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Progressive Loading

Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
edited May 2002 in General Discussion
I am currently looking at a Lee Load-Master press kit and I have a couple questions. They sell two kits in Midway for $199.99, one for rifle and one for pistol. Are the presses different or will one press do both? If I buy the kit for one, what extra do I need to buy for the other? Both kits are the same price so which ever one needs less accs I will get that kit and buy extras for the other. I want to load pistol and mass produce plinkers for my .223. I see two different kinds of powder measures listed, do I need each?

Also what is better, the Load-Master or the Pro 1000? The pro 1000 does not come as a kit as far as I can tell and it sells for $124.99, what all do I need for it to do both? I already have Lee dies for my .40 S&W that are to be used in a progressive and I have RCBS dies for the .223, will the .223 dies I have work ok for progressive loading?

I'm not new to reloading by a long shot but I have never done progressive, I just bought 1000 rds each of .40 and .223 and I do not want to spend a month loading them on my single stage press so it's time to investigate this. Any suggestions?
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Comments

  • COWBOYKIDDCOWBOYKIDD Member Posts: 239 ✭
    edited November -1
    7mm. Great idea going to a progresive loader. But you have me puzzled why you would choose a Lee instead of a Dillon for about the same price.That being said twice the machine.All the Lee stuf Ive ever bought seemed of poor quality. Maybe look at what Dillon has to offer before you shell out the bucks. I have a 450 and a 550 and lovem both.The Dillon no BS warantee is just that. Had a couple things wear out on my 450 and they shipped parts. No charge for part or shipping.
    Good luck


    Thieves in 3 piece suits = Politicians,Doctors & Lawyers
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    7mm, bro, one word: Dillon. A little more money up front, a lot more value over the years . . . and years . . . and years. That 'no BS' warranty is exactly that. It breaks, wears out, it's taken care of. Period. They've taken care of things for me for which I believed I should pay. Uh-uh, they don't even want to hear it. No BS; parts in the mail the same or next day. Period. It's like buying a perpetual annuity. Bought it used? No BS, part's in the mail. You lost a part? In the mail. You broke it because you're too damn stupid to read the directions? In the mail. Old age, operator error, whatever. Don't matter. Excellent design, excellent quality. Don't know any Dillon owner who's ever been unhappy. 2000 rounds? What are you going to do the rest of the morning?

    Incidentally, I like their product!
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  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ok, you guys got me Midway only has Lee and RCBS, no Dillon, Lee looked like it had a better package, Father Forgive me for turning my back on RCBS!

    Who sells dillon mail order? What all do I need?I decided I want another set of dies for the .223, I just cant unadjust them after all I went thru getting that seater die just right. I want to load two cals, .40 and .223. I want to do it fast but quality needs to be there. As in the Lee, do I need two seperate measures for pistol and rifle? Give me a list of recomended items, and any tips you may have.

    The rest of the morning will be spent fine tuning more shells for the 7mm, I'm so picky it takes me over an hour to load 20 for it! Some shells just have to be done one at a time.
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  • COWBOYKIDDCOWBOYKIDD Member Posts: 239 ✭
    edited November -1
    7mm.Here it is http://www.dillonprecision.com. ask for a catalog.



    Thieves in 3 piece suits = Politicians,Doctors & Lawyers
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  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I went to that page and I looked at that Super 1050,d d d d ddo yy you know how mmmmany shells I gotta load to pay for that thing!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

    I want one!
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  • beachmaster73beachmaster73 Member Posts: 3,011 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Ok guys I have a confession to make. I couldn't take my kids to the Navy High Power Championships this year(for the first time in seven years); found out at the last minute because where they are held is right next to COMNAVSPECWARDEVGRU(read SEAL SIX) and the FBI had their knickers in an uproar over threatcon so my little civilians were not welcome there this year. Was completely despondent and depressed(similar to the depression I felt when the UN named Yellowstone and International Heritage Site!:)!:)! Here I was sitting around holding the $500 I had budgeted for my share of the trip when the "Light Came ON!" Buy a Dillon! Buy a Dillon! Buy a Dillon! My favorite Uncle used to buy me all the ammo I needed but now that my cadets are getting into serious High Power he might just look askance at their needs. As my wife was contemplating how she intended to use the money saved from the non-trip I informed her to expect the immediate arrival of a Dillon 550 set up for .45 ACP, .223. and 7.62 NATO. I explained to her that this was merely a medical necessity that would enable me to function in the world for one more year without depression. Well it arrived within the week and I'm now building Beach's Reloading Shop in my basement. I haven't figured out where to put the pizza maker(should it be on the reloading bench or have a bench of its own) the mini fridge will fit nicely under the reloading bench(sodas only! no booze! Iconoclast warned me about that already). So I think within a week we will be producing ammo at the cyclic rate! It may not be as neat as being at the Championships(especially since we had a great young team this year) but the kids will appreciate it in ammo this summer. Beach


    P.S. Did I mention BUY THE DILLON!!
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    7mm, Theoretically, Dillon is pretty much a 'fair trade' line primarily sold manufacturer direct. However, if you wish to contact me off this forum at

    tcg25@hotmail.com

    I can give you some leads which may allow you to save some $.

