Do you favor single stage press or Dillon Style Press

[dverna]

Co-Ax, Rock Chucker, 1050 and two 550's. This is after downsizing.

Loading plinking ammo on a SS means, one does not plink much, does not mind spending a lot of hours reloading, does not have a progressive, or is very anal.

A competitive pistol shooter who does not use a progressive, will never reach their potential or can afford factory ammunition

Basically, if you are a shooter....in most disciplines....you will get a progressive.

Nothing wrong with only shooting a 100 rounds a week. But that persons advice will differ from those who shoot more. And those loading for over a dozen calibers, will need something different than say a Bullseye, CAS, or IPSC competitor.

There are good and poor choices but one size does not fit all

[robg]

Only used single stage presses ,fancy a turret but I worry if I make an error it will be a big one before I pick up the mistake.stripping down 10 rounds is no big deal but 100 plus is a pain.

[jmorris]

I worry about double charges or missing charges, so it's the Forster Co-ax all the way.

My powder check dies are sensitive enough to catch a proper charge in a case that has slightly less volume than one should have.

[TexasGrunt]

I worry about double charges or missing charges, so it's the Forster Co-ax all the way.

My RCBS Lockout die will catch both of those and stop the press. It will also catch .38/.357 brass that's mixed up, .40/10mm brass that's mixed up, .380/9mm brass that's mixed up, .45 GAP/.45 ACP brass that's mixed up.

In normal use in a pistol cartridge it will catch a .2 gr variation on the powder charge.

[dverna]

I get tired of the whole double charge excuse for not using a progressive.

Even if someone is sloppy and careless, there are accessories to catch a problem...as noted in above posts.

My guess is the majority of double charges come from people who do not use auto indexing progressives.

If you want ammunition that does not have squibs or double charges, get a progressive with a powder check or lock out die.

[Electric Apple Juice]

I have a Hornady Progressive, but seldom use it that way. Had the [new] price not been SO good, I would have stuck with a single-stage; better to keep track of where-you-are-in-the-process. That said, if I had the bux (and the room), I'd have an "auto Dillon" set up for every caliber I do..., it'd be "fill it up and turn it on".

[KenT7021]

I started with a Lyman 310 tool during the 50's.It worked well.I would probably go with my RCBS Ammo Master single stage if I only kept one press.

[km101]

I use my Rockchucker for low/moderate volume rifle rounds and test loads for both rifle and handgun. Volume loading for handguns, .223 & .308 is done on my progressives.

[EDG]

If you understand burn rates and specific gravity you can pick a powder that fills the case completely with a maximum load.
This makes it impossible to double charge. That leave NO powder as the only real mistake you can make.

Every guy that I know that has blown the grips off of an auto pistol did it with a Dillon.

I get tired of the whole double charge excuse for not using a progressive.

Even if someone is sloppy and careless, there are accessories to catch a problem...as noted in above posts.

My guess is the majority of double charges come from people who do not use auto indexing progressives.

If you want ammunition that does not have squibs or double charges, get a progressive with a powder check or lock out die.

[RMII]

I use both single stage and progressives depending on what I'm loading. High volume stuff like pistol and some .223 goes on the progressive. Low volume rifle loads for accuracy get done on a single. There is no way I would consider doing the volume of pistol rounds (thousands) on a single - it would simply take longer than its worth.

Your mileage may vary....

[captain-03]

Have loaded on a single stage since around 1973. Several years ago decided I NEEDED a Dillon and purchased one new with 9mm, 40sw, 45acp, and 223 dies, plates, etc. Loaded 1 50rd box of 45acp on it and it now sits covered on my reloading bench. Since I actually enjoy reloading and have plenty of time to do so ... the single stage is my go-to!!

[maxreloader]

At one point I had way over 50 presses... since discovering the Star Universals... I now have under 25 total. I patiently waited for over a year after a semi-famous gunmaker/wildcatter/genius of a guy passed. Finally the good friend of his that also patiently waited let me know that he had "all the Stars". I luckily didnt get a speeding ticket on my way over to buy them. Ended up getting almost 9 complete machines, tons of parts and extra toolheads and NOS die sets. I sold/gave away all my Lyman All-Americans and still hold onto my Hollywoods, 2 redding T7's, 3 co-ax's and some oldies like my Frankford Arsenal for the teens and my Pacific Gunsight press from the late 20's. Never owned a dillon for more than the time it took me to buy/sell/deliver it. The 2 A4 RCBS Big Max's do most of my heavy lifting like caseforming swaging etc. I may have a slight hoarding issue with presses LOL!

[tdoyka]

i've had a lyman t-mag press for about 23+/- years. it did alright, but i have gotten into a lee classic cast press. its slow and easy to do, just like me!!!

