Beginner single stage or progessive
- Thread starter AlbertanBound
- Start date
You've got 11,000 posts and over 200 transactions and you're a beginning reloader? Interesting. How did you resist that long?
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Snakehunter
CGN Regular
- Location
- Kenora, Ontario
I started with a single stage Lee Anniversary kit to satisfy my urge to load accurate loads for a .300 winmag. Then I got a Lee progressive for the 9mm as I was shooting a fair volume for IPSC. Then I bought a Lee turret press to bridge the difference, using it to load fairly large batches of whatever I need at that particular time. For example - I loaded several hundred rounds of .40 in the fall on the turret using it as a somewhat progressive - depriming and resizing 100's at a time.
My take on the OP's ask is all on what you call volume. If you're shooting 500 rounds or more a week = progressive. A few boxes of pistol rounds, or a few boxes of rifle = turret.
My choice of Lee products was made entirely due to budget. I am totally satisfied with the single stage and the turret. If I had the funds at the time I would have preferred a Dillon 650xl for the progressive. My 2 cents
My take on the OP's ask is all on what you call volume. If you're shooting 500 rounds or more a week = progressive. A few boxes of pistol rounds, or a few boxes of rifle = turret.
My choice of Lee products was made entirely due to budget. I am totally satisfied with the single stage and the turret. If I had the funds at the time I would have preferred a Dillon 650xl for the progressive. My 2 cents
WOW!!! THANKS GUYS! Seriously good responses from all. Trying to get to some of the main questions but I apologize if I miss some
- mostly for 9mm being totally honest with myself <500 a week but in spring summer fall well over 1000 a month. Similar to 40 which I also shoot.
- right now, this seems more of on the chore side then enjoyable side as I’m constantly stuck with the “do I shoot my stockpile of 9mm?? Cuz then my stockpile gets smaller?? Or do I buy more to stockpile???” So I’m going for just basic volume as it’s a chore. Sorry if this offends anyone who loves reloading.
- basic instructions should not be hard to figure out the part I find most daunting is finding the components. Last thing I want is to stall out along he way cuz I can’t find a type of powder. I’m goin for basic not precision, I’m not that good of a shot lol
- rifle varies, haven’t shot a ton of 06 cuz I bought a house and can’t dig into my stockpile. I would bring my garands to the range every trip if I had the ammo. Before I had responsibilities like this mortgage and wife around 500-1000 a month of 308 and 06, now it’s much less but that is only temporary...at least that’s what I keep telling myself.
I’m sorry if I missed your question I really do appreciate the outstanding advice, opinions and jokes. Hope to shoot with ya
- mostly for 9mm being totally honest with myself <500 a week but in spring summer fall well over 1000 a month. Similar to 40 which I also shoot.
- right now, this seems more of on the chore side then enjoyable side as I’m constantly stuck with the “do I shoot my stockpile of 9mm?? Cuz then my stockpile gets smaller?? Or do I buy more to stockpile???” So I’m going for just basic volume as it’s a chore. Sorry if this offends anyone who loves reloading.
- basic instructions should not be hard to figure out the part I find most daunting is finding the components. Last thing I want is to stall out along he way cuz I can’t find a type of powder. I’m goin for basic not precision, I’m not that good of a shot lol
- rifle varies, haven’t shot a ton of 06 cuz I bought a house and can’t dig into my stockpile. I would bring my garands to the range every trip if I had the ammo. Before I had responsibilities like this mortgage and wife around 500-1000 a month of 308 and 06, now it’s much less but that is only temporary...at least that’s what I keep telling myself.
I’m sorry if I missed your question I really do appreciate the outstanding advice, opinions and jokes. Hope to shoot with ya
"Volume" for 9mm and 30-06 are usually two very different things. A "high volume" shooting day for a 9mm can be around 500 or more rounds, with a 30-06 it's usually less than 50.
Making 50 or 100 rifle rounds on a single stage is no big deal, it doesn't take that long. 1000 9mm is a much different matter. Having once loaded 1000 rounds of 45ACP on a Rockchucker, I knew I would never do it again, and bought a progressive.
There's nothing wrong with getting a good progressive for pistol and an inexpensive single stage for rifle, as even the cheap single stages work pretty good, while the cheap progressives will make you want to shoot yourself in the head repeatedly.
Making 50 or 100 rifle rounds on a single stage is no big deal, it doesn't take that long. 1000 9mm is a much different matter. Having once loaded 1000 rounds of 45ACP on a Rockchucker, I knew I would never do it again, and bought a progressive.
There's nothing wrong with getting a good progressive for pistol and an inexpensive single stage for rifle, as even the cheap single stages work pretty good, while the cheap progressives will make you want to shoot yourself in the head repeatedly.
Phat Eagle
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Fraser Valley, BC
More truth from Pemberton!!!
I would buy both, but if only 1 of them, I'd definitely go for a progressive. There's no way you'll make a meaningful amount of 9mm on a single stage, but you can make 30-06 on a progressive no problem.
If you go with dillon go for the 650. No use with a progressive that doesn't auto-index.
If you go with dillon go for the 650. No use with a progressive that doesn't auto-index.
The real question I would be asking is how much 9mm does the OP shoot? That would determine what is the right press to buy.
A single stage is never going to be worth the time for 9mm, when you can get 1000 rounds for $250-$275 it makes more sense to just buy it then try to reload it unless you're shooting a whole lot.
The only way 9mm is economical to reload (assuming you value your time at a reasonable rate, lets say $20 a hour) is if you have something that makes it worth it. A high end progressive press is one way to make it economically worth it, but you need to be buying your supplies in bulk. If you only shoot 200 rounds a month, just buy factory ammo and focus on reloading for the 3006.
