single stage or progressive for niche caliber

[6string]

Wow, lots of great suggestions!
If I had a bit more space, I might add a turret press as per AJ's suggestion. I really like the build-quality of the Redding T-7!
Of course, that changes the whole narrative of the thread!

Interestingly, when I use the 650 and a powder scale, it changes the whole operator cadence of an auto-indexing progressive press. When the shellplate is up, I stop, weigh and pour a single charge, lower the shellplate, visually confirm the powder charge, then set the bullet into the casemouth.
Raise shellplate and repeat. Auto indexing and case feeder takes care of the rest.

I guess I'm inching towards an answer!

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I use single-stage presses for everything from rifle hunting ammo by the box to pistol practice ammo in 1,000 round batches.

A few of my niche cartridges are .45-90, .45 Sharps Express, .44-40, .32-20, .25-20, .218 Bee. My larger quantity calibers include .45ACP, .44 Special, 9X19, .357, .38 Special.

I don't try to do everything at one sitting. Resize, deprime, case mouth expansion, priming can all be done easily in lots of 500 or 1000. Then I have cases ready for powder and bullets. Couple hours at a time, a few evenings, another shelf in the ammo locker is restocked. And I know that every round was handled and inspected at each step of the process.

I cast bullets in a similar manner. Two 10-pound electric pots, multiple (two to four) molds. Get one pot to temp, run it down then switch to the second pot while the first is refilled and brought back to temp. A 3 or 4 hour casting session will usually yield between 2,000 and 3,000 bullets ready to run through the lubri-sizer.

My need for bullets can be met in a couple of sessions per year. My reloading needs can be met with a few evenings at a time for each caliber and load.

Anytime I add a firearm in a new caliber I order a new set of dies and a bullet mold (sometimes two molds).

This has worked well for me over the past 50 years. No reason to change.

 

[AJ]

My set up.

 

[venomballistics]

That's really a daunting question to try to answer.
Not only do we need to look at what a particular cartridge is to you in the present, we also need to try to anticipate what it will become under the influence of reloading.
Also, does it readily piggyback on a mainstay?
for example, 350 legend ...
this screams niche cartridge, but if you load 223/5.56, this is pretty much just a change of dies on a progressive.
furthermore, it does alright with cast lead and runs a comparable powder charge weight as 5.56, making it slightly more economical than it's host press cartridge. There's little reason to leave this cartridge "friend zoned". As a result, this has a huge potential to leave the niche cartridge collection and join the ranks of those who serve.
The heavy handguns, 41, 44, 454, 460, 45 Colt and others ....
These things are cost prohibitive to shoot without reloading.
Behind their gold plated price tags, are wonderful cartridges.
once hand loading in introduced, the economic prohibition fades and the utility emerges. The too gives them great potential to escape the friend zone.

 

[2152hq]

Just buy the damn thing if it's a good deal.
You'll likely use it if you like the 41 that much and end up shooting it more.

If you don't, then sell it off and continue to use the single stage.
You'll break even on it or make a couple of bucks if the price you are buying it for is that good of a deal.

No drama. It's just another piece of reloading gadgetry that we generally have too many of anyway.

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

Single Stage for the 41 Magnum IMHO

 

[TheTinMan]

I like to use an older Lyman turret press for pistol load development. It’s fast and easy to resize and expand each case without removing from the shell holder. Then it’s on to a loading tray for powder ladders. Back on the press seat then crimp. It might not seem like much but eliminating the need to pick up a case, put in the shell holder and take it out again - twice - saves time.

With straight walled pistol cartridges I move to my Hornady LNL progressive if and only if I’m making 500 or more of whatever with no variation. The setup is such a PITA it doesn’t make any sense for less. Bottle necked rifle cartridges all get made on a Forster Co-Ax. Oh, I also use the single stage for de-capping/sizing everything because the Hornady LNL shell plates deflect too much. If I shot competitvely, I’d definitely swallow the blue Koolaid but I just don’t shoot enough volume of one cartridge for it to pay off.

 

[SMSgt]

In my nearly 50 years of reloading--on & off--I've never used anything other than a Herter's Model 3 single stage press for rifle and handgun rounds.

 

[AJ]

In my nearly 50 years of reloading--on & off--I've never used anything other than a Herter's Model 3 single stage press for rifle and handgun rounds.

The same can be said for others for various presses. I have used a Lyman Turret Press for over 50 years. What works for us may not work well for someone else.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

The first year I had a Dillon (A 450 press in 1984) I loaded two 5000-round batches of 9mm and a 20,000-round batch of 223. Since then, I sold the full auto 9mm and hardly ever shoot 9mm!! I still have 3000ish rounds of that 223 batch. In the Next 40 years, your shooting habits will also change. So will the prices on loading equipment, and they won't be going down.

