New to Reloading

[jkbrea]

This has probably been beat to death. I want to start reloading. Been shooting for 40 years. I figure I retire in a couple years and need something to keep busy. Never tried it though. For weeks I've been reading up, watching videos, talking to friends and it gets more confusing. My biggest question is should I buy a progressive, turret or single stage? I would mainly want to reload 38/357, .44, and 45-70. Maybe 30-06 down the road. I just don't want to get a single stage system and then in a couple months, regret it and have to upgrade. Might as well bite the bullet and pay now. Some say a single press will teach you the basics and less mistakes for beginners. Others tell me there are safety features built in to progressives. I'm kind of leaning towards the middle with a turret type.


If you were new to reloading, what would you go with and would you have done it different if you could go back? Sorry if this is too basic a question but I am new to this.

[jnyork]

In 1970 I too was new to reloading so I got an RCBS Rock Chucker set. I load thousands of rounds a year and still use this press for all of it. I can see a progressive if you are shooting 10,000 rounds or so a year in some sort of competition, otherwise the single stage will work just fine for you.

[Old Ironsights]

There is no reason to use a progressive on rifle calibers... even if the press will accept them. IMO it's asking for trouble.

Progressives serve ONE purpose in my mind - making a buttload of practice ammo for IPSC/IDPA types.

If you don't need 1000 rds at a whack, again, IMO, paying the extra for a full-up progressive kit is a waste.

A good Turret system, as you surmised, is a good "middle road" that will be more than sufficient for your needs - most people don't need more than a single stage.

[win38-55]

If you are looking to do occasional once or twice a week shooting, a single stage will do it. There should be no reason
that you could not load at least 100-200 rounds of ammo in a few hours on a single stage.
I have two presses one is a lee classic cast that I use for loading rifle rounds with.
The other is a Lee Classic Turret 4 hole. that I use for mainly pistol rounds .40 S&W, 45 ACP.
I have loaded thousands of rounds on a single stage press and loved every minute of it.
If you decide down the road that you really do enjoy reloading then buy yourself the more expensive press.

[COSteve]

There is no reason to use a progressive on rifle calibers... even if the press will accept them. IMO it's asking for trouble.

Progressives serve ONE purpose in my mind - making a buttload of practice ammo for IPSC/IDPA types.

If you don't need 1000 rds at a whack, again, IMO, paying the extra for a full-up progressive kit is a waste.

A good Turret system, as you surmised, is a good "middle road" that will be more than sufficient for your needs - most people don't need more than a single stage.

So Old Ironsights, how many rounds have you personally reloaded on a progress press? What 'trouble' does your crystal ball say that the progressive press will lead to? Or is it that your opinion, "There is no reason to use a progressive on rifle calibers..." is just that, your opinion and not supported by the facts.

I started on a Dillon 550B reloading pistol calibers and then added .223 to the mix. After a bit, I got tired of the constant handling of the brass and so I upgraded to a Dillon 650 with Casefeeder. I load 3 types of .223 ammo, one of which is my 68grn, 1MOA accuracy loads for long range (over 300yds) on my 650.

Your comment that, "Progressives serve ONE purpose in my mind - making a buttload of practice ammo for IPSC/IDPA types." also is not supported by the facts as many of us with progressive presses don't do IPSC/IDPA.

It all comes down to time and money. All decent presses will produce high quality ammo once you learn how to use them. The question the OP needs to address is how much ammo he wants to make and how much time he plans to commit to making it. With a single stage, one can spend most of the day producing 400-500rds. With my 650 and casefeeder, I can produce that amount is much less than 1 hour. It all depends upon what rings your bell.

[Old Ironsights]

Frankly, I put all intermediate calibers (.223/7.62x39 etc) in the came category as pistol cartridges used for gaming.

High volume shooting, relatively short cases.

High Volume, relatively short cases means Progressive.

I'm also not really sure how well any progressive will do with, as he mentioned, .45-70 & .30-06.

Now, if he's wanting to load .30-06 for CMP competition and needs 1000 at a time, I'm not really sure what progressive will work. There probably is one, but I'm sure it's pretty pricey - and not really the best thing for a first time reloader.

The best progressives I've seen tend to be fairly case-length specific with pistol-caliber machines and a few rifle caliber machines.

Mine is Pistol Caliber only. I don't think I could run 7.62x39 or .223 in it effectively, if at all.

His question was "best for the beginner". There I stand by Single Stage, or Turret at the most.

