Which Press to Start?

[Aegis]

OK, I've read the sticky threads on this forum, I've read The ABC's of Reloading (8th edition) cover to cover a couple of times, and I have a great area to set up my operation.

I intend to reload .40S&W for basic range use. I hope to move up to reloading 5.56 and .45 for range shooting in the future. I don't shoot for precision right now, but I might toy with .308 in the future.

I'm looking at the Hornady Lock-n-load single stage classic kit that starts with most of the gear I need to get started, or the Lee Classic Turret Press which will require(allow?) me to get the other gear I need separately.

I want to start precisely and carefully until I build confidence in my abilities, but I imagine that I will eventually want to produce 200 to 300 rounds a month to shoot at my local range. I still work full time, so I figure I'll have around 8 hours a week to spend at the reloading bench.

So what does the forum say? If you have other options beyond the two I have listed, please let me know. I am not jumping in to this decision. I have been researching and reading for over a year before coming to this point, and now I'm ready to take the plunge.

[mehavey]

I want to start precisely and carefully until I build confidence in my abilities...

Then the Hornady set up is for you. I always recommend a single-stage 'O'-type press to learn the catechism. Even after (if) you decide to go to a progressive setup way downstream, you will wind up keeping the single-stage for precision work and handloading experimention when establishing baseline loads.

[BarbreJ]

I recently started with 40 myself. I went with the turret and removed the indexing rod. I just use the batch method, and I feel very confident in the loads I produce. Like you I am just making range ammo. just spinning the turret seems much easier to me.

Like right now I am fiddeling with my Factory Crimp Die. So I can just spin the turret and make a round to see if my issue is resolved instead of having to remove a bushing and put a new one in to make just one bullet, and potentially have to do it all over again if my problem is not cured.

Not bad mouthing the LnL. I dont know anything about it other then the little I have read about people talking about it.

John

[Brian Pfleuger]

I have only loaded using the Lee Turret, but I can not say enough. It works flawlessly, makes excellent rifle ammo (I've already shot 1/2MOA at 175 yards without tweaking for better results), and can produce in excess of 200 rounds per hour of "bulk" range fodder.

The turret press combines the ability for high-output with the capability to create high-quality precision rifle ammo while allowing the new reloader (and this is important) to carefully monitor the entire process, since there is only one case in the press at a time.

My recommendation for anyone new to reloading and anyone who wants the mixture of speed and precision is a Lee turret.

Additionally, the turret system allows for a very low cost way to have all your dies mounted and ready all the time. I can go from loading precision 204 ammo to bulk 10mm to 7mm-08 for deer hunting to 357sig without 15 seconds in between.... and when I'm ready to load any of them, I am TRULY "ready", every die is right there. I can body size this case, neck size that one if I need to and seat a bullet, all without changing anything, just spin the turret.

In actuality, I don't know why anyone who doesn't need 1500 rounds or more per week would use anything but a Lee turret, or some other auto-indexing turret press. It's entirely possible, as I have no experience in so doing, that the Lee turret is limited to 1/2 MOA accuracy, but I doubt it. Even if it were, it's enough for me.

[wncchester]

"It's entirely possible, as I have no experience in so doing, that the Lee turret is limited to 1/2 MOA accuracy, but I doubt it."

I do too. A reloader's skills, dies and methods and rifle determine the limits of what he can produce. The press is likely the least element in it, they all work very well.

[oneoldsap]

Lyman T-Mag !

[BigJakeJ1s]

Less than 100 rds a week is well within single stage capacity even with your time budget.

The Lee Classic Turret is available in a reloading kit from Cabelas and from Kempf Gun Shop (two slightly different kits). You might look into that.

For a great single stage press on a budget, the Lee Classic Cast single stage press is impossible to beat. Unfortunately, nobody offers it in a kit.

RCBS and Hornady kits are similar, but neither press handles spent primers very well.

All of the single stage presses I've mentioned above are compatible with the Hornady LNL press conversion kit. The LCT and LCC also have great TTR spent primer disposal.

The Forster Co-Ax is hard to beat at any price for a single stage press.

Andy

[DiscoRacing]

I like the lee turret also... works nice and flawless,,fast to change discs and leave your sets of dies set. I have ten discs,and takes only a few seconds to change from one caliber to another.

[Aegis]

BigJakeJ1s,

Thanks for the heads up on Kempf Gun Shop. They have a great deal on the Lee Classic Turret kit. They didn't turn up in my google searches for some reason.

I'm leaning toward the Lee used as a single stage and manually turning the turret until I get comfortable with reloading and then working my way up to using the auto index feature.

[totaldla]

Lee Classic Turret.

[Brian Pfleuger]

You should check www.factorysales.com also. At the time that I bought my press no one was selling the Classic Turret in a kit so I had to buy the parts separately. Even so, the final cost was only about $30 more than the kits that had the older style turret rather than the Classic. Shouldn't the older press be the Classic rather than the newer one? Anyway, factorysales is good people.

[Irish80prf]

I think the one thing that a lot of new handloaders don't know is loading the shells is the fast part. I sure didn't know it when I started 6 months ago. The part that takes the most time in my opinion is getting the cases ready to load. once I have my cases cleaned, trimmed, deburred, and primed(lee auto hand primer) I can load 50 rounds on a single stage press in 30 minutes or so. I use a lee perfect powder measure for charging my cases 50 at a time. for me it is always within 1/10th of a grain and I shoot 3/4" to 1/2'' groups. Neck sizing is the way to go if the brass is fired out of your gun, way less trimming and no lubing the cases. For the amount of reloading you are doing and the time you have I would think a single stage would get you where you need to be. I've never used the lee turret but I really like my lee single stage.

