Ready to purchase a progressive press.....appreciate your guidance

I've been reloading for some time now with a single stage press and i'm generally very pleased with it and the results i've obtained. 

To date I've done most all of my reloading on a Forster Co-Ax using calipers, deburring and chamfering with a hand tool, weighing each and every load by hand using a scale and trickler. My loads have been safe and accurate.

I must admit however that it does take a very long time to load just 50 rounds. 

I'm strongly considering purchasing a progressive press. 

I had contemplated purchasing a turret press but the more i think about them, i'm not sure they're all that much more of an improvement efficiency wise as it's pretty easy to change dies on the Forster Co-Ax. I'm certainly open to your thoughts and experience.

I don't want to give up the safety, accuracy and precision i feel i'm able to get with my current practice and yet a bit more efficiency times when i want to shoot more than 50 rounds would be nice. I shoot for little groups on paper.

I've watched a few videos over the past weeks however i was hoping for some guidance... I'm posting here as i would imagine the information gained from this experienced group/forum, who share similar goals, might minimize the inherent bias that many video makers might be obliged to respect. 

With respect to the press alone, i would like to keep the cost under $1150 but less is certainly preferable. 

My dies and scale and hand tools are otherwise satisfactory. 

Thank you

This is tough. Many people love the presses they have and will recommend them. I had an early Hornady lnl for about 20 years. I really disliked it and never had great luck with customer service. That said, thousands of people love them just fine. I have been using my current rotation for an about a decade now. I have a 1050 and 3 650s. I really enjoy them. The 1050 is a dedicated 45 press. So I don’t do change outs on that. They are expensive and somewhat labor intensive. I use the 650 for 32 acp, 38spl, 9mm, 45, 223, and 308. 

Where are you located? It’s really best to try some different presses out if you can. Ultimate Reloader, on YouTube has a good video that reviews like 20 different presses. Highly recommend.

Most popular I see are generally Hornady LNL, Dillon's, and rebuilt Stars. I honestly think they all have strengths and weaknesses, and you'll adapt to any of them. I guess what I'm saying is I don't have a recommendation, but you'll probably learn to love what you end up with...

That said, I really do like my Star dedicated to 45. It just feels... nice.

Dave

Everyone has their own strong opinions on this subject. Tried a Star, even had it tuned by Roddy Toyota who is a wizard, but I just hated the process for clearing a jam or mistake (yes, I am prone to mistakes!). Tried a Lee, too flimsy for my taste (although I love their little APP which I use for size/decap).

I love the Dillon 650 (and the current model - the 750) and have three of them (sold another one on to a good pal a while ago). Look out for a used machine on eBay or other forums. Dillon customer service is amazing. Took one unit (bought well used) in to their HQ in Scottsdale, it came back completely re-furbished for almost no charge - in fact it was so good I suspected that it was actually all or part of a new machine. Some minor components are prone to failure after serious use, but a call to Dillon will trouble shoot your problem and get the parts to you super quick. There are also tons of after-market enhancements that can be very helpful. Dillon gets my 100% vote.

Another satisfied Dillon 650 user here.

100 rounds will take you about 30 minutes from the time you decide to load a batch to the time everything is cleaned up and put away. That would include counting out 100 cases to dump into the case feeder, filling the powder measure with powder, and loading in 100 primers.

RoyDean wrote:Everyone has their own strong opinions on this subject.

To further this, lots of people have their personal favorite and lots of people get good results with any of the popular options. 

From my perspective, all of the presses are machines. Machines can and will break. Machines also tend to need some tuning to run most effectively. 

Lots of people like the old star machines, but they are no longer in production. Lots of people like the dillion presses, but lots of people find the powder measure is prone to powder leakage. The Hornady presses have features you either like or find frustrating (eg the pawl adjustment or the die bushings). I obviously am making broad simplified statements here, but what it comes down to at the end is you need to pick what potential problems you find acceptable to deal with. 

Each option has its own pros and cons, I would suggest as you narrow your search to explicitly seek out what sort of issues people have with each prospective offering.

My bias is towards the Hornady presses. They have worked well for me and the only time I needed it their customer service was very helpful. I particularly enjoy the die flexibility with the bushings rather than the tool head design of the Dillion. I can easily change out individual dies and maintain adjustment.

I like my two Hornady LNL AP's and Hornady is great about sending out free parts when I break it. 

HIGHLY RECOMMEND A 5 STAGE PRESS. I absolutely recommend a fifth station to give you a powder check die. I've never had a squib or double charge that the powder check didn't catch. I have however seen both a squib in match where the shooter racked and shot on top of the lodged bullet and bulged the barrel and a double charge that shot the mag out and peppered the shooter, both with experienced shooters. With the low price of a LNL AP and RCBS powder check die there's no need to risk it.

