The reloading press thing!

[Wobbly]

What all the salesmen and videos concentrate on is the ease of swapping tool heads, but those are easy enough to change out on all modern presses. What really separates the presses is the ease of changing primer sizes and shell plates.

? The Loadmaster ($256) Here's a video of a complete change over on the Loadmaster.
http://www.loadmastervideos.com/   See "Full Caliber Change..."

Lee insists on using the Lee flat plastic primer dispensing system. This design must be shaken to get the primers to flow. These are all plastic parts and the primer tray arm probably breaks occasionally either due to the shaking, or due to being struck by errant tools or hands. It's also not clear to me how many primers remain in the system (stuck in the channel between the tray and primer anvil) when primers quit dispensing. This could be a real PIA if you swap between small pistol and small rifle primers.

You also get a plastic, fixed volume powder measure, which is more sensitive to static. Static levels in your home should be part of your overall consideration.

? The Hornady AP ($382) Here's a video of a complete caliber change over on the LNL AP.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGchPV3MGKk

The LNL uses the vertical metal primer tube and a "shuttle", similar to the 550B. The vertical tube uses gravity to feed the primers down to the shuttle. The shuttle carries them one at a time under the shellplate to the waiting case. Every primer in the tube will be consumed.

You also get a metal, infinitely variable powder measure that is more resistant to static.

? I also looked for the "new" RCBS progressives, but did not see them as deeply discounted so as to be considered in this race.


? As with all progressives, there's always more mandatory parts to buy to make caliber changes possible and voluntary parts to make caliber changes easier. These parts fit only one machine. Any future decision to upgrade machines involves selling all these "extra" parts. So it really behooves the buyer to think about where the future will take your personal reloading.

Hope this helps. 

[Pilot1]

I would start with a Lee Turret Press, and learn the process before going full progressive. 

[Wobbly]

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.

That's where the OP is at present.

[copemech]

I did watch a detailed video today on the assembly and use of the Lee loadmaster. I do see its potential shortcomings, but it works.

I found no good used equipment on ebay, and the only guy I know that has upgraded lately to a 650 won't pass on his 550 on the cheap.

[Wobbly]

I did watch a detailed video today on the assembly and use of the Lee Loadmaster. I do see its potential shortcomings, but it works.

To be clear, all progressive press designs have shortcomings somewhere. You simply have to decide which ones you can live with.

Example: The 550 drops smut everywhere, that in-turn can get into the ram bearing making it feel scratchy. On my unit I fixed this by adding 1) the Uniquetek Spent Primer Catcher and 2) a grease port. The Catcher caught a higher percentage of trash, and the grease always coming out didn't allow smut to get in.

I found no good used equipment on eBay, and the only guy I know that has upgraded lately to a 650 won't pass on his 550 on the cheap.

The jury is still out on what's going to happen to that thing. A good friend has mentioned he'd like to upgrade his SDB, but I want him to come to my house so we can pal around.

 

[frgood]

... 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.

I think my first idea is based upon your current rate of over an hour for 50. What does that process include and how high is your QA in that process. Does that rate of production include prep of brass, staging of components (setting up brass and bullets in some sort of container for access, and/or setting up powder?

Or, is this rate once all is set up and you are simply cranking through the process. If simply cranking, are you checking each drop, measuring OAL, measuring crimp? It would be the answers to those questions that would help determine whether you are at your best setup or should consider something like a SDB vs. a 550 vs. a progressive.

[inspector1999]

If you are only going to make straight walled pistol ammo, I loved my SDB.  If I could have bought a case feeder for it, I still would have it.  Made quality ammo, no fussing at a good pace (300-350 an hour).  But is is pistol only, and straight walled cartridges.  Uses proprietary Dillon dies so it does have its limits.

Sent from my Pixel using Tapatalk

[nicky]

Wobbly
A grease port? Could you explain.

[copemech]

... 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.

I think my first idea is based upon your current rate of over an hour for 50. What does that process include and how high is your QA in that process. Does that rate of production include prep of brass, staging of components (setting up brass and bullets in some sort of container for access, and/or setting up powder?

Or, is this rate once all is set up and you are simply cranking through the process. If simply cranking, are you checking each drop, measuring OAL, measuring crimp? It would be the answers to those questions that would help determine whether you are at your best setup or should consider something like a SDB vs. a 550 vs. a progressive.

No, this is already set up. I think my QA is high, but I am having to perform to much handling of the loads. Kinda like this:

size deprime and clean pockets x50

prime cases off station x50

charge and expand x50
visual on charge levels

place and seat  bullets x50

change turret and run the 50 through the TC die


That is five lever pulls and transitions to tray per, makes my braNe hurt just thinking about it.

[copemech]

Well, I have still been looking at these things. I never realized that the newer Lee 4 hole turret press actually rotated by itself! My old three hole will change die positions manually but not by itself.

Oh well, after looking deeper into the Lee Loadmaster, it may well be just TOO JIKKY for my wants and needs. Recently I have done more looking at the Hornady L&L AP. It seems from the videos that it is indeed a quality unit in Hornady keeping and would do what I need for a reasonable cost with a claimed rate of 500 rounds per hour. I just need that many per month if you know what I mean!

The platform  on the Hornady also seems to be expandable enough if one wanted to add all the widgets. I am not seeing a lot of negatives here but I am wondering a bit about the powder measure. Seems caliber changeover may be an issue.

