Which brand of Reloading equipment do you prefer?

[Kimio]

Topic, I'm researching the different makes of reloading presses and am trying to make up my mind with whom I'd like to get my reloading equipment from. I'm slowly reading my way through the sticky here in this sub forum, but it's always nice to hear from other members here about what they like or may not like about certain presses and such.

Right now I'm leaning towards Hornady's Lock and Load starter kit, though a press made by Lee is also a strong candidate at this time.

So, do tell. What reloading manufacturer do you like the most, is there anything you like or dislike in particular about any of the manufacturers?

I'd love to hear more from ya'll

[Hammerhead]

I like Redding. Top quality stuff. I love their T-7 turret press and everything they make is made in USA.

[C7AR15]

If I was you I would cherry pick the best value items from different manufacturers.

Press - Lee cast $120
Lee priming tool - $20

I also have a RCBS digital scale, Redding dies for rifle, Lee for pistol

Lyman Tumbler

Lyman Brass trimmer

Powder thrower - spend the money and get one with a micrometer scale on it.

[GJSchulze]

Are you loading pistol or rifle or both?

I have a Hornady LnL Progressive and am very happy with it. Their customer service is quite good.

[1stmar]

Single stage - rcbs rock chucker though I don't see anything wrong with a redding, Lyman.
Progressive - Dillon hands down
My experience with both Dillon and rcbs customer service has always been excellent. Both stand behind their products above and beyond what is reasonable. My rcbs was given to me by a friend 25 years ago, missing some parts. I called rcbs to purchase them and they sent them for free. Dillon is the same. No experience with Lyman or redding CE.

[jwrowland77]

I started with the Hornady single stage classic kit and it has served me well for a few years now. I recently got the Hornady Auto Progressive as a Father's Day gift, and I absolutely love it. Way much faster than a single stage for loading pistol.

The Hornady Auto Progressive compares to the Dillion. I wish I could find the link of a test done comparing Hornady, Dillion and Lee. The Hornady was the favorite.

Great customer service. Plus went I bought my Hornady, I got 500 free bullets. I think my wife paid around $350 for it from Midsouth and I got $160 in free bullets for a very nice net price.

[DPI7800]

Dillon 550 or 1050 if you can swing it. For high production the 1050 rocks. I can reload about 500 to 600 rounds of pistol ammo an hour on my 550 and 1200 to 1400 rounds and hour on my 1050. When Mike Dillon says no BS warranty he means it, great customer service!

[BumbleBug]

Short answer: You can't go wrong if all your equipment says "RCBS" on it.

[Kimio]

I'll be starting off with 9mm reloading focusing on the basics with a single stage press. I'll be moving on to reloading .223/5.56 and .308 once I get more experienced at the reloading process.

[Bill Daniel]

For high volume pistol the Dillon SDB is hard to beat for the price. I obsess over my rifle loads too much and like my Hornady single stage classic. For single stage press the Rock Chucker has the largest following.
All the best,
Bill

[g.willikers]

Just get one of each, or we'll be here all night.

[Jim243]

If I was you I would cherry pick the best value items from different manufacturers.

I agree with this, each mfg has their outstanding products and their so so products.

For Dies - Lee's are the best value (IMHO)
For Specialty Dies - RCBS, Hornady or Forester
For Rifle reloading - RCBS (Rockchucker press, LoadMaster 1500)
For Pistol & Revolver reloading press- Lee (Classic Turret Press, Auto Disk Powder Measure) or Dillon Progressive Presses
For Case Prep - Lyman (Tumblers, Trimmers, Media Separators) or Frankfort Arsenal (Tumblers, Trimmers, Media Separators).

