Beginner single stage or progessive

AlbertanBound

AlbertanBound

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Hey guys

So I wanna start reloading and I keep getting told that as a beginner I have to start with a single stage. I wanna reload 9mm and 3006 mostly. I’m going for volume more the. Anything else. Ya I know it sounds like I’m cutting corners wanting a progressive right off the bat but I feel like a single stage would just take me forever to actually get a lot made? Am I wrong? Is it worth it?

Ben
 
Budget is a big reason beginners go single stage. Also helps you learn the process first. Also, how much is your time worth? 9MM is cheap to buy. If your '06 is going to be a precision gun, many do that type of reloading on a single stage to be more precise.
 
I would start with a single stage. There will be less going on at one time and you'll be better able to learn the fine details of each step. After you are familiar with all the steps and know what you're doing, try a turret or a progressive.

The single stage press is something you will keep for life: you will always have a use for it, even when you have one or more progressive presses later on.

After using a single stage press for many years I tried a Lee Turret press over the summer last year. It turned out good quality ammo faster than the single stage, but I just sort of did not like the process and ended up selling it. I just seem to prefer the single stage batch process.
 
The choice is easy, buy a progressive press. I'm not sure why the other posters recommended a single stage after you indicated that you're a volume shooter. Don't buy into the whole "you shouldn't buy a progressive press if your new to reloading, there's too much going on at once" baloney. It isn't rocket science. Should you take your time? Yes. Should you be careful/safe? Yes. Do you need a single stage press to stop yourself from being a complete idiot? Hopefully not!? lol.

Progressive, now go buy one.
 
I'm new to reloading, and doing 5.56mm and 9mm in fair quantities. I've tried using my F-I-Ls single stages, but there is NO WAY I have the time to do 1000-2000 rounds a month with how long that takes.

I bought a Dillon 550C and haven't looked back!! That said, I have been able to avail myself to the knowledge of experienced reloaders to help me get set up.
 
I believe lots of people could skip the single stage, and go with a turret press. The Lee Classic Turret can be used as a single stage, or as a turret, so is kind of a nice in between kind of a press.
 
I also got a 550c as my first. Couldn’t be happier! I’m brand new, & can roll up 2-300 rounds an hour, then head to the range for some fun!
 
I've always used single stage, even when loading for two other Provincial team mates. Get good then get fast. I'm retired and 70 and enjoy the atmosphere listening to Jimmy Buffet and allowing his music to be the rhythm of the press.Hell I even weigh every other dump!
 
Fargone4sure said:
I believe lots of people could skip the single stage, and go with a turret press. The Lee Classic Turret can be used as a single stage, or as a turret, so is kind of a nice in between kind of a press.
Click to expand...

^^^this...and so can the Dillon 550 or 650 (takes about 30 seconds to convert either way) be used as a single stage to get the hang of things and then progress at your own leisure. If you can afford the price of a 650 set-up and want to load a lot of ammo in a hurry that is your answer.
 
My first press was an RCBS Rockchucker. Good overall single stage. If you go this route I’d recommend getting and outfitting it with the Hornady Lock and load bushing system. If you are a volume shooter you’ll quickly outgrow the single stage as postulated by another poster, at least for high volume pistol ammo. The single stage may still be a good idea for rifle rounds, especially if you shoot those lower volume, and you have a number of calibers you are loading for. I have two progressives and still use the rockchucker from time to time for small batch stuff or pulling completed non-serviceable ammo apart.

Turret press - I played with one, but never loaded on one. If you can skip the single stage, you can skip the turret press.

Dillon 550 was my first progressive.
It is a very versatile machine that will do pistol ammo well and has the throw to do 30-06 and (I believe) even larger rifle rounds.
Some say it isn’t a ‘true’ progressive as you have to manually index the shell plate after every operation, but this is a pretty minor step that kind of actually keeps you engaged with the press as you build ammo - so it’s kind of a good thing in a way.
It is a good intermediate step from a single stage or a turret press to a full blown progressive.
I’d recommend one if you are set on only one press total.

Dillon 650 - bread and butter progressive. Will do pistol and rifle and auto indexes. Great for average to volume shooters.
The Hornady LnL or ‘ammo plant’ is in a similar vein as the 650, even if there exists differences in the engineering principles of how to get loaded ammo done. Both decent presses - I prefer and use the 650
 
A Dillon 550 will serve you well for what you want to do. I would consider a progressive press a must for handgun reloading; I would rather buy commercial reloads than load it on a single stage press.
 
