Most of the time here and elsewhere when I see people talking about reloading, the aspect they seem to consider the most often is reloading for bulk stuff - especially for handguns, where obviously a progressive press is ideal. Im just wondering, because I dont see many people talking about it, is there any downside to a progressive press if you primary goal is precision shooting over bulk? If so, what kind of setup would you suggest for precision?
Progressive press for precision reloads?
- Thread starter dbmeed
- Start date
Since I measure each load (on two scales) for hunting/precision loads I run a single stage press for that.
A progressive press cannot get me the repeatable/accurate powder drops I want for that type of reloading.
All my handgun loads are done on a progressive. 0.1-0.3 grains either way - no matter to me for that as I always load near the lower ends of the manuals.
A progressive press cannot get me the repeatable/accurate powder drops I want for that type of reloading.
All my handgun loads are done on a progressive. 0.1-0.3 grains either way - no matter to me for that as I always load near the lower ends of the manuals.
The stage/platform that holds the brass on a progressive also has a little flex that might lead to inconsistent sizing and/or seating.
It would be interesting to see some stats comparing a progressive to a single stage - perhaps a known load out of the same rifle with multiple batches loaded on single stage vs. progressive.
It would be interesting to see some stats comparing a progressive to a single stage - perhaps a known load out of the same rifle with multiple batches loaded on single stage vs. progressive.
OkayShooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Yup the lee classic the die plate lifts a bit. So your OAL would be slightly off.
I have a LNL AP and the only problem I would see is the powder part.
Probably would need an industrial scale rigged to dump powder in a hopper to be true progressive.
H4350 or H1000 are impossible to get better then +-0.2gr in a drum powder mesure. 3-4 kernel is 0.1gr
Also, impossible to seat with a redding comp. seater on a progressive, the bullet is snagging on the sleeve
Probably would need an industrial scale rigged to dump powder in a hopper to be true progressive.
H4350 or H1000 are impossible to get better then +-0.2gr in a drum powder mesure. 3-4 kernel is 0.1gr
Also, impossible to seat with a redding comp. seater on a progressive, the bullet is snagging on the sleeve
OkayShooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nova Scotia
Higher end ones would be more tighter.
There is a couple downsides.
1. I found on my progressive (Hornady LnL AP) that depending on whether I had a single casing on the shell holder plate or had five of them at the various stations (being pushed into the resize die, expander die and powder drop position), the COAL given by the seat/crimp die could vary by as much as 0.005". It's something I learned to account for, always setting up my seating/crimping die with a full plate.
2. Even if you check the powder drop by weight every 10 rounds or so, you're still dispensing it by volume, not by weight. So it works well enough for ball powder, not so much so for extruded.
Overall, if you're into precision, I would suggest a turret press.
I use my 650 exclusively because that's all I have. When I'm doing my precision rifle (223) ammo, I take off the normal powder measure and instead use a Chargemaster for the throw. Then I pour the weighed out powder into the powder stage of the press when it is at the top of stroke (the powder die has a bit of a funnel that ensures all goes into the case).
This is what I have started doing with my loadmaster press. I pull the case out of the press and manually load the powder using a funnel then put it back in the press
It's a bit slower but I get consistent loads this way
FirearmsEnthusiast
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Kingston, ON
UniqueTek in the US sells a kit to convert a Dillon 650 to single stage...they ship to Canada. Haven’t tried it myself but looks like a neat piece of kit if you want to increase precision.
fingers284
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Alberta Cowboy Ranges
Wow 94$ US is all they want...I'll sell you an conversion kit for the 650 for $10 less Canadian....it will consist of a piece of paper telling you how to disable the auto-advance (remove the long spring from the plastic advancing dog under the shell plate head) the on the press, also tells you how to screw the center bolt down tight over the shell plate so there is no more movement of the shell plate. The second part of the kit will include a super-duper $4 C-clamp from Marshall wells and a small piece of 1/8 thick plate to act as bridge between toolhead and press frame. Place bridge plate so it can be clamped to both pieces...now you have a tool head that won't move same as the shell plate.
