Dillon vs Lee vs others

[kev74]

I've got 3 Lee Pro1000 presses, a Rockchucker and Lee single stage press on my bench.

For the single stage presses, the Rockchucker is a better press, but there are some things I like doing on the Lee.

I keep the Pro1000s set for 9mm, 38 and 45 so I don't need to change over. The 9 and 38 presses both have may tens of thousands of rounds through them. They take some work to set up and maintain, but work well. I can load about 400 rounds an hour if I don't get distracted. I started with these because it was what I could afford at the time. I'm happy with them.

 

[Baltimoreed11754]

Currently I use 2 Dillon 550s, 2 Lyman T-2s and a Bair Kodiak. Mostly use rcbs dies but have a few Lee dies. Prime my pistol loads on my presses but use two old round tray Lee Auto-primes to seat primers on my rifle brass. One for large and one for small. They work fine until the thumb lever breaks but some jbweld and a piece of aluminum fixes them fine.

 

[johngalt]

I started out on a LEE Challenger kit (O-frame single stage). Within a year the tedium got to me and I moved on to a progressive. After much research, I chose the Hornady LNL AP and have no regrets.

In hindsight, I could have just as easily learned on the Hornady as with the LEE by just using one stage at a time.

My other observation is depending on the volume of shooting, within a year or 2 the initial cost of the press becomes irrelevant compared to the cost of the components.

 

[Racer X]

I started out on a LEE Challenger kit (O-frame single stage). Within a year the tedium got to me and I moved on to a progressive. After much research, I chose the Hornady LNL AP and have no regrets.

In hindsight, I could have just as easily learned on the Hornady as with the LEE by just using one stage at a time.

My other observation is depending on the volume of shooting, within a year or 2 the initial cost of the press becomes irrelevant compared to the cost of the components.

Oh, absolutely. Even with the price of primers you easily save a hundred a case of 9mm reloaded, so after under t
10K, you are ahead, even with a VERY nice new progressive press. You are loading 10mm or .357 mag, WAY fewer round to be ahead. Rifle other than 223? a few thousand probably.

 

[BigBelle]

all depends on your need i guess i would rather have a dillion 650 but im very happy with my lee breech lock single stage press . make great ammo and lee is inexpensive compared to the rest but still quality

 

[Imissedagain]

A press thread and no mention of me?

No Lee dies here but if on a budget their presses will work for the OP's needs.

Only a Lee Hand Press for the range/travel.
Lotsa Lee Loaders including a Zero Error kit for 223/5.56 from the '70s.
For single shots and bolt guns.

550.
Spartan.
RCBS big enough for 458WinMags.

Dies:
RCBS
Redding
One Lyman All American steel 45ACP from the '70s.
Just use the crimper in the 550 with RCBS dies.
Only load 45/380 ACP on the 550

 

[Cdog]

I'll chime in.

I'm a firm believer in the walk before trying to run camp. Besides being easier to learn the ins and outs of the processes, a single stage press is something that I'll always have a need for.

Load development is much easier for me using a single stage. You may someday find you want to load some milder rounds for that old '06 that's been collecting dust.

I won't get into the brand war. Properly used and maintained most any of today's single stage presses will likely outlive the user.

Learn and decide if handloading is for you on a single stage. Believe it or not, I've found it ain't for everyone. Some don't enjoy it, some are simply too impatient to read the damned instructions. Either way, it doesn't work out for them.

Over the last 35 years I've owned a plethora of presses. Some I liked much better than others, but they all worked. A straight wall round, carbide dies, a couple of loading trays and you can turn out a surprising number of 1st quality rounds in a couple of hours using any single stage press.

My $2 worth. (Due to inflation 2 cents no longer viable.)

 

[glenwolde]

If the object is to save money, and you don't need more than a few hundred rounds a month, then just buy any major brand single stage press. They are a lot less expensive and any of them will do the job handily.

