Talking Turrets (not turkey)

[Certaindeaf]

Elmer Keith shot a million rounds loading with a Lyman tong tool (of course scoop measuring powder).. and could eat 50 boiled eggs in an hour.

 

[Tilos]

I have been researching new equipment recently myself because I'm going to be re-loading another caliber, 45acp/large primer, and everything else I load is small primer.

I have 2 different green progressives (5 stations) that have served me well, no longer sold though, so I'm not shy on trying another progressive.

I have added both the Lee Pro Auto Disc/Lee Auto Drum with powder thru the expander dies to these green progressives to free up a station for a bullet feeding die, and am impressed with both of these Lee Powder Measures.
So now the routine is insert a case, pull the lever, repeat...
Way faster than fumbling/adding both a bullet AND a case.

Back before Lee convinced reloaders they needed a "Factory Crimp Die", most handgun ammo was reloaded with 3 dies.
I'll admit it's easier to seat and crimp separately and not shave bullet material, when there is a variation in brass length.

I use all 5 stations of my green machines...with a FCD, and rarely pre-process brass, just clean/tumble/load.
Range mushrooms get de-primed so I can check for and remove any primer crimps.

The equipment I researched;

Lee Loadmaster $260+/- (kit)
cons:
priming at the top has no feel because everything else is going on too
priming at the top often requires a sizing die to center the case for less problems.
Priming at the top turns a 5 station press into a 4 station.

Lee Classic Turret $210+/-(kit) $110 (press only)
cons:
Kit comes with stuff I don't need(scale, etc)
Kit doesn't come with dies/die plate (stuff I need)
no way to add a bullet feeder.
Everything added (weight) to the turret affects indexing
4 strokes to produce 1 round
Primer arm must be manually cycled to load a primer
Completed round must be removed upon completion
Slow(er) than a progressive


Lee Pro 1000 $190+/- (kit)
cons:
only 3 stations
spent primers disappear between the press and bench

Dillon, RCBS, Hornady Progressives
cons:
$$$$$$$$$$$

All Lee bullet seating dies are designed to work with a Lee bullet feeding/add-on that is used by many so I wouldn't NOT buy a Lee Press kit just because of already having a die set.

I've watched countless "fix/mod" vids and read many threads about this equipment and offer this info for reference only, just my opinion/could be all wrong, and not something I want/need to debate/defend.

I hope this helps you determine what will work best for you,

 

[41mag]

As a lifer-Dillon operator, there's a few powders I just don't use because of powder charge fluctuations...Unique is one, and such as 700x/800x another example. No big loss, and Unique was forgiving enough in Cowboy pistol loads at least, that .2~.4g case to case variation was at least tolerable. I don't use it at all now, as such as 'Clays Universal' and others are most excellent.

I've loaded from 223 to 45-70 on my 550 and 650 Dillon, and most of the hand gun calibers. One cost you might consider, is the 'caliber conversion' stuff, which can run around $65 or more.
I prefer the Dillon dies to others as they have certain advantages I've come to recognize.

Another consideration, is the no BS warranty. After 17 hard busy years of a lot of reloads, my 650 was growing feeble & cranky. I sent it in for overhaul, expecting to pay the costs. I was fully satisfied with the service. They said "It might be 6 weeks before return".

I got a large box delivered back in about a week...with a new 650 press....and NO BILL.

Smiles & grins all around.
If you need excuse to buy the top end gear, let me help you consider any other such questions.

 

[Crohnos01]

I have been researching new equipment recently myself ......

I've watched countless "fix/mod" vids and read many threads about this equipment and offer this info for reference only, just my opinion/could be all wrong, and not something I want/need to debate/defend.

I hope this helps you determine what will work best for you,

Wow... thanks for your insight... I always appreciate not recreating the wheel if I don't have to That's an excellent side by side comparison..

You kinda lumped Hornady, RCBS, and Dillon together with the same number of dollars you get when you sell a kidney to fund your habit... but have you looked at the Hornady Lock n Load auto progressive? It's $450 @ Cabelas, less at some other places.... it looks pretty good and has a ton of positive reviews.

 

[Crohnos01]

As a lifer-Dillon operator, there's a few powders I just don't use because of powder charge fluctuations...Unique is one, and such as 700x/800x another example. No big loss, and Unique was forgiving enough in Cowboy pistol loads at least, that .2~.4g case to case variation was at least tolerable. I don't use it at all now, as such as 'Clays Universal' and others are most excellent.