Takes about 45 seconds to do and you now have a single stage/progressive convertible.
I size my brass on a dillon 550C and then charge and seat on a single stage.
Whidden sells some stuff that helps improve the consistency of Dillons if you are doing the whole thing on a progressive.
I do the brass on Dillon as I FL size without the expander and then use an expander mandrel to open the necks back up. If I were to do this on a single stage it would take twice as long.
My charges are thrown using the auto throw/auto trickler combo so I don't lose time seating on a single stage.
Probably not as fast as going pure progressive but It makes for some pretty decent ammo.
Whidden sells some stuff that helps improve the consistency of Dillons if you are doing the whole thing on a progressive.
I do the brass on Dillon as I FL size without the expander and then use an expander mandrel to open the necks back up. If I were to do this on a single stage it would take twice as long.
My charges are thrown using the auto throw/auto trickler combo so I don't lose time seating on a single stage.
Probably not as fast as going pure progressive but It makes for some pretty decent ammo.
Mystic Precision
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Summerland, BC
You can make very nice practise ammo on a progressive but these are the bottle necks I found:
taking off the case lube - I size my cases and that lube has to come off. I will not tumble my ammo (makes no sense to me with pointy long bullets). So immediately, the progressives really doesn't work per se. What I do is body size the cases on a single stage press, tumble clean, THEN put into the progressive.
powder dispensing... if you use an extruded powder like H4350, H4831SC and even Varget, there is nothing that will ensure consistency to the 0.1gr... and for precision ammo, that matters. So I use ball powder which can dispense very consistently... however, ball powder can be temp sensitive so you need to adjust for varying seasons. I keep my loads moderate so pressure changes really aren't too drastic.
you can't prep the primer pocket - if that matters to you, there is no way to clean in a progressive.
If you want to trim and deburr on a progressive, you have little control on the final dimensions.
you can't outside neck turn - brass flows and I find outside neck turning really important to maintain neck tension AND stop donuts from forming. Using a Lee collet neck die really helps here.
I use a progressive to make practise ammo. For my match ammo, I use a single stage as I am going to do some brass prep that must be manual processed.
Jerry
taking off the case lube - I size my cases and that lube has to come off. I will not tumble my ammo (makes no sense to me with pointy long bullets). So immediately, the progressives really doesn't work per se. What I do is body size the cases on a single stage press, tumble clean, THEN put into the progressive.
powder dispensing... if you use an extruded powder like H4350, H4831SC and even Varget, there is nothing that will ensure consistency to the 0.1gr... and for precision ammo, that matters. So I use ball powder which can dispense very consistently... however, ball powder can be temp sensitive so you need to adjust for varying seasons. I keep my loads moderate so pressure changes really aren't too drastic.
you can't prep the primer pocket - if that matters to you, there is no way to clean in a progressive.
If you want to trim and deburr on a progressive, you have little control on the final dimensions.
you can't outside neck turn - brass flows and I find outside neck turning really important to maintain neck tension AND stop donuts from forming. Using a Lee collet neck die really helps here.
I use a progressive to make practise ammo. For my match ammo, I use a single stage as I am going to do some brass prep that must be manual processed.
Jerry
I get around some of the issues you raised by doing my reloading on progressive in at least two full processes. The first run through the 650 is for deprime, FL size with expander ball, swage, RT1500 trim.
Then I fix up the case mouths on a Frankford Arsenal prep machine, inner and outer chamfer the mouths.
Then I have to clean all the brass again in liquid (ultrasonic or stainless pins if I can find a friendly friend).
Then I run them through 650 again, this time with M-die expander (because RT1500 kills the neck size control), charge with Chargemaster in powder station by pouring into the station at top of stroke, bullet seat die, crimp die. Done.
I've also tried not cleaning after the first 650 sequence. At the end the cases are greasy, so I roll them in some paper towel or rag with brake cleaner.