For Brass Cases - Remington, Winchester, Norma & Lapua
For Bullets - Hornady, Speer & Remington
For Smokeless Powder - Hodgdon, IMR or Winchester
For Primers - Winchester or CCI

Depending on your budget pick and choose some of them are more expensive and some are less expensive, but none of them are cheap.
Good Luck and Shoot Straight.
Jim

[Sure Shot Mc Gee]

Consider a older RCBS Rockchucker II. (Cast iron model.)
FWIW: Young and relying heavily on those older others for their experience. I was told my first press would outlast me by its sales person. It was a new handsome looking Red Pacific single stage press I bought. Well the out last me aluminum made press didn't. It's ram got so loose I literally had to guide my shells by hand up into their dies at its end. By the time that press was worn out I knew which marketed press would actually out last me without being told. I bought Dark Green on cast iron the next time around. Been happy ever since.

[wogpotter]

I started out with a Lyman kit, it served me well for decades & is still going strong as an auxiliary press since I drank the blue koolaid & got a Dillon RL450b.

Then after a couple more decades I upgraded the RL450 to an RL550.
My buddy who runs only a single stage got the RL450 so we all got an upgrade as his brother who is just starting out got his old Lee.

[loic]

I hace 2 press, lee turret and lee load master. I started on the turret for my handgun, reloaded thousand of rounds with it but I couldn't keep up, I was shooting to much, so I got the loadmaster. I use the loadmaster now exclusively for 38 spl and 9mm. I use the turret for my rifle and I use it single stage. The beauty with that press, beside the price, is to turn it into a single stage takes only 30 seconds, to change caliber also takes 30 seconds , just buy extra turrets (around $9) set your dies and thats it.
For hand gun I use the powder dispenser from lee for my rifle I use the rcbs powder dispenser with the scale (I want a perfect weight for my rifle) tumbler I use hornady.

[4runnerman]

RCBS-Press and Redding or Forester everything else

[Real Gun]

If I was starting over again, I would go directly to the Lee Cast Turret with the small Hornady single stage for miscellaneous work. If I was loading more than handgun calibers, I would need a taller, stronger single stage press with a longer stroke. The Lee Breech lock cast I have now will suffice, I think. There is nothing compelling me to buy the small Hornady, but I would recommend it for handgun work.

I have other presses to, but that's not what you're asking about.

[pete2]

RCBS, Dillon, Hornady, Redding, Lyman, Pacific if still in business. Some of the Lee stuff is serviceable.

[GJSchulze]

Be aware that for the Hornady LnL cases are fed from the left and bullets most likely from the right. It has five die stations and is auto-index. Auto indexing means that the shell plate turns automatically with each stroke of the press.

With the Dillon cases are fed from the right. Not sure about bullets, but probably from the left. The 550 is no auto-indexing. You must turn the shell plate by hand. The Square-D does not accept any other dies except the ones made for it.

So, you should compare the Dillon 650 with the Hornady LnL AP.

Someone mentioned the Lee Auto Disk Powder Measure. If I understand correctly it uses cavities of varying sizes to measure the powder, similar to what a scoop would do. IOW, you can't adjust by small increments and must use a chart to determine what weight you get with each cavity for each powder. Might work for rifle where a grain or two doesn't matter, but not pistol where 0.1 gr matters. The other progressive presses use a powder measure that is infinitely adjustable by using a rotor with a cavity that has an adjustment stem on it that moves the stem in and out to change the volume. I've heard complaints about the Lee Auto Disk leaking powder. For the life of me I don't understand why anyone would want to use that, but I'm sure someone will pipe up defending it. If someone does, please mention if you've used both and why the Lee is better.

[BigJimP]

I'm using Dillon ( 650 with a case feeder )...its similar to Hornaday LNL ...

I have a few buddies that have the LNL - and they like it as well / but I like the extra level of service from Dillon ( guys you can talk to that actually use the machines).

650 has one plus - its a 5 station loader so it has room for a "powder check die" ...its an extra safety thing, nice to have. It also auto indexes...as you cycle the handle. Lifetime, no BS warranty.

550 Dillon - does not auto index / has a 4 station tool head, so it cannot fit the powder check die. ( no auto index, no powder check is a deal killer to me ).

