Single stage press?

I have an old Pacific single stage that I picked up used in the early 80's. Still works great. Several years ago I decided to venture into the progressive and got the LNL set up. It works very well.

I would size and deprime in big lots, usually around a plastic coffee can full, then prime while sitting on the floor. These would be set back and ready to charge and add bullets later. Each can has a card that stays with that batch so I know dates and what primers I used.

Several years later when I set up the new LNL I still have cans of 9mm that are sized and primed, ready to load. I can't bring myself to run them through the progressive press.

Once you develop your system you will be amazed at how much ammo you can load on a single stage and with hand priming. I don't load that many calibers and don't shoot competition but I like to have plenty of 9mm, 38/357, 40, and 45 ready along with 223 and 30-06 rifle.

If I had it to do all over again, I don't really know if I would get a progressive. I like the thing and it does pump out the ammo but there is something about a single stage that just feels right when I have some extra time. That to me is the big difference, time.
 
I'm not gonna rely on a machine to make sure the powder drop is correct.
Click to expand...

Most users of progressives, don't totally rely on the machine either. I look visually, as well as using the powder alarm on the Dillon 650. During the process of reloads, I'll also periodically check the powder measure against my electronic & balance scales.

With mass produced loads, I'm not going for exact matched cartridges, where bullet weight & powder weight need to be exactly the same. Just as with factory made ammo, I expect chrono results to vary somewhat.
 
This has been an excellent thread for me. Over the past couple months I have carefully been selecting and buying pieces of equipment online and from private sellers toward reloading 40S&W, 10mm, 357/38, 270Win and 30.06. I think I like hand priming and I see no problem decapping and sizing on a simple little Lee "C" bench press. I have an old Lyman 55 powder measure in great shape that I am getting comfortable with. I even bought an old Forster case trimming setup sitting quietly waiting for rifle cases.

Now this thread, and many others, has reinforced my idea that a turret press is my next step. I like the "repeatability" of having a separate turret with the dies set up and calibrated for a favorite load in each caliber, knowing they can be tweaked slightly for each firearm if need be.

I don't expect that my family will shoot much more than 2,000 rounds each year, and judging by how quickly I'm getting through my first 500 reloads with very little expense, I'm gonna go the turret way.

I thank you all for your willingness to share. Very much.

BZimm
 
I think the key to answering the OP's question depends on how the OP views his time spent at the press. If the time spent is viewed "as a necessity" (meaning it's the best way to accomplish getting the ammo he wants, but he'd rather be doing something else) then maybe a progressive or something faster is the way to go. On the other hand, if time at the press is viewed as yet another enjoyable way to be in the hobby, then why reduce that fun hobby time? :-D

I use only a Rock Chucker. I love the simplicity and the methodical deliberate control I have over the entire process. I also have the time, and enjoy the time, I spend sitting at the bench. I would consider (it happens to be me and where I am in life) something that reduces my time at the bench a net negative.

OR
 
An old Pacific Super Deluxe "C" and two Lee Hand Presses.
I can load everything I need with these .
I also have a old Lyman All-American Turret , rescued from a yard sale, set up for 357 magnum only. And I have an old Eagle Cobra 300 , single station , just for back up .
Gary
 
You could add a Piggyback attachment to your rock chucker to get you to turret production levels. They seem to have a decent reputation. Still, a new conversion is going to cost you twice what you can get into a Lee Classic Turret Set Up for.
Personally, I'd just get the LCT and keep the Rock Chucker for rifle rounds.
 
I have a Rock Chucker and an old #2 RCBS that I use for the Weatherby Magnums. I have 2 Dillon 450's for handgun and a Mec Hustler for 12 gauge trap loads.
 
For single stage I have two Redding T7 turret presses.

67000.jpg

(c) Redding

It is very convenient to keep the most used dies in the press ready for use, no readjustments needed. Online forums seem to say the Redding turret is the strongest of them. I am sure happy with mine!
 
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I think many reloaders just don't want the added expense of using a progressive. If you load more, you shoot more. I loaded for 12 ga for many years with a progressive MEC so I sort of understand the dynamics. Powder came in 8-12 cans, shot in 25 lb bags and it got used up fast. I had a lot of powder and shot on my bench and on the floor. Lots of operations to keep track of there. I like the simplicity of single stage. I've reached the limit on output with it so just regulate my shooting around that. I look at it as sort of a regulator. You can't shoot more than you load. ;) Saves money twice.
 
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Thank you, I appreciate all the well thought out replies. The more I think about it the more I don't think I need a progressive press, but am considering a turret style press. Just not sure which avenue to go down to get one if I decide on wanting one. I only shoot about 100 rounds of Centerfire a week and a single stage will surely accommodate that amount, but I think it would be a bit easier just rotating the turret. Is it worth that money? And I'm not sure which turret I would go with, seeing that I already have an RCBS single stage press.

