Progressive Reloading Presses, Dillion, Hornady or Lee?

[Waldog]

Whoever told you that Hornady did not make carbide dies in 9mm and 45 acp is dead wrong! They call them titanium carbide.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/6776

Also, cheapest price on LNL is $368: http://www.manventureoutpost.com/pro...Loader-AP.html

They sell out quick but take backorders.

[Boxer]

Whoever told you that Hornady did not make carbide dies in 9mm and 45 acp is dead wrong! They call them titanium carbide.

http://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/6776

Also, cheapest price on LNL is $368: http://www.manventureoutpost.com/pro...Loader-AP.html

They sell out quick but take backorders.

Waldog,

The sales lady at Midway told me. Thanks for the link for the dies and a cheaper place to buy.

[Hans Gruber]

I use a Hornady LnL with Lee carbide dies.

It works great once I got over the initial progressive press learning curve that you have whether you go red or blue. Learning the feel of the press is the key to getting it to really run.

[383green]

I use a Hornady LnL with Lee carbide dies.

It works great once I got over the initial progressive press learning curve that you have whether you go red or blue. Learning the feel of the press is the key to getting it to really run.

This is exactly what I was planning to ask about after I finished reading this thread. Thanks for reading my mind!

I'm just starting to get into reloading. I have an old Lyman Spartan single-stage press, an O'Haus reloading scale and an O'Haus Duo-Measure that my next door neighbor gave me for free (they were her dad's), and I've been accumulating dies and other accessories recently. My dies are a mix of RCBS and Lee. The separate crimp die in the Lee sets seems like a good idea to me.

Just today, I headed down to the range to try out my new S&W MP340 (.38/.357 hammerless snubnose revolver), and I was very pleased with it. That got me thinking about getting back into the habit of weekly range time, which really improved my shooting with my 1911 when I tried that many years ago. Then, that made me contemplate burning through 5k to 10k rounds per year. Then, that made me consider that it's time to order up a bunch of components and start actually doing something with the reloading equipment that I've been accumulating. Also, it made me consider that a progressive press may be in my future! I independently found the Dillon/Hornady/Lee comparison article that was posted earlier in this thread, and after reading it, the Hornady press seems to appeal to me the most. Quite possibly with a case feeder, but probably not with a bullet feeder... as mentioned above, I don't want to get so disconnected from the reloading process that I miss a squib or double-charged case before it falls into the bin!

So, here I am considering whether the Hornady press will work well with my RCBS and Lee dies. Then, I find this here thread. Then, Hans Gruber helpfully answers my exact question before I even ask it. This thread is full of win!

As an aside, after firing a mere 50 unjacketed lead bullets through my little wheelgun today (plus 50 FMJ rounds and 5 +P JHP rounds), I discovered that it takes a lot more time and effort to get the lead fouling out of my revolver than it did to put it in. It's gonna be nothing but jacketed rounds from now on, and I'm even thinking of pulling the bullets from my remaining box of unjacketed .38SPL rounds and reloading the primed cases with jacketed rounds!

[powaybob]

I am a Hornady LNL owner who up to this point loads 45 ACP and 38 Special. I have about 5000 rounds complete with it and I recommend it highly, as well as Hornady's customer service. Fyathrio has described well his experience, and he helped me when I was learning the ropes with the LNL.

I plan to start loading .30-06 for my Garand with the LNL when I get my new garage built and workbench built.

Before the LNL I used a single stage press which was great, and I still have it. I learned some basic techniques and procedures with it. There is definitely a learning curve with a progressive, and for me I ruined a lot of rounds while learning.

For me, the LNL works well, is well made, and the company provides good customer service. Like Fyathrio, I got the 1000 bullet premium plus another 100 for a die set. The retail value of the bullets was about the same of the cost of the press. I got mine from Cabelas- a few bucks more, but they too have good service.

Good luck with your selection.

[Boxer]

I placed my order with Graf and Sons. Great company had all I needed except a scale and primes tubes. I asked which press they recommended as they sell Dillion and Hornady LNL AP.

As you know the Dillion costs more as do the conversions....well they said buy the Hornady. They said it was a better built press and easier for coversions.

So I did! Yahooo..

Thanks for all your help.

[XDRoX]

I placed my order with Graf and Sons. Great company had all I needed except a scale and primes tubes. I asked which press they recommended as they sell Dillion and Hornady LNL AP.

As you know the Dillion costs more as do the conversions....well they said buy the Hornady. They said it was a better built press and easier for coversions.

So I did! Yahooo..

Thanks for all your help.

Congrats, welcome to reloading. You may as well go and take out a 2nd mortgage on your house to pay for components. If you thought hoarding ammo was bad, wait until you start storing components.

[Peter W Bush]

Congrats, welcome to reloading. You may as well go and take out a 2nd mortgage on your house to pay for components. If you thought hoarding ammo was bad, wait until you start storing components.

This is the truth. I have dies, bullets, and primers for calibers I don't even own

[RaymondMillbrae]

Stay away from my brass at the range!!

In Christ: Raymond

[Cowboy T]

As an aside, after firing a mere 50 unjacketed lead bullets through my little wheelgun today (plus 50 FMJ rounds and 5 +P JHP rounds), I discovered that it takes a lot more time and effort to get the lead fouling out of my revolver than it did to put it in. It's gonna be nothing but jacketed rounds from now on, and I'm even thinking of pulling the bullets from my remaining box of unjacketed .38SPL rounds and reloading the primed cases with jacketed rounds!

That's because those lead bullets are probably way too hard for normal .38 Special pressures. I shoot nothing but cast bullets in my wheelguns, and I have ZERO leading problems. Of course, I'm casting my own, and I'm using an alloy soft enough for .38 Special and .45 Colt pressures (straight wheel weights). Those BHN 18 bullets are for full-house .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum type pressures.

I'm guessing you bought your cast bullets from someone like an Oregon Trail or whatever. Such companies nearly always sell BHN 18 or so bullets. Why do bullet companies do this? Simple--so they don't look bent up after "the Post Office gorillas" get them to you. :-) But that really points to inferior packaging on the casting company's end, not the Post Office's fault. So, to stay cheap with the packaging, they use a hard alloy.

And this is probably the biggest reason why you have leading problems. Try a softer alloy. Seriously.

[383green]

I'm guessing you bought your cast bullets from someone like an Oregon Trail or whatever. Such companies nearly always sell BHN 18 or so bullets. Why do bullet companies do this? Simple--so they don't look bent up after "the Post Office gorillas" get them to you. :-) But that really points to inferior packaging on the casting company's end, not the Post Office's fault. So, to stay cheap with the packaging, they use a hard alloy.

They were commercially-loaded Winchester ammo, actually.

My first batch of reloads will be with some copper-plated bullets that I ordered from Midway. I may consider casting my own bullets to further lower cost in the future, assuming I can find good sources for the right sort of lead for use in powder-puff practice ammo for my snub-nose revolver. For now, just getting into reloading is enough, so I'll learn about casting bullets another day!

[joedogboy]

I have had mixed results with lead bullets in my press. When I used softer lead, it gummed up the press. I would recommend trying a few before choosing a brand to buy in bulk.

[Cowboy T]

I had some Winchester Super-X ammo in .45 Colt with cast bullets. Suer enough, BHN on the bullets was 18, way too hard for .45 Colt pressures.

You're right, take it slowly. You'll get there. :-)

[microstencil]

I went with a Dillon 550 and have loved it. I have probobly made over 10,000 rounds since I get it.