smacdonald
Supporting Dealer
- Location
- Ontario 905 area
I am thinking of getting a new press. What are the advantaves/disadvantages of going to a progressive? I will be loading several different calibers.
Single stage or progressive what's the advantages?
- Thread starter smacdonald
- Start date
The only advantage of going for a progressive over a single stage is just speed. Some progressives can load over 1000 rounds per hour (mostly pistol rounds).
But, it comes with a few inconvenients, the increased number of moving parts makes the machine more tricky to operate and needs more care and maintenance. Accuracy would be slightly inferior to rounds loaded on a single-stage, since moving parts each require some 'tolerance' in order to move freely. Also, volumetric powder measures commonly found on progressives presses are accurate enough for safe reloading practices but it cannot beat the accuracy of weighted loads.
Fully progressives presses such as Hornady LN'L AP, or Dillon 650 or 1050 give the highest production rate of good quality ammunition.
Single stage presses such as Rockchuchers and similar will give the best acuracy, especially when coupled with premium dies, but this will result in a low production rate of premium ammunition. Also, SS presses do not require any 'conversion kits', let alone dies and a shellholder for a new caliber.
Bottom line, if you plan to reload many different calibers and do not shoot alot, a Single Stage would be the best bet. Progressive loaders are only worth if you shoot alot of each caliber. (I for myself have a Dillon 650, and reload 45ACP and 40S&W with it, and I shoot around a thousand of each per month, all my other 'low-volume reloading' (.44Mag, .308, .223) is done with a single stage.
A good compromise, would be the Dillon 550B press, it is not fully progressive, it is somewhat cheap to buy (compared to other Dillons), conversion kits are cheap, and there is fewer moving parts. Plus it's good for both rifle and pistol.
But, it comes with a few inconvenients, the increased number of moving parts makes the machine more tricky to operate and needs more care and maintenance. Accuracy would be slightly inferior to rounds loaded on a single-stage, since moving parts each require some 'tolerance' in order to move freely. Also, volumetric powder measures commonly found on progressives presses are accurate enough for safe reloading practices but it cannot beat the accuracy of weighted loads.
Fully progressives presses such as Hornady LN'L AP, or Dillon 650 or 1050 give the highest production rate of good quality ammunition.
Single stage presses such as Rockchuchers and similar will give the best acuracy, especially when coupled with premium dies, but this will result in a low production rate of premium ammunition. Also, SS presses do not require any 'conversion kits', let alone dies and a shellholder for a new caliber.
Bottom line, if you plan to reload many different calibers and do not shoot alot, a Single Stage would be the best bet. Progressive loaders are only worth if you shoot alot of each caliber. (I for myself have a Dillon 650, and reload 45ACP and 40S&W with it, and I shoot around a thousand of each per month, all my other 'low-volume reloading' (.44Mag, .308, .223) is done with a single stage.
A good compromise, would be the Dillon 550B press, it is not fully progressive, it is somewhat cheap to buy (compared to other Dillons), conversion kits are cheap, and there is fewer moving parts. Plus it's good for both rifle and pistol.
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Here's how I see it. Progressive is great for producing large volumes of loaded ammo quickly - ideal for applications like handguns and 'plinker' rifles. Single stage loading allows you more control at each stage of the process, making it more ideal for precision rifle cartridges.
At the moment, my workflow for rifle ammo is like this:
1. - shoot the previous loads, and bring the empties back home
2. - decap & resize the empties on the press in the garage, and (if using new brass) chamfer & trim, and any other necessary case prep at this point.
3. - toss into the tumbler (if polising is desired/required), or into the ultrasonic cleaner (if polish isn't required)
4. - prime the brass with the Lee autoprime hand tool, and store in ammo boxes until ready to load.
5. - dispense and weight each charge from the RCBS ChargeMaster, charge empty case and (while waiting for the next charge to dispense) seat the bullet using the Lee hand press (produces ammo that's just as coincentric as with a full bench press if cases are chamfered properly and case neck tension isn't excessive)
Each step can be performed independanty and at one's leisure, in bulk, and over a period of days or as required. And, this method is actually FASTER, if you're producing a small amount of ammo at a time (developing loads with different bullets, OAL's, charges/powders, etc; or if you're loading a handful of cartridges in a number of calibers, etc)
At the moment, my workflow for rifle ammo is like this:
1. - shoot the previous loads, and bring the empties back home
2. - decap & resize the empties on the press in the garage, and (if using new brass) chamfer & trim, and any other necessary case prep at this point.
