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Suggestions on automatic progressive presses

agman1999agman1999 Member Posts: 981 ✭✭✭✭
edited February 2005 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
After spending a few hours getting an RCBS press set up for .45 ACP this afternoon, my friends and I decided that if we're going to reload the majority of the ammo we shoot, we'll have to invest in a progressive press, preferably automatic. Do any of you guys use these, or have any model recommendations?

I see that RCBS has a manually indexed system. I can't get Dillon's website to come up, so I can't check them out. I also noticed a slick looking setup from Hornady in the latest Cabela's catalog, but I haven't heard too much about the quality of their reloading equipment. I know that you can't go wrong with RCBS or Dillon.
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Comments

  • ContacFrontContacFront Member Posts: 1,113 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have a buddy that does commercial reloading as a living and he uses a Dillon 650 with all the bells and whistles. Also he has a custom hydraulic bullet feeder. I don't know the exact number of rounds and hour but his setup runs almost 2,000.00
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  • ThrockmortonThrockmorton Member Posts: 814 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Dillon Square Deal b has auto-advance,and will do well over 200 rounds per hour once you've learned the ropes.(more like 300 plus.)It only does pistol and only takes special dies from Dillon,but it does the job well.
    the next one is the one I use,the 550b.It takes all std. dies and will do rifle too.It has more space to see what you are doing,but is manual advnce.Only takes a second to flip it to the next station though.


    Throckmorton SASS #23149
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  • BittersweatBittersweat Member Posts: 294 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Welcome to high speed reloading. With my single stage press I could reload 50 45acp in 1 hour. With my Dillon Square Deal I got up to 350 45acp in 1 hour or 1000 USPSA rounds in a little under 3 hours.
    Dillon gives a bullet proof guarantee. When I cracked my Square Deal frame, they sent me another for free. This press just won't quit.

    For loading rifle I use a Hornady Loc-N-Load. It self indexes also but the automatic cartridge eject never worked. Still, no problem, it's easy enough to manually pull the finished cartridge and put in a fresh brass. The Hornady press isn't as hassle-free as the Dillon, but I can load rifle and pistol in this progressive press for less than $300.00 retail.

    Hope this helps,
    Bittersweat
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  • agman1999agman1999 Member Posts: 981 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What kind of warranty does Hornady put on their equipment?
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  • dg101windg101win Member Posts: 751 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dillon 550 is great.[:D] I once did 500 9 m/m in an hour.
    Dillon 650 has the auto index and optional case feed.

    Retired Air Force Msgt--NRA Life Member since 1971
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  • steve45steve45 Member Posts: 2,940 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Dillon gets my vote.
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  • agman1999agman1999 Member Posts: 981 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks for the feedback. The Dillon 650 setup I want seems to be quite a piece of work. It's a shame that I'll have to sell my body, my soul, or a gun to afford it!
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  • BittersweatBittersweat Member Posts: 294 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Hornady Lock N Load Progressive Press.
    Had to check my paperwork. Hornady warrants their press similar to Dillon. "If it breaks we will repair or replace it at no charge."
    Just to be clear, if you go for the Hornady press you'll probably need to remove the shell plate (one bolt) to clean (brush it out) every 100 rounds or so, also do minimal lubrication every 500-1000 rounds.
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  • RadCatRadCat Member Posts: 680 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    For over five years now I have used side by side each other a Dillon 650 XL, and a Lee Loadmaster. Both are progressive/automatic loaders. I use one for small primers and the other for large primers. I adapted my Dillon to work with Lee's turret case feeder and Lee's bullet feeder. (Mike Dillon would kill me if he heard about this, while Mr. Lee would just snicker.) The Lee press is similarly equipped. GUESS HOW FAST I CAN LOAD!!!!!

    I purchased from Midway a portable stand made by Frankford. It has a plastic round base and a square platform, connected by a good size tube support. It was not expensive. To make it sturdier I placed a piece of three quarter inch plywood over the platform, and then I mounted both presses opposite (balancing) each other. The set-up works great, especially if you don't want to tie up space, as you can push it inside a closet for storage. Imagine these two fantastic machine's potential together.

    Both of these machines have removable "toolhead assemblies" that hold a complete set of dies and powder dispenser 100% adjusted to the specific load/caliber. I have a shelf with several stands holding the various sets of toolheads/dies, ready to go. Just decide the shellholder to use for the specific caliber, snap the toolhead in place, load the turret dispensers with cases and bullets, make sure i'm loaded with primers and powder: then proceed to pull the handle repeatedly, untill I see I am running low in a specific component. Stop, resupply. Continue.

    Sounds simple? It is. And if you use the progressive Lee Loadmaster is also very affordable. Some people will curse the Lee bullet feeder, as being sometimes finicky. And they are if you do not set them and tighten them properly. But once done, they just work great.

    The Dillon Square Deal set-ups, as Trockmorton (howdy pardner!) aptly says also work great if you only load pistol sizes, and are also affordable, but they will never stand up to the abuse you can throw at the Dillon 650 or the Lee Loadmaster, plus you can use "standard dies".

    For my money and based on the years of service gotten from them with no real problems, I would recommend the Lee Loadmaster if you are on a budget, and the Dillon 650 if you have a few extra bucks.
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  • agman1999agman1999 Member Posts: 981 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Adapting the Lee pieces to the Dillon press is an interesting idea. I think we're going to go with the Dillon 650, but I'll have to wait on the case feeder. I'd be interested in learning more about how you adapted the Lee bullet feeder, once I've got the press.
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  • RadCatRadCat Member Posts: 680 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:agman1999 Posted - 02/01/2005 : 12:06:59 AM
    Adapting the Lee pieces to the Dillon press is an interesting idea. I think we're going to go with the Dillon 650, but I'll have to wait on the case feeder. I'd be interested in learning more about how you adapted the Lee bullet feeder, once I've got the press.


    Actually, it wasn't that difficult. The difference between the Lee Case feeder and the Dillon is astronomical,and the Dillon needs electric while the Lee does not. As for the bullet feeder: the seating die adjustment nut holds the assembly in place, very simple, but you must use the Lee seating die as their bottoms are tapered, which is needed for the feature to work.

    When you get your press together, start a new thread, I will post a picture of my Dillon 650 with the Lee "goodies" installed, just don't show the picture to Mike Dillon.
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  • WarbirdsWarbirds Member Posts: 16,923 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    In the end I went with a Dillon 550 over the 650 because with the 550 you can easily remove the round at each station, with the 650 once it goes in, it's there until it's a completed round. I also have a RCBS rockchucker, and a RCBS grand, and oh yeah a MEC 9000G (it was on sale), but for pistol or rifle ammo in the masses, I sure like that dillon.

    R/

    Dave
    th_bigclay.bmp
    People everywhere confuse what they read in newspapers with news.

    -- A. J. Liebling
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  • Blazin BillBlazin Bill Member Posts: 3 ✭
    edited November -1
    Radcat,

    I own a 550B and want to try adapting the Lee bullet & case feeders to it because I shoot ipsic and would rather dry-fire than reload. Do you think this is possible? I've done some research and the bullet feeder doesn't seem like it would be a big deal, but the casefeeder sounds a bit more difficult (especially given that I use the Redding competition seating die). Any advice would be appreciated. You can e-mail me at Blazin_1911s@yahoo.com

    Bill
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