New Reloader

[Gen. Longstreet 5525]

Looking to get a new reloader and looking for comments and sugestions

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

Looking to get a new reloader and looking for comments and sugestions

Are you already an experienced reloader looking to upgrade your equipment (for example from a single stage press to a progressive press) or are you a beginner? Just looking to reload for CAS? Smokeless or blackpowder? Are you considering shotshells? Give the Wire more to work with please.

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Threads on this topic are fairly frequent, so you might want to try the search function of this site.

 

The other thing is that your question is a bit like asking "I need a car. What should I buy?" If you can give some more info about experience (or lack of), kinds of ammo etc, etc, you'll get LOTS of opinions!

 

In the mean time, I'd recommend getting together with a couple of reloaders to watch the process. I'd also recommend reading some reloading manuals. Lymans 49th edition is great place to start.

 

Good luck!

[Go West]

Dillon products are popular, many here would recommend the SD, the 550 or the 650. I like the speed and ease of the 650. I have one with the case feeder and roller handle with several conversions & powder measures. I have two SDs, but I got them used. They work fine, but are not as fast (or pricey) as the 650. Those are set up as dedicated machines.

For shotshell, Mec presses are popular and I hear some models are preferred over others.

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Yeah, let us know what you want to load (complete one line for each caliber of ammo you plan to produce):

 

Caliber, Quantity per month, Type of powder (Smokeless or Black/Substitutes)

 

 

And tell us roughly your budget for the loader, dies, etc.

 

 

 

If you have $800 or so, and you want to load a pretty good amount of one caliber of pistol-size cartridges, a Dillon 650 with case feeder is hard to beat. Lifetime warranty. Very reliable. Loads accurate ammo.

 

Good luck, GJ

[Doc Coles SASS 1188]

If you are thinking about a Dillon, spend the extra money for the 650. I have a 550 and it is a great press but, it does not have an auto advance and it does not have a space for a powder check die. I came into mine in a round about way, I upgraded it from a 450 (which they don't make anymore) and the 650 was not available at the time. You can not do better than Dillon. Their product is excellent and their customer service is world class.

[Curley Cole, SASS #56849]

get this book

 

First thing you want to do is get this book:

Modern Reloading by Dr Richard Lee

 

it tells you how to reload and has pix showing you, AND he explains WHY you are doing what you are doing. And then it serves as your first loading manual.

 

after that ask more questions.

curley

[Roughneck Rod]

i would definitly recommend a Dillon machine. i have owned several other brands and personally think that Dillon is the best out there. when i started in this game i used 2 SQ Deals then moved up to a 650 also having a 550 too. now i have 2 1050s that i load on and if i did it all over again i would have just bought the 1050 from the start. the 1050 is the best and fastest machine also the most simple machine they offer plus everything happens on the down stroke making the machine much smoother than the rest. the caliber changes arent cheap. if you are looking at a 650 loaded up with all accessories then its only a couple hundred more dollars to step up to the 1050. last night i loaded 800 rounds of 38 for the match this weekend and it took me a whole 40 minutes going at a normal pace. i would definitly search the used market maybe you can find a good deal on which ever machine you decide on. good luck on your search.

RR

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

get this book

 

First thing you want to do is get this book:

Modern Reloading by Dr Richard Lee

 

it tells you how to reload and has pix showing you, AND he explains WHY you are doing what you are doing. And then it serves as your first loading manual.

 

after that ask more questions.

curley

I am sure that book, would not recommend a Dillon product, but I sure would. You can't beat big blue for our type of reloading. Which Dillon product is the real issue. If you shoot once or twice per month, then a SDB is OK. It will not load rifle caliber brass (but does load our pistol calibers used in lever main match rifles). If you shoot more, the 650 auto progresses and all you have to do is put on a bullet for each pull of the handle. Each pull of the handle produces a complete round. If you can afford a 650 with case feeder, that is sure the way to go. The 650 allows an added step of a powder checker, which is an added safety feature. A 550 requires more steps per round, but is supposed to be easier to change calibers than the 650, but in my opinion does leave a bit more room for error-and you do want to avoid errors. The only guns I personally have seen blown up had ammo loaded on a 550-double charges due to forgetting to rotate the press between two rounds. Dillon equipment makes up about 80+% of the progressive press reloading equipment used by cowboy shooters.

[Cowboy Junky]

Dillon 550 if you new at it....just my opinion....that's what cha' asked for.

[Slowhand Bob, 24229]

Once again I will play Custer at the Big Horn and promote the Hornady LNL AP as the finest machine out there at any price. After many years of loading on my old three digit LNL I have finally decided to sell it. Through all of these years it has been a tank and in the process has worked its way through several of y dumb moments unscathed. The problem is that Hornady, unlike some has been constantly upgrading and modernizing the LNL AP and the temptation just became to much for me. I had planned for a fewyears to purchase a second one so that I could do like the rich Dillon guys and have one on each end of my bench but when Cabellas dropped the price so drastically last Christmas I couldn't resist the opportunity. Instead of one new press I bought two and my Cabellas bill for both was less than the $800 price tag that was listed for one well equipped 650. I now plan to put the old machine out, for sale, on a table at the SE Regional and let another pard enjoy the fact that a Hornady is actually built to withstand several lifetimes. I know, I know, several of you guys have these second hand horror stories you like to pull from the closet to smell up the works BUT mine is based on MY machine that came ready to load and delivered first time, every time for years and still looks pretty darn good for an old girl who dropped many a black powder load for me. I also do not recommend this press for anyone who does not have the ability to set up their kids toys on Christmas Eve, as those are the guys that Dillon stays in business with, and they do charge for that service!