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A turret press helps only with die set up - you do it once and then they stay in place ready to be used at any moment.

Otherwise a turret press is like a single stage, you pull the handle once for each operation: resize, expand, seat, crimp and of course you add powder.

A progressive press does all those operations with one pull of the handle, that is where it's speed comes from.

To recap: a turret press saves time only in die set up, it does not make the actual reloading process any faster.
 
One time-saver that's available with a single-stage is the Lock n Load system from Hornady. Many of the newer presses are threaded for the larger 50-cal. type dies, and use a bushing system to reduce to the standard 7/8/14 dies. Hornady offers a bushing that receives the smaller dies with a twist-lock system with a twist-lock attachment attached to each die, so it only needs to be adjusted once within its bushing. The system can be used with modern single-stage presses from Hornady, RCBS, Redding, Lyman and others. You can change dies or calibers in a couple of seconds.
 
Thomasino said:
Thank you, I appreciate all the well thought out replies. The more I think about it the more I don't think I need a progressive press, but am considering a turret style press. Just not sure which avenue to go down to get one if I decide on wanting one. I only shoot about 100 rounds of Centerfire a week and a single stage will surely accommodate that amount, but I think it would be a bit easier just rotating the turret. Is it worth that money? And I'm not sure which turret I would go with, seeing that I already have an RCBS single stage press.

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Click to expand...

Turret presses vary in price and complexity. Personally, I'm in the Lee Classic Turret Camp. I own, run and love two of them. Easily the best bang for the buck out there in a Turret. You can get one for under $120 for the bare press, under $225 for one ready to rock with powder, primer feed and dies. The LTC is simple to use and it will give you your 100 rounds in about 35-40 min or so once it's set up. (Lots written here and all over the net on the LCT BTW>)
p.s. My guess is that you will find yourself reloading and shooting more once you get one though. Most of us do.
 
sasu said:
A turret press helps only with die set up - you do it once and then they stay in place ready to be used at any moment.

Otherwise a turret press is like a single stage, you pull the handle once for each operation: resize, expand, seat, crimp and of course you add powder.

A progressive press does all those operations with one pull of the handle, that is where it's speed comes from.

To recap: a turret press saves time only in die set up, it does not make the actual reloading process any faster.
Click to expand...

I would respectfully disagree with you, that a turret press doesn't save you time. I have the Lee Classic Turret with auto-index, Safety Prime system and Auto-Disk powder measure installed for each handgun caliber I shoot. I don't load for speed, but for the simplicity that I have a loaded round after 4 strokes of the handle. I can, at any time, take the cartridge out for inspection after any operation. Even checking powder weight and COL every 10th round, I can load 100 rounds in 30-45 minutes. If you wanted to, you could easily load 200-250 rounds an hour; I just don't NEED to and prefer consistency over speed.

Change over to a different caliber is only a few minutes, and your ready to load again. I still have my 1978 RCBS Reloader Special that is my dedicated decapping station for all calibers. I also just purchased a new Lee Classic Cast single stage for the 2 rifle calibers I shoot (223 & 308). I chose the Lee over the Rock Chucker Supreme because of 1) larger opening and 2) spent primer collection through the ram, into a collection tube. Saving $70 was a bonus, but not the deciding factor (though it didn't hurt)!

At 100 rounds/week and you already have a Rock Chucker; the choice would be up to you. IMO, for handgun rounds, the turret would be a better choice. The RC could be your dedicated rifle press. Best of luck, let us know how it works out :D
 
OK, I can see that. I have never thought of using a turret press to make one cartridge at a time, rotating from station to station. I use my turret presses as single stations: sizing a batch of cases, then priming the batch, expanding the batch etc. I like the control I get when I repeat the same action over and over again.
 
sasu said:
OK, I can see that. I have never thought of using a turret press to make one cartridge at a time, rotating from station to station. I use my turret presses as single stations: sizing a batch of cases, then priming the batch, expanding the batch etc. I like the control I get when I repeat the same action over and over again.
Click to expand...

This is the way I do it also. It just seems natural to do it this way. Turning the head around and around to load one round seemed to be so much more time consuming than doing 50 - 100 -200 at a time , then turning to the next station. For me , it's faster to load batches of 100 -200 ,single station style than doing the load one completed round method . Truth be known , unless you leave the dies in place and adjusted , and load the exact same bullet , you are just as well off with a good single station. "C" and "O" presses are so much stronger ( less flex ) , to boot.
Gary
 
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RCBS Rockcrusher...only press I have and use. Started out with a Lyman C-press in late 1960's. Switched over to a Rockcrusher at some point in time.

Single stage RCBS works for me.
 
Great thread and comments!

