Buy once cry once, the quality reloading set for beginners
- Thread starter C10
- Start date
That was my thoughts on it too, with the manual indexing there’s no reason not to be able toThat is a good press , and you can use it as a single stage while you learn the basics of handloading
Cat
I’ve seen a few videos of the f class guys loading match ammo on it, seems like a decent versatile setup
Cocked&Locked
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- S. Ontario
A caliper is a mandatory, super useful tool to have, but:
Do yourself a big favor and do not buy Chinese garbage DIGITAL calipers!
Mastercraft, Frankford Arsenal, RCBS and endless many others are all re-branded Chinese made garbage.
If you must have a DIGITAL caliper, buy Mitutoyo or similar. Will cost several times more, but will last a trouble free lifetime with very long battery life.
Chinese stainless steel DIAL calipers on the other hand are great. Accurate with very long life. Very low price too. No battery needed.
I highly recommend them.
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Yes,
I use an RL550C. It’s a great press, offering an excellent balance of capability and features, but is not without some challenges. I certainly wouldn’t bill it as the best press for making precision rifle ammo. It requires substantially more effort than a good single stage to maintain consistency, and I still struggle with first and last rounds. When the shell plate isn’t full OAL seems to wander slightly.
99% of my loading is for pistols, and I love it for that. I only load “hunting” ammo for my rifle, which the 550 is more than capable of doing, but I find myself using the 550 as a single stage for that purpose so no efficiency is gained.
Summary: 550 is an awesome press, but isn’t the best at anything. Overall, however, I would buy it again because I can’t think of a single more versatile option.
Go Big Tactical sells Area 419 funnels that will fit with powder die for 550. They have interchangeable pieces for multiple uses. Nice setup. I use my chargemaster for powder drops and drop through funnel on press. I like this better than the powder dispenser that Dillon has. It's great for certain powders and pistol rounds, not as much for precision with all powders. Lots of ways to spend money.
Butcherbill
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Not when you do one step at a time for all your cases, then move to the next step. Size and deprime all of them, prime/flare drop powder in all and seat/crimp in another step.
Not saying a turret or a progressive isn’t quicker, cause they are but if you do things in certain order a single stage can be fairly quick. Let be honest though, a new reloader shouldn’t be worried about speed. They should be worried about doing things correctly and consistently, speed comes later.
I can just load one case and move through the stations. Which is what I did today. 45-70 and tightgroup, I wanted to be extra careful that I had no powder charge issues. I'm doing one step at a time, just not switching out die. Manually throw powder charge. Redding turret press would be my next choice.
I've loaded lots on a single stage. The 550 does save time for certain cartridges. Anything that once ready to load doesn't need any crimping. I only put the case in one time.
That's the nice thing a 550. You can go slow and get good rounds. If you want more volume, then it will do that too. It's not perfect but versatile.
Lots of prep to go into rifle cases before even priming. Pistol is clean and go. Rifle is more labour intensive.
Butcherbill
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
What I do is break step’s into sessions, I’ll prep rifle cases in batches beforehand. I size/decap/trim/chamfer/debur if needed, do 50-100 pcs. Then I’ll prime/charge/seat/crimp in a different session, I started doing it this way when I was loading pistol cartridges on a single stage and continue to do it with rifle cases.
I’d prep batches of brass till it was flared and then do the prime/powder/seat/crimp separately. Powder drop with a measure separate and not with a powder through die, easy to visually check for double charges with 50 cases in a loading block at a time.
I found it relatively quick to load batches this way, have moved on to a Lee turret press now though.
What it comes down to is figuring out what works best for you. I don't believe our processes are much different, just when I'm ready to load on the 550 the brass is inserted one time. Rifle brass has more prep to start, pistol is clean and go with carbide dies.
When staring reloading just take your time until comfortable with process. After that just don't get too comfortable that you don't forget that it's dangerous if you make a mistake.
I should add that I used to be a blaster for a living so I’m not new to loading charges and playing with explosives. Only new to charges this small. Now I just climb ropes.
I have been using one press for over 50 years, never had a use for a second one.
I said serious reloaders......
I would consider many thousands of loads , and developing precision loads for over 100 rifles serious. And that includes a fair bit of case forming for non SAAMI loads.I said serious reloaders......
. It was a poor attempt at Humor. Sorry
I run a pair of Dillon 550Cs, one in SP one in LP. Those I use for batch lots/ decapping etc, 400+ in an hour. I use RCBS ROCK CHUCKER SUPREME for finer tailor made ammo, 338LM, 6.5X55 SE, 6.5 GRENDEL. Long range accuracy stuff, I find it strikes a very good balance, as I've collected it over my entire reloading time. But a good single stage is a great way to start.
