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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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Its been a while since I did any hand loading and am looking at getting a progressive press, as I sold my old RCBS rock chucker years ago. I'd like to hear what types of press others are using and how you like them. I've been looking at a few Dillon presses and I like them but I don't have any direct experience with them. OK, so give me some recommendations.
Thanks
BTW, I should add that I will be loading both revolver/pistol cartridges as well as 270, 30-40 Krag and perhaps 30-30. I will be starting with the handgun ammo first as that is what I have the most empty brass laying around. I'll be adding dies as budget permits.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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The lower righthand sidebar includes 4 installments of a Reloading Symposium that several of our members have participated in. There is some discussion there of equipment including presses.
BTW-There is one more very long overdue installment that I owe to finish this off, next week's vacation time will be a great time to get this done.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
May 17, 2010
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I bought a Dillion. But the model I bought suited me better than the models of others availble which is NOT to say I think it is any better. I bought a Dillion Square Deal (aka SD) for 38/357. I was able to get a refurb unit from ebay and it was less than $300 with everything... and it looked nearly new.
That said I would NOT suggest the SD for you. The press is very small and will not reload rifle calibers. It also costs more and is a bigger headache to swap dies, which are also custom to the SD. But the SD was perfect for me, I only reload 38/357 and it auto-indexes so its good at cranking out round after round.
It looks to me like Lyman as stepped up to the plate after Dillion showed everyone how its suppose to be done. To me it would be a toss up between the two, with RCBS falling to third. Not due to quality, just that the other two just offer so many bells and whistles to make the process cleaner, faster, and even more fun. The LNL and the Dillion RL550B seem to be neck and neck on price and features and both have even more goodies that one can buy to make them even better. Heck even quality and support seem on par for both. It don't get better than that!
I will say that down here they take their reloading pretty serious and you would would not be the first to have multiple if you went that way, with a dedicated SD for the DW's and either the RL550 or LNL for rifles. My son now has a 9mm.. the quandry I face some day.. a second SD just for it.. or an RL 550 or an LNL. I do know I wont be getting the dedicated 38/357 maker!
Soap Box, Ballot Box, Ammo Box
in that order.
4 Monson Model 15's
1 Palmer FB 15
1 Rossi 357 Model 92 (lever)
1 CZ 75B
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Range Officers
May 2, 2009
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The reloading symposium is great--installment 5 with be a nice addition.
SHOOT
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January 24, 2009
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As a guy who's fairly new to the reloading scene, not to mention one who seems to have an ever encompassing attention to basics of life (yes, I admire & use the simple ingenuity of certain mechanical things...repetitious or otherwise
), I have grown fond of my single stage RCBS press. I don't generally reload my rounds by the thousands, most often I reload in the low hundreds (usually 300 or less) in a batch...so a single stage is almost perfect for me. I'm not disgruntled with having to swap dies from one stage to the next. I'm in no hurry (when I have the time, I fortunately/unfortunately have LOTS of time at times).
I make my share of mistakes (try to learn from them).
I enjoy myself (what else is there?).
I feel satisfied when I pull the trigger on something I've reloaded & it goes BANG...(for sure a smile-maker).
November 23, 2011
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I looked at many presses when I purchased my progressive. I chose the Hornady Projector. It has done everything I have asked. Last year I purchased a Hornady Lock N Load AP press with a case feeder. The Projector is as good as new though it has loaded 10's of thousand of round with out a single problem. Simple reliable and strong. I like that it has five stations, this allows for a power check station. Both presses will load everything from 380apc to 500 Nitro Express. Hope you find this helpful. R S
Remembering Col. Jeff Cooper
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