Best reloading press for the money?

[Calehedron]

I'm just not a fan of the Priming setup on the Pro1000. The little chain just looks REALLY flimsy to me. I also wish dillon would figure out a better way to store primers, or at least come up with a faster way to load the tubes.

Here ya go! Only $310 and $46 for the opposing size primer conversion kit.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/con..._Primer_Filler

I havent decided which I want more. The 2nd press for large primers or just do the swap and buy the filler and conversion kit.

[geargnasher]

I'm just not a fan of the Priming setup on the Pro1000. The little chain just looks REALLY flimsy to me. I also wish dillon would figure out a better way to store primers, or at least come up with a faster way to load the tubes.

There is nothing wrong with or not durable about the priming system on the Lee Pro 1000, as long as you do three things: Drill a 1/16" hole in the lid at the point that the primers exit the tray to make a "gate" for them by inserting a paperclip, this is needed to prevent primer spillage when you slide the tray onto the priming chute. Keep stray powder kernels out of the priming chute (which is open on top) by covering the chute with a piece of cellophane tape. Never let the chute go empty of primers, they require at least 8 large or 10 small to keep feeding them to the seater punch. Fortunately, you can let the tray go empty and run 6-8 more before removing it and filling. I'll say that dumping fresh primers, flipping them, covering, and installing the tray is slick and fast, no tubes to screw with, and you can see exactly how many you have left.

The chain everyone loves to hate has nothing to do with the priming system, it is a positive pullback on the autodisk powder measure, ensuring that the case-actuated measure's sliding disk is fully pulled back against the stops for a good refill each stroke. The only time you'll break a chain is if you don't adjust it correctly, or if you adjust the powder-thru-expander die or the measure itself upward without lengthening the chain adjustment. A repair link is included with every measure or press set should you break it, and replacements are available at Home Depot or Lowe's for about $2 for three feet in your choice of four or five colors. I've used four different automatic progressive powder measures and if I ever buy a Dillon myself the first thing I would do is ditch Dillon's measure and retrofit the Autodisc Pro to it.

Gear

[geargnasher]

Here ya go! Only $310 and $46 for the opposing size primer conversion kit.

http://www.dillonprecision.com/#/con..._Primer_Filler

I havent decided which I want more. The 2nd press for large primers or just do the swap and buy the filler and conversion kit.

Yeah. That doesn't sound like "best for the money" to me.

Lee's whole primer assembly for the Pro 1000 can be replaced in both sizes complete with chutes, trays, springs, and punches for about 20 bucks.

Gear

[DanWalker]

I stand corrected. Thanks for the enlightenment. I've always been a fan of LEE stuff. I bought a classic turret press based SOLELY on the reviews you guys had given it. I have ZERO complaints about it, other than I wish I could load faster with it.

[cutter10]

my 2 cents worth i like dillon, have tried hornady and lee both worked but, not as well as my dillion's have .

[Swede44mag]

I have 2 Dillon 550B Presses 1 for large primers 1 for small primers.
I load all my Pistol ammo on the Dillon's.
I have a friend that has 1 Dillon 550B and 1 Dillon 650 he likes both.

1 RCBS Rock chucker I used to use for rifle loading.
I plan on using it for swaging boolits in the future.

I Forster Bonanza Co-Ax that I use for all rifle loading.
I am not interested in speed for rifle only accuracy.

Most of the presses I have do a fine job and I use many of the Lee Products also.

[mike in co]

There is nothing wrong with or not durable about the priming system on the Lee Pro 1000, as long as you do three things: Drill a 1/16" hole in the lid at the point that the primers exit the tray to make a "gate" for them by inserting a paperclip, this is needed to prevent primer spillage when you slide the tray onto the priming chute. Keep stray powder kernels out of the priming chute (which is open on top) by covering the chute with a piece of cellophane tape. Never let the chute go empty of primers, they require at least 8 large or 10 small to keep feeding them to the seater punch. Fortunately, you can let the tray go empty and run 6-8 more before removing it and filling. I'll say that dumping fresh primers, flipping them, covering, and installing the tray is slick and fast, no tubes to screw with, and you can see exactly how many you have left.

