I want to get a progressive reloader but I don't need everything. I have a hand depriming tool. And I want to get a hand priming tool. So what I need my progressive reloader to do is: size the case, drop the powder, set the bullet, auto indexing.(maybe auto-eject and a casefeeder) Is there a progressive reloader, old or new, that just does those steps?
which reloader
- Thread starter dwd
- Start date
anachronism
Single-Sixer
This makes no sense to me. You want a progressive press, but you want to take each case out and prime it by hand, reinsert it into the machine, then move it to the next station? Skip the progressive, and buy a turret press instead.
contender
Ruger Guru
I own 4 Dillons. (2 SD-B's, 1 RL550, & 1 650.) If you want a progressive, Dillon is the only way to go. But as mentioned above, hand priming is gonna slow it down a lot.
I load my USPSA match ammo on my 650. No primer problems there.
But, if hand priming is a "have to" for you, then I'd suggest a turret as well.
I load my USPSA match ammo on my 650. No primer problems there.
But, if hand priming is a "have to" for you, then I'd suggest a turret as well.
Jim Puke
Hunter
Dillon is the only game in town as far as I am concerned. I have never had issues with the Dillon's primer feeds on ours...they work very well.
Hand priming does slow the process considerably, if that is a must, you may be wasting money to buy a Dillon.
Hand priming does slow the process considerably, if that is a must, you may be wasting money to buy a Dillon.
AGE Ranger
Single-Sixer
I don't know of a progressive without those features. What you would have to do is remove those dies.dwd said:
If you still want to deprime and prime by hand (like I do) then like mentioned you would want a turrett press (like I have) I put a powder throw in one hole. When all are charged I spin the turrett add a bullet and I'm done.
AGE Ranger
Single-Sixer
I have a 6 hole Lyman turret. Bought in '82. I'm willing to bet I have well over 10k through it. I quit recording my reloads back around the mid 90s (7.8k then). Couple nice used ones on eBay.
Lee makes a decent turret also; generally the cheapest.
RCBS Rock Chucker generally refers to a single stag; however they make a turret tad pricey.
The Lyman Crusher is a single stage press. Lyman T-mag is their newer turret.
Lee makes a decent turret also; generally the cheapest.
RCBS Rock Chucker generally refers to a single stag; however they make a turret tad pricey.
The Lyman Crusher is a single stage press. Lyman T-mag is their newer turret.
I use the RCBS turret press. I got it this summer and it is working out great. I use the RCBS Chargemaster electric powder dispenser as well. It certainly isn't as fast as a progressive but for me it works very well. The cost of the Chargemaster and turret press is probably the same as a Dillon progressive.
dwd said:
What you're asking for makes no practical sense from a reloading point of view .... You say you 'want' to get a hand priming tool .... Why ? If you don't already have one, why wouldn't you just use the press, which is what it's made for ? What calibers are you reloading ?
I'd suggest you watch some youtube videos on progressive presses to see how they work, and then you'll realize that what you're asking for kinda defeats then whole purpose of a progressive press.
REV
contender
Ruger Guru
revhigh asks some good questions.
I've been reloading for over 35 years, and I can not recall a "progressive" loading press that does what is being asked. As noted, a turret press will do the job, but they manually index. A turret type allows for one step at a time, kinda like a single stage, but you can set up dies & leave them in. Then, since you mentioned you already have a hand de-priming tool, and you seem to want to use a hand priming tool, then you could set up the dies to where you could finish the loading. Just run a batch through one die, rotate the head, & do the next step.
Also, you mentioned that you have a RCBS Rockchucker. I'm curious as to why you use a hand de-priming tool as a die will resize and de-prime all in one step.
Progressive machines are designed to produce ammo in volumes much quicker than single stage presses, or turret types. People who shoot more often, and use more ammo love a progressive. If you are worried about quality ammo, think about this. In all of the serious handgun competitions, (USPSA, IDPA, SASS etc,) well over 80% of the shooters use a progressive reloading set-up. And out of that bunch, 95% of them use Dillon. It will produce high quality ammo, that world champions trust. A progressive reloading set-up is about quantity and speed. Dillon just makes it with quality.
Now, if you are working on extremely tight tolerances in your ammo, say for benchrest rifle, then a single stage & hand done stuff is the way to go.
I guess what I'm alluding to is this; Why do you wish for a progressive set-up when you are doing part of it by hand the slowest way used?
I've been reloading for over 35 years, and I can not recall a "progressive" loading press that does what is being asked. As noted, a turret press will do the job, but they manually index. A turret type allows for one step at a time, kinda like a single stage, but you can set up dies & leave them in. Then, since you mentioned you already have a hand de-priming tool, and you seem to want to use a hand priming tool, then you could set up the dies to where you could finish the loading. Just run a batch through one die, rotate the head, & do the next step.
