Looking into a progressive reloading setup

[Kenk]

Really like my green machine but is so slow...probably what it best

[Duck of Death]

After I shot my 1st USPSA match I came home and reloaded on a single stage press----the next day I ordered a Hornaday progressive press.

[Kenk]

Thanks man!, looking into it now

[Pantera Mike]

I got a Dillon RL450 as a high school graduation present in 1984 and have since loaded a zillion rounds with it. I like the fact that everything is manual so I can feel everything—I was always somewhat distrustful of the various improvements that came with the later 550:models.

I purchased some aftermarket LED lighting on Amazon specifically made for RCBS presses—HIGHLY Recommended. It consists of a vertical row of LEDS that mount to the inside of the press and shine away from you (and onto your work) and a single LED that mounts in the center of the four dies and shines straight down. It makes it much easier to visually inspect powder levels.

For some calibers I use it as a single stage, almost. For rifle and bottleneck pistol such as 357 Auto Mag, I will put an RCBS lube die in the first station (which also decaps the case) and the sizer die with the decapping pin removed in the second station. Then I remove the case at the third station to trim and wash the lube off. On a later date, I prime at station 1, expand and powder drop at station 2 and bullet seat at station 3. If I'm crimping separately that's at station 4.

I have a very cheap Lee single stage press that I use exclusively for RCBS trim dies....

[Mr. D]

"...mid priced, but quality progressive reloading setup."

I'm unsure about 'mid priced' but have come to know and greatly appreciate quality. My time is best spent ensuring quality rather than regularly tinkering, adjusting, etc. To the extent I may buy/cry once and can set/forget, I do, with a long-term horizon.

Every bench, at some point, should have the equivalent of a single stage. I went another step with a turret in the set/forget spirit. Always using a universal de-primer and Redding G-Rx push-through. (Nice to keep de-priming garbage off my progressive.) A collet-puller sees occasional use along with a belted-mag collet sizer. These four dies reside on a Redding T-7.

Re: volume, I'm low/mid-range loader for primarily handgun rnds. (Low vol rifle on the T-7.) Press qualities I sought were simplicity, reliability, ease of use/cartridge change, CS, after-market/mod-friendly. I went with a 550 and remain awfully pleased.

Most (all?) progressives can benefit from various mods, from after-market parts to tweeks and polishing. Don't overlook the gain from gradually getting your press thoroughly dialed.

[Kenk]

Great points, Thanks Mike!, slow as it is, I sure like my single stage green machine

[gnappi]

IMO a progressive press is not about production it's about maximizing your time and minimizing your effort.

One pull of the handle one round doesn't mean one per second. I make maybe a hundred rounds an hour  but it's not a chore every round that drops into the bin is perfect and gets plunked to prove it.

There isn't enough money to make sense of...

1. Pull handle size... Decap...
2. Prime
3. Pull handle bell, dump powder
4. Pull handle seat
5. Pull handle crimp.

400 rounds equals 1600 handle pulls no math there... I much prefer 400 pulls 400 rounds.

[Kenk]

Thanks!

[sstewart]

IMO a progressive press is not about production it's about maximizing your time and minimizing your effort.

One pull of the handle one round doesn't mean one per second. I make maybe a hundred rounds an hour  but it's not a chore every round that drops into the bin is perfect and gets plunked to prove it.

There isn't enough money to make sense of...

1. Pull handle size... Decap...
2. Prime
3. Pull handle bell, dump powder
4. Pull handle seat
5. Pull handle crimp.

400 rounds equals 1600 handle pulls no math there... I much prefer 400 pulls 400 rounds.

Sorry you guys are a little blinded by your experiences. Explain how you don?t have to pull your single stage for every operation. (Using other equipment still counts)


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[Graybeard]

IMO a progressive press is not about production it's about maximizing your time and minimizing your effort.

One pull of the handle one round doesn't mean one per second. I make maybe a hundred rounds an hour  but it's not a chore every round that drops into the bin is perfect and gets plunked to prove it.

There isn't enough money to make sense of...

1. Pull handle size... Decap...
2. Prime
3. Pull handle bell, dump powder
4. Pull handle seat
5. Pull handle crimp.

400 rounds equals 1600 handle pulls no math there... I much prefer 400 pulls 400 rounds.

Sorry you guys are a little blinded by your experiences. Explain how you don?t have to pull your single stage for every operation. (Using other equipment still counts)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you missed the last sentence. 

[sstewart]

How are you going to get 400 finished rounds with 400 handle pulls on any press?? Progressive or single stage.

Anyway, The number of pulls is hardly the best criteria for ammo reloading

[Graybeard]

How are you going to get 400 finished rounds with 400 handle pulls on any press?? Progressive or single stage.

Anyway, The number of pulls is hardly the best criteria for ammo reloading

The discussion was really about time, not handle pulls. It obviously takes more time to pull a handle 1600 times vs 400. Technically you're correct, it takes a minimum of 404 pulls on my Dillon 550 to make 400 rounds.

[sqlbullet]

Not to mention filling four primer tubes :-)

[10MilMike]

I love my Dillon 550. It saves me a lot of time. I can load 100 rounds in 15 or 20 minutes. I can also change my process to single stage loading when I want to experiment.

[crockett]

Older thread, for the heck of it:

I own a Redding UltraMag 700, a Redding T-7, a Dillion 550, and a Dillion 1050. So everything from a single stage to a true progressive.

At least you should look into a proper turret press like the Redding T-7. I still use it in batch mode, but at least I can fit all dies for 2 calibers on one head. No more die changes and adjustments takes a lot of annoying work out of the equation. The T-7 is wide open from 3 sides. Very easy to feed cases with one hand while using the other on the handle and to feed bullets. Get a Hornday hopper for it.

If I could only own one press, it would be the T-7.

If you really want to go progressive, look into the Dillon 550. Caliber changes are easy and quick, unlike on the 1050.