Don't know where OP is located, but here is what looks like a decent deal on eBay:-

https://www.ebay.com/itm/204820496403?itmmeta=01HZTTKWR288TV89SSRBGD1FG0&hash=item2fb040c013:g:rKwAAOSw9V1mYe0v&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8NEIfGCHVb25rRrRBTQ16kvITEs5wTKh1VdwpvAOnQXmHR02vIqOFghodvcLeJNT%2FzHFO0afN1zH10smwr7wrDYtzBQ4iwU7ScXhYB8SkCUpkK4hU8bkD%2B16JUvw9E5XYMPWYH0FQf0cyt26n%2F1%2B%2FWH07VS6J%2Fpnw2CtyRIBwy%2FVMTnx1SgPzFihIuJjYYDrsI7M2KGNLPOJ434s450RzJMuVdZ7ydDtzBmmc%2BuCsM8cvPA35uszDc6K057pnksTYIImdiuUbLwfCZDlqnDTj8%2FQt1Skhb3IhPF2%2Be%2BH8r7ocq%2B5l%2FZHKqXj3pOsDPYjQQ%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR5bMz9r-Yw

I started with the Redding T7 turret which does have it's uses like a single stage for bespoke stuff but absolutely love and would get again every time my Dillon 750.

To me there are some essential tweaks, after which I can load with confidence expecting a max range of 0.04gr (WST or N310) powder drops (verified with FX120i), 0.003" range seat depth, reliable priming etc.

PhotoEscape Powder Funnels
DramWorx hoppers & a little internal powder measure polish (with smallest suitable powder bar)
PhotoEscape primer tube tips
PhotoEscape failsafe bracket
UniqueTek bushing kit
UniqueTek toolhead clamp kit + Dillon CNC heads (not sure if the best, but doesn't have issues I had with fancier ones)
UniqueTek shoulder-seating SWC stems for Dillon seating dies

In my experience, according to my ~$600 FX analytic balance, the Dillon PM with appropriately small powder bar and dramworx hopper with WST or N310 is more consistent, precise than using a RCBS chargemaster 1500 to trickle each charge.

That Dillon on eBay looks like a heck of a deal.  I have three Star machines but have only used one...ever.

I bought the other two with the idea of setting up one to load the 230gr FMJ, yes I bought it when I was
still hammering the Service Pistol.  The other was going to be for .38spl. when I was still shooting my
S&W 52.

Those last two never happened and the first one turned out to be the only one ever used.

I'd be willing to part with either of those I have not used.

Mike

p.s. I am located in Prescott, Arizona about 100 miles north of Phoenix.

I have a Dillon 550 and 650. Some of it depends upon how fast you want to reload. The 550 is a solid, easy to understand progressive and changing from small to large primers is straight forward. You have to advance it by hand. I don't have a case feeder for mine, but it might be nice. Dillon has some very good videos, some are extra tips. The speed advantage of the 650 is that it indexes automatically. I have a case feeder for mine. A really good feature is that it has an extra threaded hole for a die, so you can add a powder checker. I have one and it buzzes if the powder charge is too high, too low or non-existent. Some don't like the wheel type primer system, but it seems ok to me. I guess that's the reason came out with the 750 which has a similar or the same straight pull system as the Dillon 550.

Dillon SDB.

I shoot both a Summer and Winter league, and it's all I need for Bullseye (I have other presses for rifle and shotgun).. plus their customer service is second to none.

i'm not familiar with some of the presses posted....i'm very grateful for the information and i will look them up. 
i do very much appreciate everyone's help. 
Locally our shops don't seem to have reloaders to compare. I have 2 good friend both of whom have Dillon 550 reloaders but they were purchased many years ago and so i thought perhaps there might be something new or more advanced etc.

It's a bit hard to separate the "wheat from the chaff" when looking at advertisements, for example i recently saw a reloading press on sale at MidwayUSA or Midsouth (I can't recall). The press looked very modern with lots of stations so it sounded nice and looked nice but a few too many of the reviews were disappointing. The information everyone has been kind enough to provide really helps. thank you

https://www.dillonprecision.com/

https://www.hornady.com/reloading/presses/lock-n-load-ap#!/

I have some experience with all of these except for the Square Deal. That said I have two Hornady LnL and a Dillon 1050. The 1050 is auto-driven and is primarily used to process brass but I DO load some calibers on that press.

IMO, the 550 is a poor choice as it is not auto-indexing. For years it was the best bang for the buck, but that is owned by the Hornady followed by the 750. The 1050 is a HUGE step-up in capability. Since the machine is capable from taking a fired military 9mm to a reloaded cartridge, there’s lots going on. Too much with the few monitoring systems a human has (sight, hearing and feel). If you have a malfunction while swaging or priming, then the whole plateful of cartridges could end up being removed then you have to re-introduce them at their appropriate station. This eats into production and time.
To make it manageable it’s best to segregate the functions per passes through these 1050s. That’s why I process mostly on the. 1050…

thank you for responding,
may i ask in an effort to clarify your post...by process does that mean that you deprime, swage, size and expand on the Dillon 1050, and then charge (add powder) and seat and crimp projectile on a different machine....the Hornady?

