Best SMALL progressive reloader?

[onelight]

You make a good point kmw1954 , nobody but the op can decide what features are important to him at the volume of loading he needs in his RV .

[Lloyd Smale]

you could throw the star loader in there too if you can find one and unless you can hands down a square deal

Once again I think we are losing sight of the original question. What is the Best SMALL progressive?

No matter how you try to sell it or dress it a turret press, even the auto indexing Lee, is not a progressive press.

If one is to be honest about SMALL then there are only 3 choices. Dillon SDB, Lee Pro1000 or the Lee Auto Breech Lock Pro. All other progressive presses are not SMALL when set side by side with these three presses.

I am not going to interject my opinion as to which one is best because that opinion is only relative to me. I do not shoot as you do nor do I reload the same way you do it. It may come down to your favorite color or how you can position the handle. Could even be just because you are right handed and I am left handed!

My only input will be that of the 3 I believe the Auto Breech Lock Pro is the slowest of the bunch and that is because of the Safety Prime system. Other than that, they all work and make very accurate ammunition.

[kmw1954]

you could throw the star loader in there too if you can find one and unless you can hands down a square deal

First of all the Star is no longer in production, next as you say IF you can find one and then if you can find one what is it going to cost. So I hardly see the Star being a viable solution.

The last part is pure personal opinion and has no more validity than mine or anyone that disagrees with your.

[Smoke4320]

If Pistol calibers only(as stated) Dillon SDB hands down for a true progressive YMMV

[Lloyd Smale]

Star isn't in production anymore???? Would have never known. It was brought up because it was a fine small progressive press. That said no better then a square deal and a lot more complicated. How do i know?? I owned one and that's what I TALK ABOUT. Things ive actually owned and loaded thousands of rounds on. And the last is YOUR personal opinion and that's about it.

[Lloyd Smale]

Star isn't in production anymore???? Would have never known. It was brought up because it was a fine small progressive press. That said no better then a square deal and a lot more complicated. How do i know?? I owned one and that's what I TALK ABOUT. Things ive actually owned and loaded thousands of rounds on. And the last is YOUR personal opinion and that's about it.

[kmw1954]

From this website; https://www.starreloaders.com/

A new website dedicated to information and discussion of the old Star Machine Works Progressive and Universal reloaders made from the 1930's to the 1990's. We are not a commercial business and are not affiliated with any commercial reloader manufacturer, although our members do provide support and resources! The Star Machine Works of San Diego produced these exceptional reloaders and deserves their reputation for quality products. The company is no longer in operation, but the name and lifetime quality continues on for future generations of reloaders and shooters.

From the picture you posted it sure looks like that machine has a larger footprint than the Dillon next to it.

And once again your opinion is worth what I paid for it. Bout the same as you paid for mine. ZERO.

[onelight]

so why bring up a truck then. stick around 10 more years and MAYBE your opinion of my post will matter to me.

Sorry my mistake I was thinking the neat square deal on the receiver hitch was yours. Dumb mistake on my part he was posting something useful.

[Lloyd Smale]

bit slow. I think I already knew they were out of business. They actually aren't a lot bigger then a square deal. Its the case feeder and mount that make it look so much larger.

From this website; https://www.starreloaders.com/

A new website dedicated to information and discussion of the old Star Machine Works Progressive and Universal reloaders made from the 1930's to the 1990's. We are not a commercial business and are not affiliated with any commercial reloader manufacturer, although our members do provide support and resources! The Star Machine Works of San Diego produced these exceptional reloaders and deserves their reputation for quality products. The company is no longer in operation, but the name and lifetime quality continues on for future generations of reloaders and shooters.

From the picture you posted it sure looks like that machine has a larger footprint than the Dillon next to it.

And once again your opinion is worth what I paid for it. Bout the same as you paid for mine. ZERO.

[Lloyd Smale]

not a problem. takes a man to admit there wrong. I respect that.

Sorry my mistake I was thinking the neat square deal on the receiver hitch was yours. Dumb mistake on my part he was posting something useful.

[6bg6ga]

It depends on the amount of arthritis and dexterity you have. I found that I had trouble getting my hands into the square deal to insert another round but that's just me. For me the ideal press would be a used 550 since you want to load different calibers.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

For a small press that works well for revolver cartridges and short rifle(223,7.62x39), the Lee Pro 1000 would work well. I have two. I keep one setup for 38 Special and 357. Two separate and complete die/powder measures on two different turrets. I have another for 44 Special, 44 Magnum and 45 Colt. Again three separate turrets setup for each caliber. The biggest deal with a 3-die pistol setup is getting the seater/crimp die set properly to both seat and crimp. It can be done with just a little fussing. Standard dies are used. Changeover from large primer to small primer would be the most complicated part, but most(all?) presses have the issue. I have a Dillon 550 and a LEE Loadmaster. Both are much bigger, but I still use the Pro 1000's for revolver cartridges. If you haven't reloaded, one of the single stage hand presses and other reloading 'stuff' are in order first.

[kmw1954]

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. . 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

Look at this from a different angle. As a full time RV'er just how much room do you have to work with and what are your ideas for mounting the press? I believe these are bigger issues than which press. You are still going to need to firmly attach the press to something and different presses have different requirements because of the amount of force they exert on whatever they are mounted to. Next you are still going to need work space to lay out components, a scale and all the work that is in progress.

The amount of actual storage space needed when it is all broken down is all going to be about the same no matter which press you chose, Be it the small Lee Progressive or the Larger Dillon. The press frames are going to need and take up about the same amount of space.

