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[netranger6]

Loo king for recs in presses. Dies. Manuals. Etc. Starting from ground up. Looking to load precision. 308 and 6.5cm. And bulk on 5.56. .45. .9mm.12 gauge. Pleaswe toss suggestions.

 

[HoustonB77]

For rifle loading any good single stage will do. If I was loading a ton of 9mm and 45 I would want a progressive for pistol. You will also need a different loader for shotgun. Maybe start with a MEC Jr.? The real question is what is your budget. We can spend money for you very easy. Just need to know how much you have to spend.
I consider myself a novice when it comes to rifle loading. I have only been loading a year and a half. That being said I have well over 3k invested in loading supplies. It all adds up in a hurry.

 

[Downtown]

There are a number of options in progressive presses, but the overwhelming majority of competition shooters use Dillon. By overwhelming, I mean just about every single USPSA, 3G, or IDPA competitor. Most use a 650.

 

[JoeBUtah]

I suggest starting with a good single stage. If you've never reloaded, there are a ton of things that go on with a progressive that may keep you deep in the learning curve. A single stage allows you to get a feel for what the processes are, and that learning curve will be short and relatively painless. Plenty of guys won't agree with me and that's cool; just my $00.02....

 

[Pesekcw]

I reload he same calibers as you, I would start with a single stage press, BUY A GOOD POWDER SCALE/THROWER. Once you have it down and are sure that it’s for you, pick up a progressive. It takes a lot of time to get into it, and a shit load of room. Also, spend money on calipers and the measuring tools. I have a 40 year old rcbs press that works just fine, it’s all the other things that matter.

 

[netranger6]

cool. So, single stage to get feet wet?

 

[Pesekcw]

That would be my recommendation, this rabbit hole you are peering into is long and dark. The most improvement that i made in my reloading (convenience and speed) was the RCBS ChargeMaster, while it isn't perfect, its fast enough for me.

 

[netranger6]

Right on

 

[lash]

Buy at least one, if not two different reloading manuals (Hornady and Sierra come to mind) and read all the beginning info. At first, reference them for load info also. Spend some time reading the stickies in the Reloading section here:
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/forum/...hide-reloading

There are no fewer than 7 different how to reload threads there with a ton of great information. Then reference them the first time or two that you do something. Probably the biggest mistake you can make is to go off half-cocked and assume that you 'got this'. Details make a difference, in your results and possibly even for your health.

Like said above, a single stage press is a great place to start and even if you go progressive eventually, I would be surprised if you decided that you would never need a single stage press again.
Truthfully, loading for .45 and 9mm are the easiest way to get started, but precision rifle ammunition is a whole different beast when it comes to the details.

 

[Downtown]

My story. Started loading pistol on a hand me down single stage press. Shooting USPSA, it took very little time to invest in a Dillon 550. This even worked well for .223 when three gun came along. When the precision rifle competition bug bit, the old single stage press was ready, and does a fine job. Progressive for pistol, single stage for rifle.

 

[Sheldon N]

I say go for it and jump in with both feet and get a DIllon 550 to do everything, especially since you plan to do bulk 223 and pistol. I started with a single stage and now I load both all my precision rifle as well as pistol/223 on the Dillon. Single stage doesn't even get used, and I couldn't imagine trying to do pistol on it.

You'll need some basic learning on how the Dillon operates, Youtube videos and articles available to help with that. If you're mechanically minded it is all pretty common sense.

Lots of learning to do on reloading and how to do it right, but that's the same whether you're single stage or progressive.

Hunt down a used Dillon 550 kit with as many toolheads, powder measures and caliber conversion kits as you can find. They come up for sale periodically and a kit will save you a bunch of money. Don't believe the "you need single stage to do precision rifle" comments you hear out there, it's not true. Guys are loading and winning in PRS and F-Class on Dillon presses.

 

[netranger6]

I say go for it and jump in with both feet and get a DIllon 550 to do everything, especially since you plan to do bulk 223 and pistol. I started with a single stage and now I load both all my precision rifle as well as pistol/223 on the Dillon. Single stage doesn't even get used, and I couldn't imagine trying to do pistol on it.

You'll need some basic learning on how the Dillon operates, Youtube videos and articles available to help with that. If you're mechanically minded it is all pretty common sense.

Lots of learning to do on reloading and how to do it right, but that's the same whether you're single stage or progressive.

Hunt down a used Dillon 550 kit with as many toolheads, powder measures and caliber conversion kits as you can find. They come up for sale periodically and a kit will save you a bunch of money. Don't believe the "you need single stage to do precision rifle" comments you hear out there, it's not true. Guys are loading and winning in PRS and F-Class on Dillon presses.

That's what I like to hear, would much rather have a setup that I can feed to my precision rifles, hog AR's, and the like. Just want to buy once cry once from the get go. Just so many fucking options. Hornady AP no good? RCBS progressive?

 

[fx77]

Watch Videos on line for techniques and specifics .before your techniques are stabilized you will spend way more than U would want if you don;t do your review work first.
Precision reloading
U need
Press
FL bushing resizing Die
Seating Die
Calipers and tool to measure from Ogive of bullet
Primer Pocket uniformer
Primer tool
Case mouth chamfer tool
Device to weigh powder --mechanical or electronic
Tumbler/media to clean cases
Case Lubricant
Optional...google annealing


For Bulk loading of 12 Gauge MEC makes the best progressive press and has videos on its website.

 

[Sheldon N]

That's what I like to hear, would much rather have a setup that I can feed to my precision rifles, hog AR's, and the like. Just want to buy once cry once from the get go. Just so many fucking options. Hornady AP no good? RCBS progressive?

No experience with the others, but Dillon is the gold standard for sure.

Good article here to give some basics on loading precision rifle on a Dillon 550. Has a video at the end, and be sure to read the link to the Scott Harris article, even more specifics there.

http://www.65guys.com/precision-from...sive-reloader/

For dies I run Forster FL dies with the neck custom honed by Forster to match my brass, with the expander removed and the die floated on an O-ring, followed by a Sinclair expander mandrel to set final neck tension. Brass prep is done on one toolhead, loading is done on a separate toolhead. I'll use the thrower for practice rounds, will precision weigh powder for match loads and feed the cases with a funnel.

223 or pistol is just straight up progressive.

 

[Pesekcw]

I have the hornady, she needs a bit of a tougher hand to cycle than I was comfortable with for loading precision. I know there are fixes for that issue, but for pistol it doesn’t bother me, I prefer to load my precision and subs on the single stage. I can run about 450 an hour in pistol.

 

[Downtown]

There are other presses, but I wasn't kidding when I said every competitor in the action sports uses Dillon.

 

[Pesekcw]

There are other presses, but I wasn't kidding when I said every competitor in the action sports uses Dillon.

Downtown has it right, from what I have seen most people run a Dillon. Being an engineer myself, I require +- 0.001 OAL and +-0.01 grn charges on all of my rifle rounds. It’s ridiculous but I never said I wasn’t. I for one like having my systems separated but YMMV. If you are of the 1 tool for all Dillon wont steer you wrong.-

 

[flashhole]

You can make very concentric and accurate ammo on just about any press/die combination if you pay attention to detail and learn proper technique for the equipment you have.

There in no equipment panacea that overcomes ignorance of use and inexperience.

The mechanics of reloading are dirt simple. The devil is in the details for making accurate ammo for your particular gun.

Whatever you buy, take the time to learn how to use it properly.