Reloading Presses
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I'm not an expert on reloading but I've spent some of the past year researching reloading. Last week I bought a Lee Classic Turret Kit in 9mm from Kempf's Gun Shop. I have a 9mm P99 and wanted to reload for it. I probably average 150 rounds per week. 9mm WWB at Wal-Mart has increased in price by $5.00 per hundred. I bought the above kit at Kempf's and added/upgraded a few items. I don't have an itemized receipt but the estimated total for the reloading kit and upgrades probably totaled about 225. I should pay for the kit in about a year. I'm also considering buying an AR 15 in 9mm so I should save even more money. 
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I have a LEE loadmaster. It works but takes a lot of tinkering and TLC to keep it running. Not for the faint of heart or the mechanically impaired.
The Lee Pro 1000 is not a bad press for $130 but the priming feature is not usable. When I was using a Lee Pro1000 then I would deprime and resize in one step- hand prime as a separate step-and finally powder charge, seat and crimp as a third step progressively. That loaded very good ammunition but was labor intensive.
BTW Lee sells refurbished presses on their website for less than you can get a new one anywhere else. These come with warranties.
If I was going to load only one caliber of pistol cartridge, then I would get a Dillon Square deal press. These take special dies so changing calibers gets very expensive.
If you want load several different calibers then the 550B is a better buy for the home volume reloader.
Hornady also makes a progressive press called the AP that is supposed to be a good press.
I went with LEE Loadmaster based on cost. $215 plus shipping for a fully progressive press with a set of dies. When these are set right (for one caliber, one bullet type) and everything is running smoothly, they can load high quality ammunition fast for the least cost. I do not shoot competition nor load my own self-defense ammunition so I wanted the cheapest source of practice/training ammunition. Buying a $400-500 Dillon would have made the ammunition cost more overall.
Hope this helps- James
The Lee Pro 1000 is not a bad press for $130 but the priming feature is not usable. When I was using a Lee Pro1000 then I would deprime and resize in one step- hand prime as a separate step-and finally powder charge, seat and crimp as a third step progressively. That loaded very good ammunition but was labor intensive.
BTW Lee sells refurbished presses on their website for less than you can get a new one anywhere else. These come with warranties.
If I was going to load only one caliber of pistol cartridge, then I would get a Dillon Square deal press. These take special dies so changing calibers gets very expensive.
If you want load several different calibers then the 550B is a better buy for the home volume reloader.
Hornady also makes a progressive press called the AP that is supposed to be a good press.
I went with LEE Loadmaster based on cost. $215 plus shipping for a fully progressive press with a set of dies. When these are set right (for one caliber, one bullet type) and everything is running smoothly, they can load high quality ammunition fast for the least cost. I do not shoot competition nor load my own self-defense ammunition so I wanted the cheapest source of practice/training ammunition. Buying a $400-500 Dillon would have made the ammunition cost more overall.
Hope this helps- James
A couple years ago I moved up from a Dillon 550b to the RL650. Not so much for the progressive function but for the powder-check station. After 30 years of reloading, I loaded a round with little or no powder. If it were not for the bullet lodged in the barrel keeping the gun from going into battery, I would have blown up my STI and probably a couple fingers. With the powder-check, a charge too high or too low will sound an alarm.
If you are going to invest in a press, I recommend one that has the powder-check function.
If you are going to invest in a press, I recommend one that has the powder-check function.
The Press Monitor is also an option to prevent squibs and double charges. It also monitors round count and provides various statistics.
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At a minimum, I would go with a Dillon RL550b. Mine has produced over 300,000 rounds in the 23 years I have owned it!! If anything breaks or even if you loose a part, Dillon will replace it for free!!! Once you have assured that you have set it up correctly, you won't touch it again until you have finished the run. I'm lucky, Dillon is only 20 miles from my home!! As a matter of fact, I'm going there today to get more polishing media & polish. I'm cleaning 3 , 5 gallon buckets of brass this week!! I'll start loading the 5K box of 223 bullets I have ( half of the 10K I bought). Already did 3K of 9MM and 2K of 45ACP. Taking the grand kids out shooting before school starts.
If you are going to buy a press, buy it once and you will be ahead of the game. The workmanship is fantastic as is the simplicity of the design. You won't regret it.
If you are going to buy a press, buy it once and you will be ahead of the game. The workmanship is fantastic as is the simplicity of the design. You won't regret it.
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When I did a lot of reloading years ago I used a Lee progressive. It got the job done but I always felt that if I would ahve spent a bit more for a Dillon I would have been better off.
I'm now getting back into reloading and went with a RCBS Rock Chucker. Since I'll only be reloading for rifle (.308, 260, 270, 243, 30-06, and hopefully 338 Lapua Mag) it seemed the way to go. Back when I used a progressive I was weighing so many charges that it may as well have been a single stage press anyway. But again, if I wanted a progressive today it would be a Dillon.
I'm now getting back into reloading and went with a RCBS Rock Chucker. Since I'll only be reloading for rifle (.308, 260, 270, 243, 30-06, and hopefully 338 Lapua Mag) it seemed the way to go. Back when I used a progressive I was weighing so many charges that it may as well have been a single stage press anyway. But again, if I wanted a progressive today it would be a Dillon.
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