I've loaded from 223 to 45-70 on my 550 and 650 Dillon, and most of the hand gun calibers. One cost you might consider, is the 'caliber conversion' stuff, which can run around $65 or more.
I prefer the Dillon dies to others as they have certain advantages I've come to recognize.

Another consideration, is the no BS warranty. After 17 hard busy years of a lot of reloads, my 650 was growing feeble & cranky. I sent it in for overhaul, expecting to pay the costs. I was fully satisfied with the service. They said "It might be 6 weeks before return".

I got a large box delivered back in about a week...with a new 650 press....and NO BILL.

Smiles & grins all around.
If you need excuse to buy the top end gear, let me help you consider any other such questions.

That's awesome customer service !.... But come on.... you can't make a statement like that about Dillon dies and then leave me hanging... what do you like about the Dillon dies?

 

[41mag]

That's awesome customer service !.... But come on.... you can't make a statement like that about Dillon dies and then leave me hanging... what do you like about the Dillon dies?

I was a skeptic & had a couple dozen accumulated in my 'enthusiastic novice' period. I was IHMSA crazed, new to both to shooting & reloading, as I couldn't afford to shoot enough without reloading my own. I gathered various road kill/garage sale/buddy-discards & cheapo closeouts. They did work as good as I was expecting.....but eventually I learned such features as ease of cleaning/adjusting/pin replacement affected my enjoyment. Also, what I had ignored as 'sales pitch' on 'special radius-this' etc actual did make significant improvement in ease of making better reloads faster & with less scrapping a case here & there.

I did use special competition dies from other sources now & then over the years. Some had nifty features but they seem to have somehow fallen out of my user-rotation.

I don't know how long they last, but some of my current versions are nearly 20 years old. All have been used a lot (I'm not a rifle guy) feeding the needs of many hungry range pistols over the years.

Carbide pistol dies have to be well worth their cost, based on various complaints I've seen. In any case, I have no complaints with the company. The technical support is 1st rate, they replace items no BS, & I'm glad for their influence on my joyful hobby.

Reloading gear is a competitive business. I'm glad I found what works for me. In seeing threads now & then over various problems some may have on Dillon, it always seems to get down to someone not knowing how to operate/adjust/ the equipment.

After nearly 40 years on 2 models of Dillon, I've learned if the 'reloading phase' of the shooting hobby remains pleasurable, easy, and very efficient if you keep your machine properly tuned.

 

[Tilos]

Wow... thanks for your insight... I always appreciate not recreating the wheel if I don't have to That's an excellent side by side comparison..

You kinda lumped Hornady, RCBS, and Dillon together with the same number of dollars you get when you sell a kidney to fund your habit... but have you looked at the Hornady Lock n Load auto progressive? It's $450 @ Cabelas, less at some other places.... it looks pretty good and has a ton of positive reviews.

Looked long and hard at the LNL too, just couldn't warm up to a kit with yet another oversized/big/clunky powder measure, that adds to the overall expense of the kit, the same as the 2 RCBS measures I have replaced with Lee's.
jmo
good luck on your quest,

Edit: And the new 5 and 7 station RCBS press designs are struggling with primer feeding/seating issues.

 

[SHPD_Retired]

I have a RCBS Turret press and I like it very much. I can put our quite a few rounds per hour, obviously not as much as a progressive, but I want to have a little more control over the process. Having a turret head for each caliber is nice as once you set it up it you don't have to do it again.

 

[41mag]

"but I want to have a little more control over the process."
I'm curious, what would that control difference be?

 

[ageingstudent]

Elmer Keith shot a million rounds loading with a Lyman tong tool (of course scoop measuring powder).. and could eat 50 boiled eggs in an hour.

I also understand he got pretty good at picking up .44 "magnum" parts in the sage brush hahaha. That's what happens when the egg comes before the chicken.

 

[Certaindeaf]

I also understand he got pretty good at picking up .44 "magnum" parts in the sage brush hahaha. That's what happens when the egg comes before the chicken.

I don't think I ever saw him wearing any sort of glasses either.
He probably figured "Hey, this thing is getting a little loose.. let's end it!".