Progressive Presses

[Bro KV]

What manufacturer do you guys recommend. I have a Forster single stage which I love but it would be nice to increase my output while decreasing the time it takes.

So Dillon, Lee, Redding and why?

[Ramjet]

I have a Hornady think it is great value works very well. Dillon wrote the book.

[REDLINE]

Because you can't get more for less.  They've pretty much got the bugs worked out.  It's the least hands on.  Change overs are super-fast if you already have other dies set up compared to Dillon where the only way it's just as quick for changeovers is to swap out the whole toolhead which costs lots more money yet.   And blah blah blah.  It's what I would choose if I were in the market.

There's a lot of different ways to look at choosing a press.  If cost is a factor you're probably stuck with Lee which some guys are more than happy with.  If cost isn't a factor there is Hornady and Dillon.  Then there's RCBS, but when it comes to progressives they don't seem to have much over the others.  Ten years ago, yeah, but not now.

If I ever do go full progressive it will be Hornady unless there's a major change in what's available if and when I ever buy.  My next step will simply be a Redding T-7 turrent press which already speeds up the load process by leaps and bounds compared to a single stage.  Time will tell if I ever decide to take it further than the T-7.

It is a tough decision though.  There's a lot of quality stuff out there in this day and age.  It pretty much will boil down to the best balance of the speed you want with as many features and refinements over another as you can afford.

That's my 2 cents, I could be wrong.

[sqlbullet]

I am still a single stage guy, but when I jump it will be for big red like Redline.  Same reason.  Hornady has a rep for standing behind their equipment.  The Lock-n-Load AP is comparable in features to a Dillon 650, but is far less money.  The die holders are cheap and make changes easy.

I have a friend who has a lee Pro-1000 and loves it.  But, he did have to tinker some to get it running.  Primer feed is the issue.  And it would not serve my needs in 30-06 or 308.

The only thing wrong with Dillon Blue is the cost.  I have a square deal B on my bench.  It belongs to a friend who doesn't have a place to mount it so it lives at my house.  But he doesn't have 10mm dies, the SDB dies are proprietary and for the cost of a 10mm conversion I could buy a Lee Pro-1000.  So, I am holding out for a L-n-L AP from Horndady.

[The_Shadow]

Well I have a Dillon 550B but it sits in a box mostly, WHY!  I'm waiting for a 10mm/40S&W/357Sig/9x25 shell plate of which I have bid on one for this press.  If and when I get this shell plate, I will set the Dillon up for 40S&W, I have several thousand of those to load up.

I have been running so much used 10mm & 40S&W brass that I polish in the virba tumbler, then I resize it all using the pass-thru method, this allows for inspection before and after.  This step has been fantastic for reconditioning and sorting the brass.
I deprime it all and do the neck expansion and priming.  Therefore the brass is all done and perpared all that is left to do is hand weigh charges place a bullet and seat, then crimp.  It does take time but the rewards of doing it that way has paid dividens of quality ammo.

I will continue to do the single stage operation for the max loads because working this close to the upper limits warrants me doing these this way.

[Six 10’s]

I have had a Dillon 550 for for about 12 years, an it has loaded thousands of rounds. A couple of years ago, I was having trouble seating primers. Looked the press over, and the bottom where the handle attaches was broken. I call Dillon and got a return number, and sent it out on a Friday morning. It was sitting on my front porch the following Thursday, repaired and no charge. That is GREAT! service.   

[REDLINE]

Is there any progressive press manufacturer that anyone knows to have below average warranty coverage?

It seems now-a-days you can call any one of them and very shortly afterward have a new whatever-you-need, that broke or simply became inoperable, on the way to your front door at zero cost to you.

Am I wrong on that?

[Ramjet]

Redline that is my setup exactly. I like it change over is pretty fast but it still takes time but load 1000 rounds in between it is worth it.

[REDLINE]

I can see where you're coming from that change overs still take time when you're dealing with not only the press as in most cases, but also with case and bullet feeders too.  Can't really count that against the press itself though.

I am glad to hear you are happy with the setup.  Unless something drastic changes with presses in the future to change my mind, someday I'll probably have that same setup.  Heck, I can't wait till I have the money just for components to keep something like that running and worth having around.

[Bro KV]

I am 99% leaning towards Hornady. The Hornady stuff I have is awesome so I'd assume it'll follow suit. Thanks guys

[wifecallsmegrumpy]

For what it's worth I have two dillons, the 550 and the 650.  If you are going to buy a dillon for loading any real volume  get the 650, I just don't use the 550 anymore as with manual index and no case feed it's that much slower.

I know there is a Dillon fan boi club out there and they do make great products but they are not perfect and some functions like the primer system and the so called "quick change" and the powder measure adjustment all give me the shits.

In anycase if you are still in single stage land move up into the thin air and get a progessive. It frees up time to go shooting and makes you instant friends.

Oh importantly and this is something that I wish I was told people that quote 1000's of rounds loaded per hour are either olympic quality atheletes or have a team of people working for them. I loaded 500 rounds in one sitting ONCE and I was stuffed from pulling the handle and paying close attention... Try to pace out your work.

[Bro KV]

The bushing setup of the Hornady is really appealing.

[REDLINE]

I can't think of anything not appealing in the Hornady.

[Bro KV]

In terms of swapping calibers, lol. Although I will probably only be running 223 for a little while. I only have 10mm and 223 and the 10mm gets run on my Forster single stage.

[REDLINE]

I could still see you using the progressive for plinking loads (not necessarily weak loads, but not for regular carry either) in the furture.  I mean, if you want to pound out a thousand or so at a time just for range fodder, the progressive starts looking much more appealing.  While still using the Forster for the good stuff.