Lee PrecisionWidenersLoad DataRotoMetals2
MidSouth Shooters SupplyReloading EverythingTitan ReloadingRepackbox
Inline Fabrication
Page 6 of 8 FirstFirst 12345678 LastLast
Results 101 to 120 of 141

Thread: Search ? on progressive press

  1. #101
    Boolit Master


    Walks's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    3,028
    I've read every single post on this thread in detail. I'll have been loading ammo for 60yrs this month. I grew up with STAR RELOADERS in .38SPL & .45ACP. My Father rarely changed them out to other calibers. We shot 100rds each of .38 & .45 for one of all others combined. With Father, 2 Uncle's, 3 Brothers and Cousins we went through A LOT OF AMMO. Growing up in the 50's/60's LEAD was free, or pennies a lb. Primers were bought once a year. They came on a skid by truck. Powder came in 20lb cans. Also by truck. My Dad's friend with an FFL received them for him. I guess he was the person they were ordered through too.

    I'm going the long way around the barn. But what I'm trying to say is been there, done that, got a lot of t-shirts.

    Used everything from the old dillon 300 on up through the 650. Even a 1050 once.

    The dillon 550 IS NOT 37+YRS OLD. I bought my 1st house in Feb 1984. The dillon ad for the old 450 appeared in Guns&Ammo the next month. $185.00 w/ one caliber conv. ***. Sold to a guy for $180. I watched him buy every little upgrade & DoDad for the next 20yrs. Every upgrade loaded the press up, ie; it required more force on the handle. And that powder measure is an abomination. He blew up 2 6ixguns & a good rifle that I know of with ammo loaded on one of those blue presses. I'm not sure how many blue colored presses he had when he died 12yrs ago, but I do know he bought a blue shotgun press & at least one each sdb, 550, 650 & the same caliber conv. For each press. They just sucked him dry. I know in the right hands they can turn out good ammo. But they nickel & dime you to death & the caliber conv take up a lot of room.

    I've had the RCBS Green machine & 4x4. I've worked on various versions of their 2000 press. Lee, If you can't say anything good, say nothing at all.

    HORNADY PRO-JECTOR was a good try & It took the L-N-L to work out the bugs. The bushing die system works well if you pay enough attention to tighten die/bushing properly. And the dies in the bushing fit in the die box and stack on a shelf just like other quality dies. The shellplates just stack on a shelf. Most importantly it uses a proper rotating drum powder measure. Which is the most consistent you can get.

    All things being equal start with a single stage, learn what each step is/does & then buy whatever you're willing to try. My RCBS RockChucker is 40+yrs old, my LYMAN Spartan a few years older & my HORNADY L-N-L is about 12 or 15yrs old.

    Heck my MEC 650 is 50+yrs old & it's accompanying Super-Sizer is over 40yrs old.

    Buy what you want, and good luck with it.
    I HATE auto-correct

    Happiness is a Warm GUN & more ammo to shoot in it.

    My Experience and My Opinion, are just that, Mine.

    SASS #375 Life

  2. #102
    Boolit Grand Master In Remembrance
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    The Pacific NorthWet
    Posts
    3,877
    David2011 said "Regardless of which brand of progressive you use, here's a tip I got from a friend. Any time you walk away from any progressive while still loading, leave the handle down/stage up." I'll agree and even suggest that, if any idiots have access to your press, consider locking it (chain and padlock?) in the down position so they can't mess you up BADLY by playing with the handle...

  3. #103
    Boolit Mold firewhenready7's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2014
    Location
    In the sticks of Vail, Arizona
    Posts
    26
    I have used my LNL for 6 years and loaded thousands of rounds. I have also loaded on my buddies blue machine. Sometimes I have to mess with the primer set-up but I have had several different brands and all have little quirks from time to time. I don't think either press is any better than the other, just personal choice.
    Oh bother said pooh, as he chambered another round.

  4. #104
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    179
    Quote Originally Posted by Walks View Post
    Buy what you want, and good luck with it.
    Thanks for saying all of that.

  5. #105
    Boolit Buddy Steve E's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    SEMO
    Posts
    213
    I started with a 45 Colt Lee Loader (still have it) then a Lee Hand Press after that it was a Lee Challenger Press, then went to an RCBS Rockchucker and then added a Piggyback II and switched to a Lee Classic Cast Press (also had the PB II on it). I finally upgraded to a Hornady LNL AP and absolutely love it. After setting it up and reading the destruction manual and watching You Tube videos on adjusting/tweeking it it runs sweet. I considered a 650 XL but went with the LNL AP because of price as I think they are both quality machines.

