Single stage vs progressive?

[dscoduc]

How much time do you have?



I can crank out 100 rounds in 20 minutes from my prog. The SS user will just barely be de-priming 100 pieces of brass in that time. I handload hot 10mm, 45LC, 44 Mag and others from my two presses.

I would never use a SS for pistol calibers, or for generic 5.56 loads either. The current per round price for most of those calibers just doesn't justify the cost and / or time to reload...

[RiskyBusiness]

I would never use a SS for pistol calibers, or for generic 5.56 loads either. The current per round price for most of those calibers just doesn't justify the cost and / or time to reload...

Actually it does if you can get your ppr down real low. Factory 9 / 45 cost .18/.28 respectively. If you can reload them for .05/.07 cpr then it's still worth to reload "cheap" calibers. I believe you think otherwise because you and most reloaders like to use expensive FMJ bullets, don't look for the best component deals, dont cast/powder coat etc.

When your ppr is near .12 cents then that's when youre right that it's not worth to reload them.

[hambam105]

Single Staging a Progressive machine is using the tool in a manner it was not designed to do. Can it be, sure. By design, no.

A quality SS press offers a more equipment related forgiving learning experience due to the machines simplicity when compared to a Progressive.

[RiskyBusiness]

Single Staging a Progressive machine is using the tool in a manner it was not designed to do. Can it be, sure. By design, no.

A quality SS press offers a more equipment related forgiving learning experience due to the machines simplicity when compared to a Progressive.

I want to believe everyone involved with reloading doesnt have the mental capacity of a 5yr old, that being said I'm sure he can figure out eventually how to work a progressive. Baptism by fire go all in

[hambam105]

RiskyBusiness.

I too want to believe that. I am referring to the Reloading roadblocks that the progressive
operators themselves post questions to on their own proper assembly abilities.

[wilderness medic]

Well today I broke my wallet and got all the RCBS stuff. Just got done depriming, resizing, deburring, and cleaning 40 rounds of .308 and 60 rounds for 5.56. My fingers are sore. Chamfering/deburring seems to be the worst and most tedious part.


Single stage is nice to have. But what exactly can I get in a progressive? Do they have ones that will do most of these steps for you?


Also do most people use a hand primer to crank out primed casings? Seems like the primer on the press would be longer to do.

[BigBronco]

If you are loading match grade bottleneck rifle cartridge then for the most part forget the progressive. Progressives are for bulk loading. most all of you r case prep need s to be done prior to actual loading. Sure once the case prep is done you can prime charge and seat on a progressive. However you will not get match grade powder throws on it, especially if using a stick powder like Varget.

[bigbossman]

I started on Lee 1000 progressive back in 1994, never looked back. Still have the press, and it still cranks out tons of ammo. I used to shoot a lot of IPSC competition, and that $104 (1994 price for the kit) Lee press has cranked out easily 100k+ rounds of .45 for me.

Along the way, I've added a Rockchucker and another Lee 1000. The Rockchucker does the rifle ammo (for Highpower, Silhouette, etc matches), everything else gets gone on the progressive. All presses are mounted on Inline Fabrication quick-change mounts.

I use the Rockchucker for all rifle calibers, and it is easy to change over - die, shell holder... that's it. All rifle case prep is done off-press. I have a cheap LEE Breechlock press (that I bought used for $20) for priming, and it works great for that. All my pistol calibers are done on the Lee 1000's, and all operations are done there except case cleaning - sizing/de-capping, priming, charging, seating, and crimping.

Running a progressive press is not rocket science, and learning on one is not a big deal.

[wilderness medic]

Sounds like most of the work is in the case prep which I’ll have to do with a progressive anyway. I’ll probably get one down the line but right now I’ll stick to the SS until I get some loads dialed in.

[Revoman]

Yeah. Talking with some Prairie Dog shooters and they always loaded ss. They did not believe that a progressive would do the job accuracy wise.
Finally one if the guys got tired of loading 1600 rounds on a ss and decided to give a progressive a go.
Guess what, they worked out great for the Prairie Dog shoot the following year. Then ALL of the group started using progressives. They are all very happy with the loads.
Attention to what you are doing. Plus you can start out just loading a single round at a time on a progressive until you get the hang of it, then move faster as you gain confidence.

[Flouncer]

The only people that will tell you "single stage is the way to go" are pushing 50+ yrs and only know how to drive in the slow lane. Nothing is preventing you from making match grade rounds on a progressive, only your attention to your technique. You can adjust any progressive to work like a single stage or a turret so when you're ready to take the training wheels off you can dont have to buy your 2nd press. Still a single stage cost like $80 so either way its not much money to throw away to dedicate maybe some larger or oddball calibers, or to make it a sole depriming station, etc. I know i use my lee turret now for 45-70 because i dont want to cough up the dumb *** prices dillon sets for conversion kits and im just fine on the turret.

At the end of the day, think of progressives as a luxury item and if you have the funds then 100% go for it. If you're trying to make reloading into a budget hobby you can get out of with minimal investment than try a turret, its not that much more and hell of a lot faster than the grandpa single stage.

The single stage FORCES you to handle the round. See it, touch it, feel it. Start with a single stage. The turret or other crap gets in the way. 5, 15 or 55 yo doesn't matter. Lee single stage embarrasses all the others. So do their dies. You can always tell the ego in these posts. Stop reading bull**** on the web. Get a manual or 3. Read them. Turn off the web. Well, you can stream GOT. Any tard can make a youtube video or post an opinion. They can't author and publish a book, or have the testing lab check the text, or have legal proof it. Think about it.

[Triple765]

There's various "Case prep centers" that can help. Some also have a built in trimmer while others just deburr n' such.

[TempleKnight]

The only people that will tell you "single stage is the way to go" are pushing 50+ yrs and only know how to drive in the slow lane. Nothing is preventing you from making match grade rounds on a progressive, only your attention to your technique. You can adjust any progressive to work like a single stage or a turret so when you're ready to take the training wheels off you can dont have to buy your 2nd press. Still a single stage cost like $80 so either way its not much money to throw away to dedicate maybe some larger or oddball calibers, or to make it a sole depriming station, etc. I know i use my lee turret now for 45-70 because i dont want to cough up the dumb *** prices dillon sets for conversion kits and im just fine on the turret.

At the end of the day, think of progressives as a luxury item and if you have the funds then 100% go for it. If you're trying to make reloading into a budget hobby you can get out of with minimal investment than try a turret, its not that much more and hell of a lot faster than the grandpa single stage.

[wilderness medic]

Sound advice going with the ss. I can’t imagine learning on a progressive. Just made my first batch of 25 .308 reloads on it.

[tanks]

I use a Forster Co-AX single stage for all my rifle hunting loads (.308, .375, .416, .458, .500). I am very meticulous as last thing I need is the round not to function when shooting an elephant, lion or a cape buffalo. All low volume rounds. (At $5 or so per round on large calibers not gonna load a lot).

I use a Dillon 550 set up for large primer for .45 ACP. A few thousand rounds a year.

I use a fully automatic Mark 7 Revolution for 9mm and .40 S&W. Calibers where I shoot tens of thousands of rounds each year.