Gear

lol....nothing wrong with the system IF you DRILL A HOLE and then dont miss the end of your rpimers and sorta load a bunch minus the primers.....

add a pc of tape here....
and you can't use the last one..you must keep 8-10 in the system...

now that is a GREAT pc od equiptment!!!!!


the 550 primer folower is right at my eye level .i can see the last one used. and i do have the alarm system now on both ......but you still watch the last one...

yep go buy that great lee tool..........
while the rest of us are using our dillon presses, you can work on and modify your lee....

sorry could not pass it up....

mike in co

[Cowboy T]

Ah, Mike, poor Mike...all the components you *could* have bought with all that money you wasted on that Dillon ****...while you're taking 10 years to pay off that Dillon, I'll have already made about 10,000 rounds of .38 Special on my Pro 1000 with all the money I saved.

But that's OK, someday you Dillon fanbois will learn that it ain't how much you spend, it's how much ammo you can produce. And I produce a whole lot on my Lee gear.

As you said, I couldn't pass it up.

[Daddyfixit]

Ah, Mike, poor Mike...all the components you *could* have bought with all that money you wasted on that Dillon ****...while you're taking 10 years to pay off that Dillon, I'll have already made about 10,000 rounds of .38 Special on my Pro 1000 with all the money I saved.

But that's OK, someday you Dillon fanbois will learn that it ain't how much you spend, it's how much ammo you can produce. And I produce a whole lot on my Lee gear.

As you said, I couldn't pass it up.

Well, I've had my Dillon 550B for over 25 trouble free years. You say you "saved" alot of money buying a less expensive press. That's a matter of perspective. My time with family would be hard to put a value on! So how much did you save?
$200?

I'm glad I spent more time with with my wife & 4 boys than my press!
You can't buy time!

I don't feel the money I spent on my Dillon "all that money you wasted on that Dillon ****..." was wasted. I'm sure my grand kids will still be using it long after I'm gone and if something ever does malfuntion on it Dillon will fix it!! N/C!

Price isn't always the end all...If it was we would all drive Yugos to work.

[mike in co]

Ah, Mike, poor Mike...all the components you *could* have bought with all that money you wasted on that Dillon ****...while you're taking 10 years to pay off that Dillon, I'll have already made about 10,000 rounds of .38 Special on my Pro 1000 with all the money I saved.

But that's OK, someday you Dillon fanbois will learn that it ain't how much you spend, it's how much ammo you can produce. And I produce a whole lot on my Lee gear.

As you said, I couldn't pass it up.

as usual for a lee user...misplaced version of economics.....

( you did not know i buy dillon products at cost did you ??...)

i own three lee presses..i use two of them...but for real volume reloading i use my two dillon 550b's.
( one in small primer and in large primer....how does that sit with your bent sense of economics.......)

some of you lee fans will learn that it aint how much you spend, its IS how much time you spend reloading, vs HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND GETTING YOUR LEE PRESS TO WORK CORRECTLY TO BEGIN WITH....again my dillons have no holes drilled by me , no tape applied, and will work down to the last primer....

mike in co

[sergeant69]

as usual for a lee user...misplaced version of economics.....

( you did not know i buy dillon products at cost did you ??...)

i own three lee presses..i use two of them...but for real volume reloading i use my two dillon 550b's.
( one in small primer and in large primer....how does that sit with your bent sense of economics.......)

some of you lee fans will learn that it aint how much you spend, its IS how much time you spend reloading, vs HOW MUCH TIME YOU SPEND GETTING YOUR LEE PRESS TO WORK CORRECTLY TO BEGIN WITH....again my dillons have no holes drilled by me , no tape applied, and will work down to the last primer....

mike in co

AMEN !
AMEN !!
AMEN!!!

#1 buy a press, make numerous trips to hardware store w/ itemized list in hand, try and duplicate instructions to "rig" it to work.

#2 buy a press, unbox it , set it up, reload, reload, reload. worth a coupla xtra bucks? HELL YES.