[COSteve]

It's clear that you're not familiar with progressive presses. Dillon's 550B, 650, and 1050, Hornady's LnL, and RCBS's progressive all are designed to work with long cases like the 30-06, .338 Win. Mag., 8 X 57 Mauser, .375 H&H Mag., .444 Marlin, .458 Win. Mag., and 45-70 Gov't) with no trouble at all.

The real beauty of a progressive press with a casefeeder is when handloading rifle brass that requires trimming. You have to go through a 'case prep' cycle and then a 'reloading cycle.' With a progress press, casefeeder, and a press mounted trimmer, all one needs to do is spray lube the cases, dump them in the hopper and crank the handle. You don't have to even touch a single case. Out pops decapped, resized, and trimmed brass that after tumbling is ready to handload.

A progressive press with a casefeeder allows you to build up a rhythm and flow that really adds to the handloading experience. After a few years with my 650 and casefeeder my only regret is that I waited too long to get it.

[antilley]

call me cheap ... but, I am starting with a lee Loader and a hammer.... I have more time than money.

If that goes reasonably well i will move to a single stage Lee.

[Thunder50]

antilley, I started with a lee loader. Better to start with a Lee hand press, you can full length size your cases, and if you can find a 310 tool to finish , all the better.

For a Beginner, one of the inexpensive single stage presses would be good to get a "feel" for if you want to continue. Get some experience before you dedice to go to a progressive. With a casefeeder, I can process a bunch of brass with my 650 or out in the shop I have my 1050 with casetrimmer. Its setup for the 308 case family and shorter. I then clean it, and then load it on the progressive, or the single stage if I want to work up some loads.

Some weeks I shoot nothing, and some weeks 500 rounds.

Some things I can't load on a progressive (they don't make em).

The single stage is for under 100 rounds.

[antilley]

do the Lee Hand press dies work on the turret style presses?

[Old Ironsights]

do the Lee Hand press dies work on the turret style presses?

All lee dies (except the "classic lee loader) are interchangable on all lee presses.

[M. M. Wright]

Let's see, I started loading in about 1960 on a Herters single stage. Great press if you can find a used one. During the 80s I was shooting IPSC and bought a Dillon 450. Later on it got upgraded to a 550 (they made a kit) and now it's a 550B. I load a lot of 30-06 on it and the real high volume is 220 Swift for prairie dogs. It also runs a lot of 223 and 308 and of course all my 44-40 SASS loads, even with black powder. I know, I know, it has a piece of exhaust pipe for the hopper but I don't think it's necessary. I think you should start with a single stage, and stay away from Lee presses. I don't think they will stand up to much use. My $0.02

M. M.

[Ben_Rumson]

I’d get the Lee Classic Turret Press w/Auto Index... It will handle shells up to 4 inches long...Their original press w/auto index will handle all shells up to 2.375 inches long and is cheaper especially if you buy their Turret Press Kit.....
To learn the various stages of reloading you can disengage the auto index feature and use the press like a single stage press...The auto index feature is easily disengaged...I don’t know if they do it anymore but Lee’s Press instruction booklets used to give directions how to do it....You can then use the press as a single stage press... This will allow you to break down the various stages of the loading process & observe what is really going on at every stage of the loading process and see what really is going on...There’s a lot to be learned in a repetitive process... After you’ve learned what to look for & expect at the various stages, it’s a simple matter to re engage the auto index feature and see how you like cranking out rounds with a semi progressive press...
I like batch loading...and only use auto index mode for a couple three calibers.. Batch loading is where you can process all the cases as a batch...(This is when I have the auto index disengaged) This may include size/deprime/reprime/flare... Then out of that batch of processed cases charge 20 -25 cases with powder or however many your loading block will take...Inspect them to make sure there’s no double charges... Then seat the bullets... If they are to be crimped, then I save them to all be crimped as a batch...
I like reloading as a thing do do and enjoy it nearly as much as shooting... Hope you have fun!

[vancelw]

I use a Lyman turret press simply because that was what I got when I bought a bunch of stuff from a reloading friend 20 years ago. I just started reloading ~4 years ago.

A good friend with lots (and I mean lots) of experience recently bought a Lee Breech Lock Challenger press.
http://www.cabelas.com/presses-dies-lee ... ss-1.shtml
You screw the dies into bushings that fit in the press with a 1/6th turn. He loves it. Says the dies stay set and you can switch back and forth and never have to reset the dies. The bushings cost about 8 bucks a pair if you want to leave them on your dies-or you can change out the dies just like you would a regular press.

