Best SMALL progressive reloader?

[clydesdalekevin]

I'm a fulltime RVer, and want to get back into reloading. What is the BEST small progressive reloader on the market now? I mostly just want to reload .44 Magnum and maybe .357 and .38 Special rounds. I also want to start casting my own bullets for the .44 Magnum, so any input into that would be helpful as well (in other words, what is the best mold to get). It has to be the smallest GOOD progressive reloader as possible, since we don't have a heck of a lot of storage room in our RV.

Thanks!

Kev

[dbosman]

Are we limited to current production presses?
If so, the Lee turret press, less the automated bullet and case feeders, is probably your best press. I'd top that with an RCBS Little Dandy fixed cavity rotor measure. That could use an up to date powder chart. The Lee Auto Drum could be hacked into a fixed cavity powder dispenser.

[rancher1913]

if it wasn't so caliber spacific the old star presses would work good.

[JimB..]

You can load those calibers on a Dillon Square Deal. Only con is that the dies are proprietary, good but proprietary.

[MT Chambers]

Is a Lee turret press a "progressive press"?

[onelight]

Is a Lee turret press a "progressive press"?

It would be a turret by our definitions it works 1 die each stroke progressives work all the dies on-the press each stoke.

[onelight]

You could sure make better use of limited storage with a light single stage that could size bullets. And it would probably hold up better to bouncing down the highway and constantly packed and unpacked . Also how many components are you going to cary cases bullets primers powder . Just somethings to consider.

[skeettx]

https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/3082

[sigep1764]

Another vote for the SDB. Short handle stroke and a small footprint compared to the 550B. Other than height, it shouldn't take up any more space than say a RockChucker.

[jmorris]

I have two 34 year old SD’s that are the ones I grab if I want a small progressive, for pistol rounds.

[clydesdalekevin]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies! I'll do some research into all of your suggestions. I wouldn't be opposed to a single stage press that resizes the cases though. Which one of those should I be looking at?

Kev

[15meter]

I have two 34 year old SD’s that are the ones I grab if I want a small progressive, for pistol rounds.

And he didn't even mention the trailer hitch mount for the press, that may be the second most important aspect of that photo, after the Square Deal B, my vote for best small pistol press.

That mount appears to be tall, wouldn't be difficult to fab a shorter one that you can sit at while loading with the plus it is smaller to store.

[dverna]

You will not be happy with a single stage. It is too slow and you will want to leave it set up...and that will be a pain. The Dillon Square Deal is the one I would choose and I used to RV so I understand the constraints.

I do not see casting as viable. Everything about casting is heavy and messy. Not conducive to RV'ing. Sure, it can be done, but unless you shoot a lot, buying cast bullets makes the most sense.

[Lloyd Smale]

square deal hands down. If you think you might someday want to do rifle then go to a 550.

[hermans]

Another vote for the Dillon Square Deal!

[RSB]

I now have 2 550's. I had a square deal and I found that my short fat hands just didn't work well with the small opening. Now, that's just me, other then that it's a sound press for what it's intended to do.

[str8wal]

I can load up to 200 9mm an hour on a Lee 3-hole Turret. That is "progressive" enough for me. Small package as well.

[mdi]

I've always referred to a fully loaded Lee turret press as "semi-progressive". On the turret you can put one case in the shell holder, pull the handle 4 times and get a finished round. With a progressive press you will load several cases, pull the handle a few times and then finished cartridges fall out every time the handle is pulled.

Not knowing anything about your RV, can't really answer about casting. You'll need 120v service, good ventilation, plenty of elbow room, and a good solid place to put your pot. I'm sure there are plenty of places to store casting equipment and supplies, but you want plenty of room for safe casting...

One of the most popular 44 Magnum cast bullets is the old Lyman 429421 design. A "classic" 44 cal. bullet.

[onelight]

If

I've always referred to a fully loaded Lee turret press as "semi-progressive". On the turret you can put one case in the shell holder, pull the handle 4 times and get a finished round. With a progressive press you will load several cases, pull the handle a few times and then finished cartridges fall out every time the handle is pulled.

Not knowing anything about your RV, can't really answer about casting. You'll need 120v service, good ventilation, plenty of elbow room, and a good solid place to put your pot. I'm sure there are plenty of places to store casting equipment and supplies, but you want plenty of room for safe casting...

One of the most popular 44 Magnum cast bullets is the old Lyman 429421 design. A "classic" 44 cal. bullet.

