Hey all,
I am seriously considering selling my Dillon SDB and picking up a Lyman turret press.

The only pistol caliber I own is 9mm and I want to start reloading .308 more than I have with my Lee hand press.
I am thinking I can set up both calibers on the turret and be able to load both by just changing shell holders.

What do you all think?

I have two SDB for pistol cartridges and a turret press for rifle cartridges. I take a lot of time with rifle brass - trimming, pocket cleaning, precise powder measurement and so on. A day at the range I might shoot 200~300 rounds of pistol but if I shoot 50 rounds of a rifle cartridge that would be a lot. So taking the extra time with the turret press is really insignificant and I feel I have better control over the output. Time and effort I'm just not willing to put into a pistol round.

If I was shooting something like a lot of ammo thru a .223 I might consider a progressive. I guess the question is how much .308 do you plan on shooting?

I typically only shoot around 100-200 pistol rounds and typically only 25-50 rifle rounds per range session. That is why I am thinking of selling Dillon and getting a turret press. I feel I can bust out the pistol even on a turret in less than an hour and still have a press that I can have more leverage with than the Lee hand loader I have been using for the .308. I can also set both calibers up on the turret and not have to screw around with them again. I will only have to change shell holders and powder charge when I switch calibers.

I'd suggest looking for a good used single stage to add to the SDB.

I have thought about going that route as well. Space is limited on my bench. Hence my thought process with the turret.

You could install a system like Pat Marlin's RockDock.

How about the Dillon 550B, it uses standard dies and can load rifle.

...also, every bench needs a LEE turret press, and it can be used like a single stage also.

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NRA Life
USPSA/IPSC

I have a SDB and a Lyman turret, plus many other presses. I know that if I sold the SDB and only kept the Lyman turret it would be a tremendous mistake on my part. My advice is to keep the SDB and look for a good used O frame press for the 308. If one is patient good presses can be had for little. As far as bench space mount them one at a time or build a small portable bench for the new press. Dillons are kind of awkward when not mounted and very easy to damage parts. Like the plastic primer catcher or the powder thrower on the SDB.

My press is bolted to a board, which I C-clamp to my bench when I need it.

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Common sense isn't so common.

Kind of going backwards. The reason I passed on the sdb 25+ yrs ago, it's limiting. The 550 let's you do rifle & pistol w/o giving up the volume a progressive gives you. The sdb in general should go away. Too many decent progressives out to limit yourself today.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I have a Lee Classic Turret and if other turret presses are similar it will certainly give you flexibility. I just loaded some .22-250 and .401 wsl today how's that for flexible? I was thinking about doing some .45 too but the ammo pile is getting crowded with the rain here. Just wasn't up to shootingin the rain today.

It seems like you could keep up with your rifle with a good single stage press and keep your progressive for your 9mm?

I was pleasantly surprised with the LCT. It loads way better ammo than it should for the price. I thought I would have got a progressive by now for pistol but the turret has kept me ahead of the whole family shooting wise.

I'm now loading .22-250, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, 500 S&W, and the obsolete .401. I have a turret for each so switching calibers is pretty easy. I really like the 4 hole turret it gives you even more flexibility with adding extras.

I should note that I don't think I could reasonably pump out pistol ammo faster than 100 rounds in an hour. I've done that a couple times and I am not very comfortable going that fast on the turret. It's pretty frenetic at that rate and I don't think it's sustainable. Seems like 50 to 75 in an hour is more reasonable and keeps the quality higher. That's just me perhaps? I like to hum along but not in a tremendous hurry as I enjoy the process.

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Trucks and guns.

I like turret presses , and frequently recomend them , so I'm not going to say anything disparaging about them.

One catagory of presses is not "backwards" or "forewards" of another , just have different strengths and liabilities. As long as you are comfortable in decreasing your rate of mass production of 9mm , go for it.

How often do you get a range session? I think a turret would be a good time saver if you have more money than time. I have more time than money and a single stage works fine for me.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

If you like the SDB, I'd try to fit an add'l. press dedicated to the 308. Lee offers a kit so each press is mounted to it's own board and each is changed out with just 4 bolts. They also offer a reloading stand.

I'm a big fan of turret presses myself, never used/needed a progressive. Since you already have the progressive, I would opt for a dedicated press for rifle cartridges.

How much do you plan on getting out of the SDB?

You are aware that your SBD dies will not fit another press, right? So you will need to factor in the cost of replacement 9mm dies, too.

If there's any way you can find room for a second press, you will not regret having two.

Yes I am aware of the die situation. I actually have 9mm dies and .308 dies for the hand press. They are Lee, not the best but they work for now.

Well I think I will keep the Dillon and just save up my pennies for the turret press.
Thanks everyone for your input!

You'd be much better off to go to a 550b.. It gives the flexibility of acting like a single stage if you want that but cranking out rounds like a progressive when you want that. I went from a lee turret to my 550 and couldn't imagine going back to a turret at this point..

Another option besides the Pat Marlins is the Inline Fabrication:

Quick change press mounting system | Inline Fabrication

This will let you swap out what press you have mounted and you get to have them mounted on a riser of your choice in how tall the handle is to reach.

Can't we leave political correctness off the forums. IMO, you are going backwards selling a progressive for a turret, especially for handgun loading. Gees.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

Excellent suggestion. I have 2 SDB's with 6 caliber changes.......and a RCBS single stage that I do my rifle stuff on. As others have stated I take a lot more "pains" with my rifle brass than with the pistol stuff.

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S&W Accumulator

I've got the same setup others have mentioned. An SDB that I use for 3 handguns and a single stage I use for rifles. This is all I'll ever need. Produces more than enough ammo. I started with the single stage in '73, got the SDB in '90, shooting mostly handguns, still do. I'm in no hurry, reloading started out as an enjoyable hobby, still is.

I recently bought the Inline Fabrication quick change system for my Dillon 650 and also got the plate for my RCBS Rockchucker because of space limitations on my bench. Very nice slick setup. He also has a wall mounted storage plate for storing the spare press/loader when not in use that is also sweet.

Nah, it's not PC, there's plenty of reasons to like a Turret on purpose.

Feels strange to be acused of PC, don't think I've had that before.

Some things are best ignored!

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Really? U saw it in Wikipedia?

Just calling it like I see it.

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NRA Cert. Inst. IDPA CSO

I still have and use my old Texan 7 hole turret press I bought used for $50 over 30 years ago. All my rifle rounds, and small batches of pistol rounds are loaded on it and all load development is loaded on it. I keep my Dillon 550 for any volume loading, 38, 45, 9mm.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

I didn't see those!!! Guess he's getting a little more of my money...