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View Poll Results: What kind of press to load boolits on?

Voters
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  • Single Stage

    63 36.42%
  • Turret

    88 50.87%
  • Progressive

    74 42.77%
Multiple Choice Poll.
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Results 41 to 60 of 85

Thread: To turret or not to turret?

  1. #41
    Boolit Master 44Blam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Domino300 View Post
    I hate screwing dies in and out. Have 2 LCT's and a rockchucker in a box somewhere. With 19 four hole turrets set up with dies ready to go. I don't shoot competition, so just reload whenn I need to. My usage is to resize/decap and bell for handgun cases, and tumble them, hand prime or press prime later, and powder charge with a RCBS Chargemaster , then seat and crimp. It fits for me.
    The worst is when you go to make a dummy round and you seat it too deep. Then you have to pull it, put your bell die in, bell, put your seat die in and seat and then your crimp die in and crimp... Then test and *DARNIT* it's too long. Pull the boolit and repeat screwing in dies ad nausium...
    WWG1WGA

  2. #42
    Boolit Mold
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    I use a lyman T-Mag or Mag-T can never get it right!!. My original Circa 1994 press snapped the bolt that holds the turret on. They no longer make said bolt so I ended up buying the then current model about 5 or 5 years ago.
    I actually use a rather hybrid approach. I size my cases on the Lyman, tumble to remove case lube and prime on a cheap lee single stage with that Lee Auto Prime thing that lee no longer sells. If loading jacked bullets I then charge all the cases using a lyman powder measure that came with the original T-Mag Kit. Then seat and crimp at same time on the press so essentially I end up using the turret as a single stage.

    If using cast prior to charging the cases I usually expand case mouth one at a time and charge with powder place in a loading block and visually inspect for powder in every case. Then seat bullet and crimp In a single step. If I am loading black a compression die step goes in between the expanding and charging case step and I dont use the loading block and 100% visual inspection of the powder charge as even I can tell if there is no powder in the case when I start to use the compression die.

    I have 4 turrets my most commonly loaded calibers .308, 3040Krag, 45 pistol, 44 spec/mag and 45 70 usually remain in the turrets and the caliber of the day swaps in and out of one of the turrets


    When Charging Seating Bullet Crimping using the press as a turret press I would sometimes forget if I actually added powder either using a thru the expander die or manually moving case over to powder measure and putting back on the shell holder. I have grown to like the 100% visual powder check even if efficiency suffers.

  3. #43
    Boolit Master
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    I could never get used to a turret, so I sold it.

    My first progressive was a Dillon SBD bought used. Took a little time for it and I to agree on things, but after the first couple thousand rounds we became flawless. Also have a Hornady LNL and a Dillon 650, but if you’re looking to produce straight wall pistol cartridges the SDB is great at it.

  4. #44
    Boolit Buddy Dutchninja's Avatar
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    +1 for lee classic turret, do yourself a favor (as stated) get inline fabs reverse kit with case kicker. Really helps with production.

  5. #45
    Boolit Master Baltimoreed's Avatar
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    Attachment 239527
    I have 2 Dillon 550s and 2 Lyman T2s. I dump powder and prime on the presses. The T2s needed to be tweeked and some edges removed from the priming system and shell holders but now work flawlessly. I modded Dillon powder measures [450 but prefer 550 measures] to work on both the lymans. Progressives are ok but I’ve seen too many locally remanufactured squib rounds loaded on progressives. I personally don't trust them [not trying to start a range war]. Here’s my Dillon and Lyman setup, the Dillon drops loads to the right while I built a case kicker to kick loads to the left on my Lyman. Enjoy whatever you decide on.
    Last edited by Baltimoreed; 04-09-2019 at 10:28 AM.

  6. #46
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    With todays affordable good progressives, I just do not see the point of a turret anymore. With a turret, you are still pulling the handle the same amount as a ss press, so same work load. With a progressive, you are doing about 75% less work for handgun loading. Go fast or slow, you are still doing a lot less work. So it isn't just about speed or volume but a lot less work.
    Never the tools fault for poor results, always the operator. I am well over 300K rds on a 550 & 650, never had a squib or double. Just pay attention to what you are doing, not unlike ss press at all in that respect. A ton of guns have been blown up from reloads put together with a ss press.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
    NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

  7. #47
    Boolit Master Baltimoreed's Avatar
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    While there’s a ‘work’ improvement over ss press there’s no real difference between the amount of handle pulling between a turret, progressive or an auto indexing progressive. The only thing different is the ‘work’ you do turning the turret or shellplate manually. You still have 4 pulls per loaded bullet. When you load up the progressive you pull 4 times before producing a load and at the end you pull 4 times to mty the shellplate. When a turret press seats your last bullet its done turning. If you used a through the expander powder measure you could eliminate a pull. Plus with a turret you can feel what’s happening, split case, sideways primer ie. It’s just a matter of choice, move the work to the tool or the tool to the work.
    Last edited by Baltimoreed; 04-09-2019 at 06:26 PM.

  8. #48
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Baltimoreed View Post
    While there’s a ‘work’ improvement over ss press there’s no real difference between the amount of handle pulling between a turret, progressive or an auto indexing progressive. The only thing different is the ‘work’ you do turning the turret or shellplate manually. You still have 4 pulls per loaded bullet. When you load up the progressive you pull 4 times before producing a load and at the end you pull 4 times to mty the shellplate. When a turret press seats your last bullet its done turning. If you used a through the expander powder measure you could eliminate a pull. Plus with a turret you can feel what’s happening, split case, sideways primer ie. It’s just a matter of choice, move the work to the tool or the tool to the work.
    No that's not entirely accurate. You "lose" the first and last few pulls of the handle on a progressive while the shell plate fills and empties, but every pull in between produces a loaded round.