With the 30-06, there is basically no way to NOT reload for it economically, IMO. Even with the cheapest dies and press, and the cheapest components you can buy, you'll come out ahead. Where rifle reloading really pays for itself is with decent bullets though. If you are using high end bullets, you can reload for as little as 30% of the cost of premium factory ammo with those same bullets, All while tuning the load to your specific rifle. Cheap components will get you even more ammo for the same money spent, but the relative savings are less (You'll pay $0.85c for cheap components, or $1.35 for the good stuff, while factory ammo costs $1.20ish for cheap stuff, and $3+ for the good stuff.
A single stage is never going to be worth the time for 9mm, when you can get 1000 rounds for $250-$275 it makes more sense to just buy it then try to reload it unless you're shooting a whole lot.
The only way 9mm is economical to reload (assuming you value your time at a reasonable rate, lets say $20 a hour) is if you have something that makes it worth it. A high end progressive press is one way to make it economically worth it, but you need to be buying your supplies in bulk. If you only shoot 200 rounds a month, just buy factory ammo and focus on reloading for the 3006.
With the 30-06, there is basically no way to NOT reload for it economically, IMO. Even with the cheapest dies and press, and the cheapest components you can buy, you'll come out ahead. Where rifle reloading really pays for itself is with decent bullets though. If you are using high end bullets, you can reload for as little as 30% of the cost of premium factory ammo with those same bullets, All while tuning the load to your specific rifle. Cheap components will get you even more ammo for the same money spent, but the relative savings are less (You'll pay $0.85c for cheap components, or $1.35 for the good stuff, while factory ammo costs $1.20ish for cheap stuff, and $3+ for the good stuff.
- Location
- West Quebec
I agree it's highly recommended to learn the basics on before you get into the advanced steps
I started with one of the early Rockchuckers. I now have a Lee and I find it better, although I'm not reloading the big magnums anymore. The lanolin/alcohol lube is the best thing since sliced bread!
- Location
- Central AB
Amen on the lanolin/alcohol lube. Can't count all the hours that has saved me.
I think that those who have recommended getting a turret press are giving you good advice. At some point, you will want to shoot more accurately with the 30-06. A turret press will be much more able to do that for you than a progressive press will. You want to reload a fair volume with your 9mm. A turret press that is properly set up will give you a significant speed advantage over a single stage press while still doing only one function at a time and allowing you to learn what you are doing rather than blindly going with a full progressive.
Is a turret press a compromise? You bet it is. It will not be as fast for high volumes as a progressive nor will it likely give you the precision that a single stage press such as a Forster will give you. It will however give you what you need. I had an RCBS Turret press and I liked it.
Edited to add: FWIW, I am currently reloading 9mm on a Dillon 550B and all rifle ammo on a Forster Co-Ax.
Is a turret press a compromise? You bet it is. It will not be as fast for high volumes as a progressive nor will it likely give you the precision that a single stage press such as a Forster will give you. It will however give you what you need. I had an RCBS Turret press and I liked it.
Edited to add: FWIW, I am currently reloading 9mm on a Dillon 550B and all rifle ammo on a Forster Co-Ax.
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Regardless of which type of press you decide to purchase, do NOT cheap out when you purchase.
A good press will last longer than you will live. A cheap press will kill you with frustration.
[FWIW the big Dillons are amongst the best progressives, and the CO-AX the best single stage.] Eagleye.
A good press will last longer than you will live. A cheap press will kill you with frustration.
[FWIW the big Dillons are amongst the best progressives, and the CO-AX the best single stage.] Eagleye.
Do any of you guys recommending a single stage or a turret press have a progressive?
Have you ever used one?
It is a genuine question - I’m not asking to be a dyck.
It sounds like a case of ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’, because (bombshell)...
a progressive can still act like a single stage, even if it auto indexes.
Another seemingly wildly unknown is a progressive can load ammo that is every bit as accurate as that ammo loaded on a single stage.
I can understand the point that a progressive could be overkill if all you shoot in a year is say 1000 rounds, or the OPs budget to get fully started is say $300, but I don’t see those constraints in this thread.
Have you ever used one?
It is a genuine question - I’m not asking to be a dyck.
It sounds like a case of ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’, because (bombshell)...
a progressive can still act like a single stage, even if it auto indexes.
Another seemingly wildly unknown is a progressive can load ammo that is every bit as accurate as that ammo loaded on a single stage.
I can understand the point that a progressive could be overkill if all you shoot in a year is say 1000 rounds, or the OPs budget to get fully started is say $300, but I don’t see those constraints in this thread.
- Location
- Central AB
Yes, i recommended a turret, which i do own, but i also own a Pro1000 progressive for high volume pistol rounds, and a Loadmaster progressive for high volume rifle rounds. I get your point that a progressive can be used more or less as a single stage, but think a turret has some advantages anyway.
Some reasons i think a turret is a better starting point are:
- Generally cheaper to add additional calibers
- faster to change between calibers
- Generally works better as a single stage than a progressive
- less intimidating for a beginner
Just my thoughts
Some reasons i think a turret is a better starting point are:
- Generally cheaper to add additional calibers
- faster to change between calibers
- Generally works better as a single stage than a progressive
- less intimidating for a beginner
Just my thoughts
Yes I do have a progressive, a Dillon 550B and I said so in my post (I edited my post to add that I use my 550B for 9mm and my Forster for everything else about 20 minutes after I originally posted), so either you didn't bother to read the post in its entirety, or you actually might not truly be asking a "genuine question".