[derek45]

LEE makes some decent stuff, but the Pro 1000 isn't one of them.

They should have called it the Jam-a-matic 1000

...and why only 3 stations? I never liked the idea of crimping and seating on the same die.

Buy once / cry once, get the DILLON and enjoy a lifetime of QUALITY

[MT Chambers]

UH-UH...Forster Co-ax.....argument done......stick a fork in it!

[mike in co]

UH-UH...Forster Co-ax.....argument done......stick a fork in it!

lol


yes it is a great SINGLE STAGE press...
but it aint even in the class when it comes to volume quality ammo...
like a dillon or two...

mike in co

[Cowboy T]

Dillon sucks, get a Lee! Buy a Dillon and cry forever! Buy a Lee and laugh at the Dillon buyers.

[Cowboy T]

OK, that was fun, and now I'll get a little more serious. All the reloading companies produce good gear that will produce very good ammo that will shoot very well. It really depends on your needs. If I were an IPSC competitor, I'd probably be looking at either a Hornady LnL AP or a Dillon XL650. But for my needs (1,000 rounds/month of .38 Special), a Pro 1000 gives me my monthly ammo requirements in about 3 hours. That's good enough for me, and for a lot of other people, too (3 stations are definitely enough for this). But a guy I know who is an IPSC competitor really needs his XL650's production rate. He'll shoot 2,000 rounds *a week*.

If I were to go for a 5-station press, and I might someday just for the fun of it, it'd probably be the Hornady LnL AP. In the meantime, my Classic Turret (for rifle rounds) and Pro 1000 (for handgun rounds) do fit the bill very nicely for me.

[unclebill]

Dillon sucks, get a Lee! Buy a Dillon and cry forever! Buy a Lee and laugh at the Dillon buyers.

teehee
that was funny.
i have a lee single stage i use for sizing/gas checks
and everything else gets done on the dillon 550b.
i had a lyman all american (great press) as well.
but i have a small house and i wasnt using it so i sold it.
the dillon is set up for 17 calibers these days.
i would like to have a 3rd powder hopper.
but thats the only upgrade i really want.
p.s.
i get about 300 rounds an hour and that counts wandering off for a smoke break.

[sergeant69]

teehee
that was funny.
i have a lee single stage i use for sizing/gas checks
and everything else gets done on the dillon 550b.
i had a lyman all american (great press) as well.
but i have a small house and i wasnt using it so i sold it.
the dillon is set up for 17 calibers these days.
i would like to have a 3rd powder hopper.
but thats the only upgrade i really want.
p.s.
i get about 300 rounds an hour and that counts wandering off for a smoke break.

TEEHEE ????????? ok, thats it. ur officially outta here. anyone that says teehee on a gun site has to leave. wheres the moderator when you need him? just kidding of course. you really reload for 17 calibers? how many do you actually shoot? and, smoke while you reload like i used to do in the 70's. really keeps ya on ur toes. retired DEA loading buddy in the 80's always had a big fat cigar burning on the bench while we cranked out the rds. whenever anybody said anything he'd grin and blow on the end to keep it fired up. burn marks everywhere on the bench. today i'd buy a lee just to trade it for that bench if i could just for the memories!

[unclebill]

TEEHEE ????????? ok, thats it. ur officially outta here. anyone that says teehee on a gun site has to leave. wheres the moderator when you need him? just kidding of course. you really reload for 17 calibers? how many do you actually shoot? and, smoke while you reload like i used to do in the 70's. really keeps ya on ur toes. retired DEA loading buddy in the 80's always had a big fat cigar burning on the bench while we cranked out the rds. whenever anybody said anything he'd grin and blow on the end to keep it fired up. burn marks everywhere on the bench. today i'd buy a lee just to trade it for that bench if i could just for the memories!

no i dont load for 17 calibers
but i do have the dies/plates/case gauges/stands etc. to do so.
i bought dies for 13 calibers from a buddy awhile back.
i do load for 8 calibers.
can i still hang out here?
please?

[sergeant69]

only if you promise to smoke while ur reloading. and you have to make a new avatar that says PEE ON LEE