Very newbie question

[TamThompson]

Please forgive my ignorance, but none of the Dillon or RCBS literature explains the difference between a progressive press and a...well, a non-progressive press (?). I'm not sure which one I'd need. What's the difference?

I plan to reload mainly .45acp, along with some occasional .357 mag, .32 acp, and perhaps .40 S&W if I ever get a new barrel for one of my Glocks. I might also reload for Win .300 mag and hopefully in the future I'll own an AR15 and a S&W .500 that I would want to reload for. (.223 & S&W .500 mag.)

I don't see me needing high-volume, since at most I shoot once a week, 150 rounds at a time. However, once a month (or two) I go out to our ranch and shoot 100-150 rounds a day for 3 days in a row.

 

[Cortland]

With a single stage press, you put a sizing die in the press. Then you size all your brass. Then your remove the sizing die. Then you put in an expander die, and expand all your brass. Then you prime the cases (perhaps with a hand tool). Then you charge the cases with a powder thrower. Then you put the seat/crimp die in your press. Then you seat & crimp all your bullets. A single stage press has one die opening, and you only do one operation at a time. I load all my rifle cartridges this way, but reloading for pistol like this is for the birds.

A progressive press mounts multiple dies, and typically 4 to 5 cases are in the shell holder at any one time, all at very stages of loadedness. One pull of the handle will resize and prime one case, charge and bell another, seat a bullet on yet another, then crimp yet another. You then index the press (spin the shellholder) to move each case onto the next station and out pops one completed round from the final position. Insert a fresh case at the first (sizing) station and continue. Each time you pull the handle you'll get a loaded round.

There are also turret presses which are sort of half way in between. You can mount and adjust multiple dies in the "turret," but only one shell is in the press at any one time. The turret spins to change dies. You're still only doing one operation at a time, though.

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's All-

Hey Tam, unless you are in need of a high volume
press like a Dillon, I would suggest a single stage press
along the lines of the R.C.B.S. Rockchucker as its very
capeable of handling all but the largest magnum rifle
cases.

As a matter of fact, you can even cover those bases by
investing in the R.C.B.S. Supreme Master Reloading Kit.
It comes with all the basic tools, and a Speer #13 manual.
I like a single stage tool, cuz it allows the handloader more
opportunities to inspect each case as its moved through
the different steps. Defective cases can be discarded at
any point along the way.

Whereas with a progressive instrutment you are less likely
to catch deformed cases! Just my thoughts and opinions;
hope they help?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Progressive presses

The Star irrigation supplies company applied for a Patent in 1931 on the Star Progressive Reloader where each a cartridge casing progressed around from position to position having an operation completed at each position and all cases were worked on and after all casees were in place, each pull of the operating handle created a completely loaded cartridge.

The Star was patented in 1933 and all progressive type reloading machines after that time were referred to as "Progressives" after the name of the 1931 Star Progressive Model .38 Special caliber Reloader. A later model was referred to as The "Universal" for loading many pistol calibers.

Paul Jones Retired
Star Progressive and Universal Model Reloader Dealer and Reconditioning Center with a small supply of of original Star Parts stored since 1979

 

[444]

The big difference between the two machines is the time it takes to load your ammo. How much you shoot is obviously a factor, as is how much time you have for reloading.
I used a single stage press for years. Probably like 15 years. And, I did more shooting than your 150 rounds a week. I had to dedicate several hours a week for reloading. There were also times when I didn't get around to loading, needed ammo and didn't have it. I actually got out of seriously shooting IPSC because I wasn't willing to devote as much time as it took to keep up with my ammo demands. Between work, shooting practice, and trying to maintain some kind of social life, I just didn't have the time to spend on it.
Using a progressive press, I am able to churn out about 300-500 rounds an hour. For you this obviously means that you would spend around one hour a month reloading. I am not going to estimate how long this would take me on a single stage press, but it would be MUCH longer.
If you view handloading as a hobby in and of itself this isn't a big issue. There are a lot of people that really enjoy spending time reloading. They find it relaxing, interesting, and it takes their mind off the other pressing issues of the day. Others see it as a means to an end. They reload so they can shoot. I am somewhere in between those extremes. I enjoy handloading, but I would say that I probably lean more to the side that I want to turn out as much ammo as I can in the least amount of time. Once that is accomplished I still might play around with experimentation, but priority one is to have ammo to shoot.

