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which press

garyz

garyz

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I'm thinking of trying reloading. I took a class. now I have to buy the equipment. I have read through the past 2 months of post, and most people say to spend the money and get the dillion.
2 reasons I can't money and space. also, I don't think I currently need that kind of volume.
i was pricing a rcbs kit and a lee kit.
does anyone have any experience w/ the lee anniversary kit.
midway has it on sale for $65.99 which appears to be everthing but the dies.
and they were only about $20 so for under a hundred, it seems that I can get a complete setup. but is lee any good?

garyz
 
Save your money and buy a Dillon... You say you don't need volume. However, if you get a single stage press you will do about 100 rounds per hour if you're lucky. With a dillon you can do that in under 10 minutes. You can pick up a Dillon Square Deal B for about $300. You can find used ones for a lot less than that. Dillon has a NO B.S. Warranty and will replace any broken parts without issue. I had a Lee Progressive 1000, actually I still have it, I used it for a few weeks and bought a Dillon and never looked back. Now, I'm thinking of spending $1600 and buying a Dillon 1050 because it is "faster" than my 650. You get what you pay for!!!
 
It depends on what you are planning to load. I load .308 on a Lee Challenger press. It works well for loading precision rounds.

I use a Lee Pro 1000 to load .45acp. I do about 100 rounds ever 15min, Done about 17k+ rounds since march. Had some issues in the begining, All operator error. since then I have learned the quirks of the press and now it cranks out rounds without issue. The only issue I have is that with the powder disc, I can't get the exact powder charge I want. But I do get a consistent charge and didn't have good luck with the adjustable powder charge. The other issue is that it is a 3 die press, so I have to run competition rounds through a FCD on another press.
 
Supermoto said:
The only issue I have is that with the powder disc, I can't get the exact powder charge I want.
Click to expand...

Sounds like a pretty big issue to me.... LOL I'm just busting them on ya Mike!!!

The Lee is a decent press but much more fragile than the Dillon. On my Lee the primer feed funnel didn't line up right with the flip tray so my primers would always get stuck in the funnel and then jam in the machine. Plus, if you have a bad round in the Lee it won't eject the nonused primer which can get crushed in the machine. The Dillon cycles the nonused primers into a little tray.

I guess my 2 complaints with the Lee was:
1.) difficulty in changing powder charges
2.) The entire primer feed system- The use of a chain instead of a rod to pull the powder bar, and the feeding issues I had.

Those problems made me buy a Dillon.

However, I do know several guys that use the Lee without problems and maybe the problems were operator error but the press didn't work for me.

Maybe, I need to pull the press out and give it a 2nd chance.

Pete
 
PistolPete said:
Sounds like a pretty big issue to me.... LOL I'm just busting them on ya Mike!!!
Click to expand...



its not so much a problem with .45acp since the pressures are low and there is some room to play. I am using 4.8gr of 231 and just making Major, the next one up is 5.2 which get me up to 180pf.

I have to see what powder I will be using for .38 super and how many grains to see if there is a disc that works... It there isn't a disc, then its a Dillon for me[grin]
 
I've never been a big fan of lee equipment if you are straped for cash fine but IMHO Dillon 550 is your best bet will reload 99% of rifle and pistol cartridges ( i dont think you'll be doing 600 nitro any time soon)
lifetime warrenty your fault their fasult no ones's fault they'll make good Lee after 2 yrs you are on your own
shell holder for 45acp will do 30'06,308,243,7mm and 9mm mauser well you get the picture
 
The Dillon 550 is a good machine. If cash is a concern, consider the Hornady L-N-L AP. It's a 5 station progressive self indexing press that can load pistol or rifle cartridges as quickly as a Dillon.

I've had mine for about a year, and really like it. They retail for about 1/2 of what a 550 will cost you. I've read about some quality problems with these machines early on, but by the time I bought mine, they had them ironed out. I had to get some replacement parts once (totally my fault) and Hornady sent them - with extra spares - to me for free in about 2 days.

Unlike the Dillon Sq Deal, you can load rifle cartridges on it and it takes standard dies. I bought a Sq Deal used, but never set it up because my GF bought me the Hornady. I sold it in the Classifieds here to dwarven1, maybe you can PM him for a review.

As for the Lee Aniv. kit - Pass. I started with one and hated it. Very slow and frustrating and all of the stuff had a "cheesy" feel to it. I was going to keep the press for general purpose use, or to use as a universal de-capping press, but I got a great deal on a used RCBS Rock Crusher ($5!) so I gave the Lee kit away. If a single stage is all you want, save up for the RCBS. That press will last you a lifetime.

If you're ever in the Groton area and want a live demo of the Hornady, send me a PM.
 
Dillion
Dillion
or a Dillion

For one caliber, a square deal B is a good way to go ($309).
sounds like a lot, but for a beginner it's very safe. It is progressive (auto index ) so very unlikely to make a double charge. resizes. load primer, drops powder, seat & crimps in four stations.
put a case on, put a head, on pull the handle, get a finished round every time. you can also buy conversion kits for other calibers.