I'm thinking seriously about buying one when i finally finish out my reloading room and set up a second bench.

[win38-55]

Get a Single Stage to learn the basics on. It is not money wasted, even if you decide to move
to a progressive latter on. you can always use the single stage for other things such as a Decapping station
or even a lube sizer. Start with the basics.

[Rube Burrows]

Well as you see....you will get lots of different opinions and comments. When I jumped in I was mostly doing .45 Colt for cowboy shooting so I bought a Dillon 650 and never looked back. I love the machine but its expensive to change calibers. I dont mind buying conversion for the 650 if I plan to load a bunch of ammo but like to keep it on the same caliber for a while.

I picked up a Redding T-7 turret press for other loading and I absolutely love that machine. I can load up to 7 dies in one turret head and what I usually do is have one two calibers loaded up on a tool head. Its a strong machine and very easy to use. Well worth it in my opinion. Quick and easy to use.

I like it much more than having to do all of one step and then switch the die and do all of another step.

I would consider the Redding T-7........just another thought to run through your head with the many more other offered.

[wavetrain75]

Midway has the Lee turret kit for about $120, then you'll need to get a manual and dies. I'd say pick up one of those and call it good. Turrets are fine for learning, and once you get your die set how you want it you don't have to pull it out again, so it saves having to reset every time - the least fun part of reloading.

Progressives are fast and take a little more bench space. Do you shoot A LOT? If not the only reason to buy it is because it's the one you want. If you shoot less than a thousand rounds a year you really don't need a progressive.

[stretch]

You will never, ever, regret buying a good single-stage press.

You can load anything on it, and even if you later acquire a progressive
press, you will find yourself using ithe single stage again and again - even
if only for decapping prior to trimming cases.

(That said, I learned on a used Dillon Square Deal!)

Lee's Classic (the cast-iron one) and Lyman's Crusher are two
I own that are both superb. They'll last a lifetime with very
modest care. Forster makes an absolutely terrific single-stage
press that is, in my opinion, superior to both of the above-mentioned
presses. It's more expensive, but dispenses with the need for shell
holders, and the decapping portion of the operation is also the cleanest
I've seen. No black crud anywhere....

If you just want a progressive press, indulge yourself. You have my
blessing! But if you don't do large volumes of ammo, the single stage will
be fine. I really only do hi-volume pistol stuff on a progressive these days.

Hope this helps.

-Stretch

[fordwannabe]

I have to agree with the guys who are saying buy a single stage or a turret first. I started in 1979 and at this time I have a shotgun shell reloader, a RCBS single, A lyman turret, a Dillon progressive, and a lyman lubrisizer mounted on my bench(took the other single stage off, but I kept it), and I use them all. A single/turret lets you walk before you run and then when you can run it's still very usable. The big advantage of the turrets is not having to readjust your dies each time you load for a caliber, but in my experience they have just a touch of wobble in them sometimes that matters, most of the time not. I have been a fan of Dillon precision since the 80's both the reloaders and the customer service are great BUT it's a PITA to change the thing over for 25 rounds to experiment with a load. I develope the load on a single stage or turret and when I am sure what I want to load then I get after it with the progressive, but that's just me I guess.
PS most rifle hunting ammo is still done on the RCBS, except for 223.
You cannot go wrong with a single, it may not be what you end up wanting but you will always use it for something.

[.45colt]

Alot of good advice here. whatever press You start with just rember to stay with proven loads.check Your powder charges with a scale and don't have more than one powder on the bench when You are loading.
And don't hesitate to ask for help Here if You don't understand something. Everyone here was a new reloader at one time.

[Old Savage]

I started with an RL550B from Dillon and never looked back and that was over 20 years and 25,000 rounds ago. As far as rifle reloading - I think that worked out fine and you will see by the date I hadn't been at it to long when I got this. I find it very handy for rifle reloading with advantages that the single stage only guys do not seem to see.

[COSteve]

You will never, ever, regret buying a good single-stage press.

You can load anything on it, and even if you later acquire a progressive
press, you will find yourself using ithe single stage again and again - even
if only for decapping prior to trimming cases.

I beg to differ. Old Savage's post below sums it up quite well.

I started with an RL550B from Dillon and never looked back and that was over 20 years and 25,000 rounds ago. As far as rifle reloading - I think that worked out fine and you will see by the date I hadn't been at it to long when I got this. I find it very handy for rifle reloading with advantages that the single stage only guys do not seem to see.

