Progressive press questions
- Thread starter AlbertaSheepdog
- Start date
Some definitions:
Real Estate Broker: "Handyman's Special" = hours away from a demolition order.
Yacht Broker: "Self Contained Head" = head leaks, hull doesn't.
Stock Broker: "Your stock is about to split" = your entire herd just went over the hill.
Here: "Mechanically Inclined" = you could make ammo faster with a hammer and drift punch.
Real Estate Broker: "Handyman's Special" = hours away from a demolition order.
Yacht Broker: "Self Contained Head" = head leaks, hull doesn't.
Stock Broker: "Your stock is about to split" = your entire herd just went over the hill.
Here: "Mechanically Inclined" = you could make ammo faster with a hammer and drift punch.
coldestcanuck
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- lower mainland bc
I have a lee pro 1000 and a Dillon 650, The difference is like chalk and cheese! Not to knock the Lee but if you want to see a testimonial on Dillon's manufacturing abilities, google Dillon Aero.
Rod B
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
For my handgun reloading I used a Lee Pro 1000 for many years. It worked but required constant tinkering. I use a Lee Classic Cast single stage for my rifle reloading.
When the Classic Turret became available I upgraded. This is the one with the cast steel base, not the potmetal that they use in some of the others. It is not as fast as the '1000 but I can still do 200 rounds in an hour. This is fast enough for me & I like the ease of doing a caliber change over the 1000.
If I needed a very high volume of ammunition I would consider a Dillon 650, it's a fine press but it comes at a high price.
When the Classic Turret became available I upgraded. This is the one with the cast steel base, not the potmetal that they use in some of the others. It is not as fast as the '1000 but I can still do 200 rounds in an hour. This is fast enough for me & I like the ease of doing a caliber change over the 1000.
If I needed a very high volume of ammunition I would consider a Dillon 650, it's a fine press but it comes at a high price.
notsorichguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- The city that rhymes with fun
Hi Sean,
I guess I'm one of the few......
I sold a Dillon SDB...... And went with lee 1000s......
I bought the Dillon after many many many people and friends recommended I do. The one I purchased used was set up for 38. Problem was I wanted to load up 9mm and 45 as well.
I priced out conversion kits for the SDB, and decided for half the cost of a conversion I could buy a lee 1000. So I bought one in 9mm. I haven't looked back! I have close to 30K loaded on that lee press. I have since sold the SDB and picked up lee 1000 presses in 40, 357 sig, 38/357, 45acp and 223......
It was the choice I made at the time, and so far it's worked for me..... The comment about being mechanically inclined is 100% true. If I wasn't willing to fiddle with the presses to get them set up I'd be screwed! That said I found the fiddle on set up to be about the same with the SDB, probably didn't help much that I bought used......
If I had to do it all again, I'd probably go a different way, but unless I win the lotto I can't see me changing. The stuff I have works well enough for what I want it to do.... Which is averaged out at about 1500 rnds a month.....
But then I also have 3 single stage presses on the bench or under it too.....
Half the fun of this hobby is the tinkering......
Sometimes I'll buy a rifle in a calibre I don't already own just so I can buy a new set of dies, boolits and cases and build up a load.......
Sometimes I like the fiddly bits, and sometimes it drives me nuts!
OP. If I had unlimited funds, and a clean bench with nothing at all invested in equipment...... I'd probably get a Dillon 1050 and give a little business to the folks a posness warren..... If I was a little flush (ie tax return) and had a clean bench, I'd probably go with a Dillon 650 and a foster co-ax...... On a budget, little to no $$ and some mechanical aptitude, I'd go with a lee 1000.
Ymmv
I guess I'm one of the few......
I sold a Dillon SDB...... And went with lee 1000s......
I bought the Dillon after many many many people and friends recommended I do. The one I purchased used was set up for 38. Problem was I wanted to load up 9mm and 45 as well.
I priced out conversion kits for the SDB, and decided for half the cost of a conversion I could buy a lee 1000. So I bought one in 9mm. I haven't looked back! I have close to 30K loaded on that lee press. I have since sold the SDB and picked up lee 1000 presses in 40, 357 sig, 38/357, 45acp and 223......
It was the choice I made at the time, and so far it's worked for me..... The comment about being mechanically inclined is 100% true. If I wasn't willing to fiddle with the presses to get them set up I'd be screwed! That said I found the fiddle on set up to be about the same with the SDB, probably didn't help much that I bought used......
If I had to do it all again, I'd probably go a different way, but unless I win the lotto I can't see me changing. The stuff I have works well enough for what I want it to do.... Which is averaged out at about 1500 rnds a month.....
But then I also have 3 single stage presses on the bench or under it too.....
Half the fun of this hobby is the tinkering......
Sometimes I'll buy a rifle in a calibre I don't already own just so I can buy a new set of dies, boolits and cases and build up a load.......
