Question on progressive presses

[whm1974]

Ok I reload for .38 SPL now and I just picked up a 9mm. I have the Lee single stage kit. For 100 to 200 rounds a week it is bad. But I'm finding it to be a hassle to reload, and not to mention it's time comsuming. I also have a friend that shoots with sometimes.

So is there a low cost progressive press? The ones I've seen are in the thousands of dollars and I doupt I will shoot enough to pay for that. What about Less's turret presses?

-Bill

 

[halvey]

Thousands?

You can get a Dillon 550 for a little over $300.

Its the best out there.

 

[Jayman]

Entry level Dillon SDB will set you back about $250. If you are reloading more than 1000-1500 a month, you really want to look at the 550 or 650. Even a fully fleshed out 650 with all the bells and whistles was less than $1000 for me, so that "thousands" seems a bit high. ($850ish comes to mind as the final cost with strong mount, case feeder, roller handle, etc.)

 

[LHB1]

Hornady LNL Auto progressive == $299 for press, auto primer feed, and powder measure with auto powder drop control. Will need to buy the shell plate (equivalent to shell holder for non-progressive press) for approx $20. If you already have single station press, you have the dies and powder scale which are the only other things you need. This rig is capable of loading 300-500 rounds per hour. You DON'T need auto case feeder or auto bullet feeder unless you plan on loading thousands of rounds per hour.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

EDITED to correct price. My fingers couldn't decide whether to type 299 or 300 so they typed 399. MY BAD!!!

 

[whm1974]

Entry level Dillon SDB will set you back about $250. If you are reloading more than 1000-1500 a month, you really want to look at the 550 or 650. Even a fully fleshed out 650 with all the bells and whistles was less than $1000 for me, so that "thousands" seems a bit high. ($850ish comes to mind as the final cost with strong mount, case feeder, roller handle, etc.)

Well I shoot 200 centerfire rounds a week when I go shooting. Then another 200 to 500 of rimfire. So a low end progressive would pay for itself in the time saved.

How good is the Lee Pro 1000? Midway has a kit for $118.

-Bill

 

[Father Knows Best]

Don't skimp. Get a Dillon. It will work right out of the box, and keep working without fiddling for years and years. If anything ever breaks or stops working, for any reason, Dillon will fix it free. The toll free tech support is excellent. It doesn't even matter where you got it. Both my RL550B and my SL900 (shotshell) reloaders were bought off ebay. The SL900 came with several broken parts. I called Dillon. They helped me diagnose the problems, and in the process discovered that it was an older model that had been replaced by a newer generation with several improvements. Dillon sent me replacement parts for the busted things (broken in shipping, not from use), and even sent me the parts needed to upgrade it to the current specification, all at no charge! I didn't even have to pay shipping!

When I had trouble with the primer tray hanging up, I called and explained the problem. The tech support guy said it could be any of three parts, so he sent me all three rather than take the chance that the one he sent turned out not to fix the problem. Again, no charge!

Dillon's customer service is legendary. Its products are expensive, but they are top quality and the company backs them up. Save your pennies and buy a Dillon. I second the recommendation of the Square Deal B (SDB) if you're just reloading pistol ammo for yourself. If you get into competition, do a lot of rifle shooting, or load for family members, step up to a 550 or 650.

 

[g56]

If you want to go progressive don't try to cheap out, get the Dillon. It is far cheaper to buy quality than it is to buy cheap and then have to replace it.

Been there...done that...learned my lessons the hard way.

 

[whm1974]

I guess a progressive isn't as expensive as I thought it would be.

I do have one problem with my dies with the lead bullets I use. Lube and lead build in my seating die pushing bullets deeper in the cases while I'm reloading. .38s are not that bad as long as the bullet isn't too deep. But I'm how can prevent this when I load for an auto. Ot when I'm using a progressive press.

