Best progressive press for 223 and 308???

[trixter]

OK POO POO me if you want but I am completely happy with my Lee Classic 4 hole Turret press. It seems to reload rifle rounds very well, and it is an inexpensive machine.

 

[safooma]

OK POO POO me if you want but I am completely happy with my Lee Classic 4 hole Turret press. It seems to reload rifle rounds very well, and it is an inexpensive machine.

I'm with you-- I use a lee classic 4 turret press to reload 223 and 308(and TONS of 45 and 9mm) with great results. I have an rcbs that I use for my long action stuff(single stage), but I use the lee for all my pistol and short-action rifle reloading. No need to spend a bunch of cash IMO.

 

[nickmoon]

I have the Hornady AP Press and I load the snot out of 223. Really happy with the press, just like any press, learn it and take your time. I also load 9 and 45.
Nick

 

[noylj]

I'm not sure a progressive is the best press, but, of all the progressives out there, the best one and the one that is the most useful for military calibers is the Dillon Super 1050. After that, they are all sort of the same, with the 3-station Lee Pro 1000 still being more press than needed for loading those cartridges.

 

[deadshot2]

I'm not sure a progressive is the best press, but, of all the progressives out there, the best one and the one that is the most useful for military calibers is the Dillon Super 1050. After that, they are all sort of the same, with the 3-station Lee Pro 1000 still being more press than needed for loading those cartridges.

One problem. The question was what's "the best press for .223 and .308. The Lee 1000 maxes out at .223. It's a Pistol caliber press that can only do the shorter rifle calibers. Therefore it wouldn't even qualify as an answer to the original question.

As for the Dillon presses, the XL 650 is a very close second to the 1050. Only real advantage to the 1050 for most loaders is the ability to swage military cases with crimped primers. For most reloaders that re-use their brass, over and over, it's only necessary to swage the brass one time. That can be done with a simple $100 Dillon Super Swage. Puts the 650 on a reloaders bench for about a grand less than a 1050 and one can produce almost the same number of rounds per hour.

 

[OregonPlinker]

I am going with the xl 650 someday... I found another hornady for cheap so when I get my reloading stuff set back up I will have 2 progressives and a rock chucker. I keep buying guns instead of the reloading stuff I actually want. But I have to say with the amount of used red stuff I see out there and the fact I havent seen one used blue press anywhere I can only make one assumption...

I have plenty of room for benches (once I get rid of my sister in-law)so Im just gonna designate the hornadys for specific rounds. Get them working good for 223 and 308 and leave them alone. When I get the dillon I will use it for whatever else needs loaded. I might sell the hornadys but I doubt it. Im a pack rat with shooting and fishing stuff...

 

[deadshot2]

. But I have to say with the amount of used red stuff I see out there and the fact I havent seen one used blue press anywhere I can only make one assumption...

I believe you've had a "lighbulb moment". I can remember the days when I based my purchase decisions strictly on the basis of Price. I figured I could put up with a few shortcomings and save a few bucks. Unfortunately, all to often those savings were given back TWICE. First when I went ahead and bought the better item and the second when I took a loss on selling the item that didn't live up to it's hype.

It's not how much you pay, it's how many times you have to pay it.

 

[FarmerTed1971]

Another vote for a 650 here.

 

[My 3 sons]

The dillon 650 sits on my bench along side the Lee turret press. .223, .308, .45 acp/colt are the most frequently loaded in our family. We've been hooked on reloading our own rounds for about two years now. The Lee was my first purchase simply based on cost and a few conversations at the shop. The ability to use it as a single stage and move to a quasi progressive was a great place to start. It didn't take long to outgrow it though. My sons and I shoot both AR and bolt platforms in .308 and the .223/5.56 in AR so we wanted to increase our productivity with a progressive. The Dillon 650 greatly increased our volume. The ability to have individual turrets/die plates for each was a big influence for us. Setting up the Dillon without the quick change kits is tedious compared to the Lee. If you don't mind the cash outlay to setup the Dillon the right way you will not be disappointed.