3. - toss into the tumbler (if polising is desired/required), or into the ultrasonic cleaner (if polish isn't required)
4. - prime the brass with the Lee autoprime hand tool, and store in ammo boxes until ready to load.
5. - dispense and weight each charge from the RCBS ChargeMaster, charge empty case and (while waiting for the next charge to dispense) seat the bullet using the Lee hand press (produces ammo that's just as coincentric as with a full bench press if cases are chamfered properly and case neck tension isn't excessive)
Each step can be performed independanty and at one's leisure, in bulk, and over a period of days or as required. And, this method is actually FASTER, if you're producing a small amount of ammo at a time (developing loads with different bullets, OAL's, charges/powders, etc; or if you're loading a handful of cartridges in a number of calibers, etc)
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When loading for rifle, the biggest waste of time is not loading cartridges, but is brass preparation (trimming, chamfering, flash hole cleaning), which isn't done on a press, (unless you waste incredible amount of money in automated trimmers and such), so you'll gain no real advantage by going progressive exclusively for rifle.
Agree with everything that has been said. Just remember a Progressive press can be used effectively as a single stage if you want to with no compromise in load quality. I essentially use my 550 as a single stage when loading rifle but that is just me.
Loading by volume or weight has made no difference in practical accuracy from my experience but others may have different views. Few other variables come into play.
If low rifle reloading is all you are into then a singles stage like a Rockchucker is really all you need. Any kind of volume loading particularily for pistol and a prgressive just makes more sense. Go Dillon and have a press that will last your lifetime and more. If you don't like reloading you will get your money back as used Dillon equipment sells well.
Take Care
Bob
Loading by volume or weight has made no difference in practical accuracy from my experience but others may have different views. Few other variables come into play.
If low rifle reloading is all you are into then a singles stage like a Rockchucker is really all you need. Any kind of volume loading particularily for pistol and a prgressive just makes more sense. Go Dillon and have a press that will last your lifetime and more. If you don't like reloading you will get your money back as used Dillon equipment sells well.
Take Care
Bob
smacdonald
Supporting Dealer
- Location
- Ontario 905 area
That sums up my question. Thanks
BTW my Lee hand press just arrived today. I got it to do test loads at the range. Figured it would be easier then trying to do every posible load at home before I headed to the range (45min drive) and I can try things that come to me while I am there.
BTW my Lee hand press just arrived today. I got it to do test loads at the range. Figured it would be easier then trying to do every posible load at home before I headed to the range (45min drive) and I can try things that come to me while I am there.
A good powder thrower can be VERY accurate, especially within 300 yards where MV differences make negligable difference to POI. Benchresters often use throwers (the Redding BR-3 is popular) when shooting to 300 yards. Beyond that - out to 1k plus - is where weighed charges become crucial
if you go progressive, be sure and get one with interchangeable heads(turrets/dieholders/whatever) so you can change quickly and leave them alreadsy set up- also look at how easily you can change the shellplate- i tend to leave my dillon set up for the 308 as i find it a pain to change the plate over to 338- i just use my turret for that- which is a halfway cross between the two- one shell at a time, but you don't have to do thje screw/unscrew thing- if you get the lee classic, it's got enough room so you get auto-index as well
.... Progressives also cost a fair bit more, and take up more space on the bench . Having used both, and since I don't shoot all that much anymore, and space on the bench is very limited, I'm quite happy with the "Rockchucker" . Speed is not an issue for me, as frankly, I enjoy escaping to the basement and "tinkering" without being bothered ! ...David K.
If you are not doing a large volume of pistol or rifle why not get a turrent press.
You cna get new heads and keep your dies all setup for quick changes.
I use a lee turret press to crank out .223 for an ar and case prep takes far longer than the steps done by the press.
You cna get new heads and keep your dies all setup for quick changes.
I use a lee turret press to crank out .223 for an ar and case prep takes far longer than the steps done by the press.
