Bought my first rifle and would like to save a bit of money on ammo

[gtivan]

Getting slightly off topic. But I agree single stage is just fine unless reloading a massive amount. Reason I got my progressive, I hate the batch mentality of single stage. Run them all through for sizing, then separate stage for priming (usually by hand), then another for powder and finally bullet seating/crimp. Works great for some people. I hate rework and touching things multiple times. So either a turret or progressive for me.

There is no quick way for rifle reloading since you have to break it up with case trimming. But my revolver rounds are a joy.

 

[MrMillspecer]

And a Progressive Press makes a complete cartridge every pull. A Turret Press the dies rotate over one casing . So 4 pulls per cartridge. The turret was easy for me to learn on.

 

[Mikej]

Getting slightly off topic. But I agree single stage is just fine unless reloading a massive amount. Reason I got my progressive, I hate the batch mentality of single stage. Run them all through for sizing, then separate stage for priming (usually by hand), then another for powder and finally bullet seating/crimp. Works great for some people. I hate rework and touching things multiple times. So either a turret or progressive for me.

There is no quick way for rifle reloading since you have to break it up with case trimming. But my revolver rounds are a joy.

And here it is ^^^^! The flip side of why I like reloading! I enjoy the gradual build-up. Dirty brass is separated in to calibers, then cleaned. That brass ends up in the house ready to size and decap. Then it gets primed...At the time? Or a week or more before loading? I relish getting the time on a scorching hot day, or rainy day, to retire to the loading space. Put on the music I like and make ammo for a couple/three hours.

It was mentioned above that only rifle rounds need trimming, that's not necessarily true. Any round with a roll crimp needs to be uniform in length. .38, .357, 45 Colt, .44 spec/mag.....Roll crimping when brass is more that a couple three thousandths different in length doesn't work so well.

 

[RVTECH]

The flip side of why I like reloading! I enjoy the gradual build-up. Dirty brass is separated in to calibers, then cleaned. That brass ends up in the house ready to size and decap. Then it gets primed...At the time? Or a week or more before loading? I relish getting the time on a scorching hot day, or rainy day, to retire to the loading space.

Exactly my reloading schedule! And I still can reload enough to shoot nearly every weekend!

 

[DirectDrive]

I don't think I'd do a progressive (or turret) for 30-06.
That's a fairly big case and you don't shoot a ton of it unless you're in NM/Hi-power.

I would go with the Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for my first foray into reloading that cartridge......hands down.
As your reloading career moves along, you will always return to that Rock Chucker for certain projects.

 

[RVTECH]

I don't think I'd do a progressive (or turret) for 30-06.

And Neither would I, and although I have no experience with a progressive I doubt they allow the ability to hand weigh each charge (for rifle) and then to finish on them.
Rifle ammo reloading will always be the domain of the single stage reloader.

 

[DirectDrive]

And Neither would I, and although I have no experience with a progressive I doubt they allow the ability to hand weigh each charge (for rifle) and then to finish on them.
Rifle ammo reloading will always be the domain of the single stage reloader.

I agree.
The only rifle ammo that makes sense on a progressive is "blaster ammo".
5.56, 300BLK etc.

 

[MrMillspecer]

Yep heres some blaster ammo from a Lee turret press.

 

[RVTECH]

The only rifle ammo that makes sense on a progressive is "blaster ammo".

Well considering the only 'blaster' I own is a single shot NEF Handi - Rifle in .223 it still only needs one at a time reloading!

 

[DirectDrive]

Yep heres some blaster ammo from a Lee turret press.

View attachment 480205
View attachment 480206

Nice blasting !

 

[jordanka16]

And Neither would I, and although I have no experience with a progressive I doubt they allow the ability to hand weigh each charge (for rifle) and then to finish on them.
Rifle ammo reloading will always be the domain of the single stage reloader.

I use my 550 exactly like that frequently, I just remove the case, drop in powder, and place it back on. I even load black powder .45-70 ammo that way on it, works awesome.

 

[MrMillspecer]

Nice blasting !

Thanks. It loads 45acp nice as well. The quality of ammo it will do would surprise you. I use powder that measures good by volume and their carbide dies. And good lube for the .223.

This pic was a few guns ago.

 

[Rick4570]

.223 loaded on a 550 using 844 pull down powder from G.I. Brass hornady 55 moly coated fmj bullets tula mag primers shot at 100 yds. ar-15 military Iron sights loaded progerssively on the 550 using the dillon powder measure.

 

[xlsbob]

How I add powder when I do odd runs on my 550s, Dillon sells a die for just this occasion

 

[ageingstudent]

Yep heres some blaster ammo from a Lee turret press.

View attachment 480205
View attachment 480206

Yep. I've actually done some 30-06 on the Lee turret. It works surprisingly well. You can disable the auto index and hand weigh your charges, lots of options. I usually do some 5.56 using the auto index for my AR because it's good enough. I just did some .300 Savage a month ago for my model 81 and they turned out quite nicely.

 

[No_Regerts]

I'd be interested to check a batch of 30-06 or similar with a runout gauge to see how consistent the loads are.

When it comes to large capacity cases and slower powders, The powder just doesn't meter as well as ball powders. Extruded powder looks like mini rabbit feed. I've never seen a powder dump that threw a consistent load with extruded powder. I weigh every single charge.

 

[Member 5605]

Thanks! Thats what I was leaning towards since it would leave me a bigger budget for the other things I need.

My other option would be the hornady lock n load kit at a sportsman warehouse. They have a bundle that comes with a tumbler.

Lee works.

1: save the money on a press and make more rounds for experience.

2: always somebody out there that will buy seasoned equipment, somebody like you looking to start this journey

3: buy what you can afford, not what you feel pressured into doing.

All of my presses combined cost less than one expensive Blue, Red or Green system and I make the same quality of munitions. The idiot behind the lever makes the ammo, not the press.


I've also driven a WRX, cush Yukon, nice Civics, a Geo Metro and now a Prius. They all work and got me from A to B. I don't play the name game for hanging sacks between my legs, I use what works.

 

[DirectDrive]

I kind of knew that Lee guys were Prius guys.

 

[MrMillspecer]

I kind of knew that Lee guys were Prius guys.

That's just mean. My last economy car was a Daewoo Lanos. WAS ! Lol

 

[MrMillspecer]

I'd be interested to check a batch of 30-06 or similar with a runout gauge to see how consistent the loads are.

When it comes to large capacity cases and slower powders, The powder just doesn't meter as well as ball powders. Extruded powder looks like mini rabbit feed. I've never seen a powder dump that threw a consistent load with extruded powder. I weigh every single charge.

I weigh my first few when reloading just to make sure. Then I randomly pull one and weigh the powder. It's always been spot on or super close. The scale thats in the kit seems cheesy but works well and I have digital scales for a second check. You could pour your own powder for that step with the hopper removed. I haven't found factory ammo as good as my 69 grain reloads as far as accuracy. But you may be correct with the extruded powder and metering by volume I can't remember if I tried any.

OAL should be as good as any press.