 

There are a growing number of happy Hornady users hiding out on here but seldom are willing to go through some of the nasty stuff that bubbles up when someone names anything but a Dillon. Sadly you will not find as much topic history with a search as we used to, topics seem to drop off much sooner now days. But one thing is a fact, for those watching through the years there were five times as many problems arising from new Dillon owners than any other single brand on the market BUT to be fair, there are probably ten times more of them in use than any of the others but it does illustrate the fact that some even have problems figuring out a Dillon. If the money is immaterial and you like blue,by all means go for the 650 as I consider it as fine a machine as is out there BUT what it gains in simplicity of set up it loses in real time conversion change-over times enjoyed by Hornady users. Actually, I now feel really embarrassed to have bought a second machine when swapping primer punches takes less than a couple of minutes on the LNL anyhows and the cost of that extra machine could have paid for a cheap new cap and ball gun or lots of bullets, WAIT, I did get lots of bullets free for buying them!

[Cpt Dan Blodgett, SASS #75655]

Back in 94 I bought a Lyman T-Mag expert kit from mid south shooters supply. At the time about the least expensive option. Have never looked back. Many thousand rounds of 7.62 and 30-06 for high power, 1000 yard and palma matches. Loaded everything from .32 acp (PITA) to 45 -70. Progressive presses are faster but at an added cost. Always liked the Lyman Reloading manual for instructions as well (came with the kit) Have since bought 2 versions that are more current.

 

Dillon does seem to be the gold standard these days, did not make sense for high power as between sizing needed to trimmed chamfered and de-lube cases (tumbled)

[Gunstock Smith]

I'm with Slowhand Bob on the Hornady LNL AP!! I've loaded many thousands of rounds on various Dillons over the years but my two LNL's are the best and easiest to use progressives I've ever loaded on.

 

Gunstock Smith

[Curley Cole, SASS #56849]

Well I personally feel that a beginner should begin at the BEGINING.....(you don't go out and buy a full size Harley when you start out riding..at least ya shouldn't if you plan on living)

 

The Lee manual teaches you how to load. What loader you choose is your choice. I started out with the Lee Hand loaders in the early 1970s. I got a turret press in mid 80s and have not felt the need to go any further. I can load 380, 9mm,38/357, 45lc and 45acp on my turret and see no need to spend all that money to load faster..

 

Start at the begining. Learn how to load. Then get a fancy press and all the bells and whistles if you so desire.

 

here is what I load on

 

 

good shootin

curley

[Mean Matt McCord, SASS #24683]

My $0.02...

 

If you shoot almost every weekend, it makes sense to buy a progressive press because of the time you will save. If you are like a lot of us and only get to go shoot maybe once or twice a month at the most, then a turrent press is all you really need. Personally, I fall in the latter category. I have a Lee Classic turret press and a VERY used Lee Load-All for shotgun shells, and they both work just fine. But as far a particular brands go, that is a matter of personal preference.

 

Go talk to some fellow shooters who reload and pick their brains. Finagle a trip to their homes and see their set ups. That was a lot of help to me.

[Deuce Stevens SASS#55996]

I have experience with Lee,Hornady,RCBS and finally Dillon. Let me say that I at the very least consider myself smarter than the box they came in. Dillon is my choice. It provides the quality and volume in ammo that I need,all while providing customer service that can't be compared with any other in the business. Look at what you need for volume and how many calibers you plan to load. Then move on from there. Hating on Dillon products is like hating on Tom Brady, you may not like his style but you cannot deny the skills.

[Sgt. Hochbauer, SASS #64409]

Just another 2cents worth.......For the most part I use a Dillon 450 which I purchased used.It did come with the auto primer and auto powder measure.I also use a RCBS Rockchucker.I load .38 spcl 44WCF and 45ACP. I am a darksider so when I load for myself I use a separate powder thrower so it takes another step to load.But when I load smokeless it is much faster on the Dillon,as I load for 2.There is no right or wrong just figure out what will work best for you and your budget.For my shotgun I use a very old MEC 600 jr which just keeps working.

 

 

 

 

Sgt H

[Driftwood Johnson, SASS #38283]

Howdy

 

As usual, the Wire is chock full of suggestions of what the Original Poster should use despite the fact that he has not replied to state what his needs are and what his skill level is.

 

I strongly suggest the OP reply and state what calibers he needs to load and approximately how many rounds he needs per month. He would also be wise to state what his skill level is. Buying the fastest, fanciest press with the most bells and whistles is not always best choice.