Building a reloading bench; where to spend

All brass neck Thickness is not the same ! can vary a lot between brands and sometimes even lots of the same brand so how can you use one die to size it properly ? NON bush dies are OK for std hunting guns and ammo BUT bushing dies are far better for Precision hunting and Target rifles jmho (y)

This is true.

I keep the brass for my precision guns in batches (same brand & lot and all cases fired / treated exactly the same) to avoid this.
 
But if you have the budget, a Dillion 750 would save you a lot of time and potential shoulder pain after years while maintaining the same accuracy as single press.
The only arguments I've read against the Dillion is the stock powder measure not being as accurate as it could be and sometimes bullet seating concentricity is lacking. Are these true issues or largely engineered out of the product line with the latest revisions?
 
The only arguments I've read against the Dillion is the stock powder measure not being as accurate as it could be and sometimes bullet seating concentricity is lacking. Are these true issues or largely engineered out of the product line with the latest revisions?

I would say it depends what your goal is (ultimate accuracy or bulk / high volume ammo making).

In my simple head I use a single stage to make the highest quality (but generally low volume) ammo and progressive to make lots of ammo (generally it is lower quality / less consistent but that doesn't really matter for me with plinking ammo).
 
I would say it depends what your goal is (ultimate accuracy or bulk / high volume ammo making).

In my simple head I use a single stage to make the highest quality (but generally low volume) ammo and progressive to make lots of ammo (generally it is lower quality / less consistent but that doesn't really matter for me with plinking ammo).
Would a hybrid approach work? Use a progressive press, like a Dillion, for everything press related except for the powder charge and bullet setting? For those stages, use a precision single stage press and a good trickler?
 
The only arguments I've read against the Dillion is the stock powder measure not being as accurate as it could be and sometimes bullet seating concentricity is lacking. Are these true issues or largely engineered out of the product line with the latest revisions?
This is why I suggested the turret press.. You gain speed for the functions you use the press for without giving up too much precision to the progressive types. A progressive is a production line that looses many of the benefits of single stage.. The turret is the middle ground.
And for those that are going to flame me... I'm not poo pooing the quality of an automated press... I just don't hear about how great and consistent the ammo is when comparing to a single stage or turret.. I've been told by many that progressive is more useful for pistol types.. I have yet to see a domestic progressive that can utilize a V4 powder dispenser any more effectively than a turret... Everyone is giving you great advise here.. Channel you inner Bubba Ho-Tep
 
Would a hybrid approach work? Use a progressive press, like a Dillion, for everything press related except for the powder charge and bullet setting? For those stages, use a precision single stage press and a good trickler?
In theory yes.

In that scenario the question is what variation the progressive will have when sizing the cases.

I have a 650 and the shell plate flexes for sure, if it flexes the exact same every single time then good, if not......
 
Obviously, thr Rockchucker is the most poular press amonst your answers here. I have one, no real faults with it, but, I also have a MEC and a Co-Ax. I'd buy a MEC before the RC were I starting out, it has the floating shellholder the Co-Ax has, doesn't have the floating die, but, it's also handles spent primers better than the RC. Co-Ax is a serious press, it isn't perfect, has die length restrictions, rim dia and thickness restrictions, for 90% of applications, it is the best of the cheaper presses, and as to a turret press, no need for it as to "speed", it isn't any faster than a Co-Ax, and then as you add cartridges, you need more turrets, and space to store them.
Looks like you spent coin on the measuring tools, they'll last a lifetime. As to the other items besides a press, I see you are assembling an annealer, you could also buy a Burstfire induction version, not cheap either, but, certainly cheaper than an AMP , and it has case prep tools on it as well. I have a few trimmers, Forster, RCBS, Hornady, 21st Century, the Forster and the 21st Century are the two most versatile, both far moreso than a Henderson, RCBS or Hornady, and even the 21st Century will cost about the same as an RCBS or Henderson, Forster is a good bit cheaper, and to my mind is a hair more ergonomic than the 21st, could be biased after 45 yrs of using it though. The Burstfire induction annealer and a drill mtd Giraud 3 way accomplishes all that 95% of people need, 21st adds neck turning capability if you want it. As to priming tools, only two I'd consider buying nowadays, tried a pile of them. The ones I'd look at are the Derraco PCPS and the Lyman Accu-Prime Autoload tool, depends if you want press mnt or bench style, don't waste time or loot with the others, unless you want to go with a single primer at a time style hand primer. I tried a whack of handprimers, Derraco and Lyman are the best bang for the buck and do exactly what they are supposed to do and are easy to use. I went 21st Century on expander mandrels as I wanted versatility and availability was there. one stop shopping for 4 calibers. I have Forster, RCBS, Redding, Lyman, Lee and Hornady dies. No intention of going to Area419 or Bullet Central or Whidden or Cortina or Treibel type stuff, not needed, neither is a Prazi, Area419 or a Nexus, nice products, but, not req'd. I'm partial to Forster for sizers, also like their seaters, new RCBS Matchmaster seater may be nice to use too, have an old version, don't mind it at all, new ones are finished a bit nicer. I have bushing dies, not all that impressed with them, I'd rather use my mandrels to control neck tension, but bushing dies do have some practicality with turned necks, if you go there. As to bullet and case comparators, Derraco is just fine and are cheap, avail on Amazon.
Hard to say where you'll go with your shooting disciplines, but, buy for versatility, make sure you understand tool limitations before you buy, and research "problems with ###X" as well. No idea what level of rifles you own, but expensive reloading tools don't help a rifle that is not built for what it is supposed to accomplish, and if you can't read wind, it all becomes moot.
 
