Which Progressive press?

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  • Botfellas

    Member
    Apr 14, 2020
    27
    Urban Jungle
    I've been slowly getting into reloading right before the wuflu hit and everything went insane. Took a break but now it looks like presses and accessories have made a come back. My question is anyone have experience with either Lee, Hornady or Dillon progressive presses that allow you to use station 1 to load your powder charge? I prefer to size, decap and prime outside of a progressive press. All other steps I'm looking to do on a progressive but from the information I can find online some of the powder dispensers are setup for specific stations.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I've been slowly getting into reloading right before the wuflu hit and everything went insane. Took a break but now it looks like presses and accessories have made a come back. My question is anyone have experience with either Lee, Hornady or Dillon progressive presses that allow you to use station 1 to load your powder charge? I prefer to size, decap and prime outside of a progressive press. All other steps I'm looking to do on a progressive but from the information I can find online some of the powder dispensers are setup for specific stations.

    I’ve run primed brass through my Dillon 550B. Just put it in the first station and click right over to station 2.
     

    GunBum

    Active Member
    Feb 21, 2018
    751
    SW Missouri
    I’ve run primed brass through my Dillon 550B. Just put it in the first station and click right over to station 2.

    Same.
    Sometimes I pull the decapping rod/pin out of the sizing die and run as normal without priming on the press. Although I’m quite comfy with every stage of loading on the Dillon.
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,561
    Harford County, Maryland
    I have a Dillon. A friend had a Hornady…I think he still does - he like it. I personally never used a Lee progressive. Poking around and talking you’ll find the Dillon progressives are the standard.

    I build true precision match loads, for pistol, on my Dillon. My blasting grade 223 shoots submoa from a capable rifle.
     

    Rockzilla

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2010
    4,516
    55.751244 / 37.618423
    Oh boy... here we go... Chevy / Ford / Dodge..:D:D

    as far as changing the position of the powder measure, I haven't
    nor anyone I know..

    Got Dillons, Hornady, even the Old Pro 7's / Projectors, Stars for pistol

    I deprime off press, clean / prep, hand prime using old Lee round tray autoprimes, then to press.
    for basically all my pistols loads 45acp / 9mm / 38-357 is done on the Stars

    Hornady - Dillon it's your choice
    They all work
    They all need tweaks to make work properly
    They both have "fixes" to get them running smooth
    They both have their Pro's / Con's
    They both have their followers
    They both make completed rounds

    Hornady has "bushing" for the die changes
    Dillon has tool heads that people swap out with dies already setup ($$)

    Lee's I cannot comment on as I don't own any and would not be fair

    For me I'm not brand loyal, don't care what name / color the press is as long
    as it works for me, that's all that matters.

    Find some-one who will let you "play" with different presses and then you
    decide.....There are gonna be all kinds of suggestions, this n that
    550 / 650 /750 / 1050 / 1100 etc. from the Dillon camp. Or I use this which is
    great, or this works for me..which all are great for helping some-one decide.
    Determine your needs and go from there. I've still got my old Rock Chuckers
    from early 70's and still use em. Lil dandy works great also with adjustable rotor

    -Rock
     

    Pinecone

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 4, 2013
    28,175
    I run 5.56 brass through my Dillon 650 in two passes. First pass decaps and sizes. Then I swage off the press. Second pass has no die in Station 1, so nothing happens. Prime at Station 2, but you can stop that by no loading primers. Then Power on the up stroke. #3 is empty. #4 seats bullet. Station 5 taper or FCD for pistol rounds.

    Not sure why you want to size, decap, and prime off the press, but easy to do on the Dillons (not busting others, I just have NO experience with them). I only do it with once fired military brass so I can swage the primer pockets.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,815
    I’ve run primed brass through my Dillon 550B. Just put it in the first station and click right over to station 2.

    Same.
    Sometimes I pull the decapping rod/pin out of the sizing die and run as normal without priming on the press. Although I’m quite comfy with every stage of loading on the Dillon.

    I've always put my primed brass in station 1(Dillon 550) and rotate directly to station 2(case flare/powder drop). So there's a third way it can be accomplished.
     
    I own a Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro. It is inexpensive and works well. The big con, and I mean BIG con is changing calibers is a major PITA. I would highly recommend it as a caliber specific press, but won't recommend it if you plan on loading multiple calibers.
    .
    ETA- I load everything I have components for in a specific caliber before switching to another. It take an hour or so to swap components and tune the new cartridge.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I own a Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro. It is inexpensive and works well. The big con, and I mean BIG con is changing calibers is a major PITA. I would highly recommend it as a caliber specific press, but won't recommend it if you plan on loading multiple calibers.

    That’s the great thing about the Dillon interchangeable tool heads. You can be up and running with a new caliber in 10 minutes.
     

    Speedluvn

    Active Member
    Dec 23, 2019
    340
    Baltimore County
    I own a Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro. It is inexpensive and works well. The big con, and I mean BIG con is changing calibers is a major PITA. I would highly recommend it as a caliber specific press, but won't recommend it if you plan on loading multiple calibers.
    .
    ETA- I load everything I have components for in a specific caliber before switching to another. It take an hour or so to swap components and tune the new cartridge.
    I have Lee Single stage and Lee Turret presses. I’m seriously considering a Lee Pro 4000. How long does it take for you to swap out dies to change calibers? Switching from rifle to pistol rounds involves changing a plate? It’s another step involved but how much more time does it add to the process? I’ve watched a couple of YT videos but wanted some real world experience?
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,665
    Not Far Enough from the City
    Oh boy... here we go... Chevy / Ford / Dodge..:D:D

    as far as changing the position of the powder measure, I haven't
    nor anyone I know..

