cases ahead.

Ditto RCBS. Learn handloading fundamentals, build skill and confidence, accumulate equipment, then graduate to a progressive when time at the bench cuts into shooting hours.
I am not a fan of the piggy back option, I like Dillon's progressive. A square deal from Dillon would make a good alternative for one pistol, but that is all. If you acquire more guns in the future(and who among us doesn't want to do that??)the 550 series is the way to go.

I have a dillon 550 press,,,,on all of my rifle rounds,,I size on my rockcrusher,,Then trim.This smooths out the operation of the dillon and gives substantial constisistancy to the powder drop.The pistol cases are checked for oal but pretty much "run through"Cay

Excellent advice given above!

Start with a single stage and get a progressive later if your needs warrant it. Even if you have a progressive, you will never quit using your single stage. It's like having a pair of pliers and crescent wrench in your toolbox. You can't beat the utility of having one on your bench for working up loads and for low volume stuff.

Loading a couple hundred rounds of pistol ammo on a single stage is not that big of a chore. I did it for quite a while until I started shooting pistol matches and the ammo appetite went up to 3-400 rds a week which is when I stepped up to a Dillon 550.

Get the rcbs first and then add a dillon soon after !!

20+ years of "rolling my own" tells me that the Rock Chucker is hard to beat, and the Piggyback does anything I want it to do with handgun brass. It is a bit finicky adjusting the priming punch, but once that is done it is just sit back and let it happen. It involves a learning process, just like anything else...
ANd although Mike Dillon will do anything that RCBS will do to make a customer happy, somehow or another, all my stuff turns out green. I just like the way RCBS takes care of me any time I have a problem.

Now that I have my asbestos suit on let me recommend a Lee turret press.

Get the powder measure that works with the powder through expander die and be prepared to crank out your weekly 100 in an hour.

I've been using it for oodles of 45 Colt and 9 mm and I don't think I would want to try reloading faster.

It works for rifles too, but I weigh each charge so its not as fast.

A second single stage press always comes in useful for decapping, pulling bullets, forming cases, etc.

Get an electronic scale. The Pacts are good and relatively inexpensive. I think the RCBS are relabeled Pacts.

The yellow Lee powder measures make weighing rifle charges easy. Find a scoop just under your charge and trickle up.

Other brands are good if you have the cash. I don't see the reason to spend more for something that is a very simple piece of engineering.

First off--my RCBS press is old and I bought it used, and I wouldn't sell it for twice what I've got in it which is very little. I shoot less rifle anymore but it's the press that I use when I want to measure every load.
BUT
I've also got a 550 Dillon, and if your really serious about shooting more, especially with pistols, go the Dillon. Sorry as I said, I don't use my Dillon on rifle calibers, it probably works great but I've not tried it.

So come to think about it---have the best of both worlds,
BUY BOTH

Look at the Redding kits and there T-7 press. You have the best that money can buy in one setup.