First off, the Bubba Ho-Tep reference, awesome. And, yes, all great advice. I have a plan based on all that advice, now I just need money.
Cheers... What I'm getting at is.. Think about your expectations for ammo quality and if your like someone who gets the OCD thing... now isn't the time to fight your instincts.. You know who you are and how you want to shoot... I have a ton of reloading tools that I have put back in the original packaging.. nothing wrong with them.. just don't fit my process or expectations anymore... But I keep them anyway for the day we get forced into analog again... It will never be bad choice... but may be unnecessary to your ultimate destination..... So ask yourself what you really want to accomplish.. be honest and you will save a few bucks in the end...
On a side note... if your expecting to get a ton of reloads to a case... You should think about anealing as part of the process.
And never be shy about asking anything.. There are so many folks on this site that can give you great info... All hail the King Baby....
 
Evening. I've started assembling my equipment, so far I have a few good calipers (Tesa, Mitutoyo) and a full set of micrometers (Mitutoyo), a 5lbs tumbler and an annealer (almost - building a induction annealer, waiting on parts)

Calibers : 223/556 and 6.5x55, only hunting paper right now, 250+ yards.

I've been saving up my discretionary funds, and have a fair chunk saved up and am thinking I should put that towards a press. Is the press what you really want to use the saying "buy once, cry once" on? I ask because I came across the German Prazipress (Turban CNC) and its apparently the bees knees of reloading presses. It would be ~$1500-$1600 CAD to my door. I realize its a subjective question, but is it a good value proposition? Trying to rationalize it to myself, I decided that I would have no problem throwing that amount of money at a rifle on the used market, but I would still have to feed it --- so why not spend the same on press that I could use to feed all my rifles? I think there is a some gun owner logic in there that makes sense.

Or, just get a Forster Co-ax or something along those lines and reinvest the savings into a case turner + trimmer, mandrels, dies, scale, powder trickler, ect ...

Thank you.

I recomend a Short Action Customs press and some kind of power trickler. The Canadian one is wonderful https://autotrickler.com/pages/autotrickler-v4

 
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The only arguments I've read against the Dillion is the stock powder measure not being as accurate as it could be and sometimes bullet seating concentricity is lacking. Are these true issues or largely engineered out of the product line with the latest revisions?
US top F class shooters have no problem using Dillion for their brass and bullet work.
You would need an Auto Trickler like precision powder dispenser for precision rifle load, for pistol or plinking round, the factory one is enough.
If bullet seating is your concern, just seat it manually on a single press. But if you have concentricity issue, I would check the set up of the press and dies.
 
Case trimming has been mentioned a few times - I ended up with myriad number of Lee style trimmers - is my habit to resize and then trim to length and chamfer - every round / every time. My practice is probably way too excessive for some applications. At one time I owned a "lathe type" trimmer - that one used same shell holders as my press did to hold the shells - but I found very difficult to get back to same length after trimming two or three other length cartridges - I am not sure that a ten-thousandth in case length matters, now - so I started to get the Lee Trimmers - bonus to me is no measuring involved! However, once past the 20th or 25th trimmer, I probably could have bought about any trimmer, for what I had tied up in trimmers. Maybe if you are only planning to re-load one size of cartridge, the Lee Case trimmer might make sense - but be aware that time passes, and they seem to "breed".
 
When I start reloading, I bought a classic cast Lee Press. Later on, instead of a more expensive press, I bought a Hornady concentricity gauge.
The rounds were perfect. PERFECT. 204, 30/06, 300WM rounds all with 0.002" runouts max and only the 300WSM with a +/-0.004" runout.
In my opinion a good O type press, mounted in a good solid bench, paired with a good quality dies will do the trick. No need for fancy press, unless speed and volume becomes a factor.
 
I ended up getting used Dillon 550 in fine shape. It came with some upgrades and the correct conversion kit and die set. I picked up a spare toolhead and some of those free-float lock rings from Armanov. I'll drill and heli-coil the spare toolhead so that I can bolt it to the press and screw in the stop pins for the lock rings. From what I gather, I want to remove slop from the tool head and add it to the sizing and seating dies.

Thanks for everyone's suggestions.
 
I started reloading with a Lee Loader kit for 30-30over 50 years ago. Later bought a LYMAN Spar-T (turret head) press. Later bought a newer model Lyman with a turret head. There are those who would run out of the room if they saw anything other than top-of-the-line reloading stuff, but I reload for cost savings, also because I enjoy the time spent doing it. I cast bullets for a bunch of different cartridges, and have also got into powder coating. If something gets to be a drag and it's not required for my type of shooting, which is now mostly plinking, I don't do it.

I still use both Lyman presses, the older Spar-T is close to 50 years and the newer one is probably 20. I tried using citric acid for cleaning brass, but gave that up as a pain in the a$$. I used a little Thu
mbler's Tumbler for many years and still do on occasion, but now use a Frankford steel pin tumbler. KISS rules.
 
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