>>>•<<< This Close to turning Blue

[Caveman Jim]

Yeah I just don't care if I don't put out 1000 rounds in an evening and have to worry about any not being 100% all the time.

 

[bionic knees]

I have been cleaning my .270 short mag and .338 win mag brass getting ready to load some for those 2 calibers. I ain't paying a hundred or more for a box of ammo!

 

[CLT65]

I thought you were choking on a Lego!

My first thought when I saw the title was that he was considering changing political parties.

 

[Caveman Jim]

My first thought when I saw the title was that he was considering changing political parties.

Umm, NEVER…

If "that"would have been posted then you all should know that my profile had been hacked…

 

[Caveman Jim]

Or a musician.

I like version where jiggles on pitch perfect does it.

 

[DizzyJ]

Yeah I just don't care if I don't put out 1000 rounds in 2 hours or less and all being 100% all the time because I pay attention as I go.

Fixed it for ya!

 

[Z-PDX]

Or a musician.

this guy...

super talented. well worth your time to go down his channel's rabbit hole. some VERY clever vids.

 

[ageingstudent]

Yeah I just don't care if I don't put out 1000 rounds in an evening and have to worry about any not being 100% all the time.

I have that breechlock pro. It's pretty economical. It's as good as the turret press but faster, and the same basic design. It's a tight and stout little press. If you want to make sure the quality is excellent, slowing down is still faster than the turret. It's also easier on the bursitis and arthritis. 1 pull per round instead of 4.

My only complaint is that the tool head is fixed so you have to either buy breechlock bushings or reset dies on changing caliber.

Otherwise I haven't had one issue with it.

It also doesn't take up much bench space and I am loading in a tight space these days. It has a small footprint and excellent leverage.

I don't think that press has been as popular as Lee Precision would have expected, but in my experience it's a solid press. It isn't fidgety or finicky and I don't need a degree in engineering to run it. It's just a little different with the bushing setup.

 

[orygun]

I didn't choose Dillon, my wife did!
Seriously, she and the kids gave it to me for my birthday 20ish years ago.
I had been using a Lyman turret and felt it was fine. For several years I would use the Lyman for rifle and the Dillon 550 for pistol, but then I got smart.
The Dillon can be used as a single stage very easily. It's solid and consistent. I can make a bunch of handgun ammo in a short time or I can use it when making one round at a time and trickling the powder charge.

Still don't know if I would have ever bought it for myself, but I'm very glad I have it.

 

[ageingstudent]

I didn't choose Dillon, my wife did!
Seriously, she and the kids gave it to me for my birthday 20ish years ago.
I had been using a Lyman turret and felt it was fine. For several years I would use the Lyman for rifle and the Dillon 550 for pistol, but then I got smart.
The Dillon can be used as a single stage very easily. It's solid and consistent. I can make a bunch of handgun ammo in a short time or I can use it when making one round at a time and trickling the powder charge.

Still don't know if I would have ever bought it for myself, but I'm very glad I have it.

My goodness. It's a lucky man who's family thinks enough of him to bestow a Dillon upon him for a present.

 

[Mikej]

Awe JIM! I click on the link from the side bar side bar, so don't see you posted in the "Reloading" section. That title freaked me out. Thought your system had stopped oxygenating your blood or something! And you.... Literally, turned blue! Gone to the hospital, emergency .....Just lucky you were late and still have a bunch of money for components. Whew, that was a close one!

 

[ageingstudent]

Awe JIM! I click on the link from the side bar side bar, so don't see you posted in the "Reloading" section. That title freaked me out. Thought your system had stopped oxygenating your blood or something! And you.... Literally, turned blue! Gone to the hospital, emergency .....Just lucky you were late and still have a bunch of money for components. Whew, that was a close one!

I had the same first thought . Don't scare me like that haha.

 

[Capn Jack]

Another vote for the RCBS Jr.

I had to go , "High Tec" after I wore my Lyman Nut Crackers out.

 

[Caveman Jim]

I have that breechlock pro. It's pretty economical. It's as good as the turret press but faster, and the same basic design. It's a tight and stout little press. If you want to make sure the quality is excellent, slowing down is still faster than the turret. It's also easier on the bursitis and arthritis. 1 pull per round instead of 4.

My only complaint is that the tool head is fixed so you have to either buy breechlock bushings or reset dies on changing caliber.

Otherwise I haven't had one issue with it.

It also doesn't take up much bench space and I am loading in a tight space these days. It has a small footprint and excellent leverage.

I don't think that press has been as popular as Lee Precision would have expected, but in my experience it's a solid press. It isn't fidgety or finicky and I don't need a degree in engineering to run it. It's just a little different with the bushing setup.

The breechlock design was one of the deciding factor why I changed my decision on that model. Since I prep all cases before I load them, a 3 position press is perfect for a Pro1000.
"The new design Pro 1000 has a positive index locating pin that eliminates indexing problems. It has a new low profile steel base that has been rotated for optimal ergonomics while reloading."

