Question for experienced reloaders

[fugami]

Hoping to get some experienced opinions. Starting reloading, primerly to replenish target ammo & reduce marketplace expense, but also hobby. I understand that there is going to an expense. Took 101 class, bought Lyman #49 ,reading it. Talked to guys I am aquainted with who have been doing it for in at least a couple cases decades. Hearing two different opinions. 1. Start with single stage press & really get to know the process, successes & mistakes & then move up to a progressive. 2. Don't waste time & money on single stage, get right into progressive, learn what you have to learn because your going end up at a progressive anyway. Sooner you start the sooner you get there! Nobody giving me these opinions is selling me anything. Thought I'd see if I could learn anything on here that might help me decide. Also been told "Don't pay attention to info on the internet" by several, but I like most of what I read on this site. Would appreciate any sharing of opinions, advice, agreement, disagreement on these two points of view. Thanks.

[C3nt3rMa55]

Single stage to start, there's too many variables going right into progressive, even if I had a progressive I would not do rifle on it because I like to clean and tumble the lube off after resizing. Pistol on a progressive yes!


That's just me

[CSACANNONEER]

OK, I'll give my opinion and try to sell you something at the same time! Join the now forming reloading club! We hope to have club owned equipment for members to use/demo in the near future.

As far as getting a single stage press goes, I own several progressives and will never be without a couple single stage presses on my bench. A press isn't the big investment most people make it out to be. I own several trimmers that cost more than most single stage presses. BTW, if you plan on reloading bottlenecked cartridges, a single stage press is the way to go. If you're just getting into reloading because ammo isn't available right now, chances are that you are not going to continue with the hobby for too long. So, don't invest a lot in it until you know you're going to enjoy it. I will be offering hands on reloading classes in the near future if you want to drive a little. These classes will include enough components for each student to leave with some ammo and offer the ability to chronograph them on sight using a Ohler 35P.

[XDRoX]

Here's the real truth. Start with a single stage and you'll probably end up moving to a progressive. Start with a progressive and you'll probably end up buying a single stage.

So really IMO, it doesn't matter which you start with, eventually you'll have both. Any experienced hand loader needs at least one single stage on his bench.

Loading small batches
Universal de-priming
Swaging
Pulling bullets
The list goes on and on...

The real difference is speed and then accuracy. If you require 2000 rounds of pistol ammo a month it would be silly to try to load that much on a single stage. If you shoot competition rifle then a single stage is all you need.

If you really plan on getting into the hobby you'll have both anyway. If you want to start off by spending less and don't require a lot of ammo then a single stage will work fine.

Also consider a turret. Easy to learn on and inexpensive. I always recommend turrets to those just starting off.

[Abenaki]

How much ammo are you going to reload?

I have been using a single stage for over 30 years.

I reload maybe 5000 rounds a year.

If I was gonna get a progressive press....I would have a single stage press anyways, as there are time when I would use it. Like when I am working up a load that I have never used before.

It is your money..... buy what makes you happy.

Take care
Abenaki

[AAShooter]

Much depends on what you intend to reload. If you need a progressive loader for you mid-term needs, I don't buy the argument that you must start with a single stage press. It is not a bad way to start but not necessary.

I started with a progressive reloader and it is more complex because multiple things are happening at once but it is manageable if you are patient. For example, I started loading single rounds in my progressive press. I made a lot of mistakes but learned loading and the machine. Once that was done, I started running small batches (5-20 rounds). Generally starting up and shutting down the machine is the tough part. Once things are running, you just monitor things and crank.

Of course, finding a knowledgeable mentor and building your understanding of reloading and its components will accelerate your learning while making you a better reloader.

[sghart]

I am one of those old timers that has been reloading for many years. First with/for my children, now grandchildren. I don't usually give advice about reloading (or guns in general for that matter) but with the current situation I want everyone to be involved and active and learn the right way.

I have owned and used most types of machines. I started on an old single stage that i shared with my Dad and brothers.

I now own a single stage, a turret and a progressive. I load for 6 handgun calibers and 4 rifle calibers. If I were starting out fresh now but with the advantage of my experience I would buy a Lee Classic Turret Press.

From your post you sound like a guy that is willing to put in the time to read, ask and research the right way of doing things. If that is so then the LCT will do everything that you want to do.

I load everything from light 38 spl plinkers to 44 mag ballbreakers on it. I load 223 to 30.06 also.

I would suggest that if you do go this route that you set up your first die set and then remove the indexing rod. Thsi makes the LCT a single stage press. A brilliant design if you ask me.

If people tell you that you cannot make accurate ammo with it they are crazy. My S&W 586 357 magnum will shoot 2"-3" groups at 25 yards all day long with 158 GR lswc and 2400 powder. My Winchester model 70 will group 150 gr boattails in a 1" circle at 100 yards with ammo from my LCT. I love this machine.

I still use a single stage dedicated to rifle ammo and you may want to get one later. I do this not because it makes better ammo but because for me reloading is my private time. I slow down and enjoy the process. It is me in my mancave with my hobby, my dogs and a pot of coffee.

