I'm looking for a reloading press! Anybody with any opinions?

[Too Tall Todd]

I'm looking for a reloading press to cut down on expenses. I am leaning towards a progressive as I don't have a whole lot of time to spend. I know they take time and can be tricky to set up. I am also leaning towards a Dillion 550. If anybody has any .02 I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks T3

[Sliebl]

I started with a Lee Classic Turret for loading 9mm, 45 ACP, and .223. This press is probably the the one I'd recommend for a true beginner. It can be run as a single stage press (as can most other turret and progressive presses) when you are just getting started. Once I was set up, it was easy to make 200 rounds of 9mm per hour without feeling rushed. I had ZERO problems with this press.

A few months back, I bought a Dillon 550. I moved all of my Lee dies over to the Dillon tool heads and have been happily reloading all three of these calibers on the Dillon now. As much as I like the new Dillon, if I had it to do over again, I'd still buy the Lee to start with. It can change calibers and primer sizes in a matter of minutes, unlike the Dillon that requires several tools and 30 minutes to make a full change over including changing primer sizes.

Caliber change over (and price) is about my only Dillon complaint, but then I knew that going in, so it wasn't a let down. It really can crank out the ammo once it's set up. I haven't loaded for hours on end with the Dillon, but I'm confident my throughput is double that of the Lee since each pull makes a completed round, instead of one every 4 pulls.

I don't think you can go wrong with either press, but I'd recommend a true beginner start with the Lee. You can always use your dies on any other press, should you decide to change up down the road.

Also, I can't recommend highly enough that you buy several reloading manuals. I like the Lyman's 49th the best. Lee has a nice manual too.

Good luck with your new purchase!

Oh, by the way, my 9mm rounds are currently costing me $12.01 per hundred. That's using a Montana Gold FMJ 124gr bullet ($0.083 each). If you use a less expensive bullet, you can really save some cash by reloading your own, and buying your primers and powder bulk.

[Bawanna]

I never had the Lee but I concur with sliebl. Being able to load one at a time is a good thing. For many many years I loaded on a single stage RCBS Rockchucker. Heck of a press, I still have it on the bench. But it's slow.

I looked hard and did research on the Dillon and loved their magazine of course but in the end opted for the Hornady Lock N Load. It's incredible. Very smooth, very positive. I like that it advances in half step increments. It's fast and you can easily pull a case at any stage to check.

I mounted a little dental mirror on the frame and I can visually check every powder charge. It's really fast and every time I use it I wonder why I waited so long to go progressive.

I'm rather obsessive and a worrier to boot so I double check alot. It lets me do that.

Its way faster but you have to remember that you can mess up alot faster too.

[rwblue01]

First, you need to find a good forum for asking reloading questions. I am going to suggest http://www.glockpost.com/forums/index.php

Second, if you have never reloaded before, I am going to suggest getting a non-progressive/single stage press kit. I like the RCBS Rock Chucker. If has some up sides and some down sides. Upside first. It is more cost effective to get into. As a newbie there are many ways to get into trouble fast with a progressive press. You can still get into trouble with a single stage press, but it is slower. You will still use the single stage to develop new loads if you if you get into reloading a lot. The down side, you will not be able to reload as fast on a single stage press.

[Too Tall Todd]

Thanks for all the advise guys, I have a single stage lee which I used to use way Back in antiquity. And I've played with the old lee loader too. I feel confident that I can spin up on a progressive before I do too much damage, he he.

[johnatw]

RCBS is offering a $50 rebate when you spend $300+ until Dec 31, 2011

[rwblue01]

Thanks for all the advise guys, I have a single stage lee which I used to use way Back in antiquity. And I've played with the old lee loader too. I feel confident that I can spin up on a progressive before I do too much damage, he he.

Sounds like you are ready for the progressive.

I have an older Hornady. Give the options, I would go blue if I had to buy again.

[Charlie98]

I would take a good look at the Hornady... I have a ProJector I bought back in 1992 and it's still going strong today. One of the things that made me choose the Hornady was the 5 stations... because I use a powder drop and a taper crimp die. You can detour around that with a 4-station press (or if you don't use a separate taper or FCD.) The new LnL press is a new and very improved ProJector (although I think the whole quick lock die bushing is sort of a Chinese fire drill...) and I think it would be a good choice. Hornady also offers free bullets with their presses which make them a very good value.

I can't say anything about the Dillion, I have no experience with them.