Sometimes I like the fiddly bits, and sometimes it drives me nuts!
OP. If I had unlimited funds, and a clean bench with nothing at all invested in equipment...... I'd probably get a Dillon 1050 and give a little business to the folks a posness warren..... If I was a little flush (ie tax return) and had a clean bench, I'd probably go with a Dillon 650 and a foster co-ax...... On a budget, little to no $$ and some mechanical aptitude, I'd go with a lee 1000.
Ymmv
AlbertaSheepdog
Regular
- Location
- Western Canada
How difficult is it to change out calibers on the dillons or the lees? I assumed it was simply changing the case holders and the did set, which doesn't seem that hard. Is there more to the process? You guys have mentioned "caliber conversion kits". Is that simply a package deal of dies and case holders?
notsorichguy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- The city that rhymes with fun
Depends on the system.
I wouldn't reccomend doing a calibre change with a lee 1000, unless you're just going from 40 S&W to 357 sig..... Even going from 38 spl to 357 is a pain in the azz.
For the hornady, they have quick change bushings, so it would be fairly easy. But there's still the shell plate/carrier....
For a Dillon SDB the die plate is pinned to the frame of the press. So every calibre change is a chore, unless you drop the $100 on a new die plate. Oh and the dies are Dillon specific. So you have to use Dillon dies. And then there's the shell plate again..... To be honest I really think that the SDB is a royal pain to convert. There is one fella I know who loves his SDB. But he's got 4 of them, one for each calibre..... He literally ####s blue......
The Dillon 550 & 650 it's a lot simpler to change tool heads, but there is the cost involved with that. At least with these models you can use standard dies. But then again the only reason I would consider a calibre change on this is cuz a whole new set up is too spendy.
For anybody out there looking at a calibre change out for a progressive press, it's as much work as un boxing and setting up a new press...... And then there's the fiddling stage where you have to tweak your timing etc......
This is the major reason why I went with bargain basement presses. For the cost of a shell plate and tool head from Dillon I got a whole set-up from Lee...... Sure, it needs a bunch of work to get running right, but once it's set up....... It's good other than the odd timing tweak or cleaning.....
- Location
- Burnaby, BC
I started with a Lee turret press as well but later got a deal on a Pro 1000. Pro 1000 takes patience and tuning, eventually you will know and feel when something is gonna go out of tune. It only has 3 stages so I keep my factory crimp die on my turret press on its own turret plate. My Pro 1000 is only set up for 9mm, changing the carrier is a bit of pain for me to load 45. Since I don't shoot as much 45 I just reload 45 on the turret - I just keep all my calibers on their own turrets plates.
Go Dillon...
If you are loading 1000-2000 rounds a month I would not bother with a 550 - go straight into a 650 with a case feeder.
If you are working with different calibers, one tool head and changing out dies into the tool head ever time you switch calibers, you are doing it wrong.
If you are loading 1000-2000 rounds a month I would not bother with a 550 - go straight into a 650 with a case feeder.
In case you missed it, the separate tool head per caliber (or even operation with the same caliber) is the ENTIRE point to the tool heads in the first instance.
If you are working with different calibers, one tool head and changing out dies into the tool head ever time you switch calibers, you are doing it wrong.
Don't blame the equipment because of your.....frugalness...
i own a Lee 4 station turret press, I absolutely love it, still use it for the caliber's we don't shoot much of, and great for rifle.
Lee Loadmaster....... was "ok" for .45 acp, sort of ok for .38 spl (primer seating depth an issue and sometimes undercrimped) was awefull for 9mm, i de prime all my cases on my turret prior to cleaning, for 9mm i had to de-prime/resize/prime on the turret then do the rest on the loadmaster and overall length would be an issue occasionally.
bought a Dillon XL650 with casefeeder and now load .38 spl / .45 acp / and 9mm on it, if you can afford it go to one of the more expensive machines they are worth it, put out 100 .38's in like 6-7 mins.
if you can't afford it or you do like to tinker i have a lee loadmaster you can buy lol
Lee Loadmaster....... was "ok" for .45 acp, sort of ok for .38 spl (primer seating depth an issue and sometimes undercrimped) was awefull for 9mm, i de prime all my cases on my turret prior to cleaning, for 9mm i had to de-prime/resize/prime on the turret then do the rest on the loadmaster and overall length would be an issue occasionally.
bought a Dillon XL650 with casefeeder and now load .38 spl / .45 acp / and 9mm on it, if you can afford it go to one of the more expensive machines they are worth it, put out 100 .38's in like 6-7 mins.
if you can't afford it or you do like to tinker i have a lee loadmaster you can buy lol
I guess I fall into the second category that Freedom Ventures mentioned,
Someone with a Lee Progressive that loves it; has never tried anything else.
