Progressive Presses

[MIAMIbaseballer]

Dillon 650 here because of their reputation, customer service, quality, etc.

[Dakotared]

I use a lee pro 1000. I know alot of people say it is a crap loader by I have had no troubles with mine at all. I loaded around 3000 rounds this summer so it worked well for me.

[sqlbullet]

I have a co-worker who has a Pro-1000 and really likes it.  He read and watched all the fluff-n-buff/tune up tutorials online and gave his primer system some TLC, but has been very, very pleased with it.  I may just order a Load Master in 308.  I need a set of dies for that caliber anyway, and the press is only $223 with dies.  Dies would cost me $30 at the local warehouse, so, the press is under $200.

Even if it sucks for priming, I can combine flare, charge, seat and crimp which will save me TONS of time.

[DM1906]

I have a co-worker who has a Pro-1000 and really likes it.  He read and watched all the fluff-n-buff/tune up tutorials online and gave his primer system some TLC, but has been very, very pleased with it.  I may just order a Load Master in 308.  I need a set of dies for that caliber anyway, and the press is only $223 with dies.  Dies would cost me $30 at the local warehouse, so, the press is under $200.

Even if it sucks for priming, I can combine flare, charge, seat and crimp which will save me TONS of time.

There's no flare or crimp with .308's.  No charge, either (no "powder through expander die", and no expander die).  You'll have to charge with a universal dispenser.  Use what you use already, or pony up some cash for one.

If you are shooting the rounds through the same rifle, or multiple "chamber friendly" rifles, you only need a neck sizer and bullet seater dies.  You may already have a seating die, and it doesn't have to be ".308".  Any seating die with the correct profile stem that will accept/align the case will work as well as any.  That leaves only a neck sizer die.  If you shoot them through several, or unknown rifles/chambers, the need for full length sizing may be necessary.  Neck-only sizing often extends (indefinitely) brass life, and can improve accuracy dramatically.  If you can easily chamber any fired case from any of your rifles into all the other rifles, you don't need full length sizing.  A carbide neck sizer eliminates the need for lube (although I use it anyway).

[sqlbullet]

And, I actually do flare my 308.  I load them with a Lee 200 grain hard cast lead bullet, so they get a touch of flare from a lyman M die and then a heavy crimp from a Lee FCD.  And yes, I already have 308 dies, but I don't have a backup set yet like I do for all my other calibers.

But I was actually referring to when I had my 10mm dies on the Load-Master.   

[mleeber]

Late to the party but thought I would weight in....
I started reloading in the 90s with a Lee Turret Press, added 2 Load Masters, then 2 Dillon 650s, a Dillon 1050, a Lee Pro 1000, a Lee Breech Lock Challenger and some shotgun presses. Today I have one Dillon 650, one 1050, and the Lee Breech Lock Challenger (I just sold the original turret press about a year ago). Sorry I cannot give you any feedback on the Hornady but that is one of the few presses I have never used. Here are quick thoughts on all I have used:

Lee Turret press: great simple press if you are loading a few hundred rounds at a time. Simple to use. I added another Turret press with the auto index feature later but I found the plastic bushing for the Auto-Index to be a weakness and preferred rotating the tool head by hand. Great press and inexpensive for setting up tons of calibers in their own tool head and quickly switching back and forth without having to monkey with dies.

Lee Load Master: probably the best press for the money! Same tool head design so I had multiple tool heads that allowed a quick change between calibers. The Achilles heel of this press is the primer feed system but since you can by 3 of these for the price of a Dillon 650 do the math. If you buy one of these the coveted secret is that you will need two sizing dies. One goes in the normal sizing/depriming station and the second one, with the deprimer removed, goes in station 2 to hold the case securely while inserting the primer. If you do this you rarely have a problem with the Loadmaster.

Dillon 650 is a great all-round press for those who are loading lots of ammo with no military brass and Dillon support is good AS LONG AS YOU DO NOT ALSO ADD A 1050 (more about this later). Dillon is expensive up front and expensive to add more calibers to. In fact, you can almost buy a Loadmaster in a new caliber for what the additional parts cost to change calibers in a 650 (you could definitely buy a Pro1000). The 650 primer system is the best out there period, dependable and safe.