:D The Hornady L-n-L conversion bushing is, IMHO, an absolute must for single stage presses like my LEE Classic Cast Iron press: once adjusted, dies are good to go, easy to make small adjustments for seating depth and crimp. Perfect for rifle rounds, especially bottle-neck cartridges. Even the LEE locking rings stay in place... Well, most of the time?

Absolutely love the RCBS Universal Hand Primer: easiest way to seat primers properly whilst watching the tube, just remember to always wear your safety glasses, just in case...

LEE's Classic Turret won't accept the L-n-L system, but that's the point: you buy another turret, adjust the dies once and away you go. Batch loading (i.e., say 50 at a time per loading "action" & removing the indexing rod) really can up your production with no real decrease in precision. No doubt (in my mind) a Dillon or a total Hornady L-n-L Progressive system properly set-up, adjusted and maintained can deliver many more finished product much faster, but at what co$t? How many actually shoot 500-1000 rounds per week and really need the production?

If you are one of those "lucky ones", God Bless and Keep Safe!

Cheers!

p.s. Easy for me to say because I'm retired and actually think the reloading bench is the perfect place to be O/C and proud of it!

p.p.s. Found an old RCBS Jr. at a garage sale for $10 to handle all the decapping chores: SAVE THE DIES! With the LEE quick change mount it's only a minute's work to go from decapping to single stage or turret press. Hint: replace those Phillip's head screws with hex head bolts for a tighter mounting.
 
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sasu said:
OK, I can see that. I have never thought of using a turret press to make one cartridge at a time, rotating from station to station. I use my turret presses as single stations: sizing a batch of cases, then priming the batch, expanding the batch etc. I like the control I get when I repeat the same action over and over again.
Click to expand...

In actuality, using the LTC in auto index mode DOES repeat the same action over and over. The action sequence is very repetitive but just a little longer over four strokes of the handle instead of one. When I reload with auto index ( as I do 98% of the time) I can "feel" if something just wasn't right in the sequence because it is so repetitive.
i.e. The control is very similar but there is significant time savings in the lack of having to handle each case 4x as often.
I'd suggest it's worth a try if your press will do it.
Tight groups!
 
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I don't think my rock chucker Supreme can be converted to a turret press but I am looking into getting a new turret press, just not sure which one or manufacturer? I don't want to spend a lot of money but would like something of lasting quality.

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Thomasino said:
batch method?

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Batch method (I call it my coffee can method):

Do everything one step at a time, completing everything before going on to the next step in the process.

I frequently resize 1500 to 2500 pistol cases at a time. Then I decap and neck-expand all of them. Then I will prime them all. When I want ammo all I need to do is decide how many I want, charge with powder, seat bullets and I am done.

The time savings comes in not having to constantly be setting up and adjusting dies, powder measure, etc, for each box or two of ammo.

Saturday evening I resized 2000 rounds of .38 Special. Sunday evening I decapped and neck-expanded. This evening I primed. Couple of hours each evening, now I can load 5-600 each evening and by the end of the week I'll have .38 Special range ammo for the next year or so.
 
Owned several presses and spent a bunch on the required shell holders. Got tired of primers/primer residue all over the press, bench and loading area. Learned that the die and shell holder could "float" (self align) so the projectile is concentric to the case neck when its seated. And the floating-jaw shell holder that comes with the press fitted all the calibers I Hand Loaded.

Consider the Forster Co-Ax press.

Forster Co-Ax(R) Press within AccurateShooter.com
 

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Late to the party, but I my first press was the RCBS Jr. and I'm still using it (53 years later). I really longed for a A-2 like all the gunwriters had back in the mid 60's, but by the time I could afford one it had been replaced with the Rockchucker. I bought one of them and the 2 are on my bench and both used. I sometimes will load several hundred rounds at a time, but not often enough to make me want to buy a progressive.
 
Have been running single stage since 1962. I was given a Dillon a few years back, but it's still in the box. I'm not in a hurry and I want complete control over the process. So I put on a Great Courses CD and let the world go by.

Sometimes less is more.
 
Got a few ole Rock Chuckers, did the batch thing one setup to size, one to seat, other to taper crimp, progressives were out of my reach in those years, still use the Ole RC's, brass forming, making 22 cal bullets out of .22lr cases. Redding BB2, progressives, Pro7's, LNL AP, Dillons, but somehow go back to the RC.
To each their own I guess, what you want vs. what you need, progressives are nice, convenient, fast, etc. if setup properly.
just my 2 bits worth..

-Snoopz
 
Thomasino wrote:
I was wondering what other people had for casual loading.
Click to expand...

RCBS Reloader Special. Bought it in 1979 and still using it today.

I usually reload cartridges in batches of 50. I may do multiple batches one right after another, but always small batches so that I can get a feel for each round as I handle it and load it.
 
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