Press Poll **Decision Made Updated with pic**

[noylj]

Another "what press should I buy" question

Boy, you really selected a range of presses.
Presses are very individual and you need to determine what is important to you.
IMO, turret presses are really no more than die storage. They are not O-frames and need to be built very heavy (except for Lee, which is an O-frame).
The Hornady L-N-L classic with die bushings will make die changes almost as fast.
If you want a turret, get the Lee with auto indexing.
550: Do you have a NEED to be in control of everything? If so, you might be satisfied with a manual indexing press. I wouldn't, but you may be.
Then, you only have four die stations. If you are going to mass load rounds, you should really have a powder check die like the RCBS Lock-Out die or the Dillon (most will forget to visually check a case and it will happen at the worst time 'cause your mind is on something else).
Since seating and crimping are best handled in separate operations, you will want five stations. Finally, you need a case feeder to actually enjoy the press. As I remember from using a friend's, I had to load 20 cases into a plastic tube or I had to insert cases into the press-mounted case feeder that pushes the case into the shell plate. Found it to be a right pain without a case feeder and told my friend to get one. Of course, at the time, there wasn't a case feeder made for it. I much preferred my Hornady where cases and bullets are handled with the left hand--never needed a case feeder with my Hornady.
Hornady--does it all and for a LOT less money. Caliber conversions are fast and cheap. The only negative to the Hornady is it doesn't have rabid fanboys that can only see blue. Also, without the rabid fanboys, it doesn't hold its value like Dillons.
Now, if you want a press with a case feeder, get the Dillon 650. It costs a lot more than the Hornady, but it was designed to work with a case feeder. DO NOT get one unless you get a case feeder.
Personally, the only press that satisfies me more than my old L-N-L are my Dillon 1050s.

 

[blujax01]

Full disclosure - I worked for Dillon for seven years as a "fun job" before finally retiring in 2008. I've never worked for a nicer and more compatible bunch of guys and gals. ...
John

I cannot think of a more "fun job" to have.

 

[M&PUSER]

The Hornady Lock=N-Load AP Press is what I use and love for the reloading of my pistol cartridges.

I use the RCBS ChargeMaster 1500 Combo when dropping powder for my rifle cartridges and the Forester Co-AX Press for them too.

All three are great tools. Shop around for the best prices.

 

[novalty]

Wow a lot of activity on the post. I still haven't settled on a selection yet. I do hear the points on the Dillon RL550B, as well as the Hornady LnL AP. Really have settled on a price range in the low-to-mid $400 range, which means if I get the Dillon I am going to be handicapping myself to using it for 1 pistol caliber, and stuck loading the rest until I could save up more money. As mentioned before I am probably shooting at the most 2,000 rounds a year (excluding rimfire), which consists of about 1,500 pistol, and 500 rifle--been that way for about the last 3 years. Don't shoot any competitions, just reloading for plinking ammo. Just not sure if my demand warrants a progressive. Too many tough decisions.

Mkk41, in response to your message above, I wanted to ask why a Redding T7 turret is "like several accidents waiting to happen?" Couldn't the same be said about a Progressive?

I am really a beginner reloader; I have loaded a few different calibers, but don't have anything narrowed down as to what lead, powder, case length etc. work best in the guns I am loading for--but they do go bang everytime and haven't had a squid or double charge. You also say that you would have a "solid O-press for accuracy, high-volume and durability." Which is what I have now with my RockChucker II.

 

[TheTinMan]

I voted for the turret press based on low production and multiple calibers. The Redding is very nice but Lyman's T-Mag II is less expensive and still has 6 stations per turret head.

I got a Hornady LnL progressive press a couple of months ago. Its a good piece of machinery and Hornady's customer support is great. I don't regret the purchase but it takes a lot of time to get the dies set up for a given caliber and set of components. Changing bullet choice or even batch of cases might mean tuning the whole die set. My typical runs were 100-150 rounds and the progressive really doesn't make all that much sense for that few. It'll be great when I want to crank out 400+ of the same thing.

Unlike more seasoned hand loaders (only 3-1/2 years), I'm still sorting out what components work best for different cartridges. Trying to do a ladder for testing is possible on a progressive, but I prefer to do it on my turret press for pistol rounds.

Turret press process is: prime and bell each case rotating turret back and forth, then hand prime and check every primer's depth by touch. Then I throw powder using trays if it's a know-good load. Back to turret to seat and crimp each case. If building a ladder, I use an RCBS ChargeMaster to throw a charge while I'm seating and crimping the previous case.

Rifle cartridges get loaded on my Hornady single stage. Rock solid and fewer worries about concentricity. Way too much case prep between the two die steps for even a turret to speed anything up.