550 & 1050 are top shelf also more $


Hammer
 
There is a deal in the Want Ad for a Dillon 550 for $225 with some extras. The dies are .45 long colt but this is still a great deal. I'm thinking of maybe picking it up myself even though I don't need it.

Pete
 
Hi Garyz. I've been following this post as I'm in the same boat after we took the class. At first I thought of getting the RCBS Master Kit and using that for $200, but after reading this post I'm not back towards getting the Dillion


General question to everyone. Can the Dillion 550 reload 500 S&W and 50 BMG?
 
50 BMG no too big but I just measured the rim of the 500 it's smaller than a 45/70 .553 vs .600 I load 45/70 on my 650 so I'd say yes call Dillon and ask 800 233 4570. The Old West Scronger makes a giant o press like the rock chucker has enough mechanical leverage to crush beer cans full but I'll bet the price is a killer
 
I went to Rileys in NH- they have lots of reloading equipment- mostly RCBS. Looks like good quality stuff. I'm just not sure how much I want to invest and I don't want anything cheap. No Dillons were on display. They had crap for bullets.. at least bulk stuff in 9mm and .40. Lots of powder and other fun stuff! I walked away with just the Lyman reloading book for now.
 
If it's something you just want to try, I suggest buying used equipment. Go to all the local shops & gunshows. You are apt to find a used rockchucker or Lyman press somewhere. Can usually be had for not much cash, and really can't be "worn out". After you find it's something you want to continue to do, go out and buy the Dillon 550.
EVERY press I have ever owned (including the two 550's I now have) has been bought used. Actually ALL my equipment has; scales, powder measures, primer tools, etc.. The only stuff I have bought new were dies.
 
You will rarely see Dillon on display at a gun shop since the margins are so small - generally around 15%. You can get an idea of the margin on the other stuff by comparing typical "shop prices" to on-line vendors. For example, the Lee "rebuild for 50% of current retail" results in a rebuild cost which is very cose to the mail-order street price for the press.

A very reliable mail order source for Dillon is http://www.brianenos.com. I think the prices are the same as Dillon, but you get to pick Brian Enos's brain.

I met with Brian while in AZ this summer, and also confirmed he does have a "backup plan" to assure that product shipment is not dependent on him keeping out from under the wheels of a truck.
 
I picked up a Dillon 650 about three years ago when learning how to reload and am very happy with it. Over time I upgraded with accessories like a case feeder, more tool heads, bullet tray ect... I do 40, 38, 357, 45 ACP and 9mm.

Set your dies in the tool head for your loads and don't mess with it again unless you change bullet types. Powder charges remain consitant when you set them and you can change calibers in a short amount of time.

And when you really need a quick 200 rounds an hour before a match it only takes about 15 minutes to make em'.
 
I agree I just got a 550, and it's very easy to use, worth the money, bought it used off ebay but bought the dies new. Great machine, glad I listended to everyone here. Loaded and shot my first 30rnds of 38 special and had no problems
 
Garyz. Since most have recommended a Dillon progressive I will digress to a single stage press. For this I recommend a Lee Cast Press which lists for $90-ish and sells for $65 or less. It is light but strong. It has a hollow ram with nipple onto which fits a plastic tube to catch the primers.

In addition, it has a ram insert which, when removed, allows use of the Hornady L-N-L feature. This provides for dies that do not have to be reset with each change. Such adapters can be acquired from Lock. Stock, and Barrel, of Valentine, Nebraska, one of my fav suppliers. www.lockstock.com By all means call for their catalog. MidwayUSA is another good source of this press.
 
thanks

well, i'm still thinking, something new for me
I'm actually leaning towards one of the lee kits, based on price. I don't want to , no have, a lot of money to drop into this, on top of my new toys,
so, if I drop a small amt and don't enjoy it, i can bail w/o much impact.
there are a few shows coming, so I plan on looking there.
if not, I know what the wife and kids can get me for the holidays.
cheap to start, then if I plan on keeping at it, I'll drop the money on a dillon
i think I'm going to feel more confident w/ a singe stage to start

so, thanks for all the info and input

garyz
 
I'm actually leaning towards one of the lee kits, based on price. I don't want to , no have, a lot of money to drop into this, on top of my new toys,
so, if I drop a small amt and don't enjoy it, i can bail w/o much impact.
Click to expand...
I believe it was Stalin who said something like "Quantity has a quality all its own".

I believe there's a significant chance that someone who starts with a single stage press could give it up because it simply takes so much work to accomplish anything worthwhile.

It's a whole different experience to sit down at a Dillon and pump out 100 rounds in 20 minutes.

It's your money, so do what you want. But I don't think a single-stage press will significantly help your understanding of what it is like to reload on a progressive.
 
Very true. It used to take me ~45 minutest to load 50 rds of pistol ammo with a single stage operation. I hated doing it, as it took so much of my time. I stopped reloading back >20 years ago and haven't done it since, even though I bought two new Dillon presses.

On the other hand I have a MEC 650 progressive shotshell reloader and used to enjoy loading 12ga. The speed made it practical to use my time to do this.
 

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