At the moment my single stage is a Lee Challenger. It's O.K. The Classic cast is probably better. I've had RCBS before. It was good. Not really a lot of differences to be honest. These things are a giant hunk of metal with like four moving parts.

Look at the peripherals. How is on-press priming handled? The Lee is a plastic-fantastic rinky-dink swinging gizmo that never feeds the last primer.

Lee isn't as inexpensive as they look. I find I replace the lock rings (with Hornady). Now that they've gone to the silly "Breech Lock Bushing" you get to buy those too. Though it's lost on me how much time you really save swapping out a die on a single stage press. Maybe eight seconds? Add the cost of the bushings to cost of the dies.

For handgun ammo you don't need a big press. I even have a Lee Reloader press somewhere. I don't use it much because has gotten sloppy after some use. It's too light. A Rocker Chucker will last forever but is a bit overkill for handgun ammo. I'd get the best press for the best price I could. Right now stuff's on sale so look around. There's another thread here about that.

I also have a Dillon. When I bought it they were making the 450. I upgraded the frame to a 550 so I could get the interchangeable tool heads. I guess it's a 500. Sometimes you see 450's on eBay cheap. Be sure it's all there. You only need a Dillion if you either need a lot of ammo, or don't have a lot of time to reload. But the cost of caliber conversions is also much higher than just a single stage.

 

[rockquarry]

A press thread and no mention of me?

No Lee dies here but if on a budget their presses will work for the OP's needs.

Only a Lee Hand Press for the range/travel.
Lotsa Lee Loaders including a Zero Error kit for 223/5.56 from the '70s.
For single shots and bolt guns.

550.
Spartan.
RCBS big enough for 458WinMags.

Dies:
RCBS
Redding
One Lyman All American steel 45ACP from the '70s.
Just use the crimper in the 550 with RCBS dies.
Only load 45/380 ACP on the 550

I mentioned the Co-Ax in an earlier post as the one I use most for rifle cartridges. I've used mine for decades but wouldn't recommend it as the only press one should have because I've found a few things that are better done on a conventional single stage press.

It doesn't handle press mounted collet style bullet pullers well. Some file-type trim dies may not work at all on a Co-Ax. Forget the Co-Ax if you want to use an RCBS primer pocket swager. Seems like there were a couple of others that I can't remember at the moment...

Granted, these are not handloading procedures everyone does, but some people do and they need a press that will handle the chores. A conventional single stage will handle any handloading procedure I can imagine.

I'm not critical of the Co-Ax. It's my favorite press and the one that gets used most for rifle cartridges. It just has some very minor shortcomings.

 

[SMSgt]

I highly recommend a Herter's single-stage press.

 

[rockquarry]

I highly recommend a Herter's single-stage press.

There has to be a lot of these around. I started with an R.F. Wells basic single stage "C" press and it appeared to be the same tool as the basic Herter's single stage. These were good presses. If they're not worn out from use, they should work about as well as any single stage you can buy today. They don't offer compound leverage, but that feature is seldom needed for most handloading work.

 

[Skeet 028]

I highly recommend a Herter's single-stage press.

How many can you use?? I still use one or two with decapping dies. The only real problem with the Herter's is the shellholders. And the handles are sometimes broken as they are cast iron. But you really do have to work at it a bit.

 

[BE Mike]

Any brand name single stage press will serve you well unless you shoot a couple of hundred rounds a week. Consider Hornady, Lyman, RCBS and Lee. Dillon also makes a basic press that can be upgraded later. It is called the BL 550 and can be purchased on time. Get a good reloading manual first and study it before jumping in with both feet. Finding an experienced reloader buddy is also a great way to learn.

 

[jcelect]

The only real problem with the Herter's is the shellholders.

No problem! This works great!
Herters Shell Holder Adapter : CH4D
jcelect

 

[Skeet 028]

I highly recommend a Herter's single-stage press.