Dillon 1050 - great press if you are loading lots of ammo that includes military brass. There is a swager built in that removes the crimp on military brass primer pockets. Very very expensive to get into and crazy expensive to have multiple tool heads and calibers. Just a tool head with no dies or conversion kit is almost $200. ALSO Dillon considers this a "commercial" machine and warranty is only a year. Furthermore if you have a 650 and a 1050 and call for service you get the 3rd degree so they are comfortable that you are not trying to get free support for your 1050. Primer system is temperamental and a primer that fails to seat creates a domino effect, a real PITA!

Lee Pro 1000 - not as robust as the Loadmaster, very fragile primer system, issues with the powder measure that comes standard, and not enough die positions. But they are inexpensive. There is an upgraded powder measure that eases the pain there but I consider 5 holes in a tool heat the minimum.

Lee Breech Lock Challenger - love this press. Single stage but I have a 2nd or 3rd set of dies for every caliber I load on the progressive presses with a breech lock on it so I can load every caliber single stage. This is what I use for all my rifle except 223. I use the 1050 for 223 unless I want match 223 then I use this press. It is amazing how much more judicious I am pulling the trigger when I have to load the ammo on a single stage press!

Couple more notes...

1st - I DO NOT recommend a Dillon 550. A press like the Loadmaster or Pro-1000, while not as robust or heavy duty, auto-indexes which greatly reduces the chance of a double charge. I have seen a half dozen different folks blow mags out of the bottom of their Glocks and when asked what press they use I always get "a 550". Especially if you are new to reloading, get a press that auto-indexes so when the kids come up to say hi or the phone rings and you get side tracked you almost completely eliminate the ability to double charge a case.

2nd - No matter what press you have you have to pay attention, go slow initially and then do not get complacent. If something does not feel right is probably isn't so stop and make sure rather than applying more pressure.

3rd and last - know how your press works and keep it clean!!! No matter which press you buy you will end up taking it apart to clean it or to diagnose a problem. If you understand how it works you will be light-year ahead in making safe, quality ammo!

4th - Ok I lied, this is the last one.... A Lee Factory Crimp Die is a must have for every caliber.

[Rick1987]

I love my dillon 650. Its my first press and learned how to reload on it.

I first got it with no casefeeder, and I was loading 40s&w. The tube would hold about 20 case before I had to refill the tube. If you go slow and watch everything it was very easy for a beginner. At first I ran about 500 rounds just to decap and get used to the press.

I have loaded over 10k rounds through this press and have had zero problems.

The dillon customer service is awesome.

I lost the plastic primer follower thing that activates the low primer alarm. I think the cat took it for a toy. I called them  and told them that and asked if I could buy another. It didnt break I lost it. My fault!

They would not let me pay for one and shipped it free of charge!

I would also recommend Brian enos. I ordered everything through him. He is a great guy. I ordered a powder check system through him once and when I got it one of the rods were a little bent. I called him and explaned what was wrong and he sent me a new one.

Orders over $400 have free shipping also!
Brianenos.com

[sqlbullet]

I have had and seen similar results from both RCBS and Hornady.

A couple years ago a friend gave me a Lachmiller lubrisizer that had a broken yoke.  Called up RCBS to order a replacement part and was sent the part free of charge.

My neighbor recently was given an old broken Pacific single stage C press.  The body was find, but some of the linkage parts were broken.  He called Hornady see if they had parts he could buy.  They sent him a complete rebuild kit for his press free of charge, and offered to rebuild it for him if he would send it in.

Both examples of solid companies standing behind products they built or that were built by companies they bought.

[Osageid]

Can't say enough about my 650 but many friends have red, blue and green and never found anyone that felt any one press flawless. But will keep my blue! Regard to Brian Enos, great guy!! Never go wrong with him!

[attachment deleted by admin]