Another progressive reloader question

[AveragEd]

Another reason I'm high on my 650 is the powder measures. When I went to a progressive loader, I was concerned about the quality of the ammo I would be producing so I compared 50-round 25-yard groups shot from a rest using ammo loaded with the same recipes and same lots of powder and bullets on my single-stage equipment and the new 650.

With my RCBS Competition Powder Measure, I would find a variation of a tenth of a grain and sometimes two tenths, depending upon the coarseness of the powder, when I would randomly check charge weights. With the Dillon's powder measures, I get the exact charge every time. As I load only handgun ammo on the 650, I haven't tried those measures with extruded powders but it is dead-nuts on every time with Clays, SR4756, AutoComp, TiteGroup and W231.

That consistency showed up on my test targets as the target ammo loaded on the 650 outshot the same recipes loaded with the rotary drum powder measure in all five handgun calibers I load - .38 Special, .38 Super, .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45ACP. The difference was not dramatic but it was visually noticeable.

Ed

 

[smokindog]

Like other bodily parts, we all have opinions.

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.

 

[fredj338]

So why so defensive, not sure of your choice? I am only stating facts from what I know running both machines. So my opinions are based on fact & not emotion. The case feeder & priming system on the 650 are superior, unquestionable. The bushings vs tool head, subjective. better leverage & tolerances on the 650, measurable. I can afford what I want. If I really thought the LNL was a better press, I would own one. If I never wanted a case feeder & had to have auto indexing, I might have bought one. For what you want a progressive for, I am sure it works for you.

 

[B's640]

I guess no one here has used the RCBS Pro 2000?

 

[novalty]

I guess no one here has used the RCBS Pro 2000?

I've never used a RCBS Pro2000, but will give you my take on it. It is priced too high based on competitor models, and people don't seem to have taken to the APS primer strip system.

 

[LoadEmUp]

So why so defensive, not sure of your choice? I am only stating facts from what I know running both machines. So my opinions are based on fact & not emotion. The case feeder & priming system on the 650 are superior, unquestionable. The bushings vs tool head, subjective. better leverage & tolerances on the 650, measurable. I can afford what I want. If I really thought the LNL was a better press, I would own one. If I never wanted a case feeder & had to have auto indexing, I might have bought one. For what you want a progressive for, I am sure it works for you.

I agree as mentioned above in another post that opinions, however stated, are opinions.
I did a similar comparison as you, yet I chose the Hornady LNL ( actually I have 2 of them) because my analysis showed the LNL is unquestionabley the better choice - for me.

 

[Neumann]

An opinion would be stating, "I have looked at A, B and C, and I like A best." Describing attributes you look for, and ranking A, B and C according to those attributes is an analysis. Others may rank or score these attributes differently, which is part of an objective decision making process. Some people like swimming pools, others think they are a liability. Either way, "swimming pool" is on their check list.

What attributes describe a progressive press?

• Initial cost
• Cost of change parts
• Time to change over
• Ease of operation
• Speed of operation
• Availability
• Maintenance cost
• Flexibility

You get the idea. This thread has done a pretty good job suggesting attributes for this list. Notice "color" is not among them.

 

[fredj338]

I've never used a RCBS Pro2000, but will give you my take on it. It is priced too high based on competitor models, and people don't seem to have taken to the APS primer strip system.

The 2000 is basically a 5 stn 550b, maybe slightly better I might ave bought one way back but for the primer strips.

 

[AveragEd]

The primer strips were not a positive attribute for me either but my contact at ATK/RCBS informed me that the loader can be made to function with loose primers as well. Since his next words were "maybe in nine months," I didn't press him for further details.

Ed

 

[AveragEd]

Before leaving for work this morning, I was looking through my August-September issue of Handloader magazine and spotted a review on pages 64 through 68 by Charles E. Petty of a new bullet feeder for progressive loaders marketed by RCBS. It costs $37.95 and works well with cast lead bullets. The article includes lots of photos and real-world use experience with the item on a Dillon 650 and an RCBS Pro2000. It's worth a look for those interested in such a feature.

Ed