I have a Lee Pro and love it, so I ended up with 4 more of them and love all of them LOL. My goal was to have 1 set up for each caliber, so 1 for 9mm, 1 for .357, 1 for .45acp, 1 for 44 magnum and one for .223. The press for my .223 is used sort of like a single stage for the first part, de-priming and sizing, then I trim the cases and swap out the head and do the charge, and bullet seating, and then I run them though a 3rd time with a crimp die. I have done a bunch of test loads but have not tried them out yet.
Do the Lee Pro 1000 presses sometimes need to be tweeked or caressed and told they are sweet and ###y, sure, sometimes, but get one and get used to her and you will know how to treat the next one. As for the time spent tweeking it, I learned a LOT when I first got started so I dont hold a grudge.
Nowadays, I can easily crank out 500 rounds an hour of pistol rounds with NO SETUP or changeovers since each press always has powder and primers in it and is ready to rock within 2 minutes. The 2 minutes is just me taking it off my press shelf and putting it on the steel welding bench.
I will say I have never used the other brands that cost a LOT more money, but thats because I have a wife and I had to "ease" into setting up for reloading, once I got setup with the first Pro1000, I saw no reason to shell out a LOT of money on a "better" system when I already had this less expensive setup all figured out.
The shelf....
The bench....
Someone with a Lee Progressive that loves it; has never tried anything else.
I have a Lee Pro and love it, so I ended up with 4 more of them and love all of them LOL. My goal was to have 1 set up for each caliber, so 1 for 9mm, 1 for .357, 1 for .45acp, 1 for 44 magnum and one for .223. The press for my .223 is used sort of like a single stage for the first part, de-priming and sizing, then I trim the cases and swap out the head and do the charge, and bullet seating, and then I run them though a 3rd time with a crimp die. I have done a bunch of test loads but have not tried them out yet.
Do the Lee Pro 1000 presses sometimes need to be tweeked or caressed and told they are sweet and ###y, sure, sometimes, but get one and get used to her and you will know how to treat the next one. As for the time spent tweeking it, I learned a LOT when I first got started so I dont hold a grudge.
Nowadays, I can easily crank out 500 rounds an hour of pistol rounds with NO SETUP or changeovers since each press always has powder and primers in it and is ready to rock within 2 minutes. The 2 minutes is just me taking it off my press shelf and putting it on the steel welding bench.
I will say I have never used the other brands that cost a LOT more money, but thats because I have a wife and I had to "ease" into setting up for reloading, once I got setup with the first Pro1000, I saw no reason to shell out a LOT of money on a "better" system when I already had this less expensive setup all figured out.
The shelf....
The bench....
When you check out the Hornady L&L with its super cheap and easy caliber conversions between 9mm, 45 ACP and .223, your decision re a 650 won't be a slam dunk. There used to be a big price advantage with Hornady but they stopped giving em away once the L&L's popularity took off. Same warranty, same reliability, more buying options, more convenient conversions. Check it out !
ht tp://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00005095160
Have em ship it USPS and shipping costs won't be an issue.
ht tp://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00005095160
Have em ship it USPS and shipping costs won't be an issue.
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Case collator works 99% for all calibers, the trick is with the short, slim caliber like 9mm you have to add a thin plate with smaller size hole. The ingenous of the collator is using gravity and a light swirl action to get the heavy base end to tip over. The hole is too big for 9mm so instead of tipping the base the entire case falls in. Pour the brass at the edge and let it slide to the center, don't pour into the middle of some will fall in upside down.
Here's my home made case feeder using Lee case feeder. NO laughing about the Bubba job
LEE case feeder is a smart device, just dump the brass into red lid at the edge on top, shake & swirl, voila, four tubes are filled. Once a tube is depleted spin to next tube. Recall 4 tubes holds about 50 - 44 Mag brass. Need to buy that red lid (collator? ~$15) and large case feeder (tubes and black tube holder ~$25)
The rest is copied from the LNL design using plastic instead of metal. On the raised stroke brass falls onto the bar
On the lower stroke the brass is pushed into place.
Here's my home made case feeder using Lee case feeder. NO laughing about the Bubba job
LEE case feeder is a smart device, just dump the brass into red lid at the edge on top, shake & swirl, voila, four tubes are filled. Once a tube is depleted spin to next tube. Recall 4 tubes holds about 50 - 44 Mag brass. Need to buy that red lid (collator? ~$15) and large case feeder (tubes and black tube holder ~$25)
The rest is copied from the LNL design using plastic instead of metal. On the raised stroke brass falls onto the bar
On the lower stroke the brass is pushed into place.
What are the marker pen marks for on your dies?
Hmmm, I ran a LnL and a 650 side by side before I dumped the Hornady....so how do you figure they offer more buying options and more convenient conversions?
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If one is using the LnL quick detach insert on the dies, you set your dies up once and lock them down on the bushing. After that it is a quick twist in and out - no need to constantly fiddle with depth of your dies when mounting them into the press.
