Looking for recommendations on progressive press

[ghbucky]

I am breaking my enforced shooting sabbatical because I finally paid too much for 5k SPP.

I reload mostly 9mm using a 4-die LEE turret press, but I think I want to take the step to a progressive.

I also load 5.56 and occassionally .45ACP.

I know you can go crazy with automated systems.. I'm not interested in that.

Anyone have great experiences with a progressive, or ones to stay away from?

 

[olduser]

Dillon will probably be the most recommended. I have one and recommend them but in this drought of components it will be hard to get the best use from a progressive. To get the full benefits of a progressive you need components in quantity. You need to be able to set up the machine and pump out a good quantity.
I also have a turret press and have used it much more than my progressive because I have been forced to load small quantities of 50 to 100 rounds at a time. Like everyone else primers have been the bottleneck. It is just not worth setting up the progressive to make 50 rounds.

 

[burrhead]

Dillion or Hornady. Both have quirks, positives and are at similar price points. I've loaded something in the neighborhood of 300K pistol and 223s on my LNL and like it. Hornady CS is on par with Dillion, RCBS, etc.

Do some research and pick your poison; red or blue.

 

[Nick_C_S]

Dillon is almost universally accepted as a great choice.

I have a Dillon; a 550BL. It's a low-end progressive, and that's all I need for my preferred load style. Otherwise, I would have gotten a 1050. I use my Dillon for all my pistol calibers and I am quite pleased with it. However, I still use my single stage RCBS for 223 Rem.

Having spent ten years here on TFL, I can say - more than anecdotally - that people tend to express having problems with Lee progressives more than any other - by a good margin.

 

[kmw1954]

I will approach this from a different angle.

Yes the Dillon is the premier progressive on the market w/o argument. Question is value on return. Is a top of the line press warranted by projected output? What is your projected usage? 100 per month, 1000 per month, 10k per month every month? Or are you like me and will load 1k rounds and then the press will sit for six months? If like me and that is the case even though the Dillon 750 is a tremendous press it just isn't warranted for use.

Honestly, as you already have a Lee Turret press I would suggest a Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro as almost everything you have for the turret can be migrated over to the Lee Progressive. All you need then are shell plates and die bushings. The basic press can be purchased right now from Titan Reloading for about $138.00 plus tax and shipping.

Now if you are possibly going to be loading more than 1k per month then that, look at a more substantial press.

 

[FrankenMauser]

I agree with the red vs blue guys.
Hornady or Dillon. Look at what they offer. Dig around for opinions and problems. And pick your poison.
The only real difference, long-term, is resale value. The Hornadys hold their value fairly well. But a used Dillon press can sell for almost as much as a new one - even if 35 years old and looking like garbage.

 

[Unclenick]

That's because the lifetime warranty travels with it. Also, for much less than the cost of a new press, you can get Dillon to rebuild the whole thing like new (it was $79 in 2019; not sure about now). They used to do it for free, IIRC, but I expect people started taking advantage of them when it wasn't really necessary to do. One post online suggested the exception is when it is so badly corroded that it can't be salvaged. The post claimed they will offer you a discounted price on a new machine in that instance. I would have to talk to Dillon to confirm that.

 

[Shadow9mm]

I have a Hornady Lock-n-load. I chose it as, at the price point, it had auto indexing and the dillon did not. Also it has 5 die stations and a separate priming station, so I Kind of consider is a 6 stage pres. It is also cheaper to swap calibers.

I hand prime. I can do it and watch a movie at the same time, rather than priming on the press. Given no case or bullet feeder, and primed brass, I can load 1000 9mm in about 4 hours once the press is set up and running. and that is dropping ever loaded round into my EGW 50rnd cartridge gauge.

Have a friend who has a Dillon. Loves it and swear by it. But I can afford and or justify the 1050 to get the auto indexing, and the manual indexing and 4 die stations of the 550 series made it a no-go for me.

But your needs may not be the same as mine.

Also Hornady is offering 500 free bullets with the purchase of a press again....

