New to reloading - Dillon XL650?

[ar15barrels]

Maybe you should read some of my other posts where I've praised the shooting abilities of women.

Wait, all those times you told me I shoot like a girl, those were compliments?

[CSACANNONEER]

Wait, all those times you told me I shoot like a girl, those were compliments?

No Randell, You muxt have doubled up on your ear protection. I've told you that you "throw like a girl," "whine like a girl" and "run like a girl". You still need a lot of work before you get to the point where you can shoot like one.

[cal3gunner]

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[CSACANNONEER]

Chances are pretty good that the OP is going to be able to compare the 550 to the 650 this weekend. I also advised him to PM a fellow CGer and friend of mine to ask why he decided to go red instead blue. I thought it best for him to hear it dirrectly from the source instead of through my blue ray glasses.

On BIG reason for a single stage press is for loading a few rounds a year of those odd calibers. Although you can use a progressive press as a single stage, you'ld still have to invest in an expensive caliber conversion or shell plate. With a single stage press (even a <$30 Lee handpress), you can get $3 shell holders for ANY caliber you want to load. All progressive presses only offer much more expensive shellplate for a LIMITED number of calibers. Another good reason for a single stage press is to fix all the screw ups you'll have while learning/adjusting a proggressive press. (I've still got a pile of cal3gunner's Ooopses to prove it).

[cal3gunner]

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[cal3gunner]

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[CSACANNONEER]

There is nothing wrong with single stage presses, I just like to get the most ammo out of my time, then again, I can't shoot sub 10 inch groups at 1000 yards with my ammo either

I can't shoot <10" groups with your ammo either.

[cal3gunner]

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[ar15barrels]

Yea well I can shoot a .02 MOA one shot group at 1000 yards. Beat that!

You can't measure a bullet hole that's not on the backerboard.

[Brasspolisher]

If I may heave in an option that's only been mentioned peripherally...

I, too wanted to start with the "good stuff," and was persuaded by the counterpoint of "learn what you're doing on a single stage" -- then discovered the 'happy medium' solution:

Turret press.

(Mine's red, but that's no slight to any of the other color camps.)

I use it like a single stage with fast die swaps, output about 90-100 rounds/hour without rushing, and feel like I get to spend quality time with each round produced while still building enough to satisfy an itchy trigger finger. Caliber conversions are $10 plus dies, require no tools, and take, oh, about 15 seconds. (And that ease and affordability means that I now have experience -- and fun -- reloading eight different calibers instead of just chonking out buckets of 9mm like I'd intended...)

The 'training machine' is five years old now, and I still pick up the Blue Press booklets to ogle more than the cover models (obligatory nod to the sexist-or-not side debate), but haven't yet felt the need in my personal situation to upgrade.

Whatever you choose, welcome to the hobby, be safe, have fun, ask lots of questions, and remember to come back and answer some when you're ready!


-Brasspolisher

[CSACANNONEER]

Yea well I can shoot a .02 MOA one shot group at 1000 yards. Beat that!

.02 minute of mountain is not that hard to achieve. I can do it with a .22 short from a derringer at 1000 yards!