-Bill

 

[P0832177]

The shooting sports are a hobby! Reloading is a hobby! Reloading is not meant to save you money! It is to allow for you to get more bang for you buck! Do you think there is payback for fishing boat? I do not think so!

 

[Cloudpeak]

The Hornady LNL AP is $300.00 at Cabela's. I've had one for a couple of months and it's a great machine.

Cloudpeak

 

[whm1974]

I checked Midway earlyer and Lee has everything I need in one kit. What about other brands?

-Bill

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

In case nobody's suggested it yet, get a Dillon.

Get a Dillon Square Deal. It is $289 which includes the caliber of your choice. The entire rig is very nearly idiot proof. (Proof: even I can use it.)

 

[whm1974]

The way I reload is I don't do everything in one streach. I might deprime, resize, and clean the primer pockets today. Tommorrow flare the case mouth and maybe prime the cases. The next day I then load the powder and seat the bullets.

I can uselly find time to do a little bit each day. This works fine for 100 to 200 rounds a week. But it is time consuming and it is starting to be a pain. Which is why I'm starting to shooting my .22 more then anything else.

I see some progressive presses priced within my reach so I'm temped to get one since I can do in hour what now takes me all week to do.

-Bill

 

[Jayman]

Dillon SDB is about a 200 round/hour press, at least in my hands. So if 200 rounds/week is your usual, that'd be the PERFECT press for you. I still have my SDB in a box as backup in case my 650 ever goes down. I purchased the SDB used, and as everybody has mentioned, Dillon will support it FOREVER. Heck, if you have serious problems, you can send it back to them and they'll completely refurb it for you. If any part breaks, they'll replace it, no questions asked. I wish every company was like Dillon.

 

[whm1974]

The press may be perfect, but it looks like I will be out of almost $500 to get started by the time I buy the accessories. With Lee I'm only out of $130.

Anyone here use a Lee turret press?

-Bill

 

[SASS#23149]

If you want to use your dies you have ,skip the sdb.It takes specail dies,and does not do rifle btw.That is why I went with the 550b and that was thousands of rounds ago.
I have only read of others frustrations with the Lee presses...too many parts that break or like to get out of adjustment on their progressives.
You asked bout turret presses,they offer very little time savings over a single stage,IMHO.It still takes five hand operations to load one round vs. 1 hand operation on a progressive.
Just curious,a lot of folks who shoot .38 and nine mil buy factory relaods as they are almost as cheap as doing it yourself.Ever consider that route?

 

[Pointman]

If you're mechanically inclined the Lee Pro1000 can crank some rounds. I've run tens of thousands of rounds through my 17 year old Pro1000. You do have to be patient and willing to learn it's quirks but it's not as onery a beast that some make them out to be... unless you're not mechanically inclined

 

[whm1974]

Just curious,a lot of folks who shoot .38 and nine mil buy factory relaods as they are almost as cheap as doing it yourself.Ever consider that route?

Funny thing is not only I can reload cheaper then factory reloads, I can buy WWB 9mm FMJ CHEAPER at Walmart! I havn't check practice .38SPL at Walmart since I only brought JHP in that caliber for SD.

One problemI have is that the range I go to allows reloads, but not factory reloads.

If I can get decent quality 9mm/.38SPL ammo at around $4 a box then I would bother reloading.

-Bill

 

[caz223]

I guess 9mm and .38 are two calibers that aren't very cost effective to reload.

Dillon's dies can be cleaned very easily and quickly without messing up your settings.
There's a pin right on top of the seater die.
Put your hand under the die and pull the pin out.
The seater falls out in your hand for cleaning.
Still dirty?
Take the end of the pin and push down on the hole in the middle of the seater stem.
The end pops out and can be cleaned by rapping it on the bench.
Put the headed pin back in, slide the clyinder up into the die, insert top pin.

That's one nice thing about dillon's seat dies, they come apart and go back together in seconds without messing up your adjustment.

