The reloading press thing!

[copemech]

Ok, so I admit that I have recently looked at some of these new fangled things that might replace or add to my old Lee three hole turret press. It does take me over an hour to crank out 50 rds of decent 9mm to supplement the factory stuff I shoot.

Seems a lot run these Dillon thinga, and I always thought progressive meant it had auto indexing, apparently not on the 550 thing. You gotta turn it, freed cases and bullets manually. Then you go to the 650

These machines are not cheap! And I really do not shoot enough to justify a machine that will produce more in an hour than I shoot in a month.

What I seen of RCBS and HOrnady offerings did not float my boat either.

Lastly, I pulled up Lee, and it does indeed seem as though they offer a very reasonably priced auto indexing unit with quick change turret, case feed. WHATS WRONG WITH DAT?

So Does anyone have any iders on this, any experience or know what I may be missing?

[larryflew]

IMO the only problem with the Lee 1000 is setting up for different cartridges.  However you can buy 3 of them in different calipers for the price of one drink of the blue coolaid. BTW did exactly that, sold 2 blues and use 3 of the 1000s and a Lee turret and had $ left over.

Bring on the flames ;-)

[ReloaderFred]

I had two Dillon 550's and sold them both.  They just weren't my thing. 

My benches currently hold two Hollywood Seniors, an RCBS Rockchucker, a Hornady LnL progressive, and a Loadamatic progressive from the 1950's that's set up for .38 Special.  I also have another Rockchucker in reserve, and a Corbin CSP-1 for swaging duties, and it can also be used for loading ammunition.

Every press has something it does best, and it's personal preference as to what you choose to use in YOUR shop.  Nobody else can make that decision for you.  The best way is if you have friends who reload, see what they're using, and ask about the pros and cons of each one.  If that's not a possibility, then there are all kinds of videos posted on line for just about any press on the market that you can watch, but keep in mind that anyone posting one of those videos does so with their own bias inserted.....

Hope this helps.

Fred

[whitecap]

If funds are a concern stick with the Lee Classic Indexing 4 hole press. I have used one for years. The change overs and completed in seconds due to the replaceable die plates. All settings stay locked in once set, although they are checked at the start of every loading secession to confirm. You will more than double your production from what you stated. Parts are lifetime warrantied. Lee has kits that include everything you need except the particular die set required. The hardest thing to set is the exact "sweet spot" for the small primer dispenser.

[Wobbly]

? I have to hand it to Lee, as far as Value is concerned, they make sure you get more for your money than any other manufacturer. Some of their stuff is downright ingenious. And everything they make is made in the USA. This has allowed them to dominate the "entry level" reloading market.

? However, in their pursuit of low price, some of their items use a lot of plastic parts, or are simply too basic for someone loading 200+ rounds per week. By "too basic" I mean it's great for ~25 rounds, workable for ~100 rounds, and a headache for anything more than ~200 rounds.

And thus we see that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. If you are just starting out and not quite sure if reloading is the hobby for you, or you're only loading 25-100 rounds in a session, then Lee might be as far as you need to look.

On the other hand, if you are a dedicated shooter and need 500+ rounds per week, or if you make your living in the shooting sports and can't affords ANY broken parts leading to down-time, then you might want to use professional grade equipment.

This is true in all market segments. You don't buy Homelite tillers to dig a transcontinental pipe line, and conversely you wouldn't buy Caterpillar to till your back yard garden. You match the quality and reliability of the equipment to the size of the job.

? As far as Lee progressives are concerned....

I owned four Lee Pro-1000's and found them tedious to use. This is a first generation progressive that uses a touchy advancement and adjustment system. It is also very difficult to change calibers on. The drum-type primer feed is hard to fill, hard to get to feed reliably, and can be dangerous. These machines do best if you keep them simple and DON'T add on the fancy accessories, like the auto case feeders. If you like to tinker, then you'll get your fill with this press; if you have limited reloading time and expect 55 minutes of ammo for every hour in front of the press, look elsewhere. Most of the people who are successful with the Pro-1000 simply buy a new press for each caliber and/or do hand priming. Finally, IME most of the people giving glowing reports on the Pro-1000 won't volunteer this last bit of information.

If Lee is the only thing in your price range, then I'd much rather have you look at second generation presses like a Lee Loadmaster (a full progressive) or a Lee Classic Cast Turret (an auto turret). These also share some Lee design limitations, but not nearly to the overwhelming extent of the Pro-1000.

https://youtu.be/yO64tPakN8Y


Hope this helps. 