No problem! This works great!
Herters Shell Holder Adapter : CH4D
jcelect

You are right. Adapters were made even by RCBS in the past. Still kind of a little problem though....The adapters cost more than the presses are worth...except maybe the 234? turret. I loaded many many rounds on the Herter's presses back in the day. Used their dies too. I still have a couple sets of dies that were made by RCBS for Herter's. The darn company made very little themselves. We did buy the solid plastic duck and goose decoys though. I was a receiving dealer back then too. Met George quite a few times. If you ever read the catalog?? That is how GLH talked!

 

[Paul in Nevada]

I don't think a press that was discontinued long ago is a good first press for someone who is just getting into reloading.
OP if you are still around, check out the RCBS Rockchucker kit for sale on Midway dirt cheap. Grab a Lee four die set while you are at it and you will have all the tools you need to make great ammunition.

 

[terry_tr6]

i have a dillon square deal I got used many years ago when I only shot pistol. when i started rifle competition i got a rockchucker and have been happy with it too the only down side of the Sq deal is it uses non standard sized dies so when i thought about going to a 550 or 650i realized i'd have to sell the sq deal and dies. looked at the cost and the rounds i load and decided the cost of all the change over kits and what not just didn't make sense. when all the craziness is over I should get a 9mm setup for the Sq deal and then I can do all my pistol rounds on it and rifle on the rock crusher.

but running small batches of different bullet and loads is a lot less trouble on the single stage

 

[Truckman]

At the end of it all you'll have a Dillon machine or 2. May as well get one out of the gate.

Precisely...My first was a 650 to which I added all the bells and whistles as time passed...Eventually I added a 1050 as its next door neighbor on the bench...Save money and headaches by buying the best first...I only wish I still had them both...Selling them when I built my store was a poor decision......Ben

 

[smoothshooter]

If you are not in a big hurry to get started there will be a big increase in the availability of used reloading equipment hitting the market over the next couple of years.
I would buy a single stage press now. Preferably RCBS; then when the number of used Dillons for sale shoots up due to lack of components and the prices of said components when they ARE available, you will see some real deals out there.
Factory ammo in pistol calibers may be a better deal to buy than loading your own for a while. That seems to be the case with shotgun shells now.
I expect primer prices in the 10 to 12 cent each range will become the new norm.

 

[pasound]

I used a Lee three-hole turret in the 80's, after a reccomendation from my LGS owner. Later sold all my guns during a cash flow problem, then sold the press to a co-worker who makes .38 and .45 cowboy loads for his daughter.

Now I again own .38, .357, .44, .45ACP, and .223 guns, and load for all in a Lee four-hole progressive. I took the progressive "turner" out immmediately, and use it as a turret one-step-at-a-time press. Every step gets checked, a rule I learned 40 years ago. Long ago I got used to the Lee moving slightly when strong seating occured, and learned how much to adjust. Today I use taper crimp dies on almost all loads. It loads accurate rounds, when I have accurate load data.

 

[Vettez06]

Redding

Check out the Redding T—7

 

[BC38]

As others have said, read a couple of good manuals thoroughly cover to cover first.
Then, I would recommend starting with a Lee Classic turret kit. Remove the advance rod and use it as a single stage until you get really comfortable with the process.
Once you're proficient with single stage loading, you can put the advance rod back in and start loading higher volume using it as an auto advancing turret. 150-200 rounds an hour is do-able that way, and a lot of us never shoot enough to need higher production than that.
Even if you do ever get to the point that you need the higher production of a progressive, the turret will still come in handy for load development.

 

[BabaBlueJay]

I hope the OP posts again with his selection.

I am going to read the paper manuals on 357 reloading first, but once I learn I plan to get a Dillon 550. Their customer service and replacement parts make it worth the extra $$$ for me. In life I have found you usually get what you pay for, so I'd rather just pay more up front for the best version and one I do not need to upgrade. Even so, I will not order until I finish a few books as I want to know what the heck I am doing first.

