reloading advice

[candrpotts]

looking into getting a progressive reloading set up. Nothing real fancy, just enough to keep us in target loads and avoid the rest of this ammo shortage.

I need opinions on presses. Favored brands, what to avoid, what to make I include, that sort of thing. Done a little research but "everyone" has the best outfit at the best price. I could use a little real world experience to help me sort through the hype.

Thanks

 

[NikatKimber]

For starting, a good turret press is what I would recommend. The Lee presses are cheaper, but not as well made as the Dillon progressives.

If you have no experience, I don't recommend starting on a progressive, as they are aimed at chunking out lots of ammo fast, and you need to start out slowly at first. Learn good habits, like regularly checking powder, primers, watching each case closely, etc. The turret is quick, just not so fast that you can't watch what's going on.

What calibers are you planning on reloading?

 

[candrpotts]

just 40S&W for now. May move into my 270 later but mostly pistol rounds for the near future

 

[NikatKimber]

Well, based on my calculations, if you buy this Lee Turret Press for $110, and these Lee Carbide Dies for $37, then you could pay off the investment in just about 1100 rounds if you use Montana Gold 155gr bullets, CCI primers, and low cost brass (assuming you can get 5 loads per case).

If you load lead bullets the savings would add up faster.

 

[candrpotts]

any opinion on the Dillon Square Deal?

 

[NikatKimber]

Several here have or had them, but I haven't. I have a 550, and the Lee turret, the Dillon, as I said, is way better. And if you know you want to be in reloading, go for it, but it is more expensive.

I'm not necessarily recommending the Lee, just stating one scenario that shows how fast a cheaper press can pay for itself.

If you shoot 1000 rounds a year, the Lee might be all you'd ever need. If you'll shoot 1000 rounds every month or two, by all means start on a Dillon, just taking care to learn the basics as you go instead of trying to crank as many out as possible initially.

The Dillon I just bought is 20 years old, and works great. I can't tell anything on it that works less than 100%.

 

[aeropb]

any opinion on the Dillon Square Deal?

They're fantastic. Although limited to only loading pistol cartridges. I used one before I got my 550.

 

[Fyrtwuck]

The Square Deal is a great reloader. It's limited to pistol calibers ONLY. The reloading dies while adjustable are specific to the Square Deal. You can't use them on anything but a Square Deal. I reloaded with mine for several years feeding two hungry submachineguns. It was great with no problems at all. I later decided I wanted to load rifle calibers too and got a 650.

 

[bpfeiff]

Brent...i think your advice is good; however, i would start with the lee anniversary kit and then good dies....ie rcbs or such and start slow

 

[NikatKimber]

The anniversary is a single stage right? Never hurts to have a single stage around.

Don't know if it's the same model or not, but I have a Lee single stage that gets used frequently for rifle calibers.