Which Progressive Press?

[B3dlam]

I am looking to up my reloading output while reloading handgun ammo (9mm, 40S&W, and 45ACP), and rifle ammo (just .223 right now the .308 and 6.5 will stay on the single stage for now.) I am just curious what presses you are all using or would recommend. I have had good luck with LEE products but I am not sure how decent their progressive presses are I have also looked at the hornady LNL and the dillon briefly what would you guys recommend?

 

[Brenneman]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

Dillon 650 all the way!

 

[pmclaine]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

Dillon S1050. It will swage your mil brass as part of the process. Only downside is the cost of toolheads if you want to set up for quick changes.

Its not as difficult a machine as people would have you believe. If you get a 650 I imagine you will love it but there will always be that little voice in your head saying "This is great, so how really great is it loading on a S1050?" When running my S1050 I never wonder what its like to run a 650.

Conventional wisdom for saving money, versatility and making frequent caliber changes is to get a 550.

I only load 4 calibers - .45 ACP, 30-06 and .308 - same shell plate/same primer size and .38 special - requires shell plate change and small primer conversion. Because of the calibers I shoot and the fact I need to process mil brass the S1050 was worth the larger one time costs.

 

[50APIT]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

What is your budget and realistic loading quantities?

Having both a 1050 and 650, I really would not recommend getting a 1050 with four different calibers unless you are just loading ridiculous amounts of ammo in each.

Either a 550 or 650 work great. If you have the extra money, I would spring for a 650 with the case feeder, conversion kits, and toolheads (additional powder measures are nice to have, but certainly not required) and plan to load more than a 1000 rnds a month.

I don't have any experience with the Hornady LnL, but many there are many others that say it works as good as the 650. It would likely be a little less expensive since it uses bushings vs toolheads and you dont swap out the powder measure.

I will say that the Dillon warranty/customer service is outstanding and contributes to their great resale value.

 

[Bill Larson]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

I`ve used a Dillon 550 for 30 years....not the best...not the sturdiest... but better than most.and affordable.AND i`ve use/used it alot...I`ve loaded rifle and pistol calibers with good results.......Besides.... they`ve got dam good customer service.....
bill larson

 

[REL1203]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

I love my Lock and Load AP w/ Casefeeder. I reload 9, 38spec, 357mag, 40SW, 45ACP, 223, and 308 on it. Real cheap to change calibers, easy to work with, casefeeder works well once set up, 5 station auto-index... Love mine, Hornady CS's is amazing.

 

[Break Bad]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

So when is the bump to the 650 highly recommended? The one thing about the 550 that turns me off most is the manually indexed shellplate. At that price range I'd rather get the L&L and I actually know someone locally selling one including dies for 9mm/45acp.

I currently load my 6.5 creedmoor match rounds in a rockcrusher. Now I am wanting to load 200-300 rounds per month of 9mm and 223 rem. I prefer dillion, but I think price and features of a 650 is overkill, and the 550 manual indexing may be a no-go for me. The used L&L for 400$ including dies seems to be the winner...but I smell regret in my future. Someone sway me? I've never had a progressive.

 

[kill_zone67]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

I like my 650 for the auto indexing and for having the extra port for the low powder charge sensor.

 

[50APIT]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

After upgrading from a 550 to the 650, it is not the auto-indexing that makes the 650 faster, it is the case feeder.
If that LnL includes the dies and the parts to swap between calibers, I would pick that up and that is coming from a guy that drinks the blue kool-aid. Worst case is you don't like the Hornady, and you sell the press for ~$350 or so and keep the dies while getting a Dillon.

 

[Hookman]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

Dillon! IMHO it's the only way to go with a progressive press...I went with the 550B so I can reload in a single stage manner as well. I don't mind manual indexing. Keeps me alert to any problems that may occur.

 

[Deadshot2]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

After trying to stay cheap, I finally went Dillon. I now spend far more time loading than fiddling. A 650 with caeefeeder. I still place bullets by hand in the seating stage but that doesn't slow me down at all.

Simple fact. Buy Dillon. Buy once, cry once. For those that complain about caliber change time, just consider it maintenance time. Even the LNL needs some cleaning and lube. I use the take down necessary on my Dillon (just to change shell plate) to clean and lube. Maybe that's why I have well over 100k rounds through mine with only one broken/worn part and even that was my fault, not from wear.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

Do a google snipershide search for progressive, and turbo54, I've chimed in on many occassion about this.

Key points:

1. Get a progressive with auto-index
2. If you really dig Dillon, get one
3. If you're open-minded, get the LnL. It is on par with the 650, but costs only as much as a 550. Super heavy duty, great customer service, and the bushings are a better solution than toolheads. Primer system on the LnL is similar to a 550, which is not as robust and reliable as the 650, which has never, ever, ever failed to feed in the tens of thousands of rounds I've loaded with mine. But, the 650 is known to have sympathetic primer detonations...

 

[poke5353]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

I have a Hornady LNL AP and i wouldnt look back. I was also deciding between the Dillon 650 vs the Hornady. I chose the Hornady because of the price and I havent been disappointed. It has functioned great and I have used it for several thousand rounds so far.

 

[Break Bad]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

Thats why I love this forum, you get eleventy-zillion responses in a few minutes from experienced loaders. Many thanks! I'll try out the LnL since its a readily-available good deal; and as stated, can always sell it and brake even. I'm sure I'll drink the blue coolaid eventually.

Now I have 6 feet of bench space I need to organize and layout!

 

[pmclaine]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 50APIT</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Having both a 1050 and 650, I really would not recommend getting a 1050 with four different calibers unless you are just loading ridiculous amounts of ammo in each. </div></div>

I dont think my quantities are ridiculous but I bumped up from what I was expecting to have on hand once I decided to do caliber changes. I just finished loading/stockpiling 4,000 rounds of .38 wadcutter and have the machine torn down for cleaning/change over to .45 ACP so I can load a like quantity of ammo.

I treat change overs the same way as Ford does when they shut down to retool for a model year. From .38 to .45 the machine gest a throuogh preventive maintenance. Going from .45 to 30-06 the machine will get serviced as needed. For rifle calibers my method is to make 1,000 rounds of each.

Note that I find the production claims of the machine manufacturers to not work for me. In order to be responsible with my reloading there is no way I could get the numbers Dillon claims for the S1050. I do QC checks about every 100 rounds of pistol and and more frequently for rifle. Factor in loading primers (even with an RF100), fixing the occasional out of spec shell that wont go in the plate, filling the case feed, powder hopper etc - these all take time and cut down on production. Besides after 300-400 rounds I'm bored and tired of reloading and just want to get away from the bench before I make a stupid mistake. If I make my 300-400 rounds in 2 hours +/- I'm happy.

Edit - Just saw the OPs most recent post regarding LnL. From everything I have read you will not be unhappy. Sounds like there is no downside. Get the machine cheap, it will hold its value so if its not what you want you can sell it at good price and get what you think you need.

 

[LineofDeparture]

Re: Which Progressive Press?

I just drank the blue Koolaid... I picked up a 650xl... Dont have it completely set up yet but i cant wait till i do.... I hope its all its cracked up to be...If so ill be swimming in 40sw and 45ACP...