Press upgrade

[M118LR]

Considering upgrading from my Lyman Spartan press. Pondering the Lyman 8 station turret press. But there are a bunch of other presses out there, who's got what and why? Since I've only ever used a single stage press is there any actual advantage to anything else?

 

[rkflorey]

I had a Lyman 6 turret press for years and loved it until I added a Dillon Sq Deal. I only load bulk in 9mm on the Dillon, and everything else (7 calibers) is loaded on my Lee 3 hole turret press. I use a separate priming tool so the Lee is perfect for me. Just my 2 cents

 

[Boogan1]

I loaded on a single stage press for years before getting into a shooting sport that I participate in three to five times a month. I shoot a lot of 38 special and 45 acp. I load these on a dillon 650 and couldn't be happier. I also have a Lyman 8 turret press and I use it to load Black Powder Cartridge Rifle ammo. Using a turret press for this is almost like having a progressive loader for it. It is nice to be able to leave the dies set and just rotate the head. In my opinion it all depends on what you are wanting to load and how much. I contemplated loading my rifle cartridges on a progressive press but stick powders don't flow well through automatic powder measures so I am using the Lyman 8 for this also. I can leave 4 calibers set up on the press and just rotate the head. So if you are shooting a lot of handgun or loading rifle calibers using ball powder then by all means go with a progressive.

 

[M118LR]

I shy away from ball powder, exclusively extruded for rifle, either Unique (flake) for pistol or IMR 4227 for Magnum pistol. I build slow and weigh each hand thrown charge. With the slow speed of my Old Press, and the fact that each stage of the reloading process required setup, it didn't add much time to reloading. JMHO. YMMV.

 

[Jester896]

I load mostly rifle on single stage presses. I have a Rock Chucker and a Co-AX that do most of what I need. I have a Redding T-7 but it just sits under the work bench. I thought about getting another In-Line Fab Quick Change base for it to make swap outs easier on my single press location on the work bench. I might set it up to run straight wall pistol cases or just some brass prep. I think there is even an RCBS atomated powder measure under there with it. I also have a Dillon 550 that I load several things on and it is nice enough. I have access to about 5 Dillon 1050s set up in various calibers for large quantities with one that is attached to a Mark 7 drive that gets swapped out between the 9mm and .223 setups mostly.

It would really depends on what you wanted but for the money for a 550 you really can't beat it and just leave the heads set up with the dies....unless you need something with a case feeder. I have used a Lee progressive early on and even an old 450 is better than that to me.

 

[M118LR]

With progressive loaders how does the neck sizing then case trimming process change? IE do you need to trim before inserting/starting the progressive process?

 

[Jester896]

we do, one is set up to size and trim .223. I think sizing on the smaller Dillons is what creates the priming issues they have. Dillon also makes trimmer heads, dies and trimmer motors you could set up to process

 

[M118LR]

After so many years using a single stage press I think upgrading to a turret press would be more comfortable than going progressive for me. I don't roll my own in quantities over 100 much anymore. Perhaps if I started with a progressive press I would be more comfortable?

 

[Jester896]

It would certainly be faster. Most of them you can get additional heads for and just leave the dies you use the most set up in them. I would guess you could get 100 loaded pretty quick. If you were in the 500 range the progressive might be better. Both the Square B and 500 is a turret type from Dillon.

 

[M118LR]

Still Pondering..,..... Amazon product ASIN B07CTRLJCQ. Since a clean case can make a difference, wet tumbling, dry tumbling, or ultrasonic? Does it make any difference on the die sticking when resizing? What about case life? Any difference when using single stage, turret, or progressive press?

 

[Jester896]

I have all 3 case cleaning options. I don't use ultrasonic. Depending on what it is most of the time it goes through the wet tumbler. I have been leaving the carbon in the neck of my new Dasher for a trial the first 2 runs.

If it is range pickup brass it goes through cob before it goes in a die unless it is a universal decapping die....just depends on how dirty it is...then it might get wet tumbled after decapping. If it is my brass it isn't generally that dirty since it doesn't hit the ground...I catch it and place it in a container or catch it in a bag.

Cases sticking in dies are a case lube issue. Spray on lube doesn't seem to be used properly in my opinion in most cases and that it where I see the most issues. I mix my own spray to use on pistol and some rifle cases even if it is going into a carbide die. The majority of the time on rifle case (.223 is the exception) I use die wax. I have never had a case sticking with wax...just other methods. I will also say I only remember 4 stuck cases in 15+ years. I made my stuck case remover. I take that back...I have had 1 case stuck with wax this Sunday...but I had wiped it off with a rag before running the live round again in a modified S/B die.

I have damaged more cases with a progressive than any other...not to say I haven't destroyed one with a single stage either.

I have heard people say that a tarnished case doesn't stick as fast a one that has had everything cleaned off of it.