    Steve.......
    Last edited by Steve E; 03-09-2018 at 01:30 PM.
    NRA Endowment Life Member
    GOA Life Member
    North American Hunting Club Life Member

  6. #106
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Oct 2014
    Location
    california
    Posts
    829
    I know this is an old thread, but thought I would add my 2 cents worth. I have been reloading off and on for 35 years. I have two Rock Chuckers set up on the bench and don't bother to keep them set for any one thing. Most times one is set up for depriming, the other for something else. I would like to find a cheap used Lee (the little cheap one) for a dedicated de-cap die as I always deprime them and clean with stainless pins BEFORE the brass ever gets near a size die. I don't like all the residue in my RC's.

    That said, 2 weeks ago I got an SD-B that a friend's wife bought for him 28 years ago. He had never had it out of the box. It was set up for a caliber that I never intend to use, but I will keep that setup for when he needs loading done. Someone on the forum had a set of >38/.357 dies for it which I got last week. One part missing, so ordered it from Dillon. I figured that by the time I had paid shipping, I might as well buy the 45 acp setup, as well as a primer changeover. Those parts came in on Friday. It is now Wednesday, and so far I have loaded about 300 .44 mags, 500 .38's, and almost 500 .45's. Yes, it did take a slight learning curve to get up to speed. I have a light set up above the press to the left side so that I can look in the case for powder. It has not missed a charge in 1300 rounds. I like the way the primer setup works. If you don't seat the primer, it does not feed another primer and jam up the machine. This may sound bad, but I don't have to reset everything when I run all the cases through and start over with an empty carousel. I do not leave brass on the machine when I take a break. I run whatever is on the machine so that it empty. That way, I know that there are no goofed up operations. I can load a single round if I want to. (I have done this several times during set-up) The only issue I have had concerns the original instruction book that omitted what the pins were for. When ordering the new parts, it was explained to me. They also sent me a new instruction sheet that had more information than the original. The only other progressive I have is a MEC 650. If you have a problem there, it takes some time to recover, but with the SD-B, you can be back up in a minute or less.

    The dies are only for that press, and are expensive, especially since I already have those same caliber dies by another company.

    I got the press for a thank-you for something I did for a friend. I never figured to buy a progressive, even though I had used a friend's 650. Now that I have it, I like it A LOT. The only issue that has tripped me up a few times is on the .45's, there are small and large primers and getting a large primered case while setting small primered cases. You don't know it until you have loaded a round with no primer. As I put them in a storage case, I find them while unloading the catch tray, so not a real big issue, and is not a press problem, but an operator failure to properly sort the cases.

    Overall, I should have gotten the SDB a long time ago.

  7. #107
    Boolit Buddy Gunners Mate's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    San Antonio Texas
    Posts
    133
    11/8/2013 to 6/6/2018 this post deserves a record for longest running thread great comments in this thread

  8. #108
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Somewhere in SE PA
    Posts
    9,989
    I’ve been following the Mark 7 threads on the Enos forum. It appears there’s a new king when it comes to progressives. And this is before they even have all the bugs worked out and can meet production demands. Unfortunately Mark 7’s forum is a walled garden so unless you own a machine you can’t read it. This is a bad move IMO because as someone that’s interested I want to read about all the problems before spending that much money. And it’s a lot of money if you get all the bells and whistles.

  9. #109
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    40
    Quote Originally Posted by dragon813gt View Post
    I’ve been following the Mark 7 threads on the Enos forum. It appears there’s a new king when it comes to progressives. And this is before they even have all the bugs worked out and can meet production demands. Unfortunately Mark 7’s forum is a walled garden so unless you own a machine you can’t read it. This is a bad move IMO because as someone that’s interested I want to read about all the problems before spending that much money. And it’s a lot of money if you get all the bells and whistles.
    Do you mean the Mark 7 drive for a 1050 or the Revolutions? I have the 1050 drive, its great. But the presses they are putting out are simply outrageously priced for anyone not selling ammo as a business. I just priced a Revolution with all the recommended accessories that would make it comparable to what I have now in the 1050 and it added up to just shy of $12,000 dollars in my cart. For one caliber
    Last edited by dyecocker1; 10-21-2018 at 09:31 AM.

