Old Timers Advice, Interested?

[Nevada Ed]

"I want quality ammo, factory or better. "................

What makes you think Factory ammo is the best !! ??

Some rifles shot factory speed ammo well, some like slower or faster !!
As you know with 50 years of loading.............different weight bullet and different powders, all play a part in finding the "Perfect" load for your rifle.

Do you have a certain caliber and bullet weight you are working with?

 

[MasterTech1960]

Now, do not get me wrong I am not looking for too much speed, but I also do not like to wast time. On my RCBS Rockchucker , I would say , I used to do about 50 rounds an hour. Now on my Lee Turret press I can do 125 to 150 an hour. That is plenty for me at one sitting. I have always enjoyed reloading but I never felt I had the time to sit down for three hours to load 150 rounds on the RCBS so I would load in small batches. With the Turret press I do it in a third of the time. The Rockchucker is used for my rifle loads. Fewer at a time .

 

[Jellybean]

But to be fair...people reload for many different reasons, and some of those reasons aren't "quality". I've known many shooters that just wanted fast, cheap ammo and making it was nothing more than an unpleasant chore. The faster they could get it done, the better.

 

[Engineer1911]

I enjoy shooting, but I tolerate reloading, and put up with casting bullets. All three tasks are part of my shooting hobby. Factory ammo today is at best very expensive, or at worst just non-existant. The worst part of reloading ammunition is the requirement that the bench has to be visible along with the press. My housekeeping on the bench is not the best because flat surfaces attract stuff!

My two Dillon 450 / 550 take care of my hand gun and AR ammo needs. With two Dillons changing between large and small primers is as simple as roll the stool 4 feet.

Each person has their own requirements / standards for their guns and ammo. As long as your reloading process works for you, you will be able to shoot safely.

 

[smokindog]

I've been a tinkerer all my life. I think I've enjoyed the process of setting up and using my reloading space more than anything else I totally get the go slow, relax, and enjoy

That said, I'm hoping to pick up some property where I can set up my own range. Who wants to bet that will become my next favorite thing??

People seem to get "things" in a wad for no reason far too often.

Signed,
Another old fart!

 

[fredj338]

That's not what the OP was saying. You should reread the OP too...

I read it, stated I don't get what he is saying? He doesn't like progressives, has too much time on his hands, what? He implies ammo coming off a progressive is inferior to ammo off a ss press, that is just BS. If he hates hs Dillon, sell it, lots of buyers out there.
Btw, a progressive is not just about volumes of ammo, but doing less work in the same period of time. 500rds of 45acp on a ss press is 1500 handle plus. On any progressive, 503-504, less work, same quality, the speed you do it is up to you.

 

[dickttx]

The press you should use should be related to your shooting needs and physical condition.
If I only needed a couple of hundred handgun rounds per month I would probably use my LCT.
I am currently shooting about 1200 per month and my LnL AP fills my needs perfectly. I don't want a case feeder on it and I don't really need a bullet feeder. But I did move from the LCT to the LnL because it only takes about 104 lever pulls, rather than 400 to produce 100 rounds. My 77 year old shoulder really thanks me.
If I needed more I would add the case and bullet feeders or move to a Dillon 1050. But for my volume I would feel just as silly with a 1050 as I would a single stage.
I own a C-H CHampion SS, as well as the LCT and LnL. It is me that controls the quality of my reloads, not my press.

 

[RussellD]

My joy is exceeding the quality of factory ammo and working up a load for a specific Gun.I Can load about 100 rounds every 15 minutes once the prep work is done. Losing half a day in the loading room is pure joy.

 

[H Richard]

I have a Dillon 550 set up to load both 45 acp and 38 Special, but I load for a dozen other rounds on my old Texan turret loader usually in 50 round batch's. I'm think I may buy a shell plate for the Dillon for 9mm, as I now load it in enough volume, like the 45 and 38 to take advantage of the Dillon. But, I still like to have the control over loading each step of the way.

 

[fredj338]

I guess I just don't see the loss of control over the loading process using a manual indexing press like the 550. Use it as an inverted turret if going slow makes you more comfy. Same number of handle pulls as a turret, you just index the shell plate instead of the turret. Regardless, you are NOT giving up any control using a progressive, especially a 550. Progressives just give you options a ss or turret do not.

 

[FloridaFlier]

Guys, guys, guys, slow down. The OP was stating a truth that applies to many of us, myself included. There was a time in my life when I wanted as much as I could make, as fast as I could make it. Completely valid objectives. For the OP, and for me, that time is past.

I still want great ammo, as close to perfect as I can make it. What has changed is that I used to make ammo only to enjoy shooting, and I still do.

BUT, now I have come to appreciate making good ammo as a hobby unto itself. I enjoy making good ammo. When the wife is watching 'The Bachelorette', or some other **** show, I relax in the garage and pursue my hobby of making ammo. It isn't about speed, it's just an enjoyable hobby. I didn't read a snub toward progressives in the OP's post.

Lighten up. Go make some good ammo.