My current loading bench is 5' long. I have a RCBS Rock Chucker, a Lyman 450 (heated) bullet sizer on the left, and a Redding T-7 on the right and my Dillon 550 in the middle. The 1050 I'm getting will be put somewhere and set for small primers, the 550 will be set for large primers. I'm planning on leaving them that way for the rest of my life. (but things may change)

Should I ever get a M-60, I'll do something with a 1050 to keep it fed! If I ever get a Mini-Gun, I'll already be rich enough to never reload again!

Ivan

 

[rwsmith]

To me it sounds......

Like a job for a single stage. Especially since that's all I have.

But truthfully, I keep myself loaded in .38s and .357s just fine as well as some rifle cartridges I don't shoot tons of, Like 7.62R Russian for my Mosin Nagant.

 

[6string]

I really appreciate all the replies.

Quite often, while at ranges, casual shooters will ask me, “Is it worth getting into reloading?”

Well, if just a cost/time investment analysis that’s one line of thought.

But, perusing the replies here underscores another aspect.
When I posed my question in the original post, I wasn’t expecting such a diversity of replies. And, they’re all great!

Something I’ll have to keep in mind when talking to others is that reloading is also a creative endeavor. It gets you thinking on so many levels. And, there’s lots of different processes to get to the end product.

 

[gym cat]

Dillon 550 ---You have the best of both worlds.

 

[glenwolde]

I really appreciate all the replies.

Quite often, while at ranges, casual shooters will ask me, “Is it worth getting into reloading?”

Well, if just a cost/time investment analysis that’s one line of thought.

But, perusing the replies here underscores another aspect.
When I posed my question in the original post, I wasn’t expecting such a diversity of replies. And, they’re all great!

Something I’ll have to keep in mind when talking to others is that reloading is also a creative endeavor. It gets you thinking on so many levels. And, there’s lots of different processes to get to the end product.

There's even more. For example, I prefer the speed of a progressive because I don't particularly find reloading fun. It was at one point. But after the first 50,000 rounds the honeymoon was over. I just wanted ammo. I shoot 100 rounds a week. But I like to batch load 1,000 rounds at a time of my everyday ammo. I'm fine with not reloading for a while.

The other big advantage is uniform supply. I've been shooting the same exact .38 load for 45 years. Hard to do that with factory ammo. I've only been shooting the .41 for 20 years.

 

[CH4]

To my mind, it’s more about how many rounds you plan to shoot, than whether or not it’s a niche cartridge. I still use my Rock Chucker for everything, since I only load 20-50 rounds at a time.

I would only contemplate a progressive press if I were burning a lot more powder; 41 mag isn’t a cartridge I’d consider for high volume use.

 

[smoothshooter]

I would not put much money into new reloading equipment.
Reloading as we have always known it is about to come to an end because of skyrocketing prices on components and their scarcity.
Going to be a LOT of used presses, dies, measures for sale over the next 2 to 3 years, CHEAP.

Most ammunition and component manufacturers are busy giving priority to military small arms ammunition contracts as the world gears up for the next big shooting war.

 

[gwpercle]

If Bench Space is a consideration ...
Take a long hard look at the Lee Hand Press ...
I use one to reload all my handgun and 30-30 rifle ammo with one ...
I can sit at my kitchen table , computers desk or coffee table and load ammo ...
I would take it to work and load ammo at my Drafting table ...
I owned the business so the boss was okay with it !
Anyways the Lee Hand Press requires very little upper body strength and is very affordable and ... very Handy !
I always have little odd jobs for it to do ... case prep and such that I can do inside the house .
One of Lee's most useful products !
Gary

 

[H Richard]

If I need to load more than 200 at a time I would consider doing on my 550B. If I usually only load a box or two at a time I will use the single stage. I load all rifle, (Evan my Prairie Dog loads) on a single stage. The Dillon is set up for 9mm, 45acp, and 38 Special. You can just see the Dillon on the left in this picture, the old Texan handles everything else.

 

[SMSgt]

The same can be said for others for various presses. I have used a Lyman Turret Press for over 50 years. What works for us may not work well for someone else.

Right. IMO, which press someone needs is more dependent on the quantities of reloads they need, not something based on any particular caliber.

 

[AJ]

Right. IMO, which press someone needs is more dependent on the quantities of reloads they need, not something based on any particular caliber.

Back in the day, I was shooting IPSC for a couple of years. At the same time I was teaching a Combat Handgun Course for the Marine Corps. I was shooting 1000 rounds a week. I had a Dillon Square Deal B that I loaded .45 ACP on for my practice rounds. Still had and used a turret press for other ammo. All my time was taken up by casting bullets and loading ammo. Wife was glad when I stopped IPSC. Now my right hand is paying for all the pounding of the 1911. I actually broke the SDB's frame. Contacted Dillon and they replaced it.