    "1050" ??!! Thought you wanted to load 2K or thereabouts at a time . . . with that sucker, you can shoot for a month on what you load in a day . . . unless you start going for that good ol' rock n' roll. The entry level machines should do you just fine. Frankly, I have the 650 and while it is absoultely super for handgun ammo, if I had it to do over again, I would scale back to a 450 or 550 which I think are more long gun friendly. Perhaps when I have some extra $, I'll give mine a little brother.

    On the RCBS, no one, but no one, makes a better single stage system IMNSHO. But I've not met anyone who had one of their progressives who was anywhere near as ecstatic as the Dillon owners.

    Beach, muy amigo, you never told me you had come over to the Force! You will love it. Damn shame about your cadets. The worst of your kids could outshoot all but the best of the feebie clowns who denied them that opportunity! Guess the JNROTC contingent is as dangerous to internal security as General Foss . . . no, I won't start, I promise!
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  • PiadeaPiadea Member Posts: 146 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    7MM, check out the Dillon 550, it'll last a lifetime and can load just about any caliber. Still not a cheap date but worth the investment.
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  • Mr. LoboMr. Lobo Member Posts: 538 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    7mm I agree with the rest Dillon 550 is the way to go.

    Beach, I am doing the same thing as you are in my shed. Just got the tumbler set up yesterday and was able to polish about 1000 rounds.

    Now I am ready to pick up some powder. There are so many choices. It appears that there are a couple of powders that are universal like 2400. What do you all think...do you use a special powder for each caliber or just have a couple that you use for everything?

    Jim
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  • Shootist3006Shootist3006 Member Posts: 4,171
    edited November -1
    7MM, I agree with all the above - go with a Dillon 550. I bought my 450 20 years ago and, as Dillon brought out upgrades - it is now a 550! The Dillon no BS warranty is exactly that, no BS. That said, why not buy a used one? There are 2 listed on e-bay and one here - #3952320 . The one here may have more'stuff' than you want but the price (thus far) for all that stuff is GREAT!!!!

    One of the 2 on e-bay sounds like just what you need and is currently at about $230

    Beach - the pizza maker MUST have a bench of its own. It may be OK to get cheese on your bullets (esp. if you are loading a Mickey Mouse caliber) but POWDER ON YOUR PEPPERONI??? - NEVER

    Quod principi placuit legis habet vigorem.Semper Fidelis
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  • IconoclastIconoclast Member Posts: 10,515 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Mr. Lobo, the powder question is far too open-ended, but here's a suggestion. Take a look at the various published sources of objective (i.e., not put out by an individual powder or bullet company) such as Ken Waters' Pet Loads, NRA publications and the Lyman manuals, see which powders seem to be consistently good for the cartridges / bullet weights you shoot, and then see if there are some that are good in multiple applications. I have my favorites, but I've come to the conclusion that the only way to limit powders on the shelf is to limit the variety of loads going into the boxes. It can be done, but it's often a matter of compromise, taking the second or third best for two or more loads rather than the very best. Whatever floats the boat.
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  • simonbssimonbs Member Posts: 994 ✭
    edited November -1
    Beach, you should invite the class over for reloading lessons. I bet they'd love to shoot their own
    I'm not afraid of the dark...the dark is afraid of me!
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  • robsgunsrobsguns Member Posts: 4,581 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    You know I have a Lee turret press, the old 3 holer, and I like it a lot, because I dont shoot volumes of ammo. I like to weigh each charge also, so progressive is sort of out of the question. However, if I were to get into loading progressive and bought a Dillon, which I've always wanted, just because, would the Dillon still handle the long cases like the .458 Win Mag, and the .338 Win Mag.? The Lee handles anything I think, havent tried a .50 yet, but I'd hate to find out the Dillon wont handle everything I throw at it, so how about it, will it handle it?
    I just found out, stuck a .50 case in my Lee, no dice, a wee bit too big, a lot actually.
    SSgt Ryan E. Roberts, USMC

    Edited by - robsguns on 05/19/2002 16:25:49
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  • Big Sky RedneckBig Sky Redneck Member Posts: 19,752 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Icono, I sent you an email.

    As far as the 550, can it be upgraded with the case feeder? The more I look at this the lazier I'm gettin. As far as upgrading the 550 is it worth the extra $120 to just get the 650? When you say the 550 is more long gun friendly, what do you mean? Will the 650 load .223s ok or is it more for pistol?

    I'm kinda nervouse about gettin one since I want to get this at once and not have to buy extras later on to help out. Like I said for right now, it is just going to be .40 and .223. Only change I see is maybe diff pistol cals, as far as rifle the AR is the only rifle I have that I'm willing to load alot of plinkers for, my other rifles need single stage loading because I'm too dang picky about them.
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  • muleymuley Member Posts: 1,583 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    7mm...Everyone is right on with their advice. I've had a 550 for years and primarily load .38,.45 & 22/250. Back in the '60s I use to reload for a week and shoot for an hour. Now I reload for an hour and shoot for a week. Anyway, there is a nice write up about Progressive reloading in the new American Riflemam. June issue. They dwell on the Dillon 550B.
    muley

    **I love the smell of Hoppes #9 in the morning**
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  • wipalawipala Member Posts: 11,067
    edited November -1
    Go with the Dillon. I have had a Lee 1000 , A Dillon 450 , A Square Deal , a 1050 , an old Rockchucker and a Green Machine. The lee was my first progessive and almost broke me of ever trusting any of them. Little nylon gears would wear out after a 1000 rounds.

    Remember here at DeeDee"s If we can't kill it, it's immortal
    D.D.Snavely
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