[TexasGrunt]

Have loaded on a single stage since around 1973. Several years ago decided I NEEDED a Dillon and purchased one new with 9mm, 40sw, 45acp, and 223 dies, plates, etc. Loaded 1 50rd box of 45acp on it and it now sits covered on my reloading bench. Since I actually enjoy reloading and have plenty of time to do so ... the single stage is my go-to!!

I enjoy reloading too. I really like one complete round for every pull of the handle. Load the tube with cases, feed it boolits and my 650 just creates perfect rounds every pull of the handle.

[jmorris]

Several years ago decided I NEEDED a Dillon and purchased one new with 9mm, 40sw, 45acp, and 223 dies, plates, etc. Loaded 1 50rd box of 45acp on it and it now sits covered on my reloading bench.

What is it and what do you want for it?

[Char-Gar]

Co-Ax, Rock Chucker, 1050 and two 550's. This is after downsizing.

Loading plinking ammo on a SS means, one does not plink much, does not mind spending a lot of hours reloading, does not have a progressive, or is very anal.

A competitive pistol shooter who does not use a progressive, will never reach their potential or can afford factory ammunition

Basically, if you are a shooter....in most disciplines....you will get a progressive.

Nothing wrong with only shooting a 100 rounds a week. But that persons advice will differ from those who shoot more. And those loading for over a dozen

calibers, will need something different than say a Bullseye, CAS, or IPSC competitor.

There are good and poor choices but one size does not fit all

What did competition shooters do before progressives were affordable and readily available? In the 50's, 60's and 70's, the only progressives were the Star/Phelps. There were to costly for 99% of the competition shooters, and were only used by clubs and law enforcement agencies. The average competition shooters used a single stage or turret press.

Bullseye pistol matches and four position rifle matches were well attended all over the country. I was one of those and loaded all my ammo on a Pacific Super C or Lyman turrent presses.

Progressive presses are a time saver, but certainly not a necessity to be a competition shooter. I do realize that people don't look backward or even forward beyond their own time when coming to conclusions or forming opinions. But when conclusions and opinion are stated as absolute fact, it is time for a reality check.

[jmorris]

...when conclusions and opinion are stated as absolute fact, it is time for a reality check.

Absolutely and the fact is that everyone's reality is different. It can even change for the same person.

When I have the time and want to spend it reloading, I have spent more than an hour loading 50 rounds or less before.

When I needed to feed the kid, do a load of laundry, unload/reload the dishwasher, get my gear ready and load 300 rounds for the match and I have an hour to do it all, a progressive is the only thing that will work.

[Char-Gar]

Absolutely and the fact is that everyone's reality is different. It can even change for the same person.

When I have the time and want to spend it reloading, I have spent more than an hour loading 50 rounds or less before.

When I needed to feed the kid, do a load of laundry, unload/reload the dishwasher, get my gear ready and load 300 rounds for the match and I have an hour to do it all, a progressive is the only thing that will work.

Reality is a slippery little booger. We take in information through our various senses and process it in our brain. Our brains also contain a myriad of experiences, opinions, perceptions, prejudices, lots of good stuff and some BS. After the mental blender gets through with all of this stuff, what comes out is what we call "reality".

Lots of times, what we consider to be reality is more BS than fact. There is some common reality, like water runs down hill and the sun rises in the east, but when we move past that, things get real slippery.

Your priority for the use of your time mandates the use of a progressive press. However others don't have the same priority for the use of their time, and the use of a progressive press for competition is far, far less than an absolute necessity. As a retired person with no real responsibilities, I could compete with nothing more than a 310 tool.

[dverna]

Char-Gar,

I shot Bullseye in the 70's and loaded on a Co-Ax when I needed to. Luckily, my mentor had two Stars and we would have reloading parties at his place. Later he got a Camdex.

Most of the shooters who were competitive used Stars. But I must admit I do not know what the average shooter used. I do know it was painfully slow to load on that Co-Ax after "seeing the light".

Now we have very affordable progressive presses. Time marches on..... Maybe there are high volume pistol shooters who do not use a progressive but they will be a small minority. Again, my experience with the shooters I know. I do not know any who do not use a progressive.

Sorry if I offended in any way.

[StratsMan]

At one point I had way over 50 presses... since discovering the Star Universals... I now have under 25 total... <snip> I may have a slight hoarding issue with presses LOL!

Wow... Glad to see that I'm not nearly the hoarder I thought I was....

As far as a preference... I just like presses!! Mostly older ones, single stage or progressives... Of the last 9 I've bought; 3 Stars, 5 singles and a Mec... The Dillon 550 doesn't get used much these days, but if I were to pick up the pace again then it would start getting a work out again. (I don't shoot 1K rds/month any more....)