Main down side to the hornady IMHO is the bullet bin holder. Its kinds flimsy. I upgraded to one of the inline fabrication bin holders, and larger bins.

 

[Charley345]

I went from a four hole turret press to the Hornady progressive "LNL ammo plant"
It took awhile to get everything tuned just right but now that it is working smoothly, I really like it.
Loading 9mm with the case feeder and bullet feeder I occasionally have to straighten up a bullet that leaned over. but that is about it once I have started cycling the press.
I deprime/size on stage 1; prime at the bottom of that first stroke; powder and bell top of case for bullet on stage 2; bullet feeder die stage three; seat and "crimp" on stage 4; Lee factory size die on stage 5.
I have loaded 100 rounds in 12 minutes a couple times but usually figure 15 to 20 minutes per 100 rnds. That includes a couple times of checking powder weight while the bullet feeder refills the tube/spring. (I do not leave it running continuously because it is so noisy.)
At first it seems like a lot is going on all at once. But once I got my "routine" down It feels really comfortable. On the up stroke of the ram I watch the primer slide as it pulls back to verify no primer is in it. Confirms that a primer is seated in the case advancing to the powder die. On the down stroke of the ram I first verify there is a primer in the slide as it comes forward, that there is powder in the case coming from the powder die, and that a bullet was dropped in the case and is right side up/straight. This all happens with a steady continuous cycling of the press handle.

 

[Bowdog]

Dillion yes sir. Been reloading for 20 years never had a problem with Dillion. Keep it clean and lube as directed on ram. It will last almost forever. I did mess up a powder reservoir and (please don't ask) they replaced it free of charge after 15 years of reloading thousands of rounds. Never had anything break.

 

[Unclenick]

Both presses have some aftermarket gizmos available for them, but I have seen more for the Dillon presses.

Inline Fabrication has mounts and lights and roller handles and part bins for both, as well as for most major press brands. Uniquetek has a large number of items specific to Dillon presses. They have shell plate thrust bearings kits that remove virtually all slop, powder drop tubes with the Lyman M-die profile expander tip, precision-machined tool heads with or without floating die stations, special powder drop tubes for loading 32 and 38 wadcutters, micrometer adjustable powder measure metering slides, and so on. So if you like to customize, there is quite a bit available for Dillons.

 

[ghbucky]

I appreciate all the inputs. I have read everyone's comments and as suggested, done some additional research.

Unclenick: I don't know how I've managed to live my life without knowing about Inline Fabrications, but they have some amazing looking products.

Right now, I'm leaning in the direction of a Dillon 750XL with the addition of the case handler.

For you Dillon folks, what are the must have accessories for this press, in your opinion?

I also have questions about dies, but I think that deserves a seperate threads.

Thanks again for the thoughtful and informative inputs.

 

[Unclenick]

Look at the lights at Inline. You will have room for a powder-check die, but there is nothing that beats eyeballs doing the double-check. The tall mounts are good if you have a standard height bench. Whether or not you require one of their handles just depends on how you like the one that comes with the press. Some folks with arthritis or other joint pain issues find one kind of handle or the other works better for them.

Look at the powder drop tubes at Uniquetek. The M-profile buts a small step in the case mouths that let's you set bullets into them straight upright, which eliminates most bullet tilt during seating which helps accuracy. Whether you need a micrometer powder adjustment or not depends on how often you change charges. Keeping a record of the strings is a convenience, but certainly not essential.

 

[akinswi]

I have both Lee pro 1000 and a dillion 550.

The great thing about the Lee is cost, I bought mine on sale for 139.00 and is exclusively setup for 9mm only. When it works its fantastic.I have loaded 10s if thousands of 9mm

the weakness of the pro 1000 is the priming system. and changing calibers that dont use the same shell plate is cumbersome. Thats why you could buy one for each caliber.

The Dillion is way better quality and is easier to switch calibers and the priming system is way way better. But it cost 4x much.

