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reloading press

dbateman

dbateman

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 6, 2010
906
3
41
Mt Isa QLD, Australia
ok so I have a lee single stage press and it is good but I want something a bit better and I was looking at the Dillon 550b but I thought maybe that is a bit much for my applications and I may be better suited with a turret press
I would like to load pistol ammo and also be able to load rifle rounds up to 30-06 , 30-30 , 223 , 308 and 303-25 as well so I guess is the 550b to much for me , can I make good L/R ammo on a Dillon

I don't really no much about turret presses any suggestions on a good turret press .

I don't mind lee they make some good stuff but I was looking at getting some better gear ?

thanks Dave
 
Re: reloading press

If your after a Turret go the Redding T7

Im not a fan of prog loaders for LR ammo. I think the selling point of prog loaders is output and lots of it.

Single stage presses are more suited towards the crowd that want to perfect every bit of their ammo.

And besides... those loading blocks your gonna get soon are more suited to single stage work
laugh.gif


I would have to say the ultimate combo for speed and quality would be a Forster Co-Ax with a Chargemaster Combo. The co-ax is strong, requires less force, reduces runout due to floating shell holders and is quick with snap in/out die feature. Add to that a CM Combo and you have about 3 powder charges per minute maybe more on a reprogramed CM. You could pump out 200 rounds good enough for BR on a simple setup like that.
 
Re: reloading press

There are plenty of people who load precision rifle ammo on a 550b with good results. I think it is a good versatile press and I like to be able to index manually. If you want to go the turret press route, I would also recommend the T7. I load precision ammo on an RCBS Rockchucker Supreme and use a Hornady auto charge to dump the powder. I use a 550b for pistol and I'm thinking about using it for 5.56 if I can figure out how I want the tool heads set up. I am happy with both presses and the auto charge makes using a single stage SO much easier.
 
Re: reloading press

i have a dillon 650 and a forster coax. the dillon gets all my pistol ammo and ar ammo that i just want to go bang safley.

the coax gets all my rifle ammo that i want to go bang and be as perfect as i can make it
 
Re: reloading press

"I may be better suited with a turret press ...I don't really no much about turret presses any suggestions on a good turret press ...I was looking at getting some better gear?"

Before I jump into this half blind, I'd like to know why you think a turret of any type would better suit your needs. What do you hope a turret might do better or in what way are you dissatisfied with your current press?

 
Re: reloading press

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fuzzball</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Before I jump into this half blind, I'd like to know why you think a turret of any type would better suit your needs. What do you hope a turret might do better or in what way are you dissatisfied with your current press? </div></div>

My main aim in looking at a turret press is I just want to speed things up a bit
and still make quality ammo , I would rather be shooting than reloading

I can't wait for my new loading blocks to turn up , these floods over here are slowing all transport / mail down
 
Re: reloading press

Tell me about it bro... You guys have the Lapua distributer over in Geebung, so looks like my projectiles wont get here for a while.

Have a look at the forster co-ax. Quick in and out with dies, and in general just a kick ass press.

Do you have dies for your 303-25 and if so who makes them?
 
Re: reloading press

If you want th nicest turret press money can buy, check out the Harrell's Tooling Turret Press.

It is precision machined and everything aligns PERFECTLY. It's built extremely well and operates very smoothly. If I had to do it over again, I would have gotten this press without question. And it's cheaper than the Redding to boot.

You can also try the RCBS Turret Press, though I would definitely find it at some other retailer who will undoubtedly sell it for cheaper than RCBS.

It's what I use, and I love it.
 
Re: reloading press

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: 42769vette</div><div class="ubbcode-body">i have a dillon 650 and a forster coax. the dillon gets all my pistol ammo and ar ammo that i just want to go bang safley.

the coax gets all my rifle ammo that i want to go bang and be as perfect as i can make it </div></div>
thats my exact set up too, and a damned good way to go.
 
Re: reloading press

thanks for the reply's now I just need to have a look at all of them


<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: vman</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Do you have dies for your 303-25 and if so who makes them? </div></div>

I do have dies for the 303-25 I cant remember who made them off the top of my head but they are on there way from Darwin as I type this
smile.gif

but I do know that simplex make them , do you have a 303-25 ?
 
Re: reloading press

Dave,

No i have a mate with an old enfield in 303-25 and I was looking for dies for him.

To be honest the brass is pretty shite, but if i could salvage what i can for him and anneal it i could do some work for him.

I reload for all of my mates... kills me time wise but i enjoy it nonetheless.

thanks for the info

vin
 
Re: reloading press

I load all my precision rifle ammo on a CO-AX. Excellent press.