1050 is a commercial machine ...has only a 1 yr warranty.

SDB is for handgun calibers only ....no powder check, it does auto index, no case feeder option, it uses a proprietary die unique to only that loader. Good machine / but its limited.
----------
I've used other machines ...RCBS...and spent time on my buddy's LNL....but for what its worth, I'd buy the Dillon 650, with a case feeder again.

[Longshot4]

Get a high quality hand priming tool like Sinclair... Stay away from trimmers that use collets to hold cases do to variation of rim sizes. Pickup large and small primer pocket uniformers I like Redding and quality primer pocket cleaner Redding. For pistol dies carbide are nice. I like the RCBS lube pad. Redding has a great selection of quality dies that I trust. Although RCBS and I'm sure Horanidy dose also. Don't scrimp on your press I have a 70s Rock chucker that I can still count on. I recently found out for bottle neck dies should bump the shoulder so full length dies are needed Redding has been recommended to me. Neck dies can't bump shoulders. Put your bench together with extra space for the future and keep it organized. Don't forget plenty of bright lights. Good Luck

[Pond, James Pond]

I have Lee equipment for the most part.

TBH price guided me but I have not been disappointed with the exception of the Auto-disk Pro charge meter. It just didn't work for me, largely due to my powder choice (stick).

So far the Lee gear has let me do everything I want to and the results have met my needs and expectations.

[mikld]

Short answer (or not so short) any of the modern manufacturer's reloading equipment will keep you reloading for many, many years, except Smart Reloader. I have heard/read no good reports about this equipment and my experience is their stuff is junk

As much as 90% of the problems with presses today is operator error/inability to use hand tools correctly, read instructions etc. and as a lot of reloaders can be very vocal, the equipment gets blamed. Lee equipment is a good example of this; "Lee Haters" are common among reloading forums. A good, consciousness reloader can safely use any press and make good ammo, but a sloppy reloader in too much of a hurry will make inconsistent, often unsafe ammo on the very best, most expensive equipment.

It may not be a lot of help, but there is no really bad reloading presses made today. I used the much maligned Lee aluminum "O" press for several years making good serviceable, safe ammo. I have also used a Redding Boss for a few years until a messy divorce forced the sale of much of my reloading equipment. Now I have presses by Lee, C-H and Pacific. If I do my part, they will all do the job correctly.

If I were to suggest a press to a new reloader I would prolly be a Lee Classic Cast single stage. Heavy duty cast frame, inexpensive, and will last a looooooong time. Lee has a pretty good customer service/warrenty.

I don't like kits so I researched all my equipment/tools as I needed them and got what would work for me despite whose name is on it. A lot of reloader are very brand loyal so be ready for the "----- is the only good equipment, the rest is junk" type replies.

jes an opinion formed over 30 years or re-stuffin' brass...

[William T. Watts]

I go with BumbleBug, I'm still using RCBS dies that are 30+ years old, RCBS hand primer more than 20+, absolutely nothing wrong with a RCBS Rockchucker press. I think everyone should start with single stage press and progress as their demand for the finished product increases. The few Lee products I've had in my 45 years have been pitched long ago, RCBS, Lyman,Redding and Hornady, like everything else in life you get what you pay for. I should mention RCBS warranty is top notch, I have never been disappointed if I have to call RCBS with a problem, usually I have what ever I need no charge in a few days!! William

[Machineguntony]

I highly recommend Dillon, it is the only good equipment, RCBS, Lee, Hornady, are all just junk.

This is my Dillon set up.

If you get a 1050, be sure to get a bullet drop. You will be loving life. 'Commercial' quality is a bit of an exaggeration. The 1050 is not a commercial reloader. It is just really fast and has other advantages over RCBS, Lee, and Hornady. For example, when loaded with my Dillon presses, I have never missed a target. On my Dillon presses, I've never had a squib. On RCBS, Lee, and Hornady, you will have at least 20 squibs for every 100 rounds.