I didn't choose Dillon, my wife did!
Seriously, she and the kids gave it to me for my birthday 20ish years ago.
I had been using a Lyman turret and felt it was fine. For several years I would use the Lyman for rifle and the Dillon 550 for pistol, but then I got smart.
The Dillon can be used as a single stage very easily. It's solid and consistent. I can make a bunch of handgun ammo in a short time or I can use it when making one round at a time and trickling the powder charge.

Still don't know if I would have ever bought it for myself, but I'm very glad I have it.

You're a lucky man brother!!!

Awe JIM! I click on the link from the side bar side bar, so don't see you posted in the "Reloading" section. That title freaked me out. Thought your system had stopped oxygenating your blood or something! And you.... Literally, turned blue! Gone to the hospital, emergency .....Just lucky you were late and still have a bunch of money for components. Whew, that was a close one!

Mike I thought you knew me well enough, I'm a jokester.
I probably could have titled it "this close to going blue". I thought about it but it didn't have a good vibe and was not very thought provoking.

 

[Mikej]

Mike I thought you knew me well enough, I'm a jokester.
I probably could have titled it "this close to going blue". I thought about it but it didn't have a good vibe and was not very thought provoking.

You go boy!

 

[Catfishmoon]

I have also considered a blue progressive, but I am just too content with the Redding T7 turret I own. I also prefer to install primers and load powder not using any press, but as separate steps.
Perhaps, I would feel differently if I needed the amount of ammo to shoot competitively.

 

[orygun]

@Catfishmoon , I started hand priming my rifle stuff a few years ago. I'd started using my Dillon as a single stage by that time, hand charging/trickling every round and preferred to not argue with the Dillon priming system. I'd be just as well served with my ol Lyman turret for rifle ammo as I enjoy making the best stuff I can and do them all one at a time. No penalty for using a turret there. The only reason I use the Dillon is that it's mounted to the bench already!
But I have to interrupt the rifle stuff from time to time to crank out a bunch of handgun plinkin ammo. That's when the progressive is a valuable tool.

 

[ageingstudent]

@Catfishmoon , I started hand priming my rifle stuff a few years ago. I'd started using my Dillon as a single stage by that time, hand charging/trickling every round and preferred to not argue with the Dillon priming system. I'd be just as well served with my ol Lyman turret for rifle ammo as I enjoy making the best stuff I can and do them all one at a time. No penalty for using a turret there. The only reason I use the Dillon is that it's mounted to the bench already!
But I have to interrupt the rifle stuff from time to time to crank out a bunch of handgun plinkin ammo. That's when the progressive is a valuable tool.

Once I get set in my new digs here I am going to try some .351WSL on my little progressive. My friends and I get trigger happy with my 1907 and I've been noodling with how to up the production a bit. I think if I prime off press I can set my concoction of dies and make the rest of the steps work with a 4 holer. It might take some tinkering.

 

[P7M13]

And me, I thought this was going to be about a different kind of happy ending.

 

[3MTA3]

@Caveman Jim resistance is futile, you will (eventually) be assimilated...

To me, an suto indexing press is best suited to be set up for high volume on a given cartridge and then left alone. It's just too sucky when changing when changing out toolheads or dies, priming systems, powder, ets., then fine tuning for trouble free crank em out automation.

The Lee you are talking about above looks pretty decent for that type of setup due to it's affordability and note that lee is selling them dies and all. So long as you want three stage automation at a killer price it's hard to beat. I'm glad to see it was not a turret style as every rotating head I have seen flexes, even from brands I otherwise really like and respect like Redding.

The Dillon you should look at is the RL-550C. It can do reasonable volume as well as precision. It's manual indexing to me is a positive feature that gives it a lot of versatility. With conversion kit and dies it's about twice as expensive as the Lee 1000 setup, Moving from cartridge to cartridge is a quick conversion kit and toolhead swap. Once your dies have been adjusted in their toolhead, you simply slide them in and out. It's also very ergonomic especially if you add the bullet and brass tray.

What sets Dillon apart is how robust and precise they are. You will see no flexing or give ever. Pulling the handle does not put any horizontal force on the press only vertical. Watch videos of presses in action and you will see how many will rock forward if they are on an elevated mount or not securely bolted to a solid surface. Not only can you load high quality ammo on a 550, you can load match grade ammo with very high concentricity and low runout like you would get on a single stage non turret press.

Will the Lee get the job done? It sure will but note the diameter of the ram and it's offset position. Now look at the 550 and see how it's dead center and much larger.

Check out these two videos by the same guy with both machines. He does a great job at being objective as opposed to a fanboy. Note the machine operation, ergonomics and relative effort. I think you would be happy with either, but I also think the 550 is more than worth the extra $$