Quote:
Originally Posted by smokindog
OP,
IMHO you've been given a lot of good advice and opinions on what's available. Only reason I decided to jump in again is the thread is showing hints of "blue wash" (some of you in the high tech world may get the other meaning here, equally appropriate).
I'm not bashing any vendor by saying that, just pointing out that I noticed a large lean to blue with all these smart and helpful folks 
I'll bet that once you do that, set a price point, and then pick a press, you'll be happy, regardless what color it is. BTW - Hornady customer support is outstanding too  FORGOT to add an answer to a Q you posed, you can add either the case or bullet feeder independently now or in the future.
PS - don't know why one poster said the free bullets weren't the right type because they sent me exactly what I wanted and I also got more with each die set and I most certainly did NOT get a lesser press! That was the first clue to me that the thread was leaning a bit! It also wasn't a major piece of my decision but it was a nice bonus. BTW, I've got everything for my LNL to load 9, 40, 45, 45C, and .223. I'm actually considering a second LNL at that price in the link I added early. I think it may expire today but not sure!
Best of luck. I'm happy with MY choice and it was a thread very similar to this one that helped me in my decision. |
Dillon is the benchmark the other manuf shoot for. It's the reason many go Dillon, they just work, often right out of the box. Having run all the progressives but the RCBS, it's easy to see strengths & weaknesses.
As to hornady's free bullets, maybe they have changed their policy, but you used to get a list to choose from. Still, 500 bullets is not getting me to buy a lesser press, well maybe 500 50bmg Amax, yeah not gonna happen. The cost of the 650 & LNL, sim equipped, is about $75. Over just a year, what, $6/m? The LNL is a good press, especially w/o case feeder. I agree, the 650 w/o feeder is no faster than a 550, been there done that.
IMO, far too many guys/gals agonize over the initial cost of equip. If you are in It for the next 20yrs, then buying top end gear means never replacing it, ever. High end gear means less time tweaking & more time reloading & shooting. I would buy a 1050 if I thought it would work for me, still about $6/month over 20yrs? Regardless of what you buy, make sure it works for you. For many of us, time is still valuable. A good progressive solves the time excuse for not reloading.