Once you get a progressive the single stage will gather dust unless you force yourself to use an inferior process. A progressive press like the 550B can do everything a single stage or turret can do as you're learning and then you can move up to progressive reloading. The facts are that those with a progressive use their single stage out of habit or nostalgia. The 550B will do everything their simpler presses will do only it will do it faster and easier.

[Driftwood Johnson]

If you were new to reloading, what would you go with and would you have done it different if you could go back? Sorry if this is too basic a question but I am new to this.

Howdy

First of all, let me give you my standard advice. Before you spend one red cent on buying any equipment, buy a good reloading manual and read the chapter describing the reloading process. That will answer a lot of your questions. You will also begin to gain an understanding of exactly what happens at each stage of the reloading process. Hopefully reading a good manual will also help you decide what your needs are which will help you decide what type of equipment to buy.

I started reloading metallic cartridges when I first started Cowboy shooting. I needed to load 45 Colt and 44-40 because they were too expensive to buy in the quantities needed. I bought an old, used Lyman Spartan press (single stage) and taught myself reloading with the Lyman Pistol and Revolver handbook. After two or three years I decided to move up to a progressive press so I bought a Hornady Lock & Load AP. I now have two of them, you can read my comments about the Hornady machine in a separate thread.

Once you get a progressive the single stage will gather dust unless you force yourself to use an inferior process......The facts are that those with a progressive use their single stage out of habit or nostalgia

Well, that's a little bit of an exaggeration. Maybe those are the facts for you, but they are not necessarily true for everybody. And there is nothing at all inferior about the ammo made on a single stage press. It simply takes more time. That does not define inferior.

While one can certainly learn to reload on a progressive press, it requires a certain amount of patience to learn to load properly on one. I have seen more than one reloader who learned on a progressive press who turns out bad or unreliable ammo. Not that the machine is at fault, the fault is with the person pulling the handle. The allure of a progressive press is to immediately start cranking out great quantities of ammo. The person who does not take the time to cycle a whole bunch of ammo through a progressive press one shell at a time, so that he can really understand exactly what is happening at each station, will never be anything more than a machine operator. Even today when I start to load a new caliber, I still run a bunch of shells through my presses one at a time until I have tweaked all my die settings.

The other disadvantage of learning to reload on a progressive press is that there is a whole lot going on all at once. All progressive presses are Rube Goldberg affairs to some extent. They rely on various ratchets and linkages to operate. The beginner can easily get sidetracked by all that is happening with the mechanical part of the machine and completely miss the basics of reloading, particularly if he is impatient. A single stage press is so simple that the beginner will focus all of his attention on the actual process of reloading and not get distracted by the mechanics of getting a progressive adjusted properly. Once the beginner understands the basics of reloading, it is simpler to transfer this knowledge to the more complicated progressive machine.

My Hornady presses certainly have plenty of stroke to load either 30-06 or 45-70, but I would not dream of doing so on them. I only use my progressive presses for my high volume loading which tends to be pistol ammo or Cowboy rifle ammo like 44-40. My old single stage press does not gather dust, I use it for loading 45-70 with Black Powder or 303 British, or oddball revolver ammo like 38 S&W or 32 S&W, none of which I need in much volume.

If I was to start loading today, the only thing I would do different would be to buy a single stage kit with all the stuff required to start loading, probably from RCBS or Lyman.

[stretch]

Gee, Steve - I use my single stage presses all the time.
(Does that make me inferior?! Sorry, Steve - couldn't resist! )

They're especially useful for load development with a new component.

It's easier - and faster methinks - to work up a load on a single-stage
press than it is on a progressive machine. I have to measure every charge
anyway, so the powder measure is of limited use. Playing with crimps
and OAL and suchlike is easier on the single-stage machine. And yes,
I've done it many times on both types of machines.

Switching calibers is fairly easy on most progressive presses if one
has spare tool heads and suchlike. Some presses require fussy changes
to change primer size, though. The turret presses look to be the fastest
for caliber changes using extra plates. I've never used a turret press,
though. Maybe I oughta put it on the shopping list....

I'm not a Luddite when it comes to progressive machines - I've got
two of 'em. Once a load is developed they are really the cat's meow
for churning out loads of ammo. And remember - I started on a progressive
machine!

Anyway, I stand by my statement - you'll never regret buying a good
single-stage press.