 

[M118LR]

What event precipitated you to stop using the US (ultrasonic) method. Long ago I gave up tumbling with corn and went with crushed walnuts shells, since they gave better performance results with precision loads on the range. But when I roll my own it is always from fireformed brass slowly ejected from the bolt actions that it will be feed to upon completion. Since I have no US cleaning experience to date, what is the pitfall? ( Once upon a time Naval Air used to walnut shell underperforming turboprop engines in an attempt to ensure proper performance prior to R&R ing an engine) May have been a walnut shell or two laying around? LOL.

 

[Jester896]

probably the solution I used or made that didn't perform as well as I wanted. Wet tumbling does a much better job and larger quantities. It seemed I was still brushing soft material out of the primer pocket instead of hard stuff. I don't brush anything after wet tumbling.

Yes, I feel like walnut cleans better, but cob polishes better for me. If I use dryer sheets it pulls the sand or other trash out of the cob and I don't have to keep swapping out the media.

I have even though about taking the ejector out of my Dasher so a case doesn't hit the ground...it is left load right eject

 

[M118LR]

Since I spend more time performing processes outside of the requirements to simply reload rounds, think I can rule out ease and speed of a progressive press. I spend more time weighing charges, neck sizing and measuring, sorting cases and projectiles, to ensure that irregular crimping or any crimping at all is negligible. Years spent on a single stage press have ruined my ability to appreciate the speed and ease of progressive loading. I attribute my aversion to ball powders ( that flow like water from automated metering systems) to the time spent in development at Military Proving Grounds with actual scientific experts. But the ability to set a die and come back to that same setting on the next loading session without performing all the trail & error steps appeals to me greatly. Yup, I've decided to upgrade 100 percent to a turret press. Now which turret press? Since my prejudiced loading habits tend to fit 2 die loading procedures for the rifle cartridges I load most. (.223 REM & .308 Win) Yet I do own & operate 30-06 and 5.56 platforms on occasion, I'm looking at a five die minimum per turret head just for rifle cartridges. Since 5.56 & 30-06 align so close to .223 REM & .308 Win. 5.56 requires full length resizing due to mag vice individual loading techniques. No matter what .357, .430, 9 mm, and 45 ACP require 8 more die slots in total on another turret head. But I currently quit reloading pistol cartridges the index on the case mouth, since Mil Surplus is cheaper if I include my hourly minimum wage. So I guess it's down to straight walled pistol cartridges, so that decreases the amount of die slots required on the pistol reloading turret. Now my priority is which press other than an Area 419 Zero press holds the best tolerances? There are monetary restrictions to upgrades for 100 round lots nowadays. Hope Y'all understand. LOL.

 

[lakelandmusic]

Considering upgrading from my Lyman Spartan press. Pondering the Lyman 8 station turret press. But there are a bunch of other presses out there, who's got what and why? Since I've only ever used a single stage press is there any actual advantage to anything else?

The only turret I know about is the RCBS 6 station. I've got 6 separate turrets for it for each caliber I load, and it's been working great for years.
The primer dump was a pain in the ass, but there is a cheap aftermarket alternative you can attach some plastic tubing to that solved that easily.

 

[Jester896]

Primer catchers on any RCBS are problematic . I think the T-7 has 7 stations and maybe the primers drop through the ram like the Boss or Big Boss.

I don't think I would buy a $1,275 press that used $500 sizing dies either...gotta wonder what the seater costs

 

[gnappi]

I had a couple of turret presses way back, but ditched them after getting my first Dillon progressive and I can't imagine using one again.

I admit I'm a Dillon bigot as I've had three Dillon 4 stage presses since he first started making them I have a RCBS Big Max that I use for bigger rifle rounds. I also have a 5 stage Hornady but it's under engineered and I use it only to prep 9x25 brass.

For pistol ammo, other than possibly adding a powder checker I'd have no use for 5+ stages or automation so to me 4 stages is the Goldilocks of presses.

Anyway, you CAN make reliable ammo faster on a progressive press than you can on a turret or single stage press, but press maintenance (picking up primers and loading primer tube, replenishing powder, bullets, and brass as well as little press niggles /stoppages while loading are NEVER factored into the idiotic speed claims of a box of 50 in 4 minutes unless you get into full automation presses.

My Big Max is used exclusively for .308, 7mm Mag, and will be for .50 Beo.

As it is a four stage manual index press will...

Stage one: Size, decap, and prime
Stage two: Bell the mouth and dump powder
Stage three: Seat bullet
Stage four: Crimp

One handle pull, one round in the bin ready for the case checker and ammo box! You can't beat that but If you're not diligent, or easily distracted you CAN make a whole lot of unusable ammo really fast If you have never used one it behooves you to try a progressive out.

Regarding cleaning brass. I've always used dry vibratory but they can be dusty / messy, and if you're not careful and do not make certain there is no media in cases they can gunk up your press really fast.