 

[skyder]

I have been reloading for 30+ years, most of that time on single stage RCBS presses. A few years ago I bought a Lee Pro 1000 and was happy for a while. Then I moved up to a Dillon 550. I recommend the Dillon. If, however, you want to go the Lee route, send me a pm and I will send you the Lee (you pay the shipping).

 

[whm1974]

I guess 9mm and .38 are two calibers that aren't very cost effective to reload.

I disagree. I can reload both calibers for $3 a box. THe cheapest ammo I've seen at a store in these calibers is almost $7 a box. The range I go to charges $9.

So I do save a bit of money.

-Bill

 

[Rico567]

"whm1974", I would take "skyder" up on his offer. I have a Dillon 650 that I use for my longer runs of reloading, but I also own two Lee Pro 1000s, and the first was purchased almost as soon as they started making them. Most of the assessments here are accurate. You need some patience and the willingness to follow the directions and learn how the machine works, but the Pro 100 WILL reload thousands of rounds of perfectly good reliable ammunition, as both of mine have. There is nothing magical or special about any particular "color" of reloading equipment, but you should match the equipment you purchase to the loading you plan on doing. The Lee Pro 1000 should be more than adequate for your projected reloading of 200 rounds per week. If you have notions of ramping up your reloading over time, I would consider the purchase of some of the other machines discussed in this thread, rather than have to change presses later on.

 

[Deavis]

I guess 9mm and .38 are two calibers that aren't very cost effective to reload.

You just aren't trying hard enough...

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=116621&highlight=9mm

Many of us can load for 1/2 the cost of WWB and still cheaper than Blazer. You just have to be willing to buy in bulk or find a supplier who gives you components just a little over cost. I recommend finding a commercial loader in your area, asking to piggy back on his orders, and compensating him for his trouble.

Also, the RCBS Pro 2000 is a really nice progressive press that is low cost. Since I didn't see Cortland post yet, here is a link to a thread where he discusses the LNL.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=132404&highlight=cortland

 

[whm1974]

Thanks guys. I'm talking to a friend at work who has a Lee progressive and offered to sell it to me with all the dies and other stuff to go with it. He says he hasn't reloaded for years. He does have dies for calibers that I'm unlikely to buy guns for.

-Bill

 

[caz223]

Quote:
I guess 9mm and .38 are two calibers that aren't very cost effective to reload.

Quote:

You just aren't trying hard enough...

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthre...1&highlight=9mm

Many of us can load for 1/2 the cost of WWB and still cheaper than
Blazer. You just have to be willing to buy in bulk or find a supplier who
gives you components just a little over cost. I recommend finding a
commercial loader in your area, asking to piggy back on his orders, and
compensating him for his trouble.

Also, the RCBS Pro 2000 is a really nice progressive press that is low cost.
Since I didn't see Cortland post yet, here is a link to a thread where he
discusses the LNL.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthre...hlight=cortland




OK, factor in the cost of buying the press and all the stuff to start, and it's just not worth it to some people, esp. if they shoot calibers that are cheap to buy, like 9mm, and .38 spl.
Yeah, you might save a dollar or two per box, but how many boxes would you have to shoot to pay for the press. (Not to mention setting a room aside for a bench, actually building a bench that's presentable, the poopy loads you get when you first start out, extra work of cleaning up after reloading, picking up your brass, driving around for powder and primers, don't forget the expense of loadbooks.)
Meanwhile, how many hours have you worked for that $0 in savings.
Esp. when you can leave your brass lay, or sell it to reloader buddies or save a bunch up, and sell it on E-bay to make up the difference.
No, I'm not talking about shooting lead, either.
And about not trying hard enough, I have some pretty expensive tastes in ammo, like .41 mag, .44 mag, 10mm, 357SIG, .357 mag, .45 colt, .45 acp, etc.
Yeah, my 550 paid for itself in a week, and I save more money reloading per hour than I make at work.