Also, you mentioned that you have a RCBS Rockchucker. I'm curious as to why you use a hand de-priming tool as a die will resize and de-prime all in one step.
Progressive machines are designed to produce ammo in volumes much quicker than single stage presses, or turret types. People who shoot more often, and use more ammo love a progressive. If you are worried about quality ammo, think about this. In all of the serious handgun competitions, (USPSA, IDPA, SASS etc,) well over 80% of the shooters use a progressive reloading set-up. And out of that bunch, 95% of them use Dillon. It will produce high quality ammo, that world champions trust. A progressive reloading set-up is about quantity and speed. Dillon just makes it with quality.
Now, if you are working on extremely tight tolerances in your ammo, say for benchrest rifle, then a single stage & hand done stuff is the way to go.
I guess what I'm alluding to is this; Why do you wish for a progressive set-up when you are doing part of it by hand the slowest way used?
anachronism
Single-Sixer
Turret press- this one is a Lyman. Nothing on it moves by itself, you have to move the die turret manually when you want to use a different station.
anachronism
Single-Sixer
What you originally asked for is possible however. You could buy a progressive press, and remove the priming mechanism. Then you would insert the brass, size it, remove it after sizing, prime it by hand, reinsert the brass, and move the case to the next station. If you don't do your part flawlessly, you'll double charge cases. The priming mechanism comes with the progressive press at no extra charge, you're not simply trying to save yourself twenty bucks by not wanting to use the presses priming mechanism are you?
anachronism
Single-Sixer
A basic Dillon 550B. Perhaps the most common & popular progressive presses in the world.
contender
Ruger Guru
This poster & his request has had me thinking. So,, I got out my Dillon catalog, and they offer a BL 550. It is the RL 550 WITHOUT the priming & powder system. Quote; "The BL 550 is essentially an RL 550 without the automatic priming & powder systems."
You can install a resizing die without the decapping pin, & have the "progressive" system you desire & still do the hand de-priming & re-priming as requested.
Part # K71-15399
Give Dillon a call at; 1-800-223-4570
You can install a resizing die without the decapping pin, & have the "progressive" system you desire & still do the hand de-priming & re-priming as requested.
Part # K71-15399
Give Dillon a call at; 1-800-223-4570
The Blackhawk Kid
Blackhawk
dwd ,Dillon is the only way to load good quality ammo. I have the Square Deal B. It works. Check out all the loaders and you'll be glad you did. Dillon has the press for you. JMHO bhk
Go to www.dillonprecision.com and sign up for the Blue Press. As Contender said look at the BL550 you can always upgrade to the RL You can do so much with a Dillon and it doesn't get any Better than Dillon.
Eric
Eric
The reason I want to hand de-prime and prime is so I can do it from the comfort of my recliner.
The reason I wanted a progressive loader is because they are faster and just don't want to spend the time if I don't have to.
I reload shotgun shells with a Mec-9000 progressive reloader. The hardest thing to do sometimes is deprime and prime the shell, at least with me. I have been tempted to deprime and size my shotgun shells before putting them in the reloader. I assume the same would be true with a brass handgun case.
Maybe I can find a good used turret press to use for a while before I buy a dillon. Any recommendations on a good brand of turret press or are they all about the same?
The reason I wanted a progressive loader is because they are faster and just don't want to spend the time if I don't have to.
I reload shotgun shells with a Mec-9000 progressive reloader. The hardest thing to do sometimes is deprime and prime the shell, at least with me. I have been tempted to deprime and size my shotgun shells before putting them in the reloader. I assume the same would be true with a brass handgun case.
Maybe I can find a good used turret press to use for a while before I buy a dillon. Any recommendations on a good brand of turret press or are they all about the same?
dwd said:
That makes no sense ... You're now spending the time in your recliner PLUS the time that you're using the progressive press. If you just used the progressive for everything, With every pull of the handle, you're creating a complete round whether or not you're depriming and priming. In essence you are depriming and priming each round 'for free' time wise by using a progressive.
If you spend 3 hours to make 1000 rounds on a progressive press, why in the world would you want to deprime and hand prime those 1000 rounds, when you could have just had it included in the 3 hours on the progressive press ?
Have you ever REALLY seen a progressive press work ?, if you have .... And you truly understand what's happening ... It's hard to believe you're asking what you're asking.
REV
By the way ... For all the Dillon fanbois out there ... The 550 doesn't even auto index ... It's what honestly should be called 'semi-progressive' ... you have to move the tray EVERY TIME by hand, if you want an auto indexing Dillon, you have to move up to the 650, which is outrageously expensive. The Hornady LNL AP does what the 650 does at about half the price. I've used one for 20 years.