 

[TamThompson]

Thank y'all for all the good info! It's looking like a progressive press is the way to go. There is a reloading shop here in Austin that's part of the McBride's Gun shop, and they always have a bunch of used presses for sale. Armed with info (and, soon, money), I'll go see what fits my budget and needs.

 

[Waitone]

I have a dear friend who handloaded pistol ammo for 15+ years.

He now has my progressive and has full rights to use it as he sees fit. After about 30 seconds on the progressive he told me, "I can't believe how much time I've wasted over the years."

He now has a permanent grin and is rapidly collecting caliber conversion kits to fill out his needs.

Yes, progressives are more expensive but the cost will disappear from your mind quickly.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Progressives Help

a web site of Star and C-H Auto Champ owners to help anyone with those progressives.
http://www.topica.com/lists/starreloadersgroup

 

[caz223]

I can't believe how much time I've wasted over the years


That's what I said when I switched to a dillon.
I did single stage for 10 years, wasted a lot of time for little or no reason...

I do remember having a lot of fun, loading a lot of rounds, and doing some quality shooting.

Maybe even learning a thing or two along the way.

 

[SASS#23149]

www.dillonprecision.com
check out the SquareDeal B IF pistol is all you're going to reload for....It won't do rifle.It is a true progressive in that the shellplate acvances by linkage.It only uses special dies,however.
The RL550b...my press... is a semi-progressvie,and you advance the shellplate manually.It has a lot more "working rooom",takes standard dies,and will do rifle caliber.You can also run one shell at a time through until you understand what it's dong,then load 'er up and prceed to dafe TONS OF TIME.
Don't fall prey to the "rounds per hour" stuff,the faster you go the bigger the skrewups........trust me.

The almost total lack of used Dillons on the market is a good sign of their following......once ya buy one,ya keep it!!
Lee is cheaper and lots of used Lee stuff on the market.......kinda tells ya somthing,I think.
And Dillons' "no bs" warranty is NO BS.
If it breaks,theyu'll take care of ya.

 

[Hawk]

::lurker surfacing off the port bow::

The remark that the Rockchucker was capable of " all but the largest magnum rifle cases" got my wondering...

Does that mean that the "low production" stuff I've been accumulating (and haven't used yet) is incapable of doing what I wanted? Specifically, since I was looking at reloading 100 rounds a year max of 7mm RUM, will the RCBS "Pardner" bend and/or sieze up? My impression is that the "pardner" is one notch down from the "rockchucker" and there's not a lot of cases larger than the 7mm RUM.

The ancillary equipment (RCBS Ammocrafter) looks decent - I'm just now wondering if the press should go in the dumpster (?). I mostly shoot handguns and have come to grips with a Dillon being appropriate should I start reloading .45's and 9mm's.

However, I do like trudging off to the rifle range occasionally and I was dismayed by the choices available in 7mm RUM and wanted to stuff some 162gr amax's into those fine looking cases - just not many of them.

I'd guess that getting sour on the hobby would cost me more than replacing the "pardner", so, should I just toss it, or soldier on? (In addition to 7mm RUM, I'd like to use it for .416 Rigby in even smaller quantities).

Thanks in advance.

 

[444]

I believe that statement was referring to the cartridge length. For example a .50 BMG is too long to fit in the Rockchucker. I am not familiar with your particular press, but I would be willing to go out on a limb and say that it should have plenty of leverage to size pretty much any conventional rifle case.

 

[redneck2]

If you're thinking of a single stage

for pistol, may I suggest putting your hand in a car door and slamming it?

Same amount of fun but a lot quicker.

Pistol shooters who recommend a single stage have either never used a progressive, or at least a decent one. I suppose they're be OK if you're only shooting a few hundred rounds a year, but then, why reload???

When I'm going to shoot, I'll plop down at the Dillon or Hornady, crank out 150 or 200 rounds in 20-25 minutes, and it costs less than $20.

Keep looking for the used one. I found a 5 stage Hornady for $50 that was missing a few parts. Also had to get the right shell plates. A quick call to Hornady, and I've got a perfectly good press for less than $125. I'm using it for 45 acp only

AFAIK, all mfg's give a lifetime warranty.