Yup turrets blur the line they are progressive single stage presses.
clydesdalekevin has some careful planning to do how much space he will dedicate to equipment and supplies, he might want to add a rifle to what he loads for at some point with pistol I would want at least 100 cases per caliber. Rifle bolt , singe shot , or lever at least 40 . Small quantities don’t need near the space to store for bullets powder and primers. Turrets with dies or the die holders for progressives take up a lot more space than a flat box of dies even with the Hornady or Lee Loc-n-load bushings ....if you don’t have room for 500 cases and stuff to feed them for at least the 2 calibers what is the point of a fast more complex press .
Only he knows , but you can load any common caliber on a small single stage.
For several years I had all my equipment and supplies except the press in 1 waxed poultry box . Normal routine was resize reprime 1 evening , powder & bullets the next. At the relaxed pace I enjoy the process.

[JBinMN]

I'm a fulltime RVer, and want to get back into reloading. What is the BEST small progressive reloader on the market now? I mostly just want to reload .44 Magnum and maybe .357 and .38 Special rounds. I also want to start casting my own bullets for the .44 Magnum, so any input into that would be helpful as well (in other words, what is the best mold to get). It has to be the smallest GOOD progressive reloader as possible, since we don't have a heck of a lot of storage room in our RV.

Thanks!

Kev

While I cannot tell you about what might be the BEST "small progressive" press on the market now, I am going to try to offer you some considerations on your options by trying to point out some of the things that "I" would think about were I to be in an RV and was thinking about such possibilities to accomplish reloading as well as casting.

I do not own an RV, but I still have & own an over the cab pickup camper and have plenty of experience with using it & going on adventures & the limited spaces there are to do things similar to reloading.

In order to try to offer things to consider, I am going to ask questions that you can answer here or not, but they are some of the things I would be pondering to reload "on the road".

1. What does one already have for equipment that will be used to reload:
   
   Obviously if one doesn't already have the misc. items needed to do just simple reloading, one might just consider going to the store & loading up a cart with what one might think one would need & then one would have a good idea of what sort of things, as well as how much space they take up, along with the press & other items one might not yet have that one may want in the future.(powder(s), primers, cases, etc.)
   If someone already have such items, then placing them all in an area to figure out how much space it would take to organize & store them would likely be a good idea as well.
   
   Which leads to....
   
   
2. Space for storage:
   
   How much space does one really have to store the items necessary to reload? One is going to need to have storage space in the RV for the press, dies, and all the other little items one uses to reload, ( Measuring devices, etc., unless one is just going to "wing it" in regard to some of the quality & safety of your products.) as well as some containers to keep things fairly organized.
   
   
3. Space to actually do the reloading:
   
   Are you going to be reloaing inside the RV & do you have the sturdy table to do it on, or are you planning to use a stand. ( If going to use a stand, consider revisiting the above points to consider.) Are you planning to do it outside with a stand, or just clamp it to a picnic table or the like?
   
   This is something one needs to consider very well... Just where one is going to work & what environmental conditions one will be dealing with, such as heat, wind, humidity, etc.), as well as how well one want one store their gear to prevent issues with those same environmental issues to prevent rusting, excess heat, etc. while in storage.
   
   
4. Amount of shooting, thus reloading desired:
   
   How often does one plan to be shooting, how many rounds expected to shoot, & thus how often is there a need to reload & how much to reload? Shooting every day, occasionally in a week, once every 10 days/2 weeks, once a month? As well as how often will one be able to reload either inside or outside depending on the space available & conditions one is reloading in. Conditions meaning weather to be shooting in as well as weather conditions for reloading outside.
   

---------------------------------

The questions , while directed towards reloading would also be used for casting by substituting, "casting" for "reloading" above.

(BTW, If you do decide to cast, you will also have to consider how are you going to size( if necessary) & lubricate those boolits?)


I have some more things that one might consider but I will stop there with those.

I also have answers that I would have for those considerations that apply to "ME", but they would not likely do "You" any good except for things that might apply to you as well.

On reloading outside though, I mentioned the environment above & if you have ever tried to reload when it is windy, or brutal hot where the sweat is dripping off of ya, or vice versa, cold & fingers are numb trying to do something with fine motor control, and/or other side effects of doing things out in the weather, keep in mind that such things will limit the times you will have to reload/cast.

If you are going to do it inside, then you will need the space to do the same even though you are controlling the environment for the most part, where you would store the items before & after you use them also becomes a consideration. If you are going to store them outside, then you will have to take into account what the conditions are outside. ( I.E. Cold out & then you bring the items inside, condensation can occur which promotes corrosion , etc., or the vice versa by taking outside in hot weather from cool inside.)

I will stop with my points now to try to keep things simple...

I think that is a good thing to remember. to Keep things Simple. ( K.I.S.S.)

G'Luck, regardless of what ya decide to do.