Choosing reloading press...

[74c5]

There is nothing wrong with simple....especially when you can get a rebate. RCBS rock chucker kit. You'll need more money for other things anyway.

[ricemanff]

I have the RL 550b it is a really good press. The 650 is better. It has been an awesome machine for me. If you are close to Ripon, Barnwood Arms has both in stock and no mark up. It is sold at the same price Dillon sells them for.

[Don the savage]

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-...loading+turret
Amazon has the standard Lee's on sale. Would this be a good deal for a beginner?
When/if I get the dies, I can load rifle, pistol AND shotgun on this?

http://www.amazon.com/Lee-Precision-Classic-Turret-Press/dp/B008M5TSCG/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1370707539&sr=8-4&keywords=lee+reloading+turret

This one isnt on sale, it is a turret style. That means progressive, correct? Or does the turret only speed up one process, not perform multiple?

Would I be better off just getting the turret one? Can I even find stuff for reloading right now for a decent price or at all?

I load pistol and rifle on my 25 year old 3 hole lee turret. Buy extra turrets for $6 and your dies are set up every time.
Shotgun is a different animal entirely and takes a different type of press.

[Bumslie]

There is nothing wrong with simple....especially when you can get a rebate. RCBS rock chucker kit. You'll need more money for other things anyway.

Yup. Hornady and RCBS have a 500 free bullet promo when buying their presses. Just make sure you don't throw away the box. You'll need that UPC or else you won't be able get it. I missed out on my RCBS promo, but sure as hell didn't with hornady.

[readysetgo]

I've gone through hundreds of google posts on presses. Since I'm just a casual shooter, I'm going single stage to load 357, 40SW, 45 ACP. looking at Hornady Classic, Forster, but I hear great things about Redding but not many seem to own one. Why? Any other suggestions?

What's your location jimwest? Check for some of the CGSSA reloading clubs that are getting started. Hands on experience would probably help a bunch. Good luck.

[Bumslie]

What's your location jimwest? Check for some of the CGSSA reloading clubs that are getting started. Hands on experience would probably help a bunch. Good luck.

Geez I'm a state coordinator for this and I didn't even give myself a shameless plug

If you're in SoCal, Ventura is having their first workshop on the 30th. I will be there helping out.

Inland empire will be having one on the 15th

Orange County will be the 23rd. I will be there as well as that is my home turf.

Pm me for any details or questions you might have. We have a multitude of presses avail. RCBS, lee single and turrets, even a coax. We do show what a 550b and hornady can do as well

Link to orange county's workshop

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=768711

[stilly]

Reloading pistol ammo on a single stage will get old real fast. 50 rounds an hour, don't believe anything else. If you have way more time than money and don't mind spending an hour loading 50 rounds then a single stage will work fine.

A Forster would be an absolute waste of money to load pistol on. A press that expensive is best suited to load precision rifle rounds.

Any brand single stage will work fine, even the inexpensive Lee ones. The RCBS is probably the most popular.

A turret is a much better choice for pistol. You could load 3 times as fast for about the same price as a medium priced single stage. The Lee turret is around $100.

+1

In before all the Lee Classic Turret Lover... Damn, I can see there are more responses to read, I guess I missed that one.

Lee Classic Turret is prolly best for making a lot of pistol ammo. Here is a testimonial, I have ADHD or ADD and I have yet to get bored making ammo on mine... (LoL!) It is just so much fun and FAST, I will be looking at progressive presses for a long time all while making 150+ rounds an hour on my Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret. DO NOT GET THE ALUMINUM one, you want the CLASSIC 4 HOLE...

[CGT80]

The Dillon 550 is a great press. You can use it as a single stage for load development or run it as a progressive. It is easy and fast to change to different calibers.

The 650 is a true progressive, with auto indexing and the case feeder will feed rifle brass.

I went with a 1050 and bullet feeder just to load 9mm ammo.

I wish I had a 650, but the 550 was part of a great deal and I have upgraded it with a case feeder (there are some big cons to the case feeder).

[the_tunaman]

The Dillon 550 is a great press. You can use it as a single stage for load development or run it as a progressive. It is easy and fast to change to different calibers.

The 650 is a true progressive, with auto indexing and the case feeder will feed rifle brass.

I went with a 1050 and bullet feeder just to load 9mm ammo.

I wish I had a 650, but the 550 was part of a great deal and I have upgraded it with a case feeder (there are some big cons to the case feeder).

Absolutely be sure to consider the Dillon line... They are considered by many to be the industry standard.

I myself have a 550B and load 8 different rifle and pistol calibers. As noted above, I can (and do) load in single-stage mode for my precision match ammo, as well as cranking out mass quantities of range loads.

Be sure to check out the buyers guide on Brian Eno's site, as it gives excellent advice on the differences between the four models of Dillon presses - make the right selection and it will likely serve you well for the rest of your life.

And you can't beat Dillon's fault-free warranty for life on the 550 and 650 presses.

[Bumslie]

As always someone is asking about a single stage, and it becomes a progressive topic. OP contact me if you're in SoCal and would like info about a reloading clinic.

[gunboat]

Check the marketplace and buy a used press -- If it uses todays style shellholders just about any press will do --
Pays yer money and takes yer choice -
my ha-penny

[damndave]

The Redding presses are excellent, just expensive. That's why you don't see that many out there.

As for a casual shooter reloading pistol calibers, the Lee Classic Turret is hard to beat. You will find out that loading pistol on a single stage gets old REAL fast.

These are my suggestions for reloading.

Match Rifle - Single Stage
Pistol - LCT or Progressive

[BajaJames83]

I would highly suggest the dillon 550, depending on the budget you have you could start with the basic no frills 550, use it similar to a turret or single stage, and later upgrade it to the 550B

[Ferrum]

Damn, I was hoping to get an "in before the blue koolaid crowd".

My vote would be for the rock chucker, especially the kit. If you're a casual shooter/reloader, lee is hard to beat for the money, but their safety scale and perfect powder measurer is garbage, which is why I go back to the rock chucker kit.

I'm sure there will be someone along here shortly to debate me on their blue koolaid products or the lee.


YMMV. Take everyone's opinion with a grain of salt.

Since the OP asked for single stage advice, ^^^^ this is good advice. I am particularly fond of RCBS. With that being said, I have to say that I like the new RCBS Summit press better than the Rock Chucker.... just my 2 cents.

[ExtremeX]

The money spend on an RCBS kit is worth it when you break down the pieces individually. The press, uniflow and 505 scale make the kit worth while, everything else is just icing.

I agree

If this OP has his mind set on a single stage press the RCBS kit is the way to go.

Excellent value and all the included accessories are fantastic and of high quality. Great way to get started.

Just add up the main pieces a la cart and its easy to see its value.

That said for pistol loading... personally I would seek a turret at a bare minimum. I only use my Rockchucker for match rifle loads, case prep, and other odd jobs around the reloading bench.