-Stretch

[COSteve]

Guys, guys! Look what I wrote. I said it's an inferior process. That doesn't mean that it produces inferior ammo or the person using it is inferior. It means what it says, that the process involved with producing ammo using a single stage press (or for that matter, a turret press) vs a modern progress press is inferior. While all three types will produce the desired results (high quality ammo) the facts are that neither can produce that ammo with the economy of motion or economy of steps as a progressive can.

Heck, a Model T will still get you to the grocery store but I'm bettin' most of you have decided upon a never, more capable mode of transportation. It's the same thing with presses. The modern progressive press will do the job of reloading much, much more efficiently and effectively than any single stage or turret press and that's not an opinion, but a provable fact.

Having said that, I'm not slamming those of you who have those presses. You've made a decision that is either based upon cost or on what you've become accustomed to. That's all well and good as old precision things are valued here more than many other places. But that doesn't change the facts.

[Driftwood Johnson]

Heck, a Model T will still get you to the grocery store but I'm bettin' most of you have decided upon a never, more capable mode of transportation.

I still drive a clutch to the grocery store. Never did like automatics. And I have both progressive presses and a single stage on my loading benches. Frankly, for a couple of obsolete cartridges I load, I just didn't want to go to the expense of buying a shell plate. Don't even know if they make a shell plate for a couple of them. Instead, an inexpensive set of Lee carbide dies comes with a shell holder that fits on my old Lyman. Comes with a powder dipper too, but I choose not to use that. Like I said before, I have no need to be mass producing ammo in those calibers.

[TMair]

I guess I can chime in here too.
I also have a progressive press for my pistol ammo, but I still use a single stage press for my rifle ammo, I know a progressive, or even a turret loader would be faster for loading these things but dang it I enjoy reloading, it's my quiet time, and why would I want to speed that up?! I like my RCBS Rock chucker!
Terry

[Old Savage]

Well a bit of explanation here for rifle - I decap and resize and seat a new primer with one down and up stage. I rotate and throw a powder charge then I remove the case from that stage in which I don't put a button to retain. I then pour the powder from the case into a scale and adjust the charge and pour it back into the case. Then I put the case back in at the powder stage and rotate to the seating where I seat a bullet. If there is a crimp called for I use a separate crimping die at this stage.

A friend with all the presses and combos in his machine shop tried all the variations he could to determine bullet run out. He told me the lowest was using the RL550 B with Lee collet dies. I can load any number of rounds in a sitting with this system without predetermining how many and I am physically checking the powder charge on each round and I know exactly how precise they are. Doing this I see little advantage to a single stage though I have used one from time to time for cartridges I am not set up for - so I suppose there is an economy factor in some cases and it is easier to change over for just a few rounds of something.

[Griff]

I don't care what Driftwood wrote. He sez it well; and speaks for me also.

But I also will speak my own thoughts. I load ammo. Sometimes lots of it at a single sitting, sometimes very small quantities. I believe that over the past 35 or so years of reloading I've accumulated a REALLY, really flexible set of equipment to this end. I have 2 single stage MEC shotshell loaders (650Jrs), one each in 12 & 20 guages; 2 Dillon 550Bs, one each set up for small and large primers (load about 3 different handgun calibers on them); lastly, I have 3 single stage presses, a Lyman "C", RCBS Jr.II, and RockChuncker, (and load 5 rifle calibers on 'em.

I also have three Lee Hand Primers, a Lee Handloader. They all get used. Every piece of equipment is used for specific purposes, and sometimes they get used for a purpose that I don't keep them around for. Frankly, I enjoy reloading, regardless of what type of equipment I choose for that particular session or ammo.

I'll say this, I like my flexibility. I can sit in front of the TV and load 50-100 rounds over the course of an evening, very leisurely; or I can spend an hour in the reloading room and load 300+ rounds. I can make target quality ammo easier on a single stage, tho' I admire OS's methodology for doing the same on a progressive.

I'll re-iterate Driftwood's, neither "process" is inferior; one is simply slower than the other. You can make quality ammo on any machine. It's all in the attention to the details. Ignore them, and it doesn't matter what equipment you use, you'll have inferior ammo at best, downright dangerous stuff at worst. Much of reloading is "feel". How a well-seated primer feels as it is fully seated, how a well seated bullet feels as it is seated to depth and if used, crimped. How the powder drop feels as you drop consistent loads each and every time. IMO, this is something that no amount of reading or viewing will teach you... just doing.