[Gus Youmans]

In an earlier post I offered the Lee Classic Turret press as a possible alternative even though it is not a progressive press. Since then several people have also mentioned the Lee Auto Breechlock Pro as a suitable choice. I intentionally did not recommend the Auto Breechlock Pro because I have been using one for about a year and have issues with it. In its basic form, without any accessories, the press will give almost 100% trouble-free service but as accessories are added reliability diminishes.

The Lee Auto Drum and Auto Disk powder measures work as advertised and do not cause any issues; however, like any other progressive press, the opportunity exists to double charge a case if the user lowers the handle and then raises it again without advancing or removing the case. The problem is not unique to this press but the issues that arise with other accessories make it more likely that the user will lower the ram to rectify a problem than with other presses.

The primer feed system is the most frequently voiced complaint. I could only get 85-90% success and have resorted to hand priming all my cases before reloading them. This is not a real problem for me because I deprime all my cases and run them through a steel pin tumbler before continuing the reloading process. I just sit in front of the tv and prime cases with a Lee or RCBS hand priming tool.

The other issue is with the case feeder. In use, the case feeder drops a case in front of the slider block which then pushes the case into the shell plate. Occasionally, a case will not drop flat on its base and will fall on its side or be canted. I have minimized this occurrence by slowing down, giving the cases more time to settle on the platform before the slider block engages them. If the user does not catch the problem the case will usually get crushed. Also, if longer cases get mixed with the cases for which the case feeder has been set up to feed it will jam the slider block. This has occurred when .357 cases were mixed with .38 Special and 10mm were mixed with .40 S&W. However, if all I am doing is depriming cases and can concentrate on that single function everything goes pretty smoothly.

The case collator and case feeder are not sold together but the case collator saves an incredible amount of time over just the case feeder tubes. In use, just throw a handful of cases in the collator, shake it around a little and all the cases fall into the tubes. Repeat until all the tubes are filled. Otherwise, feeding single cases into tubes is a tedious, time consuming process.

In addition to the Lee Auto Breechlock press, I have a Dillon 550 with case feeder, a Hornady Lock-N-Load progessive with case feeder, and a RCBS Piggyback progressive. Of those four presses, the Dillon 550 has the most trouble free primer feed system and case feeder. If I could only have one progressive press it would be the Dillon 550. Although I do not own a Square Deal B and have never used one, I think the OP would be better suited with the SDB than the Lee Auto Breech Lock, if those were his only options. I still think that the Lee Classic Turret press should be a consideration because of it simplicity and versatility even though it is not a progressive press.

Gus Youmans

[onelight]

Good post Gus ,
just curious do you have the most current version of the Lee safety prime ?

[Gus Youmans]

onelight,

I have both the original version and the current versions of the safety prime and neither works as reliably as I would like. Admittedly, some of the issues have been operator induced.

The Dillon 550 spoiled me because all I had to do was start a bullet, pull the handle, advance the case, and repeat. The case feeder is the only thing that ever hiccups, and even then very seldom, so it is easy to get into a rhythm. The issues with the Auto Breechlock occur much more frequently and I can never seem to get into a rhythm.

I am determined to figure out and resolve all the issues with the Auto Breechlock, come hell or high water. Otherwise, I would have sold it by now.

Gus Youmans

[onelight]

onelight,

I have both the original version and the current versions of the safety prime and neither works as reliably as I would like. Admittedly, some of the issues have been operator induced.

The Dillon 550 spoiled me because all I had to do was start a bullet, pull the handle, advance the case, and repeat. The case feeder is the only thing that ever hiccups, and even then very seldom, so it is easy to get into a rhythm. The issues with the Auto Breechlock occur much more frequently and I can never seem to get into a rhythm.

I am determined to figure out and resolve all the issues with the Auto Breechlock, come hell or high water. Otherwise, I would have sold it by now.

Gus Youmans

It took me several hundred rounds to get the used to it .
I think I have three different versions of the primer feed and the newest is the best and the primer system was what drew me to the ABLP it worked well for me on the LCT I still occasionally drop a primer when feeding it perhaps 1 in a hundred but have one of the plastic bins under the primer feed and they are caught and I have the habit of looking at the primer loaded before continuing so if I fumble it I just load another I am sure you know this but the adjustment of your sizing die is critical to smooth feeding , it is what positions the cup to receive the primer if the sizing die is to high or to low I get miss-feeds. I have loaded several thousand rounds at this point . But I tend to run it slow and steady and always prime on it.
It's no Dillon 550 but I am pleased with mine and would buy it again.
One other thing I check is to make sure the primer cup has a smooth radius so the primers enter easily Leaned that on my first Lyman and smooth the corner of the cup on all my tools.
This ain't your first rodeo so you probably know all this.

[Gus Youmans]

onelight,

I have to reload some .357s in the next couple of weeks and will dig out the safety prime and give it another go.

Gus Youmans

[onelight]

Wish you the best with it .
My first couple hundred rounds I was talking to my self , handle down , case , primer handle up bullet , handle down case , primer over and over.
If I fumbled a primer it would drive me nuts , added the bin and they would just drop in it and just load them back in next primer fill up now I may go 400 and not drop any get sloppy and start dropping. Now I can feel if I let them get low and one doesn't feed. The good thing if you look at the primer in the cup you can deal with it before it progresses . I watch the case feed incase one tips or I got one upside down I just go at a casual pace and it runs smoothly usually 2 to 300 an hour that includes refilling the cases , primers and powder.

Not fast by progressive standards but a loaded round every pull of the handle.

[stevo1911]

I will say that I have pinched/squished my fingers on multiple times when reloading taller revolver cases like .357s and 44s on the Square Deals.