 

[THEWELSHM]

It's like this...... Farmer Giles's left a gate open to the pasture that had two bulls init, an old one and a young one. The young bull said to the old one " the farmer has left the gate open and that pasture over there is full of cows, why don't we run down and do a few of them?" The old bull looked up and said " why don't we walk down and do em all?"

Thewelshm

 

[fredj338]

I'm sure it's capable. Not interested. For me, it's quality I'm interested in, not a need for speed. Take your time and enjoy this hobby. If you have to go fast, perhaps another hobby, like racing. .

Sounds a little snubbish. That he is implying a lack of quality in ammo made on a progressive. An attitude I faced years ago from guys older than me about progressives. The point, it's just not true. Todays better machines will turn out ammo equal to anything you can crank on any ss press. What you do get with a progressive are options that the ss will not give you. Go fast, go slow, doesn't matter, your ammo will be just as accurate, you have just as much control over the process. After all, you are still the nut pulling the handle, ss or progressive, just pulling it less times if you choose.

 

[Old Seabee]

Press

I have a Pacific , Rock chucker & two 550 Dillons I am 68 I do rifle on single ones , pistol on the dillons , Like people say it depends on the situation , I take my time with them all & enjoy doing different stuff . Thanks OldSeabee

 

[Jellybean]

I know what the OP said, and I agree with him.
I also know what everyone else said, and I agree with them too.

I don't personally think that a turret or progressive will load as accurately as a quality single stage press due to the tolerances required for the moving parts and the linkages. However the difference isn't noticeable to most shooters, and isn't even desirable due to their needs and expectations. I have always liked to load ammo as much as I do shooting it, it's a hobby in self to me. And now that I'm retired and don't shoot nearly as much as I used to, I can take all the time in the world, and sometimes do. But, when I was working two and a half jobs and found myself short of ammo near requalification day, I would turn to the progressive and crank a couple boxes of whatever I needed, usually the day before I needed them. And they never let me down, especially at the maximum requalification range of 18 yards.

As others are saying, to each their own, if they are happy with it then it's "right" for them.

 

[growr]

So, how is it that a progressive cannot load as accurately as a single stage?

Is it the re-sizing of the casing? Both machines are pressing a fired casing into a die to reform it....so, if I remove my Redding die from my Dillon and put it into a single stage it is now better formed or more accurate? Same die..

Maybe it is the powder measure....my powder measure on my 550 Dillon is VERY consistent...well under 1/2 a grain variation with ball powder....but then my RCBS and Hornaday deliver the same standards....maybe it is not the powder measure after all...

How about the seating die....same argument as the re-sizing die...will probably seat much more accurately if I move it to my single stage won't it? So far not yet. Same die being used...just a different press.

So where is it that a progressive is so inaccurate? Is it because with each pull of the handle it does 4 things at the same time?

Please help me understand this as I don't get this thinking.

Randy

PS. I have used ammo from my 550 in the very demanding course of fire known as Palma (800-900-1000 yards)and was able to fire Master level scores. Scores didn't go up when I loaded on my single stage

 

[RussellD]

 

[THEWELSHM]

So, how is it that a progressive cannot load as accurately as a single stage?

Is it the re-sizing of the casing? Both machines are pressing a fired casing into a die to reform it....so, if I remove my Redding die from my Dillon and put it into a single stage it is now better formed or more accurate? Same die..

Maybe it is the powder measure....my powder measure on my 550 Dillon is VERY consistent...well under 1/2 a grain variation with ball powder....but then my RCBS and Hornaday deliver the same standards....maybe it is not the powder measure after all...

How about the seating die....same argument as the re-sizing die...will probably seat much more accurately if I move it to my single stage won't it? So far not yet. Same die being used...just a different press.

So where is it that a progressive is so inaccurate? Is it because with each pull of the handle it does 4 things at the same time?

Please help me understand this as I don't get this thinking.

Randy

PS. I have used ammo from my 550 in the very demanding course of fire known as Palma (800-900-1000 yards)and was able to fire Master level scores. Scores didn't go up when I loaded on my single stage

I don't think the op was diminishing the progressive press.. I think it was merely slow down and be carefully. It's not a race be safe. I reload with a progressive press but take my time and enjoy. If I misunderstood the op post I hope he chimes in

Thewelshm

 

[old&slow]

Coaltminer wow, you really poked a stick in a hornet's nest didn't you ..

I can't believe how many single stagers and progressives got their knickers in a bunch just because you enjoy reloading and are not interested in going high speed.

I haven't been reloading quite a long as you.. only about 40 + years and I'm retired also. I have 2 Dillon 550's and a RCBS rock chucker single stage. Both good presses IMO. I do pistol and 223 on the Dillons and other rifles are done on the single stage.

I enjoy reloading, but personally like to turn out lots of quality ammo in the shortest amount of time..

Personally I don't see anything wrong with a single stage.. I don't see anything wrong with a progressive.. I don't see anything wrong with stopping and smelling the roses,, or putting the petal down sometimes..

 

[growr]

I don't think the op was diminishing the progressive press.. I think it was merely slow down and be carefully. It's not a race be safe. I reload with a progressive press but take my time and enjoy. If I misunderstood the op post I hope he chimes in

Thewelshm

Wasn't directed at the OP....