Progressive Presses
 

Anyone here using any progressive presses? I'd like to get one to load mainly 223 with. I'd also down the road end up loading my 9mm, 38 special, 357, 40, and 45.

I did alot of research last night, and seems that all the presses have their flaws in them.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

I have the Pro1000, and highly recommend you steer clear. It was given to me, and I use it for pistol, but you miss a primer, or you powder feed gets below 1/4 full, bad things happen.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

I am about this far away __from entering the AR world and am also thinking about getting a dedicated prgressive strictly for the .223 and am leaning towards a Dillon 650. Anyone have thoughts on it?

RE: Progressive Presses
 

I've had two Dillons and sold both just because I'm not loading enough to justify them any longer. They are superb presses and the company will take care of you till you die. You can't go wrong with Dillon. The little SDB is the perfect press for pistol.

Just do yourself a favor and call Dillon. Problems solved.:)

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Right now Hornady is offering 1000 free bullets with a LNL AP purchase.
Here is some good reading
http://www.reloadersnest.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6571
http://www.comrace.ca/cmfiles/dillonLeeHornadyComparison.pdf
http://www.reloadersnest.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6492

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Whatever the Hornady LNL's flaws are, Hornady and I are living with them fine. I have broke a thing or two. They always send me the part. No questions asked.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Rammer,

I have had a Dillon 550 for over 10 years and I load pistol and .223
I was skeptical about accuracy on the .223, non AR loading,for a Ruger varmit set-up. Once set properly it was no problem. I also bought the Dillion .223 carbide dies, although costly I really like the outcome. You still have to LUBE your brass!!

As far as loading for pistol, it is very fast. I load for 5 different calibers. The cost starts to build if you get a complete toolhead setup for eadh caliber. You will have to decide if the time spent setting up for different calibers is worth to you. That is why I boughta progressive in the first place. I kept adding through the years, couldn't afford everything at once. It is very nice to just remove 2 pins and slide in a tool head, change your plate and start making rounds.

Their warranty is second to none.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Thanks everyone for your replies so far. Yesterday I was at Cabelas, and they only had the Hornady LNP. I have a few dillon books laying around here, I'm going to check out the Dillons as well, but I'm almost certain I will probably go with the Hornady.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

I have a Dillon 550 and a 650. The 650 w/ the casefeeder is great for loading LOTS of ammo in a short amount of time. If you're planning on loading shorter runs of many different calibers, that's where the 550 shines. A caliber changeover is faster and easier on the 550. I don't do much high volume pistol shooting anymore, so I am thinking of selling my 650 and picking up a second 550.

I will add that Dillon's warantee is second to none. My 550 is over 20 years old, and I am the 3rd owner. They still support the press as if I were Mike Dillon's best friend.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

This is where the 650 shines. Set it up and crank out ammo by the thousands. A single Saturday morning's production run can produce enough ammo to last me several months. The machine is amazing.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

I have a Big Max A4, a Dillon 550, a Dillon 650, an Ammomaster, a MEC 650
I use the Dillon 650 for 9MM since I shoot a lot of it and the Dillon 550 for 223. I still use my RCBS Big max for 7MM and 3006.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Dillon all the way. Save up the extra $$ and be happy. Nothing out there compares to the Dillons. I have a 550 and love it.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Some things to consider in the Dillon vs. Hornady debate are:

Flat out production rate - I think even with the case feeder, the Dillon wins.

Cost per caliber - Hornady wins. Hornady caliber changes are just cheaper, period.

Now, the reason I went with Hornady was because production rate isn't super important to me. Sure, I think a single stage is too slow for my needs, but I also don't need to make 500 per hour. My typical50 - 100per session, rate says Hornady. Also, I'll bet I load 10 calibers. . .Honady's caliber change cost was very appealing. Also, I run a lot of partial cycles and the Hornady works well for that too. If I had any complaint, it would be the plastic base for the priming assy, the lack of any rust resistant coating on the powder measure. I mean, really, how do I keep it perfectly dry and rust free. Now I run graphite through it and that seems to work.

Enjoy. All are good choices. Not sure about Lee. I have used Lee products before and they are always of lower quality. I still use their dies. Their designs are just better sometimes! Kind of contradictary, but so it goes.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

I use progressive turret style press in single stage form so that I may keep all the dies pertaining to that particular cartridge screwed into that turret-thus a turret for every cartridge I load for.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Yeah, I really don't care about loading TONS of bullets an hour, I just want something to take the tediousness out of loading 223 ammo that is going to be out of an AR platform. I don't really ever go burn a 20-30rd mag very quickly, and if I do it sure ain't reloads that I'm burning.

Now that I am thinking about entering in a pistol league this summer, I'll need to be loading either 40 or 45 ammo as well, which I don't have any of the dies for yet.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

I love my Dillon 550B. Great press, great service. NO BS warranty,Dillon takes care of their customers ... PERIOD.

RE: Progressive Presses
 

With the exception of their digital scales and electric tumblers!

RE: Progressive Presses
 

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Sorry, I had pictures but cannot get them to load

RE: Progressive Presses
 

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Your picture isn't showing up for me. I'll try.




Very Nice set up there!!!

RE: Progressive Presses
 

Great set up !