Budget is the prime mover here. True "volume" shooters also go through thousands$ in components. Like buying a "track car", it's sometimes a bigger $$$ investment than many realize at first. If you hit the range every month and shoot 300 rnds, that's 3600 a yr worth of Campros, powder, primers plus the progressive press. What if you only make it out every 2 months? I find the most time consuming part of reloading weighing out each powder charge by hand. I would buy a Chargemaster before a progressive.
 
Here's my take on this, which I think OP can relate to because I was in the same situation not too long ago.
What is your concept of "volume shooting" and here's how I'd break it down.

Question 1: do you go through 200 rounds or more of 9mm each range trip and do you go to the range more than once a month.
Question 2: is reloading to you a chore, or another hobby?

Initially I wanted to load a ton of ammo on an XL650 or some other big progressive but as luck had it my dad had purchased a Lyman turret press kit a few years ago and it had sat unused so in the interest of saving money, I decided to try cutting my teeth on a low cost/no cost option to see if reloading was even my thing. Turns out it is and I love almost every aspect of rolling my own ammo. Here's where things got interesting for me.
I'll shoot anywhere from 400-1000 rounds of various ammo per month depending on life and the season, and I realized that if I just sat down and crushed out 5000 rounds of 9mm in a week, I'd have nothing to reload for all of my calibers and I'd have just an idle hobby sitting around for a few months or more waiting for me to deplete me stock pile.

So I'd look at it this way.

Money to spend/confident in your purchases->more than 300 rounds per month->it's a chore= get a progressive
On a budget/unsure of reloading->500 rounds per month or less->reloading is an enjoyable hobby=single stage


For what it's worth, I'm running that Lyman Tmag 2 turret press for my 9mm, 45ACP & eventually 223 plinkers as well as a Lee classic cast for my precision loads and can comfortably load a sufficient amount of each ammo for my purposes each month, but again I enjoy the process so it's not like I dread spending hours per week loading my ammo.
 
OP, I think your seeing a theme. Volume = progressive, single stage = old fart, LMAO. All kidding aside, I can load approximately 700 rounds of 9mm per hour on my Dillon 650 (without a bullet feeder). I need that type of speed because I shoot a fair bit of 9mm per year (15K - 20K). I guess it would help if you defined volume, what type of numbers are we talking about?
 
Fargone4sure said:
I believe lots of people could skip the single stage, and go with a turret press. The Lee Classic Turret can be used as a single stage, or as a turret, so is kind of a nice in between kind of a press.
Click to expand...

A second vote for the turret press. Economical for just starting out. Can be used as a single stage for 30-06 and turret for 9mm. Loaded thousands of 9mm, .223 and 45 ACP on my turrent. Loaded many a 308, 45-70 and 300 WM in single stage.
 
4n2t0 said:
I'm not sure why the other posters recommended a single stage after you indicated that you're a volume shooter.
Click to expand...

Here are my reasons for recommending one start with a single stage press, in no particular order:

  • That's how I happened to do it and it worked for me.
  • It has been my direct and personal experience that guys who say that they don't have the patience to use a single stage press also do not have the patience to figure out and set up a turret or a progressive. They get frustrated very easily. Again, this is based on direct observation of people that I know.
  • Many of the "help me set up my progressive press!!!!" threads on CGN boil down to Read The Friggin' Manual. Following instructions seems to be a challenge for many. So I recommend the less complicated route.
  • Based on the number of people who think Al Simmons is going out of business because of that one line on their website, I have to assume that reading comprehension is a challenge for many. So again I recommend the less complicated route.

OP, go watch some turret and progressive set up and use videos on YouTube and see what you think. Watch videos from actual users rather than the scripted and artfully edited videos from the manufacturers. Get a feel for what's involved.

Take a look, too, at threads where guys ask "what am I doing wrong with my dies?" where the photos clearly show that the guy went after his dies with ViseGrips and a ten pound sledge. And then ask yourself: "Does this look like something I might have done?"

While others here say this is not rocket science, it's pretty clear that there are people who just cannot handle tools and components that require fine adjustment.

Really evaluate if you might be one of those guys. Do your research. If you feel confident and know you have fine motor skills and good reading comprehension, then by all means go for a progressive.
 
I started with a rock chucker and then got a Dillon 550. You'll be fine starting out with the 550 just take your time learning it.
Do not start with a Lee progressive, they cause rapid hair loss.
 
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