The only thing I'd add to what you've apparently done, is find a reloader in your area, someone you're familiar with, and sit with them as they load. Learn their process, recognize it might not be what you ultimately do... but, also KNOW that your safety and those around will rely on the good, safe procedures you follow in manufacturing your own ammo. If you have access to folks with both single stage and progressive, take full advantage of that! Even best would be if you can even try different brands.

The better gun shops often have equipment set up so you can test out the ergonomics of the various machines. What I've seen most, is that if your "teacher" uses a RCBS press, that's often the brand you use... likewise Lee or Lyman, etc. Everyone on this forum has their own opinion as to what's the BEST, and they're all right; for them! But, that may or may not be the best for you.

And, lastly... in reloading, there is no such thing as a stupid question. Question EVERYTHING. Learn what everything does, and why you do it. If your "teacher(s)" don't know the answer, feel free to come back here and ask... you'll get several.

[Old Savage]

Well said Griff. It is doing the job that counts with tools you know how to use. I will add this - my method is my own, it is just the way I ended up doing it to achieve what I wanted. I have become so used to the steps and what to watch that anything else seems clumsy. When I use my friends single stage I have to think out and watch all the time what I am doing. I think it is a big advantage to have one there available for the odd job. In considering which to start with think out what you want out of what you have read and what you might think of yourself.

[stretch]

Well a bit of explanation here for rifle - I decap and resize and seat a new primer with one down and up stage. I rotate and throw a powder charge then I remove the case from that stage in which I don't put a button to retain. I then pour the powder from the case into a scale and adjust the charge and pour it back into the case. Then I put the case back in at the powder stage and rotate to the seating where I seat a bullet.

Savage, that's a very clear description of how I load on a progressive after
a new setup, or when developing loads.

Once I'm happy with how everything is set, I'll check the powder charge
every 10th round or so, just to make sure everything's going well. If I'm
near maximum or loading fussy target ammo, I'll sometimes check every round.

I also check pistol rounds with a case gauge. It's remarkable how some
combinations of bullets and cases can change the cartridge dimensions.

Griff - finding a local reloader to show one the ropes is an excellent idea. I was
fortunate enough to have a friend who's been loading longer than I've been alive.
He's made all of the mistakes - and was a HUGE help with everything - component
selection, troubleshooting, what's too much crimp or not enough, etc..

-Stretch

[foxtrapper]

Lets face it, if you ever had the chance to use or watch a progressive press, I only know Dillon , you would be hooked That said, I only use it for high volume pistol rounds 300-500 rds at a time. I have complete tool heads for the calibres I shoot. For my rifle needs I use my RCBS Rockchucker . When I load for rifle it's usually for 50 rds or less. I would recommend a Turret press like the Redding with tool heads specific for each cartridge for a beginner ,unless you feel somewhere down the line you will go progressive. In that case a single stage press is how I would go. So a complete RCBS Rock chucker kit plus a case vibrator is a great way to start. Man you gonna have fun

[COSteve]

I'll re-iterate Driftwood's, neither "process" is inferior; one is simply slower than the other.

I concede that the term 'inferior' may be a bit harsh and I should have used 'less efficient' or 'more time consuming'. For me, time is the most precious thing. While I enjoy lazing around, when I have a task before me I'm always looking for ways to make it more efficient. It's just a 'thing' with me. That's not to say I rush through things, quite the contrary. Since I've retired I find I now have the time to savor projects. No, I'm just big on getting into a rhythm doing everything. If things feel awkward or slowed down, I look for ways to make them smoother.

[El Chivo]

I have the turret system (Lee) although I use it like a single stage; it's an easy way to switch from one die to the next.

The single stage method is different from the progressive method, though not inferior if safety is your main concern. What hasn't been made clear is the two approaches between single stage and progressive.

In single stage you work on the whole batch. You perform one operation on all the rounds in a session before moving on to the next operation. You fill 50, check 50, seat bullets in 50, then crimp 50.

With a progressive or automated turret you work on one round at a time. You put in a case, fill it, seat it, crimp it, then put another one in (a progressive speeds this up by holding several rounds in various stages, so a lever pull fills #1, seats #2, and crimps #3 with the same lever pull).

We had a very experienced progressive press user fire off a double charge not too long ago, we were all lucky he was shooting a Contender which took the 120,000 PSI.

