Advice sought... Press etc...

Chris D · December 17, 2008, 12:53 PM

I'm about to dive into reloading and despite 23 years of shooting, I'm a complete n00b when it comes to reloading...

I plan on reloading .45ACP, 9mm and .223, .45 being the main round.

I'm on a budget (the economy and all) and want a decent setup that will do the above calibers and be able to do them at a reasonable speed.

I know there are countless threads like this and some searching has come up with some info. But I thought I'd ask just the same...

I have seen some beginners kits too, but not sure if I should buy the components separately.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated and welcome.

Chris

Antihero47 · December 17, 2008, 01:06 PM

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...1&postcount=10

Chief-7700 · December 17, 2008, 02:25 PM

47, Your post should be a Sticky at the top of the page. Great Job!!!
Chief

Don P · December 17, 2008, 03:00 PM

++11 for 47's post and I too have a Lee 3 hole turret press (manual ) but that works for me here's the link to the press kit.
http://www.factorysales.com/cgi/cata.../rlpress2.html
Can't beat it for $89.99
The money you save over the RCBS press kit can pay for the dies you'll need plus some. Whatever set up you buy, buy the carbide dies. They'll out live you in service life and need no lubeing

BigJimP · December 17, 2008, 03:37 PM

There are cheaper presses - but I think Dillon makes some of the best equipment out there. Somebody else said it better - but long after you've forgotten what you paid, the stink of poor quality lingers forever.

When it comes to presses - you get what you pay for.

For me, the deciding factor on a press is whether it has the capability of accepting a "powder check" die or station. Not all of the presses do / in fact Dillon's SDB and 550 models do not have that option. But a Powder Check station keeps you from having a cartridge with no powder drop / which will mean a very dangerous squib round stuck in your barrel probably - or a double charge, which is dangerous as well. I'm not saying you can't load high quality rounds safely and without it / but its a big time additional safety factor - and one I would not want a press to not have.

For me that means the Dillon 650 - and you can get it without all the bells and whistles for under $ 600 / fully equipped with the electric case feeder which is $ 210 option its about $ 1,100 - but you can add a lot of that stuff later when you feel better about the economy.

But Hornady, RCBS, etc make presses with the powder check option as well.

CrustyFN · December 18, 2008, 06:05 PM

I load on a Lee classic cast turret. Most people load around 200 rounds per hour. I doesn't have a place for a powder check but I don't need one anyway. I like to look in every case just before I set the bullet on to be seated, did the same thing loading on a Dillon 550. You can get into a Lee CT kit for under $200. It is a very solid press. Very fast and easy to change calibers and primer feeds. I have been loading on one for two years and it has been a great press for me.
Rusty

two 70 · December 18, 2008, 09:08 PM

It's Lee all the way for me. Easy to setup and use and my end result loads work very well.

Lilswede1 · December 18, 2008, 11:43 PM

Started out buying the Dillon 550b Progressive on the advice of a friend who has been reloading since kindergarten I think. '
Then I bought a single stage to deprime and resize cases. Coulda done this on the Dillon but Lee makes a cheap press ($38) and Redding makes a fair FL die ($15) and I dont wear out the Dillon.
Depending on how praticular you are about accuracy, you will probably spend more time and money of case prep then reloading.
I should have bought a single stage to start with but didnt know any better.
Now I know why my friend wanted me to buy the Dillon - he wants to use it.
I worry about missing or dbling on powder too so after I reload 100 rounds I hand clean all the ammo and inspect it, then I put it on the Dillon digital scale and check the weight. If if varies more then 10 gr. I will pull it down but that hasnt happened yet.
Just keep asking questions and reading the threads in here. Sometimes you may get a reponse you dont like but just keep coming back and keep asking.
Good luck and Merry Xmas.