Do the research .... Dillon makes very good stuff, but they are in no way 'the only way to go' when it comes to reloading, as many Dillon users like to claim.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QgG6VdpYdNM&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQgG6VdpYdNM
Avoid Lee equipment at all costs if you don't want to spend half your reloading time adjusting or repairing the press.
REV
Do the research .... Dillon makes very good stuff, but they are in no way 'the only way to go' when it comes to reloading, as many Dillon users like to claim.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QgG6VdpYdNM&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DQgG6VdpYdNM
Avoid Lee equipment at all costs if you don't want to spend half your reloading time adjusting or repairing the press.
REV
dwd said:
They are great machines and Hornady customer service is excellent as well ... just like Dillon.
Do yourself a favor and stay away from any Lee products.
My Projector is about 20 years old, and after about 15 years, it needed to be reconditioned after well over a quarter of a million rounds. I called Hornady, told them I couldn't adjust it anymore due to wear. They told me to send it back and they'd recondition it. I sent it in, and two weeks later got it back with over 30 upgraded parts, adjusted to work perfectly, and it's been great ever since. The cost .... ZERO. They're a great company. THey'll also send you whatever parts you need for free, as well as give advice and help you over the phone. Lyman is another great company ... I have their tumblers and they send me whatever parts I ask for for free.
Just look up stuff in youtube ... theres tons of stuff on the Hornady and Dillon products. Whatever you do ... don't buy a Dillon Square Deal press as your only press. They will ONLY take Dillon proprietary dies, and that means BIG money every time you want to reload another caliber. They're great presses, but most people buy them to be dedicated to one caliber only .... maybe 2. I reload for about a dozen calibers, and you'd go broke buying the Dillon dies for a Square Deal B.
REV
Rick Courtright
Hawkeye
dwd said:
Hi,
Most of the major mfrs build a turret. I don't think anybody makes a bad one--but there are some things about each one that are better/worse according to the user's tastes!
IMO, Lee has the turret press market pretty much locked up the way Dillon does the progressives. Lee makes two grades, one is alloy (the older 3 and 4 station models), the other iron/steel, the newer Classic Cast Turret. Suggest the Classic Cast for longer life while still at reasonable cost (saves some $$ toward the Dillon!)
The Lee naysayers will never give up bashing the brand, but remember Lee got into the business to make reloading affordable "for the masses" as it were. So many of their earlier products weren't as beefy as what other mfrs offered. Their Classis Cast series of presses is changing that... so don't be afraid of the brand!
And before drinking the Blue Kool-Aid, be sure you get the Dillon press which will load ALL the calibers you need, and as REV warns, won't drive you to the poorhouse buying dies. ! I haven't a clue why anybody would buy a Square Deal B w/ its pistol only, proprietary dies, but many do. The 550 series will load just about anything you'll ever need--the 650 isn't quite so generous w/ rifle calibers--and both use standard 7/8"x14 dies from just about anybody.
Also suggest buying a press NEW if you're not that familiar w/ 'em. For some reason, folks are pretty good about losing bits and breaking stuff, so a lot of used stuff may need some help to get it working "perfectly."
Rick C
Rick,
I'll tell ya ... I have NEVER Had one good experience with Lee products .. Their stuff uses cheap sheet metal where they shouldn't, their carbide dies need lubrication, and their presses are constantly out of adjustment. I tried to help a buddy who got a Lee press set it up, and it was the biggest disaster, we both just gave up. He went out and bought an RCBS press, and was happy after that. If a Hornady or Dillon press uses a 3 inch ram, the Lee press will use a 3/4 or 1 inch ram. Its light duty stuff, and it flat out doesn't hold up.
Sorry .... Can't agree with you on this.
REV
I'll tell ya ... I have NEVER Had one good experience with Lee products .. Their stuff uses cheap sheet metal where they shouldn't, their carbide dies need lubrication, and their presses are constantly out of adjustment. I tried to help a buddy who got a Lee press set it up, and it was the biggest disaster, we both just gave up. He went out and bought an RCBS press, and was happy after that. If a Hornady or Dillon press uses a 3 inch ram, the Lee press will use a 3/4 or 1 inch ram. Its light duty stuff, and it flat out doesn't hold up.
Sorry .... Can't agree with you on this.
REV
GasGuzzler
Hawkeye
Man, those that use puke as their main language infiltrate EVERY portion of this site. Just when you think a fake badged idiot is generally staked to one area here.....he comes in and pisses on a quarter of the membership here. What a freakin' joke! I haven't been here forever but long enough to see the down turn.
To the OP, buy the best machine you can afford. Best means it does what you want. Don't listen to people that can't adjust to a certain situation.
To the OP, buy the best machine you can afford. Best means it does what you want. Don't listen to people that can't adjust to a certain situation.