    I've never tried rifle rounds in the dillon, but for pumping out bulk 9mm I would never use anything else now.

  9. #49
    Boolit Master LAH's Avatar
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    For what you're loading a turret would be fine. I can do 150 an hour on my Lyman All American.

  10. #50
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by Domino300 View Post
    I hate screwing dies in and out. Have 2 LCT's and a rockchucker in a box somewhere. With 19 four hole turrets set up with dies ready to go. I don't shoot competition, so just reload whenn I need to. My usage is to resize/decap and bell for handgun cases, and tumble them, hand prime or press prime later, and powder charge with a RCBS Chargemaster , then seat and crimp. It fits for me.
    Welcome to Castboolits!

    This is the perfect application for Hornady’s Lock and Load bushing system. Die changes take less than 2 seconds and adjustments remain unaffected. Sure, there’s some up front investment but it makes a single stage press almost as fast as a turret but retains the precision of a single stage. Just pull the bushing adapter out of the RC and screw the Hornady adapter in. Al of my single stage dies are so equipped now and I’m very happy with the system.
    Sometimes life taps you on the shoulder and reminds you it's a one way street. Jim Morris

  11. #51
    Boolit Master


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    I have all three types, (single, turret and progressive) and when shooting competitively, the nod goes to the m progressive. A buy once, cry once type of thing. For the price of a turret, it'll put you halfway or more to a progressive.

    If loading a single calibler, look at the Dillion square deal or a 550. They cane be had cheaper than retail on the used market.

    The turret is good for loading a few shells quickly i.e. 15-30 pistol or rifle shells that are used frequently for practice ect so you don't spend time changing and adjusting dies. You still have three or four strokes to complete per shell (i.e. size & deprime, mouth expand, seat and crimp) as compared with a progressive were you have four activities occurring per each stroke of the handle.

  12. #52
    Boolit Master
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    my first and only press, other than a little Lee reloader press (their most basic single stage, retail about $25)
    is an RCBS turret that my first mentor sold me. It has reloaded probably 20 different calibers and thousands of rounds of all types. A good press, I happen to like its priming system too. I can crank out the volume if I need to, but I like the ability to change calibers pretty easily and have control over every stage. Have lately been considering progressives or maybe a Lee Classic Turret, after reading this thread.
    -BE

  13. #53
    Boolit Master 44Blam's Avatar
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    So... My birthday was yesterday and my wife KNOWS that want my charges to be exact and that I complain about how sometimes it takes a long time on the beam scale.

    She bought me the RCBS Chargemaster Lite 120... My wife is awesome. Tomorrow, I think I'm gonna do a trial run of 40 S&W to see how it runs... So maybe a single stage is gonna be fine?
    WWG1WGA

  14. #54
    Boolit Master
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    Well, Happy B-day!


    I do know that when I went to a Hornady power trickler, I sped up some, just due to not having to turn the little arrow shaft tube on my homemade trickler, but instead just had to press a button to make it trickle fast or slow depending on powder. So, you will likely see at least some improvement int time spent with your new B-day present!


    G'Luck!
    2nd Amend./U.S. Const. - "A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed."

    ~~ WWG1WGA ~~

    Restore the Republic!!!

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  15. #55
    Boolit Buddy
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    Dillon 650 for my 9, 380, 357, 300bkl and 223, Redding T7 for 308, 6.5 ,30-30 and 45-70

  16. #56
    Boolit Bub

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    All three!
    Single stage for precision rifle.
    Turret for special limited run pistol.
    Progressive for high volume competition pistol.
    That's what is on my bench!

  17. #57
    Boolit Master



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    I have three. An RCBS RC I've used for over 50 years. A Dillon I've had for several years, set up for 38 Spec, 9mm, 45ACP, and 40 S&W. And a Lyman turret. I've got a 38/357 carbide sizing die mounted on the turret, a 38 expander/beller, and a 357 expander/beller. If I want to do a few 38's with a load different from the one the 550 is set up for, I size & deprime, take in and watch TV while I use an old Lee priming tool to re-prime, come back to the bench and expand & bell, put into a loading block, then go to the RC & mount seater. Use a Pacific/Hornady powder measure to dump powder into the waiting cases, then sit boolits on top and start seating. I timed all efforts once, and spend a trace over 20 seconds per case...
    Echo
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  18. #58
    Boolit Buddy
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    I finally went to a Dillon 550B and at one time I loaded over 40 different calibers.(pistol and rifle) it's a very quick, versatile press! and it's pretty quick to load a batch of ammo. but the warrenty is as good as it can be. I broke my press.(it's a long story)I mean the main frame!, they replaced it! but it's now a little expencive for a retire shooter to change calibers. If I was working I would buy another one or the different calibers that I needed.

  19. #59
    Boolit Master Ozark mike's Avatar
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    I'll take a turret anytime over a single or progressive. Faster than a single and I still handle and measure every case

  20. #60
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Baltimoreed View Post
    While there’s a ‘work’ improvement over ss press there’s no real difference between the amount of handle pulling between a turret, progressive or an auto indexing progressive. The only thing different is the ‘work’ you do turning the turret or shellplate manually. You still have 4 pulls per loaded bullet. When you load up the progressive you pull 4 times before producing a load and at the end you pull 4 times to mty the shellplate. When a turret press seats your last bullet its done turning. If you used a through the expander powder measure you could eliminate a pull. Plus with a turret you can feel what’s happening, split case, sideways primer ie. It’s just a matter of choice, move the work to the tool or the tool to the work.
    What? Of course there is a diff. I pull the handle 103x for 100rds. On a turret, you pull the handle 300-400x depending on die setup. Yeah, a lot more work, simple math problem.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
    NRA Cert. Inst. Met. Reloading & Basic Pistol

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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