Okay nxt topic....Reloading, what presses will do it all for me?

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Considering the cost of .38, .357 and 9mm is killing me taking two daughters to the range now practically every week, I suppose it's time to save my brass and reload.
I want a nice press that does everything. upgradeable to rifle rounds. all inclusive. fairly reasonable. under a grand.... Is that possible?

[AKTexas]

Dillon is the way to go.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/con...___039_B__039_

Square deal.

[El Laton Caliente]

If you are going to do a lot of pistol ammo, you need at minimum a turrent press. Maybe a Lee or Lyman. I'd also look around for a single stage to use for decapping.

If you can efford a Dillon, iit is the best way to go.

[Richard Simmons]

All my presses are RCBS, a Partner, a Special and a Rockchucker Supreme. All are good at what they do. I know the RC Supreme will handle up to 30.06. since I reload that, might go up to something longer like the 300 WM or 300 H&H but can't recall. All are well made and IMO hard to beat for a quality, single stage press. You can buy cheaper but I'm not sure you can buy better.

That being said I'm currently considering selling some or all and getting a Dillon Square Deal "B" or 550 as I tend to reload mostly one or two pistol calibers for most of my shooting. For my rifles I've got lots of surplus and would probably keep the Rockchucker for those reloads when the time comes. HTH

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Okay guys school me further. The 550 Dillon looks pretty good, the 650 looks good too.

I'm a complete newbie here, someone describe a typical reload cycle with their press please.

[O.S.O.K.]

You could go puruse the reloading forum... there's lots of excellent information there and answers to all these questions.

You say under $1000 - that's easy. You say "does everything"... so you want a progressive?

There are many paths.

AKTexas - the square deal is for pistol calibers only...

I started with an RCBS Master Reloading kit - over 20 years ago and it's still an excellent choice. But you might be better off with the Dillon 550 as it is fully upgradable to the progressive "B" configuration. The 550 is $259.

I recommend starting out with the basic setup and then after you are totally comfortable with that, get the upgrades.

First thing you want to do though is get a good load book and read-up on the process.

[Richard Simmons]

Not sure about the 550 but with the 650 if you get the case, primer and powder measures/dispensers all you have to do, once it's set up is put the bullet over the case and pull the handle. As long as you keep the power, primer and case dispensers full everything else, except the bullet is automatic.

[1 Patriot-of-many]

You could go puruse the reloading forum... there's lots of excellent information there and answers to all these questions.

You say under $1000 - that's easy. You say "does everything"... so you want a progressive?

There are many paths.

AKTexas - the square deal is for pistol calibers only...

I started with an RCBS Master Reloading kit - over 20 years ago and it's still an excellent choice. But you might be better off with the Dillon 550 as it is fully upgradable to the progressive "B" configuration. The 550 is $259.

I recommend starting out with the basic setup and then after you are totally comfortable with that, get the upgrades.

First thing you want to do though is get a good load book and read-up on the process.

I don't want to be progressive. I'm a conservative libertarian.....

[1 Patriot-of-many]

Not sure about the 550 but with the 650 if you get the case, primer and powder measures/dispensers all you have to do, once it's set up is put the bullet over the case and pull the handle. As long as you keep the power, primer and case dispensers full everything else, except the bullet is automatic.

See that's how dumb I am when it comes to reloading, I thought the press would do everything.

[aliceinchains]

I agree with O.S.O.K. start out with the basic setup and then after you are totally comfortable with that, get the upgrades.


Get a good feel for it first before you go spending alot of money.

[El Laton Caliente]

Single Stage "O" Frame

You have to change dies/tools at every step, but they are very ridgid and turn out very good quality ammo. If you have more time than money they are a good value. Bench resters and accuacy shooters use them a lot to make match grade ammo. But they also weigh each powder load and bullet. Quality, inexpensive but slow.

Turrent Presses

You can do all the set up for a single caliber and leave it that way. You simply turn the turrent to go from one loading stage to another. You can load ammo in about half the time, especially if you are loading for the same caliber every time. Many of these you can get extra turrents and leave them set up for other calibers so you don't have to change and reset dies evey time.

Progressive Presses

These do more than one function with the same stroke of the handle. The case is sized in one die, the primer is set on one casing, the powder is charged on another, and a bullet is seated in another... all at the same time. VERY fast to load with but the higher priced presses.

Automated Presses

Set it up, load the supplys, flip the switch and out pours a thousand rounds... VERY expensive, they start around $5,000 IIRC and go way up from there... I've never seen one outside of a gun shop or custom loader's shop.

[coppertales]

then scored a RCBS O press on clearance. Friend sold me a Dillon set up for 40 S&W. I resize rifle brass with the O. Everything else is done with the Junior. The Dillon is caliber specific. I prime with Lee hand primer tool, one large and one small. Reloading is a hobby, not a chore. I prep brass one day, size and prime another day, and load another day. You will need a tumbler to clean your brass. For straight wall ammo, use carbide dies. Die manufacturer doesn't matter but I like the finish Hornady dies leave on the brass. I don't have a turrent press. I would like a RCBS Rock Chucker press but I am too cheap to buy one. Besides, it is a want, not a need......chris3

Forgot to mention, I have been reloading since 1965. And, buy several reloading manuals. Each manufacturer has a little bit different information that is nice to know......chris3

[Schuetzenman]

They don't make the RCBS Jr. press anymore Coppertales. You must be about my age as I still have mine, but never use it since I got a Dillon 550B.


To the orignial poster and topic. AS has been stated the Dillon Square Deal press is good IF you just plan to load handgun rounds.

For better flexibility the 550B will load everything from 25 auot to .460 Weatherby Magnum. About all it won't load is .50 BMG or a 12. ga. shot shell. There is a 550 Basic that would allow you to slowly upgrade to the full 550B capabilities if money is an issue. The basic is about 260 bucks vs. the full 550B at around 470.

The 550B has a primer feeder station that holds 100 primers and gives you an audio alert when it's about to run out. The powder measure is ok for .30 cal rounds with stick powder or ball powder for smaller cartridges. Loading smaller than .30 cal. rounds with long extruded or what we call stick powders can cause a bridging of the powder as it tries to drop in the case. The result is some to no powder in the case and a lot of powder dropping out onto the shell plate. This requires immediate clean up as it will jam up the rotation of the shell holder plate that lets you index the case from station to station.

I have had a 550B for 20 years, love it. I can do 350 rounds / hour by myself if I start with loaded primer tubes. I generally have 5 tubes for small and large so I can load 500 rounds without having to stop and reload a primer pickup tube. These are magazines for primers that you use to reload the primer station with.