You might like ChargeMaster instead of the high-end powder measure. Have it throwing a charge while you seat the previous round on the single-stage press. Just a thought...

 

[Wee Hooker]

I'm a little confused on the price. The Redding T7 on Midway USA is priced @$274.99 and we all know Midway doesn't have the lowest prices available.

If the question wasn't so specific I would have recommended the Cast Iron Lee Classic 4 Hole Turret Press @~$100... Spare turrets for each caliber are only $10 each. The RCBS Turret press is $190 but I don't know anything about that press so I can't comment on it. RCBS turrets are $40 which is higher than the Lee turrets but not as much as the Redding turrets which are $67 each.

x2 on the Lee Classic turret. Traded in my old Dillon SD and went to this press. Still capable of 150-200 rds/hr and converts to any caliber in 3 min flat for a $9 turret plus die cost. Even the primer size changeover can be measured in seconds.

 

[Biginge]

Dillon 550 and GET the caliber conversion.

Regards

Bill

 

[smithnframe]

Are they the only choices? I would go with the Redding mainly cause I dont like Hornandy or and type of progressive press. I am currently using a Forster co-ax, an old Lyman All American turret, a Lyman Tru-line jr. a cheapo Lee single stage and a Lee hand held. Also three Lyman 55 powder measures, an Ohaus duo-measure, two RCBS uniflows and a couple of Belding & Mulls.

 

[sar4937]

"x2 on the Lee Classic turret. Traded in my old Dillon SD and went to this press. Still capable of 150-200 rds/hr and converts to any caliber in 3 min flat for a $9 turret plus die cost. Even the primer size changeover can be measured in seconds."

I don't believe I could do 3 completed rounds per minute on a single stage press. Heck, it takes me more than 10 seconds to change dies and set them up.

The O.P. set a budget, and a Dillon 550 plus caliber upgrades doesn't fit. I do vote for Dillon, but a 650 for alittle more. The one extra stage helps with rifle reloading, and I like auto-indexing.

 

[novalty]

After some recent wheelin & dealing I have managed to upgrade my bench with a Redding T7 and Harrell's Premium Benchrest powder measure and a couple other goodies--at a very minimal to no cost. Thought I'd post a pic of my upgraded bench. Added another bench in the basement for gun cleaning and holding my casting equipment and tumbling equipment--which freed up a lot of space on my reloading bench. Just need to get the RCBS Uniflow Case Activated Linkage kit to add to my powder measure on the T7, also going to order a Hornady Lock n Load conversion kit for my Rock Chucker II, to make my rifle die changes quicker.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Well, if you are happy.........

 

[TheTinMan]

So after using it, is the Harrell's powder measure worth the big bucks?

Does it throw stick powders well?

 

[novalty]

So after using it, is the Harrell's powder measure worth the big bucks?

Does it throw stick powders well?

Well I have only run a little Hodgdon Benchmark powder through it so far, and it was pretty consistent. But Benchmark isn't very big powder. If it wasn't for the very good deal I got on it, I would probably go with a Redding BR-30.

 

[blujax01]

After some recent wheelin & dealing I have managed to upgrade my bench with a Redding T7 and Harrell's Premium Benchrest powder measure and a couple other goodies--at a very minimal to no cost. Thought I'd post a pic of my upgraded bench. ...

Nice looking bench.

Okay I love hearing about good deals... what sort of wheelin' and dealin' got you the rig for cheap?

 

[wheelgun28]

I have been reading this post for a while.

As much of as I am a fan boy for the blue guys theres only one thing I like better...

That happens to be "Minimal to no cost"

Use it, enjoy it, if you ever choose to up grade you can trade or sell it and be that much closer to something else.

Its a winner in my mind

 

[novalty]

Use it, enjoy it, if you ever choose to up grade you can trade or sell it and be that much closer to something else.

Wheelgun28, that was my thought as well. I am going to try this setup for awhile, and if it doesn't meet my needs I will look at selling to purchase a progressive.

Bluejax, thanks for the compliment on the bench--it was pretty cheap to build. Marked down 6' countertop from Home Depot for $15 OTD, one length of 4x4 for $11, and the 2x4's I had laying around. It is mounted directly to the wall, and my father-in-law welded up the steel L-bracket to mount under the T7.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I just found this thead. I have all the presses you thought about and believe you chose wisely. I have 2 Rock Chuchers with the lock and load conversions on them and they are great. My sugestion is set the rifles up on the T-7 and the pistols on the Rock Chucker (you'll never need to touch 3 rifle sets again!) Think about a universal diecapping die on the T-7 (Any huge sizeing die will work for most, like a cheep used 458 win mag die) Another hint: Lee dies are some times too short for LNL apps, you can Loc-tite loading dies in place. A friend of mine did this with really short forming dies and had great results.