Looking into a mid priced, but quality progressive reloading setup. I currently use a single stage RCBS Rock Chucker, and love it, however it takes forever to crank much out....Thoughts?
Thanks

I still like the single stage press...I work in stages
Prepping all the brass, Pass Through sizing for many semi auto, Sizing and Depriming then it a matter of priming and powder bullet and seating/crimping.
Yes it is a lot of steps, but it isn't a race for me...

My thoughts exactly, Thanks man!

Just hoping to get some ideas of I ever went to one

Ken

Plus with the single stage, I can keep a better handle on my quality control

I started using a Dillon square deal in the 80's and used it for many years. I came across a great deal on a Dillon 650 around 16 years ago and never turned back. I have too little time for shooting and greatly appreciate the time the Dillon saves me.

The progressive press have made great leaps and the prices and all the tooling adds up, but are nice.
I have a Dillon 550B but haven't used it in quite some time, Where it works its best is making target ammo where you are not working on the upper edge of performance but using powders that occupy casing space (easy to see inspect for the quantity dropped).  The powder drop needs to perform really well for consistency.
The operator needs to perform certain steps at each station without hiccups in the process to prevent issues...

People working to increase their loading speeds can increase the potential for mistakes or disaster...Distractions can also be an issue.  Powder hopper inspected for enough without running out during the cycling!  Each and every step needs attention to what's going on where!

Thanks Wade, for the piece of mind / my anal reloading habits, sticking with the Rock Chucker is likely my best bet, Thanks guys😊

Ken one of the best things I like about having the RCBS Jr. press which I use mainly for bullet seating and crimping process is the amount of feed back (the feel) as I am pressing the bullet or especially when doing crimping.  I can feel if something is not exactly right right then and there...
The RCBS Big Max single stage has all the compound leverage needed to work large case sizing or case forming operations with ease.

There are times I just work the brass, Full Length Sizing, Small Base sizing, regular small pistol case resizing, deprimeing as  go. 
Then there is the Pass Through Sizing which I do on every 10mm/40S&W, 357Sig and 9x25 Dillon with the LEE 10mm FCD with the guts remove.  Also 380ACp and 45ACP get the same treatments before regular size and deprime.  WHY?  Because it has benefitted with 100% reliable feeding overall, by removing any case expansion just above the extractor cut.

So when I start to load all the brass is prepped prior to priming and loading.  Oh yea I still place each and every powder charge on the balance beam scale for positive reference that the weight is exact.   In the words of Dirty Harry..."A Man's Got To Know His Limitations!"

Thanks Wade, I weigh and verify each load individually also. Just makes me feel better when I build these awesome hand loads 😀

I use an old Lyman turret press. it is a lot faster than a single stage press in that you have all the dies set up and you can (for instance) de-prime & re-size with one die, rotate the turret and flare the case mouth with the next die. I took the primer tube off my press as it was always getting jammed or spilling primers all over the floor. (not good especially lately with the primer shortage)  I prime with a hand tool. I have had an old RCBS "Green Machine" progressive press. it actually took longer to load ammo because I had to constantly fiddle with it to keep it working. I also had the use of a brother's Dillon 550 for a while. same thing. the turret ended up being faster, my powder charges were more consistent (I weigh each charge when loading max loads)  and EVERY case was primed. when the Dillon worked correctly, it really cranked out the ammo. it was great for target ammo but for loading hot hunting or S.D. ammo, I didn't trust it.
if you want more speed in your loading but still have the control of a single stage press, get a turret press. it gives the best of both worlds.

I do most of my reloading on a Dillon 550B. One of the things I like most is that it's not an auto indexing press, the turret doesn't advance as it comes down. Manually advancing the turret leaves everything where it is if something goes wrong and there's less to thing about to correct and continue. Crush a case at the powder drop/flaring station, just pull it out and dump the powder back in the hopper. Weigh some charges in the middle of a batch, no problem. Just don't put a fresh case in the first station. In that scenario, the last two dies, seat and crimp, you don't have to worry about at all. Seating or crimping twice have no ill effects.

It can also be used like a single stage press when loading max loads, especially with powders that don't meter well in progressive presses. Looking at you 800X. I run mine without the retaining pin at the powder drop station (powder drop is empty). Size and prime at first station. Bell the case at the powder drop station, while another is being sized and primed. Then pull out the sized/primed/belled case and put it in a bullet board. I have a RCBS Chargemaster that's weighing out charges as I'm doing that. So I fill the cases in the bullet board as each is individually weighed out, while continuing to size/prime and flare more brass. Once the bullet board is full of charged cases, I reinsert them at the charging station. Then flip the turret to the next station and seat a bullet. Then insert another charged case, flip turret, insert bullet, and the previous one is crimped.

Doing it all on the press, using powders that meter very well, like Bullseye, Power Pistol, etc, I've found that a rock solid bench is a key factor. No bounce or vibration as the handle bottoms out. I typically get + or - .1gr with the aforementioned powders. Most charges are actually dead on the money.

Thanks so much!

Ken

Hey Ken, I also am always thinking about a progressive press. I would just use it for 9mm as I like the feel of a single stage like Wade stated. I shoot a lot of 9 when I serious shoot so would like to try a progressive just for that round. Now I am using two presses at once but one is just for de-priming before going to the wet tumbler. Gets the primer pocket like new and the cases work better for resizing and flare in the secound press. I am experimenting with this setup in general both presses are turret type presses.  Craig

Thanks Craig!