[SPO1SHADOW]

I started out loading on a single stage press in 1970. It was a Lachmiller given to me by my good friend Elmer Keith. This press was already well worn but I used it until I purchased a Lee 1000 many years later. After about 6 months of trying to get it to run more than 100 rounds without some kind of adjustment or repair I purchased a Dillon RL450 which I still have. Over the years I have upgraded that 450 and it now looks more like the 550 than it did when first obtained. I have tried every brand of reloading press in the past 50 years, some I liked and some I didn't. I have 2 RL550's, a 650 and a couple of 1050's now. Out of all the reloading press's I have owned over the years the most dependable is still the Dillon RL550. It is simple to operate, costs nothing to maintain and produces match grade ammo for rifle or pistol. If you break a part or wear it out a simple phone call get's a free replacement part on the way within 24 hours. I am still using that original 450 and the original powder measure, I cannot begin to count how many perfect rounds have been loaded on that press. It's a personal thing to everyone what you like and what you buy but you will never go wrong buying a Dillon 550, it will do anything you want and do it well. Hornady's progressive is a great choice if you want an auto advancing shell plate for about the same price. I have one of those and it is a great press too. I have purchased several of the newer progessive Lee press's lately and rather than to start slinging mud I will just leave it at that. I prefer to load on a press and not have tinker with it all the time.

[oldfrank]

I do my pistol loading on a Lee Classic Turret four hole press. I have timed myself, taking my time and looking into every case after powder drop and I can load 50 rounds in 14 minutes.
This and the fact that I am retired allows with me to easily keep up with my 7-800 rounds per month usage.

If I was starting all over I would probably buy the Dillon 650 with auto case and bullet feeders and knock out a few thousand rounds in a day.
Most of my friends that shoot and load use the Dillon 650 or larger. A few even have the computer operated ones that run by themselves.

[SPO1SHADOW]

Oldfrank,
I was referring to the progressive Lee's and not the turret units just in case I offended. They are solid performers and I have one of them I use for load development. I have changed my post to reflect this.

[SI VIS PACEM PARRABELLUM]

I incorporate a few extra steps in my loading process that really make a progressive a non starter for me. Range brass gets tumbled clean before sizing and decapping after that it gets tumble polished again and the primer pockets get cleaned before neck expanding and priming so with those extra steps I won't be giving up my Lyman T-Mag turret press anytime soon.

[larryflew]

Just an add to Wobbly's notes I do not hand prime for my 1000's and have very little problems but you do have to watch the feed and get used to the feel of a properly seated primer.

As usual Wobbly does a great job of explaining reloading processes.

[Wobbly]

My story...

I started with a RCBS Rock Chucker in the late 70's. A Christmas gift from my brother and dad. I sold that about 1990. When I decided to get back in, I bought out a home reloading business in the early 2000's. In that purchase I got 4 Pro-1000's, a Lyman turret, and CH single stage. I gave the CH to Mr Sasquatch... some of you older members may remember him.

When I got thoroughly fed up with the Pro-1000's, I sold them all on Ebay. On the advice of a friend I've kept up with since high school who started reloading a LONG time ago, I bought a Dillon 550. Now at the time he purchased his 550 press, truthfully the Dillon was probably the ONLY real progressive available. But that same press has served him since he first purchased it. That was enough info for me. After the Pro-1000's, reliability was the number one thing on my list.

Just recently purchased a Dillon 650. I really don't need that much press, but over time I had added almost all the accessories on the 550, and those could be moved over to the 650 with ease. So that was the better upgrade route for me.

So that's how I got here.

[painter]

Where's 'Squatch these days? He's a funny guy.

I still have the used 'Chucker I bought several years ago. It still serves me well for my shooting volume.

I need to get into the shop...I'm pretty much out of ammo.

[inspector1999]

How many calibers do you reload?

How much do you want to make of each caliber?

How much time do you want to devote to reloading?

These questions will help to narrow down where to look.  I have used a Lee Classic Turret, a Dillon Square Deal B and now a Dillon 650.  I make a lot of one caliber and I want to make it quick.  All of the presses I have used make great ammo.  The 650 just makes more, quicker.


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[Wobbly]

The 650 just makes more, quicker.

OMG is that ever true ! I always wondered why people would ever want to buy extra primer tubes. Crazy I thought. Now I know. The 650 will empty a 100 primer tube in minutes.

 

[copemech]

Thanks for all the responses thus far. I will tell you this, I can buy whatever I want, but in a practical sense I do not need to produce that much, but I would like to make my process(life) easier and quicker. And I do want easy changeovers of caliber. I am old and slow enough as it is.

So I kinda keep coming back to the Lee Loadmaster. Just how jicky is one of them? I do not want something I have to jack with aLL THE TIME just to function. I would guess a caliber change would amount to a die holder and shell plate swap basically.

Can someone comment on them, I am not thinking a 550 would be much different. I can live with the Lee auto drum PM, it seems to work.