  10. #110
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Somewhere in SE PA
    Posts
    9,989
    I was talking about the Evoloution/Revolution presses. Plenty of competition shooters are buying them. That’s who has them at this time. People aren’t shying away from the price because it’s more press. The primer collator is just one area where it’s a huge improvement over the Dillon.

    The Mark 7 presses aren’t for everyone. But neither is a 1050. The markets are the same and once the production issues and first generation bugs are worked out of the presses they will become the market leader. The Evo and EvoPro is what a lot of reloaders will end up buying. I sure like the advantages of a ten stage press.

  11. #111
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Wisconsin
    Posts
    40
    Quote Originally Posted by dragon813gt View Post
    I was talking about the Evoloution/Revolution presses. Plenty of competition shooters are buying them. That’s who has them at this time. People aren’t shying away from the price because it’s more press. The primer collator is just one area where it’s a huge improvement over the Dillon.

    The Mark 7 presses aren’t for everyone. But neither is a 1050. The markets are the same and once the production issues and first generation bugs are worked out of the presses they will become the market leader. The Evo and EvoPro is what a lot of reloaders will end up buying. I sure like the advantages of a ten stage press.
    Seems like they are sponsoring most people that have them Even a competition shooter would probably never save enough money reloading ammo over just buying factory to make up a $12k + deficit. Then start adding $1000 per for caliber conversions. I actually do not see the hype with all those stations, half the time I am running my 1050 with only a couple dies per operation. Unless I can trim cases and wash them in the same operation as loading on one of these magic presses, lol. I am not saying they are not a nice machine, they are just grossly overpriced for what a person really needs to reload. I mean 2500$ for a primer collator and 800$ for a powder measure???

  12. #112
    Boolit Grand Master

    dragon813gt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2012
    Location
    Somewhere in SE PA
    Posts
    9,989

    Search ? on progressive press

    You’re focusing on the cost aspect. It’s not a factor for a lot of people. Most people aren’t going to buy the Revolution. They will end up the cheaper Evoloution. And just because you don’t see a need for ten stations doesn’t meant others don’t. People have been buying the presses w/ their own money. If Mark 7 is sponsoring them then they’re making them pay full retail, potentially buy through a third party seller and wait months to take possession of one.

    Like the 1050 the Mark 7 presses aren’t for everyone. They addressed a lot of the issues that people had w/ the 1050. They were buying your 1050 from you for a little while. Dillon wasn’t pushing things forward so another company stepped in. Competition is a good thing.

  13. #113
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Posts
    100
    Most top USPSA and 3 Gun competitive shooters attitude is the more time practicing/shooting and the less time reloading the better.

    I can go to any local match and point out a dozen competitors with six thousand dollar+ guns and they often have a matching backup pistol in the bag. Factory ammo isn’t an option for these guys so hand loading ammo is a necessary evil.

    The Evolution/Revolution is squarely aimed at this group of shooters. If I had the money (I don’t), I’d jump on the bandwagon.

    I’m a USPSA shooter and often shoot over 3000 rounds a month. If I had the time and money, I would shoot more.

    As it is, today I’m going to pickup about 150 lbs of free lead today and with any luck, I’ll have ingots tonight. Eventually that lead will make it’s way to my well used Dillon 650 to get boxed up for a match. And yes, I rather skip the casting and loading steps and just go to the range.

    I’m not a poor person by any means, but these guys mindset is on a completely different level. Mark 7 reloading is filling a need/desire for this crowd.

    The good news is that these shooters continually buy the latest and greatest gadgets. Maybe I’ll have a shot at one these presses in a few years when a better version is created.

  14. #114
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Posts
    6
    I have the mark 7 autodrive pro on my Dillon 1050. It is absolutely amazing machine. The drawbacks I have is the crazy price of $780 for a caliber change. Case feed plate, spring and output assembly, large dropper die, conversion kit, toolhead, powder dropper, and dies. Currently loading for .223 and converting to pistol is gonna be expensive. I also swage my own bullets from spent 22LR hulls. The machine does NOT like flat based boolits unless you run it at the slowest speed, (900 rounds an hour) with the index speed and top and bottom dwell maxed out, or bell the neck to the point of cracking. Boat tails are GREAT and can be ran at the max of 2400 rph due to they sit down in the neck. Flat base almost always topple over when indexing. 80,000 rounds through this machine and the only REAL downfall is the bullet feeder. I have broken several parts (most were my fault) and Dillon has replaced them without delay, but you would expect that with the money you paid. OK I guess there is one more drawback. The WARRANTY. It is only good for a year. Come on Dillon $1900 and a 1 year warranty

  15. #115
    Boolit Grand Master jmorris's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2007
    Posts
    5,269
    I have a mark 7 pro, it’s nice but doesn’t do much more than my homemade computer controlled 1050 does for a lot less buy in.

