Multiple presses or just one with multiple conversion plates?

[NSR500]

How many of you guys have multiple presses vs. one press with multiple conversion plates?


Depending on the number of calibers you shoot and the amount of shooting your do, there has to be a value proposition for each rational, right?
For example, if you shoot .45, 9mm, 7.62x51, and 5.56x45 you could have 2 Dillon Square Deal "B"s, and maybe 1 Dillon XL650.
Obviously, if you shot a vast number of calibers and your shooting load on each varied too much, swapping conversion heads is probably a better proposition. In that event, maybe an XL 650 with numerous conversions.

What say you guys?

[PutTogether]

The key would be how much of how many calibers you load. If you shot a TON of one particular caliber, and a smattering of others, it may make sense to go with a 650, and then a 550.

From what I hear, it isn't the most convenient thing to change calibers on a 650, and a downright pain on a 1050. On my 550 though, it is super easy.

More people than you think go the two 550s route, leaving one set up for small primers, and one for large.

I shoot maybe 200 - 300 or so rounds of .45ACP a week. Since I just got the dies, toolhead, and conversion kit for .38/.357, I plan to shoot close to the same amount of .357.

Plan is to load 500 or 600 of one caliber, and then switch back and forth. Having TWO presses for that job would save me roughly 20 minutes a week. Doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

Now if I shot 2000 rounds of .45 a week, and then a few dozen or so of other calibers, I could see the logic of having a 1050 and a 550.

Having 2 square deals and 650 seems kind of silly. Replacing the 2 with 1 550 would be right about the same level of convenience, but would make it a lot easier to switch to other calibers as well. In your example, you'd STILL be stuck having to switch the 650 back and forth for your rifles, so why not do the same with a 550.

[jwest]

I am one of those guys that went the more than one 550 route.

[NSR500]

Maybe my Square Deal example wasn't the best choice, but I wanted to highlight cheap by getting it as low down possible to a caliber conversion setup.

[NSR500]

Two 550's aren't too bad of a gig since it's comparable to the price of one decent rifle.

[kermit315]

I have a lyman tmag II set up for 9mm and .45. When I step up to reloading rifle, I would like to get something else in a progressive flavor to move the pistol rounds over to, then run the rifle rounds on the lyman. I like being able to set my dies and not have to mess with them again each time I want to run a batch.

But, right now I am just working on getting a sturdy desk so I can move the whole setup into the house and out of the garage.

[BigBronco]

I mostly I the Lock and Load Ap I have 6 shell plates for it. 2 Rock Chuckers, 2 RC specials, a Hornady Pro 7 with 4 shell plates and a Lee 3 hole turret auto index. I bought the LnL Ap about 4 months ago and have been switching over to it and one Rock chucker. I have thought of dedicating the Pro 7 to one caliber however I do not have the shell plate I would dedicate a press to and they are hard to find for that press. Not Counting Shot shell stuff. "Ok I have said it" I need to get rid of some of this. I may need a 12 step program!

With that said. Does any one have a Hornady shell plate for a Pro 7 in 223 for sale?

[Chief-7700]

1 XL-650 with caliber conversion kits.

[LGB Loader]

up until the last few years, both me and my wife used to shoot Comp pistol at amauture level and used to blow through at least 500 rounds each a week, usually more. her 9mm and my 45. Since I don't have alot of spare time due to my career and hers, we found that buying dedicated presses for each caliber made more sense. I tried using one but with caliber changes... I just hated the work. That's my lazy side.

Here is what my cave is set up for:

XL650 w/ case feeder dedicated for 45ACP (jacketed pro jo's only)
XL650 w/case feeder dedicated for 9MM (jacketed pro jo's only)
550B for: 38 spcl, 357 Mag, 44, Mag, 40 S&W, 9mm cast lead, 45acp cast lead, and assembling 223 REM.

Redding T7: all my rifle calibers

Harrels Arbor press: straight dies for the bag guns

Lee Classic Cast: for case prep (sizing) and bullet sizing

Lee classic Turret: not set up but bought it for the motor home reloading while traveling

Lee challenger press: on mini bench in family room for case prep during NFL season.

RCBS rockchucker: my old faithful used for years and years, now retired and boxed up.

LGB

[Bill Steele]

You guys are my heros.

[TKM]

I started with a RCBS Partner press, bought a 550, went weird and bought a RCBS Pro2000, sold the 550, gave away the Partner, bought an Ammomaster for BIG cases and somehow wound up with a MEC60 for shotshells.

It takes about a half hour to swap out the Pro2000 and get everything dialed in just right. I imagine it could be done faster, but rushing powder settings seems like a bad idea.

I've seen a video of a 14 year old girl field stripping an AR faster than I can get my range bag open, but it doesn't mean she can out-shoot me.


Okay, she probably can. But I'd like to see her one-hand a 500, so there, neener-neener.

[bumpo628]

Not sure what kind of volume you're looking for, but the cheapest way to get going is with a Lee turret press. You can get them in either 3 or 4 die models, with and without auto index.

They're a lot slower than a progressive, but tool changes are very quick. All you have to do is buy extra turrets and leave all your dies set up. If you buy extra powder measures for each caliber then die changes literally take 15 seconds.

I use mine like a single stage, but without having to change the dies. I also have two turrets set up just for sizing six calibers of my cast bullets.

[mstlaurent]

I have a Hornady LNL AP, and I just switch calibers. If you do it right (bushings for each die, powder measure insert for each caliber, etc.) it takes all of about ten minutes to change calibers. It could be shorter, if I bought a second powder measure for the pistol rotor, and a powder die for each caliber, but adjusting the powder measure isn't really that hard.

[LGB Loader]

Mstlaurent,
When you are shooting 200-300 rounds of ammo 3 times a week consistantly each for 2 people for a few years, changing calibers back and forth is not fun no matter how long it takes. I've had Hornady LNL AP before as well and have to agree it is a great press for a given situation and if I only had space for 2 presses in in my cave (or the lack of room thereof), one would maybe be a Hornady LNL AP and a good single stage.
That said, I don't like to have to set up the presses for 9mm and 45acp. I just want to walk up to the press and handload. That's another reason I have Redding comp dies on my XL650's. So I can set the seater stem to the recorded number mark and go. I only have to spot check for qualitiy control. That is where it is very important to see how much ammo you realistically shoot for a period of time.
If I were to buy for what I loaded the last couple of years, a 550B and a single stage is all I really need now. Or a Lee Classic turret and single stage.

LGB

[Waldog]

2 MEC 9000's, 12 & 20ga.
2 Hornady LNL's
1 Dillon SDB
2 RockChuckers
1 RCBS Model "A2"
1 RCBS Model "A".
This is not counting the Dillon 550 I sold! (Liked the LNL MUCH BETTER!!)
It's a sickness I think