I load all my pistol ammo on a RCBS PRO2000. I had a Hornady LNL AP, but did not like it at all...sold it. The RCBS is a very solid progressive machine and easy to swap calibers in. I even used it for .308 loads (AR-10) for a while, as it really turns them out. If you wanted just one press to do rifle and pistol ammo (non precision), I would pick the PRO 2000 or the Dillon machine.

DSC03411.jpg

 
Re: reloading press

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BigBore56</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I load all my precision rifle ammo on a CO-AX. Excellent press...
DSC03411.jpg
</div></div>

Quick off topic question.

Interesting handle mod there on that CO-AX BigBore56. How's that working out for you?
I thought to do a similar mod except in a "D-handle" style on bearings. Not that it <span style="font-style: italic">needs</span> it but so it's a bit more ergonomic for me. Thoughts?

Sorry for the intrusion.
 
Re: reloading press

Welded up that offset roller handle when I was fighting gout in my wrist last winter. It works great..you lose a little leverage when full length resizing MAGNUM cartridges, but things are much faster when working .308's...and my wrist does not get sore. Probably would help with guys that have carpal tunnel problems also.

When I work .308 cases, I usually do 300-400 at one setting, and that roller handle is worth it's weight in gold! Had one on my Hornady LNL AP also.
 
Re: reloading press

"My main aim in looking at a turret press is I just want to speed things up a bit and still make quality ammo , I would rather be shooting than reloading"

Okay, that's easy, it's no contest. Look at Lee's Classic turret press; only it has both a very strong cast iron body AND an auto-indexing turret head feature that actually speeds reloading quite a bit. The heads are easy to swap without tools and they are sufficently inexpensive to make it practical to have heads set up with dies, ready for cartridge swaps in seconds. Only the CT has a fully adjustable lever and drops spent primers through the ram and into a tube rather than scattered around.

IMHO, all other turrets, as a class, are little if any faster than a properly used single stage.

I won't mention what press I prefer because that's irrelivant to what you asked, need or are looking for.

Good luck!
 
Re: reloading press

thanks for the input I have heard about people having problem's with the shell holder on the co-ax any one no anything about it ? or is that anther internet myth ??

Vman I do see 303-25 die's from time to time , in fact I am sure I seen a a set in the last few week's if I see them again I will let you know
 
Re: reloading press

There are no presses for which no users have ever had problems.

I've not had any problems with the shell holder jaws on my co-ax, and it's a great press.

Andy
 
Re: reloading press

As someone who owns both the Lee turret and the Co-ax go with the Co-ax. I haven't seen anyone mention it but it has the best priming of any press I've ever used. And it catches 100% of your spent primers.
 
Re: reloading press

I have a 550B and never use it.

I use my two co-ax presses.

It depends on what kind of handloading you do.

If I were going to load 10,000 rounds of .223 or 9mm, I would fire up my 550B.

But I usually do something like working up a load and then loading 50 rounds.
 
Re: reloading press

I have a Lyman turret press and for pistol ammo it will work good for you, i can put out 100 an hour on mine and it has worked well for a couple years and thousands of rounds. If you are looking to load up some rifle ammo, i would shy away from the Lyman and look at the Redding T7 turret press, it is a beast and can handle those large casings no problem. It is a hundred dollars more but if thats what you need then it shouldnt be to bad. The turret on the lyman can start flexing when you begin working larger casings while the Redding is more stout and resists the turret flexing. Hope this helps.
 
Re: reloading press

<span style="font-style: italic">"As someone who owns both </span><span style="text-decoration: underline">the Lee turret</span> <span style="font-style: italic">and the Co-ax go with the Co-ax."</span>

Humm...There is "the CoAx" but Lee has, what 3? 4? Turrets. So, which is "the Lee turret"? It does matter....
 
Re: reloading press

I didn't realize they made more than one. It's the 4 hole one. Never been satisfied with the thing.
 
Re: reloading press

I load my match ammo on a Dillon 550b and I use the Lee Turret as a single stage for depriming and FL sizing only.

Plus, I can change tool heads and load 9mm, 45, 223, or 243 with not die adjusting.

+1 on the Dillon for reloading 308. I did a lot of reading here on the Hide as well as from LTRDavid. LTR David's site

Here is what I have on the tool head:
#1 Forster Bump Bushing die and Priming
#2 Powder dump funnel. I use a Chargemaster to manually dump powder.
#3 Forster Micro Seater
#4 Lee Crimp die (if needed)

I also use a Lee turret press with a Forster Full length sizer and Lee De-capping die. Or you can use another tool head on the 550b.

DSC_3343.jpg


DSC_3341.jpg
 
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