Generally speaking, by processing is washing by tumble in sudsy wate, the running through the machine to decap, then swage, then size, then expand. Then washing and polishing with citric acid to shine the brass. The second run through is priming. The third run is charging bullet dropping, seating, then crimping. By separating the functions in the three runs makes for less chances of a malfunction causing substantial damage. This also allows for speed to enter. You cannot do all functions including loading at speed much faster than the advertised cyclic rate 1500 per hour. With malfunctions drops to half that. With a three pass method speed goes up. Processing, as described, can run at 2500 even for 223. Priming is the same speed. So in one week you can end up with 8000 primed pieces of brass ready to load at your leisure. If I load on the 1050 I load at 1000 per hour…. So in 3 weekend days I can load those cases. Or in 2 weekends I can load 5000 rounds of training ammo on the Dillon and 3000 rounds of match grade ammo. When stops occur while processing, the case is removed and either scrapped or repair processed on a single stage.

brilliant, thank you

Just another tip. If you want to stay within your budget, keep in mind that you'll be spending money on add-ons and accessories. Some you will want or need right away and some you can add-on over time.

My experience is almost all w/ the Star except for rifle and helping a new shooter set up a Dillon 650. From this limited exposure to the 650 I thought it a very good setup. Especially for the individual starting w/ the progressives. Dillon service is very good.
I have used my Star since 1973. I load .45, 38Spl, 357, and 9m. It has addons; case feeder, indexer, loaded round ejector which are almost a must. A great machine but the comments re: clearing, parts, etc. are right on. I would say it's a very good machine for the mechanicly inclined. There  is now a ready source for parts and repair. They use proprietary dies so that is a limitation. The machine is well designed. well made and will run forever.

Ron Habegger

As said before, my suggestions are based on what I use: Dillon 550.
It was given to a friend who gave it to me. Been using it for years now with no problems. There is set up involved but all machines go through that. Guys at work have the Lee's and since they are a true progressive press they'll run circles around mine. The 550 falls between a single stage and a true progressive. 

With that I'd look at the 750. Add a case and bullet feeder down the road if it accepts them. I'm not sure.

Stay away from the Dillon Square Deal. They only use Dillon dies and will not load rifle rounds.

All of them have their pluses and minuses.

Hello,
 I’m not sure how many different calibers you are loading for but I’ll give you some points to ponder. 
  I have used a Dillon 650 since 1996 and I chose that press for a couple of reasons:
1) It is auto indexing 
2) It has a 5th station that I use a for their powder check system
3) It uses interchangeable tool heads
4) It can load the rifle calibers I thought I would want to load. 

  My reason number 4 is a need that never materialized so I’ve not used it much for that purpose. 
 
 The other features however are things I would not want to do without. 

  Changing calibers on a 650 is pretty easy as long as you have extra tool heads. That way your die’s are setup once and you leave them as is.  As I have increased calibers I load, I got a new tool head and a dedicated powder measure for each. You could in fact take one powder measure (buy extra bars or not) and move it between calibers but I’m as lazy as the next guy and would rather not fool with that. What I do not like about the 650 is their priming system but more correctly, changing from one size to the other. They may have corrected this on later machines but on mine you have to get a 9/16” wrench in there and turn approx 1/16th of a turn each time to get the ram out. I have lived with this because 90% of my loading is 45 acp but if I had to jump back and forth a lot I would buy a second machine.  The newer 750 has made this a non issue so I would start there.
  This next bit of advice is going to draw a lot of arrows but I have never used their case feeder (or the bullet feeder for that matter). When I first bought my press I bought 5-6 extra clear tubes so my practice was to load up 100 cases into tubes, load up 100 primers and start loading.  I put a bullet into each case with my left hand and had to change tubes every 20 or so cases. When the cases were about out, the primers were about out too so I refreshed everything and did the next 100. What I have more recently been doing (after loading up 100 primers of course) is simply load one brass case into the feed mechanism with my right hand, load one bullet into a case with my left hand, pull the handle and repeat.  Using this technique, I will comfortably load 300-400 rounds in one evening after dinner.  Each of my two methods takes approximately the same amount of time so I have just been using the later method the last couple of years.  Perhaps others shoot way more than me but I can load up a whole season’s supply in 5 days or so.   I have no doubt whatsoever that a case feeder and a bullet feeder would be faster but my methods work fine for me and keep my costs down.

  One final thought was a question you had asked about giving up precision since you meter your powder currently. If you are a NASA engineer with a minor in nuclear physics I don’t think any progressive press would satisfy you however for our needs, a Dillon (and others too) powder measure provides very good results. 

Good luck on your search.
John

thank you all so very much with your thoughtful responses. I truly enjoy the sport and am trying together a handle on our finances. things have gotten so expensive

You still have to write the check, but something to consider is that these presses hold their resale value due to the support offered by the manufacturers and their lifetime warranty.

It takes a bit of the sting out of it!

One thing to consider…the 1050 is the exception. The warranty is only for one year.  After that, you pay as you go.

had heard Dillon offered a lifetime warranty....good to know. Probably good to have a warranty. 

I'm presently in discussions with my better half to see how much is reasonable to spare for my hobby/joy. We're a team.