You mentioned 9mm and .223 , your going to run into issues progressively reloading because you have to trim the brass . Its still a time factor you have to consider. Its one reason why I stop progressively reloading .223 because trimming is time consuming unless you buy electric trimmer etc etc

My advice is get the 550 and be done with it. Doesn’t take long to rotate a turret and your wallet will thankyou.

 

[darkgael]

Presses

As above, I have both the Lee progressive and the Dillion 550b. The previous post said it all about the Lee. The weakness is the priming system. Learn to deal with that and the machine works. I have loaded more than 50k .45ACP on mine.

 

[rodfac]

I had a Lee Loadmaster years ago that was virtually unusable. Constant problems, primarily with the plastic priming system. I got little or no help from Lee as they wanted me to ship at my cost each of the 6 broken units I went through before making good on replacements. Lee makes good dies and probably some other presses, but the Loadmaster is not one of them.

Dillon, worth the price,,,, mine is a 550B, actually have two of them, set up in SPP & LP primers respectively. I've loaded my own ammunition since 1962 on a single stage Herter's #3, a Herrell's turret, and the two Dillons.

If you shoot a moderate amount, the 550 or what ever they're currently replacing it with, is a great investment that you'll never regret. By moderate, I mean short of one of the 500 rounds a week end gun games, you'll never need more.

Dillon's customer service is 2nd to none...and I've never had to use it beyond replacement locator pins that I've dropped and lost on my shop floor in the 15 yrs I've owned my 550's. Those two presses have loaded more than 50,000 rounds between them with zero problems. You can do no better. Rod

 

[akinswi]

I had a Lee Loadmaster years ago that was virtually unusable. Constant problems, primarily with the plastic priming system. I got little or no help from Lee as they wanted me to ship at my cost each of the 6 broken units I went through before making good on replacements. Lee makes good dies and probably some other presses, but the Loadmaster is not one of them.

Dillon, worth the price,,,, mine is a 550B, actually have two of them, set up in SPP & LP primers respectively. I've loaded my own ammunition since 1962 on a single stage Herter's #3, a Herrell's turret, and the two Dillons.

If you shoot a moderate amount, the 550 or what ever they're currently replacing it with, is a great investment that you'll never regret. By moderate, I mean short of one of the 500 rounds a week end gun games, you'll never need more.

Dillon's customer service is 2nd to none...and I've never had to use it beyond replacement locator pins that I've dropped and lost on my shop floor in the 15 yrs I've owned my 550's. Those two presses have loaded more than 50,000 rounds between them with zero problems. You can do no better. Rod

oh those locator pins… pesky little brass buggers, i have sucked those up in a shop vac more than once cleaning up powder… Didnt know they replace them for free..

yes stay far far away from the load master, they replaced 550B With the 550RL which I have. But I believe the 550B may have been one of the best presses ever made… like ever

 

[MG-34]

Dillon speaks for it self.

 

[Nathan]

I have a Hornady Lock-n-load. I chose it as, at the price point, it had auto indexing and the dillon did not. Also it has 5 die stations and a separate priming station, so I Kind of consider is a 6 stage pres. It is also cheaper to swap calibers.

Also Hornady is offering 500 free bullets with the purchase of a press again....

Main down side to the hornady IMHO is the bullet bin holder. Its kinds flimsy. I upgraded to one of the inline fabrication bin holders, and larger bins.

I couldn’t have said the above better. It makes very good ammunition. I find the primer seat works well enough for most ammunition that I load on it….pistol and semi-auto rifle. When you get your inline fabrication mount, get the bin holder too. They also have the ammo plant version that I will upgrade to some day!

Dillon speaks for it self.

Hmm. Then who speaks for everyone else?

 

[bbqncigars]

For the vast majority of cartridges the color of the press won't matter. Either the 650 and LNL AP will do fine. If you're loading some oddball cartridge, one particular press may do better than its competitor. The problem is you may have to find out the hard way that your press chokes on that round. That's what led me to retire my 550. Some blessed individuals have a dedicated press for each cartridge, but most of us don't have the resources for that.