    Got Dillons, Hornady, even the Old Pro 7's / Projectors, Stars for pistol

    I deprime off press, clean / prep, hand prime using old Lee round tray autoprimes, then to press.
    for basically all my pistols loads 45acp / 9mm / 38-357 is done on the Stars

    Hornady - Dillon it's your choice
    They all work
    They all need tweaks to make work properly
    They both have "fixes" to get them running smooth
    They both have their Pro's / Con's
    They both have their followers
    They both make completed rounds

    Hornady has "bushing" for the die changes
    Dillon has tool heads that people swap out with dies already setup ($$)

    Lee's I cannot comment on as I don't own any and would not be fair

    For me I'm not brand loyal, don't care what name / color the press is as long
    as it works for me, that's all that matters.

    Find some-one who will let you "play" with different presses and then you
    decide.....There are gonna be all kinds of suggestions, this n that
    550 / 650 /750 / 1050 / 1100 etc. from the Dillon camp. Or I use this which is
    great, or this works for me..which all are great for helping some-one decide.
    Determine your needs and go from there. I've still got my old Rock Chuckers
    from early 70's and still use em. Lil dandy works great also with adjustable rotor

    -Rock

    Now there's an oldie but goodie!

    Whose rotor Rock? Bill White out of N.C. I'm guessing?

    Adjustable rotor still made do you know?
     

    Rockzilla

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2010
    4,516
    55.751244 / 37.618423
    Now there's an oldie but goodie!

    Whose rotor Rock? Bill White out of N.C. I'm guessing?

    Adjustable rotor still made do you know?

    Bingo...give that man 100 primers.
    Yes Sir that be him, at last contact within the last 3-4 months, he still
    does, think they are 49-50 each, have to find my note book with the
    nfo, gonna order 2 more. if you need the contact nfo give me a shout
    have a piss load of regular rotors bought over the years, but Bill's are
    great..measure great, N310, W231, Bullseye, W630.


    Have to get in contact with Bruce Williams also (Star adjustable bushings)
    need some more bushings for N310 powder.

    -Rock
     

    Neutron

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Nov 20, 2014
    1,532
    severna park
    I bought the Lee Auto Breach Lock press but ended up selling it because I could never get it to work right. I think they changed it now so they might be better but the one I had sucked. I went back to the old reliable Lee Turret Press. I can change calibers in just a few minutes.
     

    Uncle Duke

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2013
    11,665
    Not Far Enough from the City
    Bingo...give that man 100 primers.
    Yes Sir that be him, at last contact within the last 3-4 months, he still
    does, think they are 49-50 each, have to find my note book with the
    nfo, gonna order 2 more. if you need the contact nfo give me a shout
    have a piss load of regular rotors bought over the years, but Bill's are
    great..measure great, N310, W231, Bullseye, W630.


    Have to get in contact with Bruce Williams also (Star adjustable bushings)
    need some more bushings for N310 powder.

    -Rock

    Please do publish current contact info if you find it, and thank you! Might be others who could use it as well.

    Yeah, I wound up accumulating a bunch of rotors too. Mainly because they rarely correspond as closely as might be desired to the chart. But another indication that lot variations are real, and the why behind volumetric AND a scale, huh?

    Smokin little measure within its niche though. But I'm not telling you anything you don't know.
     

    Rockzilla

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2010
    4,516
    55.751244 / 37.618423
    Please do publish current contact info if you find it, and thank you! Might be others who could use it as well.

    Yeah, I wound up accumulating a bunch of rotors too. Mainly because they rarely correspond as closely as might be desired to the chart. But another indication that lot variations are real, and the why behind volumetric AND a scale, huh?

    Smokin little measure within its niche though. But I'm not telling you anything you don't know.

    who are you telling go from some older powders then to the newer or of different years same powder...what was ain't no more. It just plain
    works, simple... same with the old Lyman M5's, Ohaus 10-10's, RCBS 10-10's, some tuned by Scott Parker. they just work. anyway when I
    find the nfo I'll post it here all but his number, I'll PM it to you

    -Rock
     

    cstone

    Active Member
    Dec 12, 2018
    842
    Baltimore, MD
    Prepping brass never ends.

    My tools:
    Harvey deprimer
    RCBS universal hand primer
    Dry vibratory tumbler with lizard bedding from the pet store
    Dillon Super swager
    Giraud trimmer with different setups for various rifle calibers
    Lee breech lock and RCBS Rock Chucker single stage presses
    Dillon 550 with tool heads for various calibers
    Numerous Wilson case gauges.

    I store prepped and primed brass which makes the actual time at my reloading press efficient. I use Lee dies on the Dillon toolheads. I use Lee powder measures on pistol caliber toolheads and Dillon powder measures on rifle caliber toolheads. I've used Dillon 650 and 1050 but for the quantity that I normally reload, and cost for various toolheads in multiple calibers, the 550 gives me the best return for my money.

    Find what works for you, and be open to different tools and methods. Time is an inverse proportion to money in many hobbies, and it is certainly true in reloading. Over time, you will accumulate tools you don't need or use anymore, so when you find something that is worth the time it saves you, buy once, cry once.

    Be safe.
     

    Rockzilla

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2010
    4,516
    55.751244 / 37.618423
    I have a Star Universal that is 10 years older than me. I only load .38 Spl and .45ACP/AutoRim in quantity so it is perfect.

    now we're talking.... Stars here... built like tanks..
    the 45acp one is auto-index, case feeder and some other stuff
    got to get some bushings for N310 from Bruce. Ain't nothing like
    old iron.Stars, Texan's, Hollywoods...


    -Rock
     

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