Progresive presses?

[kc]

I have been reloading for a long time now, the only tools I use after the Brass is trimmed and checked, I only use the 10/10 Scale to weigh my powder. its a long (tedious job) after the weight is dead on, I use a funnel with a 8 nich guide tube to add my powder.
I see the auto Progressive presses out there, I have no intrest in using one, or the desire to own one.
Are there many people who use one, and what are your opinions.

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Keith,

Depends entirely on what you're doing. I have, and use progressives on a pretty regular basis. While I use single stage presses for much of my reloading, it's usually on those cartridges where I'm loading a very small quantity, or need to weigh charges, such as my Long Range ammunition. For shorter range stuff (or any other ammo where I don't need weighed charges), such as my 200 and 300 yard loads, the progressives are just fine. The difference is in part the fact that when I load this Short Range ammo, I'm loading at least (bare minimum) 1,000 rounds at a whack. I'll often do considerably more than this, depending on the shooting scheduled I'm looking at. Prairie dog, plinking or varmint ammo, progessives, all the way.

For pistols, again, it's a quantity issue. I'll very rarely load less that 1,000 rounds at a sitting, and generally won't even change over the press until I know I'm going to be loading 5,000 rounds or more. Much easier on a RL550 or RL650, but the 1050s take at least 30-45 minutes to change over, so I wait until teh quantity to be loaded justifies the change-over time.

If the presses are set up properly, you can load ammo on a good progressive that's fully competitive with anything loaded on a single stage. Proven that to my own satisfaction, and have no hesitation in using these for even the most demanding match ammo.

 

[WRG]

They work good if your only loading plinking rounds for pistols. Not really the ideal set-up for any kind of accurate rifle work IMO. I have the Lee Pro 1000 with all the extra's and only use it for plinking rounds. Use my two RCBS Rock Chuckers for everything else including all my self defense & action pistol rounds for competition.

 

[MachV]

The Lyman served me well for many years,the Lee is handy at the range for light work and the RockchuckerIV is just plain tuff BUT
When it comes to reloading the 9mm,357,45ACP,44Mag and 454Casuall pistol rounds or the 204,223,243or 6.5-284 for high volume varmint hunts the Dillon is Great to have!

 

[Whopper Stopper]

I have the Dillon 550. Frankly it's pretty dang good. I have one custom 6.5 x 284 that I shoot at the local range, which is 400 yards. With this I use the press as a single stage. Primarily because the H 4350 doesn't flow all that well through the measure. Using it this way it certainly takes longer, but no longer then on any other single stage.

However when I switch to a powder like H380 for the swift or Varget for the 25-06, or H322 for one of the handguns production and quality is very good. It is definitely plenty good that a prairie dog at 300 won't know the cartridge was built on a progressive press.

WS

 

[Kevin Thomas]

Actually, with just a few minor modifications, and a slightly different approach in how they're used, progressives can load ammo that will match anything that can be loaded on a single stage press. There's a lot of us who shoot the Nationals at Camp Perry every year that do our loading on progressives. Much of AMU's rifle ammo (short line stuff) is loaded on progressives. David Tubb has loaded on progressives for years now, as have many other past champions. The ammo for several of the International Palma Chamionships (host country provides the ammo for the matches) has been loaded on progressives. Bob Jensen loaded the 1992(?) Palma ammo when the matches were shot at Raton, NM, that year on a couple of Dillons. Perfectly capable of producing world class ammo, but just like single stage presses, some care has to be taken to do it properly.