.338 lapua reloading kit recommendations

I like my Hornady single stage press and it works well, but honestly it is maxed out when doing my .338LM loads.
I have to guide the 300 gr Scenars into the seating die, then set it down into the case mouth.
 
There isn't a press made that is well suited to loading both .338 Lapua and 45acp.

Why would you single stage 45acp?

My reloading bench has a single stage for rifle loads and a lee 1000 progressive for pistol loads. I do batches of 500 at a time when doing 45 and 9mm and that would take way too long on the single stage.
 
Why would you single stage 45acp? ...

My reloading bench has a single stage for rifle loads and a lee 1000 progressive for pistol loads. I do batches of 500 at a time when doing 45 and 9mm and that would take way too long on the single stage.

That's what I said - there is no press well suited to reloading both pistol ammo and 338 lapua.

For regular rifle calibers a turret press would be decent compromise for both rifle and pistol reloading. But that doesn't incdlude 338 Lapua or 50 BMG. OP would be much better off buying two presses. Part of the cost of shooting 338 Lapua.
 


I disagree.. it looks like a great press, and when i get back into the big boy calibers its will be on my list for sure.. but nothing about 45acp and single stage press seems well suited...which is what im assuming jethunter was referring to aswell

ill admit i didnt read the whole thread, and i may not have seen something.. but im assuming you were linking it to show the press in post #1 ?
 
It's not that you can't do pistol rounds on a single stage press, it just takes a lot longer. I did do some 40 SW on my RCBS press before I bought my Dillon 650, but it took forever to get any quantity done. I use the same press still to do my 338LM and will continue to do so.

If you're retired, or otherwise have large blocks of free time on your hands, a single stage press will work just fine to do 338LM and 45acp. If you need to have your 45 or other pistol round RIGHT NOW DAMMIT!, then get a progressive ;)
 
I disagree.. it looks like a great press, and when i get back into the big boy calibers its will be on my list for sure.. but nothing about 45acp and single stage press seems well suited...which is what im assuming jethunter was referring to aswell

ill admit i didnt read the whole thread, and i may not have seen something.. but im assuming you were linking it to show the press in post #1 ?

Any single stage press will be slower in production than a progressive, and frankly for typical spray and pray accuracy of a handgun the progressives work well.
For any sort of precision reloading for rifle calibers progressives fail miserably.
There is no tool in any line that will do everything the best.
My point was more the fact that a press DOES exist that will accommodate every caliber from 25 ACP to 50 BMG in a manner like never before. Typically the large press for 338s and 50s has massive throw of the lever which makes it less than ideal for loading small calibers like handgun. Our press has a unique feature so you can run a very short throw for small cases and full length throw for the biggies.

Having loaded literally millions of rounds on a single stage as progressives were not even made back when I started shooting, i appreciate my Dillon 1050 for my handgun calibers, but IF a guy can only swing the cost of 1 press and wants to do absolutely every caliber, this 1 will do it and do it well.
 
Dont take me wrong Rick, i think youve go a great press there and hope to play with the big boy 50s soon and have one myself, I think we are agreeing that a single stage is less then ideal for pistol, much like a progressive would be less then idea for precision rifle.

but the fact of the matter is, it sounds like you agree that there is no press that will do both pistol and rifle, and be well suited for both. Im in no way denying that your press can do both, and im glad youve made one that can. but with what options are available these days, for progressive press' a single stage will never be the ideal choice for pistol.
 
Dont take me wrong Rick, i think youve go a great press there and hope to play with the big boy 50s soon and have one myself, I think we are agreeing that a single stage is less then ideal for pistol, much like a progressive would be less then idea for precision rifle.

but the fact of the matter is, it sounds like you agree that there is no press that will do both pistol and rifle, and be well suited for both. Im in no way denying that your press can do both, and im glad youve made one that can. but with what options are available these days, for progressive press' a single stage will never be the ideal choice for pistol.

I think we are pretty much on the same page. For high volume production of handgun ammo and now with the plethora of decent progressive press that are getting more affordable, not to mention their being much more reliable than in years past, the progressives would make sense for a higher volume shooter.

I guess the point I was trying to make is that it IS possible to load handgun ammo still with a single stage press, and more importantly with our new press it is not as cumbersome to do so despite it being easily capable of handling very large rifle casings.
 

Loading 45 acp on a single stage press doesn't seem very practical to me, LOL.

Pistol reloading is usually about much higher volumes. Yes, you could make 45acp on that press, but who the #### would want to when $100 Lee Turret would do the same job in 1/4 of the time? I said there is no press that is well suited to loading both 45acp and 338 Lapua and you haven't changed my mind. :)
 
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