Top three multi-die presses?

[Schandler]

I’m with dnellans - i used a rcbs turret until i purchased forester coax years ago. May have to buy more dies for different rifles but set it forget it and just slide

 

[MarkG]

Lee Classic Cast with the Hornady Lock n Load conversion.

 

[Rsadams]

Dillon 550...

 

[Chaotik]

Redding T7

 

[Shooter13]

I went another way, that works very well. I have a lock n load conversion on my Rock Chucker. The dies settings are preserved, and they change very quickly.

Boyd, you and I spoke of this a year ago (maybe longer ... or shorter LOL) but I had trouble staying within .001 bump when resizing my brass, I may revisit this because I love the way they change out how quick you can do it. Have you experienced any variations? Thanks for your time.
Frankie

 

[NZ_Fclass]

My Dillon 550 is a hangover from ISSF pistol shooting days. I considered changing when I took up FTR and for a while loaded on a Rockchucker, which I also had on hand -just for hunting ammo.
After measuring ammo made with the Dillon, I saved my cash and use it for 308 SP, 6BR, 6BRX and 223, which saves changing the primer tube! No - I dont use it as a "progressive " press, just a 4 station - size, then mandrel, powder (weighed), and seat - the four stations work well for my workflow. Other calbres get done on the Rockchucker.

 

[Mikemci]

For non-progressive the CH4D 444H press is my favorite. Dillon for progressive.

A Dillon 550, 650 is no more progressive, than a T7.

 

[acloco]

Forster CoAx

 

[BoydAllen]

I think that turning the turret for each forming operation of a single case would be slower than doing one operation for all cases and then switching for the next. For this sort of stuff, I work with bowls instead of loading blocks. The cases come out of one bowl, run through the press and into the other.

 

[BoydAllen]

Boyd, you and I spoke of this a year ago (maybe longer ... or shorter LOL) but I had trouble staying within .001 bump when resizing my brass, I may revisit this because I love the way they change out how quick you can do it. Have you experienced any variations? Thanks for your time.
Frankie

In my experience turret presses are springier than O types, and this introduces one more variable, that I do not think is desirable for maximizing bump or ogive to head consistency. I have seen some bump inconsistency that was the result of uneven factory annealing, Annealing solved the problem. You can do this so that necks are not too soft with careful flame positioning, and using the least amount of annealing time that uniforms bump.

 

[Shooter13]

In my experience turret presses are springier than O types, and this introduces one more variable, that I do not think is desirable for maximizing bump or ogive to head consistency. I have seen some bump inconsistency that was the result of uneven factory annealing, Annealing solved the problem. You can do this so that necks are not too soft with careful flame positioning, and using the least amount of annealing time that uniforms bump.

I have an AMP so consistency is pretty good, I am going to revisit this as the season is wrapping up and we prepare for next year! Thanks @BoydAllen you sir are a jewel!

 

[LRH]

So far it looks like the T7 has it by votes. But the Dillon/RCBS/Hornady complete reloading station stuff is interesting to me because of the speed except I wonder if you can get the powder drop consistencies that you get with a manual drop and trickler? And I understand the primer mechanisms can be finicky.

 

[DirtySteve]

So far it looks like the T7 has it by votes. But the Dillon/RCBS/Hornady complete reloading station stuff is interesting to me because of the speed except I wonder if you can get the powder drop consistencies that you get with a manual drop and trickler? And I understand the primer mechanisms can be finicky.

Use the Dillon in a progressive manner. Drop the powder charge lite and remove the case at the bullet seating station. Dump the powder on the scale and trickle up. Pour powder into the case, then seat bullet and done.

you can load this way at a rate of one round per minute.

 

[Bojo]

I mainly use a T7 as well. 3 turrets all set up for bottleneck cases including pointing dies , collet puller, lee universal decapper.
I do also have 2 of the old Lyman super turrets. One is currently naked the other set up with 9mm and 44 mag.

just like any other tool the turret presses are what you make of them.
I enjoy the ease of being able to spin the turret around to a desired station without pulling dies out of a press boxing them up then opening up another die box to screw the die in.

my only hang up with the turret press has been when I turned it to the wrong station and like a dumb ass sent the case up into the wrong die.
Now my dies are color coded with a paint pen to prevent me being a dumb dumb.

 

[JimSC]

Lee Classic 4 hole with 3 turrets set up for pistol 5 set up for rifle and 9th set up with my decapper and mandrel die and I will put my loaded rounds up against anyone's here as far as runout. How much float is there in the shell holder on every press? There has to be some to allow your brass to center itself to the die on every operation

 

[RegionRat]

Use the Dillon in a progressive manner. Drop the powder charge lite and remove the case at the bullet seating station. Dump the powder on the scale and trickle up. Pour powder into the case, then seat bullet and done.

you can load this way at a rate of one round per minute.

Another variation on this theme, is to add a funnel at that station and put the powder in with the powder being already set from your favorite method, be that Prometheus, Autothrow, Chargemaster, etc. This amounts to the same method with less handling. You just park the press at the top for a moment and dump in the charge.

 

[acloco]

FYI - I know....broken record...but...

Die changes with the Forster CoAx is close to the same amount of time as rotating a turret.

 

[bozo699]

I’m another T7 fan when I’m inclined to use a turret press
Wayne

 

[Kracken McGraw]

I just got the Lyman American 8 turret press. I like the fact that I can keep two full sets of pistol dies on it, this includes separate crimp dies. It comes with the priming system as part of the package.

 

[moondog]

I have a Harrells that I keep just seating dies in for a few calibers. I also put a feeler gauge in the back side to take up the .004" slop. Works great.