  16. #116
    Boolit Master Baltimoreed's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    NC
    Posts
    1,570
    I started reloading with a pacific ‘c’ press and a rcbs ‘o’ press but bought a Lyman T2 and then a second T2. Was given a Dillon 550 in .45 acp and then given a second 550. The second 550 needs work as it was in a flooded shop but the first one is on my bench along with the two T2’s. With my creative T2 upgrades including an automatic Dillon powder measure and a loaded round kicker, my lymans are as fast as my 550B, imo. I alternate between the 550 [.45acp] and the T2[.45lc]. Both are good systems but both need to have their priming systems tinkered with to be 100% reliable. I don’t know anything about the other progressives and don’t care for Lee anything except their old auto prime tool.

  17. #117
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Posts
    3,572
    A lot of folks complain about the lnl
    I guess I’m lucky it has always indexed properly and have had to replace springs and primer slides but other than that never a problem as long as I pay attention to what’s going on
    I reload more than 50 calibers and the bushing system is a great aspect to it

  18. #118
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    19
    I went from a RCBS RCIV in Feb of 2011 to a Hornady LNL. Originally I used my RCBS/LEE dies in the new bushings and the included powder measure. It speeded things up but I wanted it even easier and so added the case feeder, then bullet feeder, then electronics....then bought the 1911 style primer tube filler. I always had the blue envy. I'm the opposite of most. I always think something else is better than what I have. I simply looked at the short comings of the LNL and thought the blue press would be an upgrade. Eventually I have one by one eliminated most of the issues I have with the LNL. Whether from hand lapping the primer shuttle, to finding that sweet spot on adjusting the timing paws, to adding the ergo handle, to finally finding Inline Fabrication and getting the upgraded case feeder base plate...and well practically everything else he sells for quick detach systems and wall mounts...to..well everything.

    So I finally got to use a blue press...and to tell the truth...I was like meh...I think it would have been about the same journey. I would have looked at all the short comings and had red envy while I worked out solutions to the problems at hand.

    I originally bought the LNL because it was available locally with cash in hand...not ordering online and waiting. I think if I had to choose again....I'd go red...I simply like the bushing system and I added the bushing adapter to my Rockchucker and I do all my precision rifle on the RCBS.

    Round count on the LNL is about 100k rounds. I just did a three week stretch here getting ready for the 2019 season where I did 2k 9mm, 5k 40S&W, and about 1k 45ACP. About to do 2k 300blk as soon as the bullets are delivered Thursday. So, the LNL has done me well....it finally runs like a dream...but it was a long journey.

  19. #119
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    Iowegian
    Posts
    128
    I need a new reloading press and would like to go with a progressive. I used a Dillon 450 and a 550, but was not impressed with the powder measure. It was inconsistent on both machines. I load an equal amount of pistol and rifle, so would like a machine that is accurate dropping powder for both. I see several brag that the Hornady powder measure is the most accurate. Does anyone use the Hornady LnL measure on a Dillon 550 with good accurate results. I think I would stay with Dillon 550 beacause of all the die blocks and caliber conversion kits

  20. #120
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Boysee
    Posts
    748
    Quote Originally Posted by odette View Post
    I need a new reloading press and would like to go with a progressive. I used a Dillon 450 and a 550, but was not impressed with the powder measure. It was inconsistent on both machines. I load an equal amount of pistol and rifle, so would like a machine that is accurate dropping powder for both. I see several brag that the Hornady powder measure is the most accurate. Does anyone use the Hornady LnL measure on a Dillon 550 with good accurate results. I think I would stay with Dillon 550 beacause of all the die blocks and caliber conversion kits
    Most any powder thru expander setups will work as they are case activated.
    The Hornady and RCBC set-ups are almost identical and would be easily adaptable to a Dillon, although I have not done it.
    I have put the Lee setup on all my progressives though, 2 with disc measures, 1 with an auto drum.
    I searched youtube for Dillon's with another brand powder measures but didn't get a lot of hits.
    Here's one with a Lee measure:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daSIAaQvDJw
    It might be difficult getting Dillon fan boys to admit/recommend to use a different measure though .

Page 6 of 8 FirstFirst 12345678 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check