Dang, I just goth this Lee autodrum working well on the PTX die. Will it still work on the H- press? I think so, then I will just set up the Hornady PM on a different caliber.

Does all that make good sense or am I missing something?

[tdogg]

I just upgraded to the Hornady LNL AP from my Lee Classic Turret.

You sure can use the Lee Autodrum with the Lee PTX expander plug.  The Hornady press is a  fine machine.  Caliber change overs are not too difficult.  I've had to tweak some things to get it running smoothly but I think every press needs some tweaks.  Now that it is running smoothly I can safely process 250-350 per hour without a case or bullet feeder.

My next upgrade is going to be some sort of primer tube filler.  The Hornady primer tubes suck.  I've heard the Dillon tubes are better but I might just either build or buy a tube filler.

Cheers,
Toby

[Boris_LA]

I have started with LnL not a long time ago as recommended by a friend. Great press for running hundreds of rounds, but not good for load development. I had to buy the single stage for that. Tried a few different ones and stopped on the Lee Classic Cast SS press. Later, when needed a slightly larger batches while still testing loads got a Lee 4hole Classic turret press. Lee Autodrum PM works great and easy to change powders with replacing preset drums and calibers with preset turrets. Now I use Hornady LnL for larger volume 9mm and Lee Classic Turret for smaller volume of 45ACP and instead of Single stage for resizing, depriming and load developing for both calibers.
Few notes on Hornady LnL:
Switching calibers takes 20-30 minutes if you use the same powder measure and lockout die. Tuning Lockout die and Powder measure for different brass take half of the time. Rest is taking by changing shell plate, priming system LP/SP and dies themselves. If you have extra LO die and PM will make a caliber change much simpler.
Advertised 500 rounds per hour is with case and bullet feeders. Manually feeding brass and bullet realistically produce  ~200-250 rounds per hour without much effort. I am using 9mm Hornady bullet seating die with aquarium plastic tubes and it speeds up thing a little, but require extra time to preload them with bullets.
Priming tube from Hornady is stiff. Dilon tubes are much easier to use. The set of Dilon tubes come with extra tips that fit well on the Hornady tubes replacing the original ones. I have replaced all of mine. Preloading 5-6 tubes allows for less interruptions and in one evening I can load a few weeks supply of 9mm.
On Lee Turret press I still load smaller batches of 100-300 rounds of 45ACP at one siting and for now its enough for my needs. I tried to switch Hornady LnL for 45ACP and it worked well for 500-600 rounds I needed, but then later I needed 9mm again and just left it with 9mm setup. I can load 120-150 rounds per hour with turret press without pushing too hard.

[M1A4ME]

I started with a Pacific (Hornady) C type press in the late 70's.  Loaded everything I shot with it. 

I bought a used RCBS O type press a few years ago and used it for 10 years or so.

I bought a Lee turret press last fall and it's all I use now.  I removed the parts that made it automatically turn the die holer/plate.

I reload by batches.  I may resize today, one caliber or more, and do several hundred cases.  If doing rifle I run them through the brass polisher for 20 or 30 minutes to clean off the lube.  If pistol I write a note on a small piece of paper to lay on top of the brass in the jug to say "resized".  If I get the opportunity to also bell the case mouths I write "RTP", ready to prime.

I catch a nice warm day (this time of the year) and sit on the big bench in front of my garage and trim/chamfer the rifle brass.  If brass is ready for primers I sit on that bench to prime them, rifle and pistol.  Sometimes I'll prime a couple hundred, sometimes 400 to 500 if I have the brass ready.  That primed brass goes back into a jug with a lid on it till I'm ready to reload.

Yesterday I reloaded 150 rounds of 9MM hollow points.  Can't say how long that took but for those loads it's longer because I used the electronic scale/powder measure to get the exact charge. 

A couple weeks back I loaded 400 rounds of .223 in an afternoon doing it this way.  The brass was ready to reload and the H335 meters through the Uniflow just about as well as the electronic unit could do it and way faster.

I really like that Lee press.  Several reasons.

1.  Set the dies up once (except maybe for the bullet seating die when I change bullet weights/styles).
2.  If I get near the end of a "round" number of cartridges and find I'm short a few pieces of brass I can very easily grab some more brass, turn the die plate to the appropriate die and go through the resizing/belling steps, prime the brass with the Lee hand priming tool and then drop the powder/insert the bullet and have a "round" number of rounds (makes the primer and bullet boxes go empty vs. having 4 to 11, or so, bullets tying up a big box under/on the bench.)
3.  The handle is nice and long and gives me more leverage when resizing hard to resize cases.
4.  The plastic tube under the ram to catch primers does a decent job but some still hit wrong inside the ram and bounce out the front.

That's just me.  The Lee may be much cheaper than others but it works for me.  Oh, I've got a combination of Lee and RCBS dies in use.

[oldfrank]

A friend of mine Georgia Shooter posted a video on Youtube showing him averaging 4 seconds per round on a Dillon 550.

[SPO1SHADOW]

If everything goes right I can load a hundred rounds in 10 minutes on my old 550 and not feel like I am in any kind of rush. I do a little better with .40 and the best with .45 ACP because they are easier to size and larger to get a grip on the first try. It took a whole lot of experimenting with different positions of brass and bullets but after loading a zillion rounds you kind of get an idea of what works and where everything needs to be. Of course a split case or a crimped primer pocket can sure screw up the timing.