Reloading press suggestion

[tools2teach]

I'll will be reloading 223 and 308. I don't plan to get to heavily into reloading. I would say would I shoot shoot about 200 rounds each a month, but I am also all about efficiency. I am thinking of a Dillon press, but not sure what model to get. I certainly don't want to spend hours reloading. What do you recommend for reloading presses? I budget would be about $500 and I am also open to different brand of presses.

[bohoki]

those calibers require a trimmer even if you spring for the new X-dies

you will want a vibratory tumbler and maybe a primer pocket swager if you are going to use military or "some" pmc brass

i would suggest starting out with a single stage press it really gets your fundamentals down

[ivanimal]

Dillon 650 and dont look back.

[CSACANNONEER]

bohoki is right on all acounts!

I suggest finding a class and getting a little hands on experience before buying anything. There should be calguns classes forming in your area soon.

Either contact someone in this thread: http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=232468

Or, PM me if you are free on Dec 12th and want to drive up to the Santa Clarita area.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=232467

[BuisJoel]

what does everyone think about turret presses? I was leaning toward the Reddings T-7 for my first press. I like the fact that you once you have your dies set to your likings, you never have to touch them again and ive read that theyre just about the same as single stage loaders percision wise.

[CSACANNONEER]

what does everyone think about turret presses? I was leaning toward the Reddings T-7 for my first press. I like the fact that you once you have your dies set to your likings, you never have to touch them again and ive read that theyre just about the same as single stage loaders percision wise.

Dillon 550!

[bruceflinch]

Dillon 550!

200-500 rnds a month= Dillon 550
More than that, I'd say a Dillon 650.
100 rnds a month = Single stage
IMHO

[swerv512]

get a single stage that can be upgraded down the road to a turret-type system...

[freonr22]

Hornady l-nl used as a single press until your more comfortable...

[chris]

i use a RCBS rock chucker and it's great. i don't shoot that much. i di use it for reloading all my hunting rifles and my favorite toy 45-70.

you should keep it simple til you learn what you are doing bohoki and ivanimal are right.

[radio2]

+1 for the dillon 550!

[Breadfan]

Hornady Lock-N-Load AP Progressive Press

[BuisJoel]

If i only plan to shoot maybe 200-500 a month, maybe even less since ive read 243win barrels only last anywhere from 1.5k to 2/3k depending on my loads, Would i be better served with a turret or single stage? I like the speed of the 550 but id like to weigh each load. Is there a way to disconnect the powder thrower on the dillon?

[ilbob]

It might actually be cheaper to just buy the ammo in lieu of a Dillon 650 and the required accessories. You could be into close to a grand before you reloaded a single round.

Personally, I am a fan of starting with a single stage press and working your way into a progressive when it makes sense.

I have never been able to come close to the stated rounds/minute of either my 650 or my Lee 1000. You can do it pretty easily for a few minutes at a time but the reloading of the priming system takes time, as does the reloading of the empty cases in the feed tube. The 650 does offer an expensive option for an electric case feeder that solves that problem, but there really is no solution to refilling primer tubes other than doing it in advance, but it still takes almost as much time to refill the primer tubes on a per round basis as it does to process the whole round.

And if you are using military brass and have to swage them, that adds two operations to your reloading - depriming and swaging that can't be done as part of the reloading progression. It has to be done in advance.

There is also the issue of lubing your cases. Thats not something that is part of the progressive press operation.

You can probably average 100 rounds an hour net on a single stage press if you are organized and do operations in bulk. Maybe deprime/size 500 cases at a time, then swage 500 cases. Probably can do 500 of each operation in well under an hour, and probably do 500 priming operations with a hand primer in an hour. So you end up with 500 primed brass ready to go with 2-3 hours invested.

If you use a powder measure, you can throw 100 charges and set the bullets in the case in 10 minutes without any real problem. Seating and crimping is pretty quick too.

You might also have to trim your cases, which is a bit of a problem with progressive presses.

[popeye4]

You won't regret getting a single stage press for your first one. You'll find all sorts of reasons to use it, even if you buy a Dillon or other progressive later on. I've got a RCBS Rockchucker that I've had for over 30 years and a Dillon XL650. I use the Rockchucker way more than the Dillon.

The Redding press is good. I don't have a turret press, but they look like an interesting concept.