You have to watch for certain things, like powder clumping, and you can't really do that with an automated system. Also some have had technical difficulties like bullets sticking together in the feeder, resulting in two bullets being seated in a case. The resulting round looks normal, the top bullet is crimped properly, only there's another bullet under it. If this is a cartridge with a shoulder, what happens is the inner bullet immediately expands wider than the neck and becomes a solid plug, completely blocking the chamber. The big bang is your rifle blowing up.

I like to check the powder levels just to be safe. I also weigh out each charge, I have found volume measuring to vary quite a bit so I never bought a volume dispenser. I dole out the bullets by hand, one by one. By using the batch method I get to check the work before moving on to the next step.

I mentioned powder clumping (Trail Boss), well, I discovered this by checking the powder levels of all cases at once. One looked lower than the others, and the next one looked higher. I found that the powder was clumping in the funnel, so only about half went into the first case, and half stayed in the funnel. With the next charge, the full charge plus the clump went into the second case. Not quite a double charge, but... My point being I would not have noticed this if I were checking one round at a time. I only caught it by comparing it to the others in the batch.

I LIKE the single stage method.

[SFRanger7GP]

I think I posted this before. This is my opinion based on my experiences. I had 3 Dillon 650's at one time cranking out ammo for 3 gun matches, IPSC and IDPA. Now I only have a Dillon 550 that I use to crank out mass quantities of pistol ammo a couple of times a year. Progressives are not complicated and Dillon is the best made. When IPSC shooters and remanufactured ammo shops start flocking to another progressive press, I'll retract that comment. However, if I didn't already have one, I wouldn't buy one as I no longer need it. I use my Redding turrent press more than any other press. Especially when working up a load or loading BP cartidges. Whatever you buy, buy the best for you and what you do.

Reloading is like anything. Everyone has a widget to make reloading: faster, easier, more precise, etc. I have tried (and own/owned) pretty much everything on the market and I am giving you a list of what works best for me. I enjoy reloading. I reload to produce better quality ammunition that is tailor made for the task I want it to accomplish. I reload to produce the ammunition that my firearms will perform best with. Saying you save money reloading is like saying you save money on groceries by hunting. For the price of our equipment/licenses/etc, it would be much cheaper to eat filet mignon and lobster. You can shoot more for the same/less money. If you shoot odd cartridges like I do, it’s your only option.

1. First buy as many reloading manuals as possible. You should get one for every brand of bullet and powder you plan on using. The information in the front of each manual is as valuable as the loading recipes. The ones I recommend are:
Lee Modern Reloading
Hornady Reloading Manual
Speer Reloading Manual
Sierra Reloading Manual
Hodgdon Reloading Manual
Nosler Reloading Manual
If you are going to load Barnes or Swift bullets you have to get their manual as the different construction of their bullets causes pressures to spike suddenly.

2. Press. Redding T7 Turret Press. I’ve owned them all; this is the best.

3. Dies. Get the dies that you like. They will all load very accurate ammunition if you take care of them. I prefer Lee, Hornady and Redding. My preference is based on how easy they are to adjust and price. I own dies of every make and model. Unless you are doing Benchrest competition, don’t waste your money on “competition dies”. For pistol calibers; buy carbide dies so you don’t have to lube the brass.

4. Priming Tool. The Lee Auto Prime Hand Priming Tool is the best one made for the money.

5. Shell Holders. You need shell holders for the Priming Tool and the Press. Get the Lee Shell holder sets for the Press and the Hand Priming Tool. That will cover most cartridges in the world.

6. Lube. You have to lube rifle cases or they will get stuck in the die. Buy whatever is cheapest but get an alcohol/water base SPRAY. Don’t waste your time with a lube pad.

7. Stuck Case remover. You will do it one day and you need this tool to keep from ruining your die. They all are basically the same. I have this one.

8. Chamfer/Deburring Tool. The Lyman works great and is inexpensive. They are all about the same.

9. Loading Trays. Buy 2-4. It’s hard to load without them. It keeps everything in order and keeps you from spilling powder everywhere.

10. Powder Scale. Get whichever electronic scale you like. I like the AC/DC ones so I can move it around without being dependent on plugging it in. Getting one of the old balance beam scales is like buying typewriters today so don’t even mess with them.

11. Powder Measure. I use one a lot when reloading pistol cartridges but seldom do with rifle cartridges. I have never seen one accurate enough to suit me as I like my rifle charges exact. The exceptions are the Lyman 1200 DPS III, RCBS Charge Master and the PACT Digital Powder dispenser. I owned the Lyman 1200 and sold it in Bolivia. I would never buy another one but they are nice. However, I thought they were a pain in the butt to adjust and drain. I have a Redding Match 3BR Powder measure that I use at times. It is the best manual powder measure I have used. I have a RCBS Little Dandy Powder measure (pistol) that I use a lot.

