njc110381 Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Hi guys. I currently reload with a Lee four hole turret press set up to do single stages. But I'm thinking I'd quite like to upgrade to a progressive setup. I think I can do it to some extent with the Lee, but I'm not sure? I'm now thinking it may be a good time to upgrade. What's available and what's good? I had a quick search on google but didn't really come up with much. I'd be reloading for a number of rounds from Hornet to .45-70. As there's so much about and it's a subject I don't know a lot about, your advice would be really invaluable and much appreciated! Edit... I just watched a video on the RCBS Pro 2000 and it looks quite smart, but no doubt there will be a nmber of other options with massively varying prices! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 I have a Lee Loadmaster set up for .38 special. Despite some bad reviews on the internet, if you set it up properly, it runs flawlessly. I have the optional bullet feeder and can happily knock out 50 rounds in less than 3 minutes. If you are loading multiple calibres however, you'll need to spend a good hour setting the press up for a different cartridge. You can't just swap dies and shell plate and start cranking. If I were going to load several calibres, I'd have spent the extra and gone for a Dillon 650. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzarM1 Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Dillon,Dillon,Dillon the best there is with impeccable customer service Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Dillon,Dillon,Dillon the best there is with impeccable customer service What Gazza says, Dillon all the way Nothing else even comes close Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Nice, you've all said the same! Not often that happens is it?! So, how many millions does this Dillon creation cost then?.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzarM1 Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 Varied models from pistol calibres and a few hundred rounds per hour upwards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave thorniley Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 yep +1 for Dillon ihad one in the pistol years and cranked 200 rounds out in 25 minutes awesome plus fantastic customer sevice dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njc110381 Posted February 26, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 I had a feeling it wouldn't be cheap! £600+ for the 650, although for what it does that's quite good really. The more worrying part is I'm not sure it has a 6.5x55 option? It would need one of those! The listed calibres it will work with is rather short and only covers one of my guns. I'll have to look into it further. 400 rounds per hour is going some. I wonder if I'm looking at a tool that is considerably better than what I need?! I could load a year's worth of ammo for everything I own in a couple of hours! I'm beginning to think a turret press, if set up correctly, could be plenty for my needs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 I have a friend who has two 4 hole turret presses next to each other. One has 4 FL dies in 4 different calibers, the other has the matching seating dies. He's been doing it like that for about 20 years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted February 26, 2017 Report Share Posted February 26, 2017 I had a feeling it wouldn't be cheap! £600+ for the 650, although for what it does that's quite good really. The more worrying part is I'm not sure it has a 6.5x55 option? It would need one of those! The listed calibres it will work with is rather short and only covers one of my guns. I'll have to look into it further. 400 rounds per hour is going some. I wonder if I'm looking at a tool that is considerably better than what I need?! I could load a year's worth of ammo for everything I own in a couple of hours! I'm beginning to think a turret press, if set up correctly, could be plenty for my needs. 6.5x55 stock number is 16931 The 650 and 550 will load practically all calibers up to .458 Win Mag, some of the .338s and even 375 H&H, so not sure what list you're looking at As for loading your annual supply in a couple of hours, isn't that the ideal situation to be in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamus Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 I have a Hornady L-N-L progressive press. Not much used, and especially little used now that my son has a young family and we no longer spend our nights lamping foxes. It's no Dillon but it's still a useful tool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryh Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 Or you You could look at it this way: RCBS, Hornady etc al make all types of reloading kit and progressives as an add on. Dillon make progressive presses, it is their specialty. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 But you don't need a formula 1 car to do a once a week trip to Tesco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryh Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 MrC Completely agree, ergo: if you do not need a progressive press (formula 1) then don't buy one, use singles station (Tesco shopping). Unless you need to crank out a significant amount of ammunition of the same type then you do not need a progressive press, the conclusion the OP has come to. T Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 I agree but there's also a case for the cheaper presses if you just want to knock out a thousand plinking rounds a month. Spending four times the amount on a Dillon won't get you anything extra out of a 50m .38 load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 But you don't need a formula 1 car to do a once a week trip to Tesco.^ ^ ^ ^ A man who's never owned a Dillon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bradders Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 But you don't need a formula 1 car to do a once a week trip to Tesco.^ ^ ^ ^ MrC Completely agree, ergo: if you do not need a progressive press (formula 1) then don't buy one, use singles station (Tesco shopping). Unless you need to crank out a significant amount of ammunition of the same type then you do not need a progressive press, the conclusion the OP has come to. T A man who's never owned a Dillon The OP asked about progressives, now he's been given the right replies it turns out these replies might not be the answers he's looking for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tamus Posted March 1, 2017 Report Share Posted March 1, 2017 If I may continue the analogy; some of the best F1 drivers don't drive for Mercedes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazzarM1 Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 Just by way of relating my experience with Dillon... I have owned a RL550 for some 25 years and apart from dropping a powder measure and breaking it nothing has broken or gone wrong (they replaced the powder measure FOC even with me offering to pay for it . I had 4 lee progressive presses each set up for either 9mm 38 44 and 45. Every couple of months I used to have a session pulling a hundred or so rounds that were wrong ,either powder missing or a case crumpled on crimp or wasn't aligned properly. I cleaned the presses every few hundred rounds . When I swapped to Dillon these problems disappeared overnight . In the 25 years since I have probably reloaded close to a hundred and fifty thousand rounds on that press in calibres up to 308 .....no issues . The OP may have now decided that he doesn't need that kind of capacity but the original question was what was the best progressive press out there .The answer is still Dillon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrCetrizine Posted March 2, 2017 Report Share Posted March 2, 2017 But you don't need a formula 1 car to do a once a week trip to Tesco.^ ^ ^ ^ A man who's never owned a Dillon I had a Dillon 550 set up for .300 blackout when I used to shoot loads of them. There's no denying they are good except that one primer tube detonation I had. I don't miss it since I sold it though, other presses work perfectly well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JBirchall Posted March 3, 2017 Report Share Posted March 3, 2017 Just come across this which is no Dillon and a not even a true automated progressive but could be a good compromise at little money: http://auctions.holtsauctioneers.com/asp/fullcatalogue.asp?salelot=S0317+++4340+&refno=+++99997 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terryh Posted March 5, 2017 Report Share Posted March 5, 2017 Or how about full on Dillon? Really quite impressive to watch Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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