ZX10Aviator · December 19, 2008, 01:03 AM

I second the lee classic turret

December 17, 2008, 12:53 PM	#1
Chris D Senior Member Join Date: August 11, 1999 Location: MA Posts: 187	Advice sought... Press etc... I'm about to dive into reloading and despite 23 years of shooting, I'm a complete n00b when it comes to reloading... I plan on reloading .45ACP, 9mm and .223, .45 being the main round. I'm on a budget (the economy and all) and want a decent setup that will do the above calibers and be able to do them at a reasonable speed. I know there are countless threads like this and some searching has come up with some info. But I thought I'd ask just the same... I have seen some beginners kits too, but not sure if I should buy the components separately. Any advice would be greatly appreciated and welcome. Chris __________________ "Improvise, adapt and overcome"

December 17, 2008, 03:00 PM	#4
Don P Senior Member Join Date: December 17, 2005 Location: Swamp dweller Posts: 6,188	Lee press ++11 for 47's post and I too have a Lee 3 hole turret press (manual ) but that works for me here's the link to the press kit. http://www.factorysales.com/cgi/cata.../rlpress2.html Can't beat it for $89.99 The money you save over the RCBS press kit can pay for the dies you'll need plus some. Whatever set up you buy, buy the carbide dies. They'll out live you in service life and need no lubeing __________________ *NRA Life Member, NRA Chief Range Safety Officer, NRA Certified Pistol Instructor,, USPSA & Steel Challange NROI Range Officer, ICORE Range Officer, ,MAG 40 Graduate* *As you are, I once was, As I am, You will be.* Last edited by Don P; December 17, 2008 at 03:05 PM. Reason: add some info

December 18, 2008, 11:43 PM	#8
Lilswede1 Senior Member Join Date: September 8, 2008 Location: NW Wash State Posts: 216	Also old shooter - new reloader Started out buying the Dillon 550b Progressive on the advice of a friend who has been reloading since kindergarten I think. ' Then I bought a single stage to deprime and resize cases. Coulda done this on the Dillon but Lee makes a cheap press ($38) and Redding makes a fair FL die ($15) and I dont wear out the Dillon. Depending on how praticular you are about accuracy, you will probably spend more time and money of case prep then reloading. I should have bought a single stage to start with but didnt know any better. Now I know why my friend wanted me to buy the Dillon - he wants to use it. I worry about missing or dbling on powder too so after I reload 100 rounds I hand clean all the ammo and inspect it, then I put it on the Dillon digital scale and check the weight. If if varies more then 10 gr. I will pull it down but that hasnt happened yet. Just keep asking questions and reading the threads in here. Sometimes you may get a reponse you dont like but just keep coming back and keep asking. Good luck and Merry Xmas.

December 17, 2008, 01:06 PM	#2
Antihero47 Senior Member Join Date: October 2, 2008 Location: Southern California Posts: 111	http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...1&postcount=10

December 17, 2008, 02:25 PM	#3
Chief-7700 Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Location: Carmel Valley, CA Posts: 112	47, Your post should be a Sticky at the top of the page. Great Job!!! Chief

December 17, 2008, 03:37 PM	#5
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	There are cheaper presses - but I think Dillon makes some of the best equipment out there. Somebody else said it better - but long after you've forgotten what you paid, the stink of poor quality lingers forever. When it comes to presses - you get what you pay for. For me, the deciding factor on a press is whether it has the capability of accepting a "powder check" die or station. Not all of the presses do / in fact Dillon's SDB and 550 models do not have that option. But a Powder Check station keeps you from having a cartridge with no powder drop / which will mean a very dangerous squib round stuck in your barrel probably - or a double charge, which is dangerous as well. I'm not saying you can't load high quality rounds safely and without it / but its a big time additional safety factor - and one I would not want a press to not have. For me that means the Dillon 650 - and you can get it without all the bells and whistles for under $ 600 / fully equipped with the electric case feeder which is $ 210 option its about $ 1,100 - but you can add a lot of that stuff later when you feel better about the economy. But Hornady, RCBS, etc make presses with the powder check option as well.

December 18, 2008, 06:05 PM	#6
CrustyFN Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: West Virginia Posts: 2,258	I load on a Lee classic cast turret. Most people load around 200 rounds per hour. I doesn't have a place for a powder check but I don't need one anyway. I like to look in every case just before I set the bullet on to be seated, did the same thing loading on a Dillon 550. You can get into a Lee CT kit for under $200. It is a very solid press. Very fast and easy to change calibers and primer feeds. I have been loading on one for two years and it has been a great press for me. Rusty

December 18, 2008, 09:08 PM	#7
two 70 Member Join Date: July 27, 2008 Location: Extreme NE Wa Posts: 54	It's Lee all the way for me. Easy to setup and use and my end result loads work very well.

December 19, 2008, 01:03 AM	#9
ZX10Aviator Senior Member Join Date: November 10, 2008 Location: NW. Washington Posts: 345	I second the lee classic turret