For rifle, I normally use a powder dipper. The Lee Powder Measure Kit has 15 powder scoops (remember SOTIC?). I pour whatever powder I’m using in a glass bowl and use the scoop to throw the charge directly on my electronic powder scale. With practice I can throw fast, accurate charges. I sprinkle a little extra or take out a little until I have the exact charge. It’s fast and simple. That is what I use most of the time when loading rifle.

12. Powder Funnel. Get whichever you like. I prefer plastic. I’ve had the same RCBS funnel for over 30 years. You want the ones the reloading companies sell as they are static free and static and powder is a bad combination.

13. Case Trimmers. Trimming cases is a pain in the butt, but a necessary evil for rifles. I have owned all types. I currently have the Lyman Universal Trimmer because it doesn’t require shell holders and it comes with most of what you will ever need in one kit. What I use most of the time is the Lee Case Trimmer with Lee Cutter and Lock Stud. I throw one end in the cordless drill and go at it. The cartridge gauge that comes with the kit takes the guess work out of adjusting trim length.

14. Dial Caliper. I use mine a lot to measure case lengths and overall cartridge lengths.

15. Other stuff you may need:
Powder Tickler: I have one that I haven’t used in years. The Lee Powder Scoops sort of make this useless.

Brass Cleaner Kit: I use mine often. Dirty brass can screw up your dies and clean ammo loads and looks nicer.

Bullet Puller: You will need it someday when you load crappy ammo or make a mistake. I still use mine regularly.

Case Care Kit: This comes with some things you can use and a couple you need.

Ammo Boxes: Very handy. The factory ammunition box only lasts so long.

Overall Length (OAL) Gauge and Flash Hole Deburring Tool: When you start geeking on reloading; you will want to try these. Two things that seem to affect accuracy most are cartridge OAL and uneven flash holes. The flash holes are stamped and often have a burr that partially blocks the flash from the primer. Playing with the cartridge OAL can find that “sweet spot” where the bullet best enters/jumps to the barrel and rifling.

[Ben_Rumson]

O S... You may have already considered this, since you are removing and hand weighing/replacing filled cases from the press... But if not, consider using a Lyman or RCBS electronic powder dispenser with a Lee Powder Through Expander Die to ease the whole weighing (distraction and brain fade) process and improve upon time spent dispensing powder per round.... It could work like this.. You’d push a button to start the electronic dispenser weighing out the charge as you also begin the cycles of size, de prime, re prime and advancement to powder dispensing ....More than likely by the time or before you’ve completed the above cycles, the powder will be weighed and waiting in the pan... At the powder station you’d leave the ram in the up position with the case mouth on the flaring neck, pick up the charged powder pan from the dispenser and pour your weighed charge through the funneled die into the case, and tap the funnel a few times with the pan to insure all the powder has dropped... No removal and replacement of the case from the press, but you’ve seen the charge of powder drop... It’s true this is not quite as sure as looking into a charged case, but until confidence in the new method is gained you can look down thru the die to check for bridging, and the case can still be removed and checked after the ram is lowered.... You would need to use Lee’s funnel to go with their die ...

The nice thing I find about these dispensers is they have no trouble with extruded powders ... i.e. no cutting & crunching...plus no leaking with flake or ball powders ...This could widen your powder selection choices if you’ve been avoiding certain powder types that can effect ones confidence in their powder measure’s repeatability...

[Ben_Rumson]

SFRanger7GP.. I too like priming outside of the press and use the same primer tool you use... the good old Lee...One for large and another set up for small primers... However I hate, repeat hate the abrasive primer grinding compound crud that accumulates around the ram and press body junction.......Sooo... may I recommend a cool tool, a blast from the past, that keeps the crud outta the works... The good old Lyman Nutcracker Tong Tool with a universal decapping die...a really fun and fast way I’ve found to decap... Man! that sucker pops out primers with the greatest of ease.. I sit at the table with a ball game on,...a tray of cases to decap... shuck a case in.. close the handles and give her a squeeze... and when properly adjusted...the primer just rolls out & drops, but doesn’t fly away... open the handles... and with practiced flip, the case ejects and usually lands in a tray ready for the next operation, be it pocket cleaning or priming... Then into my press the cases go for the other operations... Ram stays slick as a whistle!!