Couple of questions from newbie (dies, press)

[Swampcrawler65]

I’ve been reloading straight wall cartridges for years, but with the new BMP in Creedmoor, it’s time to learn rifle.

I’m totally new to this world. I’d like my beginning purchases to be the proper stuff so I’m not rebuying equipment in a few months after figuring out flaws or options I should have gotten.

First, I have a Hornady LNL progressive. I know single stages are generally preferred. Do I need to buy a single stage to learn to load quality ammo or can I simply use my progressive to do one operation at a time? Will doing so create sloppy loads due to extra complexity of the mechanism or?

Second. Dies. I’d like to buy once cry once. At least to an extent. I think $200 is all i can get away with without the wife stabbing me in my sleep. I’d like to eventually get neck reaming and turning equipment, etc. Bushing FL sizer and a micrometer seating die right?

 

[TAMU20]

I have a progressive press for my 223 and 9mm, but I bought a single stage for my precision ammo. I like using the single stage for the precision suff. For dies I use forester dies. I use their full length die (without the expander ball), a sinclair neck expanding die and mandrel, and a forester micrometer seating die. I really like this set up and it has produced accurate ammo with low SDs. I also have a chargemaster which is very helpful and speeds up the process compared to tickling charges by hand. Ideally I wish I had gone with a redding T7 press as it has multiple stations for dies and is built like a tank. I instead have a hornady single stage press, which has worked well.

 

[molzarella]

I'm a fan of using an arbor press for seating bullets with LE Wilson arbor press dies.

 

[molzarella]

I have a redding T7 turret press for case prep but wish I had a Forster Coax.

 

[Swampcrawler65]

I'm a fan of using an arbor press for seating bullets with LE Wilson arbor press dies.

I’ve looked into these briefly but I need to dig into it again. I don’t recall what the advantages are.

Thanks guys

 

[molzarella]

Improved concentricity plus I use an arbor press with force measurement so that I can verify that my bullet seating psi is consistent. Consistent seating psi helps with lower SD's on MV.

https://lewilson.com/k-m-precision-...ard-force-measurement-ram-and-dial-indicator/

 

[Swampcrawler65]

Well I ended up ordering Whidden micrometer seating die and bushing FL sizing die.

Now I just need to get my loading room painted with a functioning light fixture and unpack my goodies.