 

[BE Mike]

I am going to read the paper manuals on 357 reloading first, but once I learn I plan to get a Dillon 550. Their customer service and replacement parts make it worth the extra $$$ for me. In life I have found you usually get what you pay for, so I'd rather just pay more up front for the best version and one I do not need to upgrade. Even so, I will not order until I finish a few books as I want to know what the heck I am doing first.

Not a bad choice. If you stay with shooting and reloading, you probably will end up with a singe-stage press on your bench. The progressive is very good for making lots of the same ammo at a time, but the single-stage is useful when you just want to make one box of hunting or personal defense rounds.

 

[smithra_66]

I started reloading in 1971. Literally 10s of thousand of rounds loaded, with 1 squib (my problem).

100% have been with Lee equipent. Had one issue, and they replaced the die for free. Customer service is next to perfect.

If you are a snob and like a BMW, then pay for it. If you want quality at a good price, buy a Chevy. (or maybe Lee should be called a Buick).

If you want FAST, buy a Dillon and hope you can amortize the cost. If you are a regular guy and want good ammo, buy a Lee.

I am convinced the Lee haters just have a hidden agenda.

None of us hate Lee. I respect Lee for what they've done for the industry. They've opened the door for many shooters who are just dipping their toe in.

I have first hand experience though, and it's NOT based on snobbery:

In the 90s the handle on my turret press snapped. They sent me a new one...still pot metal.

Their "balance beam" scale was utter junk and would not return to zero. Replaced with a metal Hornady and problem solved.

Their powder measure sucks. Plastic and not repeatable. Replaced with a metal Hornady and now a Redding. Problem solved.

Their progressive shotshell reloader at the time was a massive nightmare and was utter junk. It was so horrific that I think think they pulled it off the market a long time ago (Lee LoadFast. Search the shotgun forums for THAT one. Yikes!) I replaced it with a Mec and it was like an epiphany.

Their dies are okay, but have aluminum seating plugs instead of steel. I've galled the threads on several sets. RCBS is better.
Reddings are better still.

Their bullet molds....UGH...don't get me started on those. My recommendation is buy an iron mold with better quality. But again, the Lee's are half or less of the cost of entry and that is attractive to get people started in casting.

I DO still use their dipper set, and their collet sizing dies. Both of those products are great, but even the collet dies require modification sometimes because the tolerances are not right. Their loading manuals are also GREAT!

So, you see, I'm using first hand experience, not snobbery. Other products simply work better, but if Lee is all you have, you can certainly make it work as you can attest.

I hope Lee is in business forever...just have to know what you're dealing with. I'm not sure why anyone would have a "hidden agenda" against Lee? I sure don't.

 

[oddshooter]

The best advice I can give is to find a Mentor.
You will save months of frustration and maybe a couple of fingers.

Mentors are everywhere and happy to help.

I recommend the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook: 4th Edition for education and load data.

Prescut

 

[Michaelp57]

The Lord's Caliber

Can we please agree that 9mm is superior to 45ACP in every possible way....

Superior in speed and capacity absolutely. But .45acp is the lords caliber. Won us two world wars. On a serious note though, 9mm, .40 S&W, .45acp and most other commercially available calibers have been modernized. The 9mm that caused the FBI to switch to a more powerful caliber, is not the same 9mm that they switched back to. And the same ballistic improvements have been applied to .40 S&W, .45acp, etc.

This world is ruled by .45acp, 9mm is just allowed to exist because .45acp doesn't feel threatened by its existence.

That all said, neither are the BEST caliber. That would go the .40S&W. People may count it out, but it is here to stay.

-Mike, the crazy .40 guy.

 

[Tom S.]

Can we please agree that 9mm is superior to 45ACP in every possible way....

Can we all agree that we wouldn't want to get shot with either one?

 

[9mmPatriot]

Damn right!!

 

[BabaBlueJay]

The best advice I can give is to find a Mentor.
You will save months of frustration and maybe a couple of fingers.

Mentors are everywhere and happy to help.

I recommend the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook: 4th Edition for education and load data.

Prescut

I am very much in favor of keeping all my fingers, thanks for the wisdom