I own a progressive because I got it cheap, before the panic. My son actually owns it now but since he lives in an apartment he keeps it set up in my garage. It is dedicated to 9mm and he goes through a lot of it.

I recommended a LCT to a young guy at my work. He was set on a full blown progressive for his first machine but after looking at and playing with mine he bought his own LCT. He loves it.

So to recap my ramblings, I would start with a Lee Classic Turret Press. Learn how to set it up, learn how to run it and you will be happy. You can add more machines later.

As usual, your mileage may vary.

[mark501w]

start with a single stage learn the basics it will help with your set up on your progressive if you get one. You can always use the single stage for utilitary functions I.E. pulling bullets. The internet is a real good place for info, as with anything everyone's got a opinion. Try the different ideas & if it works for you it's good.

[Kurgan]

What do you plan on reloading mostly? Rifle or pistol? How much ammo are you going to shoot? A little or a lot?

If it's pistol, and you shoot regularly, spend the money and buy a Dillon 550 or 650 with a case feed and don't look back. It's almost unbelievable how quickly you can load a couple thousand rounds on one.

If it's mostly rifle, then a single stage is probably going to work for you and meet your needs.

[ChrisGarrett]

Unless you're a total idiot mechanically, there's no reason why somebody with even a modicum of 'machinery experience' shouldn't be able to reload on a progressive press from the get-go.

Back in '95, I decided to go straight into a progressive and bought a Dillon 550b and didn't even have a computer, or the internet back then! It was Nosler 4, Speer 12 and the monthly reloading article in HANDGUNS for me.

You just have to go more slowly in the beginning and read all of the 'How To' sections, articles, that you can find, that way, you'll actually know what you're supposed to be doing when you start doing it.

Too many people are impatient these days and forego reading (and REREADING) the 'How To' guides in their manuals, if they even took the time to buy one, or a couple, like I did.

You can see who those people are, by reading their comments concerning problems here and on other reloading sites.

Don't be 'that guy'.

Chris

[JagerDog]

What calibers do you expect to reload? What volume do you expect to shoot? How much time can you dedicate to reloading?

I'm a fan of single stage and/or turrets. I'm in favor of learning on them where you ane easily break out each operation and know it intimately. Love my Redding T7. With prepped brass I can easily load 500 rounds of pistol or 300 rounds of rifle in an evening with the support of a powder measure, trickler and scale. I can easily load up 50 of varying charge weights/OAL's/etc. when developing a load.

Unless you shoot high volume I can't see the need or even function of progressive. I do have progressives for shotshells though.

[22popnsplat]

I have been reloading for a good many years and have owned a wide variety of reloading presses . I now use a turret press about 95% of the time and when i use my progressive I run 2 stations and remove brass for priming and powder charging and then run it through again with another tool head for seating and crimp . My explanation may not be the greatest but with my system i know my primers are seated and the powder is in the case .

[mls204]

Here's the real truth. Start with a single stage and you'll probably end up moving to a progressive. Start with a progressive and you'll probably end up buying a single stage.

Completely agree with this statement. I started on a progressive and now that I'm getting into reloading rifle cartridges, I'm seriously considering getting a single stage.

[koehn,jim]

It is really a question of how anal you are. a single station press does one operation at a time and allows your mind to wander a little. A progressive press, does one operation at each station it has. So if your mind wanders you may have a lot of mis-loads. If you concentrate and pay attention you will have a large pile of great shooting ammo. i have 2 progressives and a single, they each have their uses.

[noylj]

I taught my son to reload on the Hornady L-N-L progressive. As long as you start loading one round at a time, you are good to go. Always start and make two inert (no powder or primer) dummy rounds so you play with seating depth and crimp to set-up. These can be cycled in your gun to verify that they fit the magazine, feed and chamber. I almost always have one gun barrel at the bench to check for fit in chamber and to get a COL that minimizes head space and still feeds and chambers.
If you decide to go single stage, and know that you want a progressive press, then buy the "Lee Reloading Press" for about $25. After you have used it and decided that you are ready for a progressive, you will still use it for small jobs, bulge busting, and depriming before case cleaning (if you decide to deprime first). It is a nice little press to have at hand.
When I first considered a progressive press, there was only the Dillon available at a somewhat affordable price. It had only four stations and I knew that my reloading technique would require five stations. Hornady came out with a five station press, I bought it, and never looked back.
I consider the Lee progressives and and Dillon SDB and 550 to be too limited for me. I would still buy a Hornady, as I don't need a case feeder/collator. If I needed a case feeder, I would buy the Dillon 650.
Despite not needing a case collator, I found three great buys on Dillon 1050s, so my son has my L-N-L and I have three 1050s.
Yes, a progressive, to me, makes little sense for bottleneck cases and a LOT of sense for straight-wall cases. However, you can run single-stage in a progressive, but you can't run progressive in a single-stage.
If you reload a lot, a progressive is the only way to go. If you don't reload a lot, why spend all that money on a press when you can try and spend it on more components.