[rtpzwms]

Lee turret make sure you get the 4 hole not the three hole. I've had mine over 25 years and it still works great with well over 40,000 rounds made. Lee has made upgrade kits over the years that have allowed me to keep up with the new presses.

[engineermike]

I bought my L N L Classic kit about 9 months ago for $299.00. (On sale at Cabela's) Still getting used to it, the COL seems to vary about .001 to .003 (Using Hornady dies) not yet sure if it is the dies, the press, or me. The seater die has that rubber spacer at the top of the die. (Hornady says the spacer makes seating softer?) Maybe i'll call them and ask them about this someday. If it had not been for the free bullets I would have bought the Redding turret press.

[engineermike]

Looks like Midway has a sale going on.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=151386

[wwmkwood]

I have the Lee Turret and have loaded several thousand rounds with it. I use mine like a semi progressive with a Hornady case activated powder measure. I went with the Lee for the convenience of not having to mess with die adjustments, if I was going to start all over I would look at the LNL for the same reason and work in batches. If you are going to use a RCBS primer pocket swage (military crimped primers)you will need a single stage press, the ram on the turret is too large to unseat the brass from the swage.

[taylorce1]

Looks like Midway has a sale going on.

http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=151386

I'm pretty sure if you buy that Horandy L-N-L kit you get 500 bullets free as well. They offer free bullets in .40 caliber and says it is about $136 value. It took me about 6 weeks to get my bullets after I sent in the form from my new dimension dies. So you could possibly get a total of 600 bullets to start if you buy the Hornady press and dies.

I use some Lee reloading equipment and don't have any complaints about it. I started with RCBS's Master reloading kit, and don't regret it. With Hornady's deal going on it I would have went that route instead when purchasing my first set up.

[benzuncle]

I want to start precisely and carefully until I build confidence in my abilities, but I imagine that I will eventually want to produce 200 to 300 rounds a month to shoot at my local range.

The Lee Classic Turret Press allows the user to load in the single stage mode (precisely and carefully) or in the semi-progressive mode which will allow more speed when the time is right for you. Dies and turrets can be switched out quickly and easily.

Good luck with your decision; do let us know how this shakes out.

[gregjc9]

Another vote for the Lee Classic Turret. When I got into this aspect of reloading last winter, I did a LOT of research on the different presses and types. I dont think I found one negative comment on the Classic Turret. I got mine in Kit form from Cabela's. Included everything but dies and components. Great way to get started. I now reload 380ACP, 9mm, and 45ACP, and the only additional components I had to buy where turrets and dies. Eventually, you will reload other calibers, and the turrets allow you to keep your dies adjusted and swap them out in 2-3 seconds. Good luck on your decision.

[salvadore]

the turret press will allow you to use it as a single stage, and 300 rds a month won't take too long to load. Having said that, a Dillon 550 will do all you want to do now, and everything you plan to do in the future and it will do it in a timely efficient manner. It's not rocket surgery, but you won't appreciate it because you haven't suffered over a single stage. Go with a progressive and set yourself free.

[Clark]

Use all the time:
Bonanza co-ax press
Forster co-ax press
RCBS partner press

Use sometimes:
(3) Lee reloader presses
RCBS rockchucker press

Never use:
Lyman All American Press with shell holder adapter
Dillon 550B set up for 9mm and 223

[jmortimer]

Lee Precision Classic Turret - as above post I removed auto-index and use it in single stage mode with hand-held Lee Precision Auto Prime and Lee Precision Powder Dippers. KISS - I like simple.

[chris in va]

but I imagine that I will eventually want to produce 200 to 300 rounds a month to shoot at my local range.

Trust me, it'll be a lot more than that.

[Farmland]

I haven't used every single stage press on the market. In fact the only two that I ever used were the Lee Breech Lock and the Lee Classic Cast. Both of them did very well. I like the Lee Classic very much it is solid, heavy, smooth and nice primer catch through the ram. If I want I can switch to the Hornady type die locks/inserts.

The Lee Breech lock - well I sold it just was not impressed though it did it's job with no problems.

Today I was able to look and operate five other presses that were set up. The Horandy, RCBS, RBDS partner and the Lyman. In addition I was able to use the Lyman turret press.

While the turret press has some pluses and the Lyman works real well I am simple not a turret guy. The other four presses are pretty nice presses. Some have small difference such as primer catch system. They are all smooth though the partner is a light weight press.

After giving them a really good look and operation there is really no difference in them except for price. The winner IMHO is the Lee Classic Cast.

You might ask why? Well it is by far the cheapest at under $100. It has a larger ram, larger opening and more cast making it look at least stronger.

I used the single stage for rifle and my 44 mag. I can do around $200 an hour just taking my time with a single stage press. Note: that does count the hand priming that I do for each case.

My favorite for loading though is still the progressive press. I am a big Dillion fan though I own the Hornady LNL too. After a year I am almost ready to sell my Hornady, no reason other than the Dillon just operates much more smoothly with less problems for me. I will probably replace it with another 650. However the Hornady is still a good press but after many year with the Dillion I may just be spoiled with knowing how to work with it more than the Hornady.

[totaldla]

Anybody who buys a single-stage today better be able to clearly articulate their rationale because they appear soft in the head to me.

Right now, the best engineered, most convenient, best value by far is the Lee Classic Turret. My goodness, there's a reason or 7 why it keeps getting recommended!

So if you are just starting out - get the LCT. Or get therapy for that soft head