 

[Grunwald]

I'm not sure a progressive is the best press, but, of all the progressives out there, the best one and the one that is the most useful for military calibers is the Dillon Super 1050. After that, they are all sort of the same, with the 3-station Lee Pro 1000 still being more press than needed for loading those cartridges.

Don't forget thst the 1050 is their industrial press and does not come with their lifetime no bs warantee.

 

[jonn5335]

I recently purchased a hornady locknload AP during the first 500 rounds of 9mm I had one priming hiccup took about 5 minutes to permanetly fix the problem. So far I am happy and would do it again.

 

[OregonPlinker]

I ordered the dillon 650 yesterday. Now I have a rock chucker, 2 projectors and the 650.

 

[techiej]

I've loaded about 2,000 rounds of 30-06 & about the same of 9mm on my Hornady LNL (with case & bullet feeder) and have been very happy with the results/speed. Took a few sessions to get it tuned in and to learn how to best use the press.

Only time I run into a problem is if there is any powder spillage and I don't clean the press up right away as that can cause a problem with the priming.

Regardless of press color, unless you go to something like the 1050 with a trimmer on one station you are only doing a few operations at a time on a progressive as you will need to clean, deprime and trim your brass before you can prime, load powder & seat the bullets.

Once trimmed, I use the following stations for 30-06: prime, powder fill, powder cop and then seat.

For pistol ammo I just clean and then do everything on the press at once.

 

[bigbronco1996]

I load both of those calibers plus about 10 more and love my xl650. For my necked cases though, i will de-cap and size on my rock chucker. I will then tumble again to remove the case lube, check the length, and trim as necessary. Follow that up with priming, powder fill, bullet seat and crimp on my 650 and were in business. If you spend the money to get a toolhead for each caliber you shoot you will save alot of time converting calibers. When using a ball powder like wc844 or H335 I can crank them out as fast as i can pull the handle. Once you go blue you wont be going back. Patrick

 

[mpmarty]

Dillon 550B since 1984. Loads 45acp, 10mm, 7.62 Nato and 45/70. Never a problem and it's fast enough for me. Warranty is wonderful too.

 

[asorum]

I have a Hornady LNL progressive press and while it works well now, it seems to me it was a lot of trouble to setup. On the very first case, I broke a hub and I still don't think the timing is a good as it should be. Once I got everything adjusted and was used to it, reloading was fairly smooth. It's probably a good idea to try both of them before buying.

 

[deadshot2]

I have a Hornady LNL progressive press and while it works well now, it seems to me it was a lot of trouble to setup. On the very first case, I broke a hub and I still don't think the timing is a good as it should be. Once I got everything adjusted and was used to it, reloading was fairly smooth. It's probably a good idea to try both of them before buying.

So was saving the $150 worth the extra 'futzing around" and waiting for broken part replacement as well as questioning the timing?

I unpacked my Dillon XL-650 several years ago, bolted it to my bench, and started loading with nothing more than die adjustment and setting the powder measure. Only 'dinking around' that's necessary is a little cleanup from time to time. Save that for caliber change time. The 'out of the box, ready to go to work' and 'reliability factor' to me sure made up for the extra money.

 

[asorum]

So was saving the $150 worth the extra 'futzing around" and waiting for broken part replacement as well as questioning the timing?

No

 

[Yankeefan]

I have a Hornady LNL progressive press and while it works well now, it seems to me it was a lot of trouble to setup. On the very first case, I broke a hub and I still don't think the timing is a good as it should be. Once I got everything adjusted and was used to it, reloading was fairly smooth. It's probably a good idea to try both of them before buying.

I've had the same results. In fact I still have issues with the primer system after having the machine for over 3 years now. Looking back on it if I could do it over I would have saved for a few months more and got a 650 or even saved longer and gone with the 1050. Don't get me wrong I like my LnL but I wish I would have gone blue instead of red.

 

[noylj]

You only need 2 or 3 stations.
Best? Dillon Super 1050--built-in primer pocket swaging station
More than good enough? Lee Pro 1000
Press I am totally happy with? Hornady L-N-L. I haven't had any of "problems" the blue boys love to talk about. Wonderful press, but I now have three 1050s so my son now has my L-N-L.
Even better--forget the progressive press unless you are shooting 500+ a week.