Which progressive press and why

[benelli7979]

I am looking into getting a progressive press for loading rifle and pistol cals. Which is the best out there and why. I have looked at the RCBS pro 2000 and some dillion models but am unsure on which to go with. I will be doing mainly 223, 357,40 and a few other rounds thanks

 

[Kenny474]

I think it depends on the amount of precision you are looking for.
John Whidden uses a Dillon 650 with one of his "floating die tool heads" for his loading. If he can load ammo that good on a Dillon, I would be looking there for precision. Though he doesn't use the powder measure from Dillon, he weighs every charge.

If you are just looking for high volume, most all will do that and load decent ammo as well. The Hornady LNL is a good machine and will load good ammo. I have a Lee Load Master, and it loads good ammo. I don't think most progressives are "competition accurate", but most all will load good ammo.

For precision, I would go Dillon. For just high volume, I would look at the Hornady or even the Lee. I'm not a huge RCBS fan, and I have heard too much good about the Hornady to want to go with RCBS myself.

 

[jr600yd]

Kenny474 make some good points. I've using both Dillon 550 and 650 machines for over 20 years loading competition ammo for mid-long range and across the course matches. Now comes the kicker. For competition ammo I use my 550 more like a single stage. First I size and deprime all my cases then clean primer pockets and trim to length ect. so the brass goes in and out of the press several times. For handgun ammo I don't clean the primer pockets or trim to length after every firing so the loading process is much faster. I have no experience with the Hornady or RCBS progressive loaders so I can't speak for them but I've been very pleased with the Dillons. Another thing to look at is the customer service should something go wrong or break. I like Dillons because if you break it they fix it free.

For what you want to do I recommend the Dillon 550B

Good shooting, Jim

 

[zedsdead]

+1 on the 550B. Very good quality and ease of use, and their customer support and no BS warranty are second to none. Period.

Jason

 

[bheadboy]

Advice above is good, my experience is with the RCBS ammo master (now discontinued) which i used for pd, general shooting and it was good,
However is bot the Hornaday LNL and love it as being more flexable, higher quality less "play" and fast. I do use the RCBS powder measure with micro adjustment on it and prefer it to the Hornady one.

for real accurcy volume loading, Ihmsa and ipsic volume the lnl is fine, for rifle comp you may wish to consider the Dillion which i have no experience with

Bob

 

[Taildrag15X]

+ ! for Dillon!

 

[jonbearman]

+ 10 on the dillon as I have the rl550b.It loads ammo as good as my rockchucker. I get little to no run out. You can convert it to just about any cartridge and there customer service is the best in the industry period.You cant make them mad no matter the problem,they just fix it no questions asked.Mike Dillon set up a very prestigious ccompany and never I cant do that comes out of there mouths.

 

[Ron10x]

I'm with Jr600 on the Dillon. I've had my 550 for over 20 years and it works. Their customer service and support is the best. One thing you have to consider with any progressive is the type of powder you will use. Long stick powder does not meter well in them. But almost any ball powder works real well.

Ron

 

[benelli7979]

I think with the replies here and other places i have read its between the dillon 550 and 650 what the difference between these two

 

[minnesota]

I think it depends on the amount of precision you are looking for.
John Whidden uses a Dillon 650 with one of his "floating die tool heads" for his loading. If he can load ammo that good on a Dillon, I would be looking there for precision. Though he doesn't use the powder measure from Dillon, he weighs every charge.
I have a LNL and I have had some really great accuracy with it ,just as good as with my single stage press and weighting every charge. If you are going to use stick powder for get it with any of them, Benchmark flows through the LNL the best and that is what I have has my best luck with the 223 rem.
If you are just looking for high volume, most all will do that and load decent ammo as well. The Hornady LNL is a good machine and will load good ammo. I have a Lee Load Master, and it loads good ammo. I don't think most progressives are "competition accurate", but most all will load good ammo.

For precision, I would go Dillon. For just high volume, I would look at the Hornady or even the Lee. I'm not a huge RCBS fan, and I have heard too much good about the Hornady to want to go with RCBS myself.

 

[minnesota]

The LNL is smoother than either of the other presses, indexes half on the way up half on the way down. dillion and lee all at once, not as smooth.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

Everyone gets advice..........only the wise profit from it! That said, far and away Dillon is number one for one reason....great products, great service. Dillon forced all the other mfg into better warranties. I know people who have tired all the others and later switched to Dillon....never the other way around. 550 if you will change between a lot of different cal and load rifle as well. Lot of same pistol rounds go with the 650.

 

[MQ1]

I've have a Dillon 550 that I inherited from my dad when he passed 10 years ago. He must have seriously loaded at least 200,000 rounds through that press before I got it.

Dillon's service is second to none, and I know that I've put at least another 20,000 loaded rounds through the beast. They are easy to maintain, and I prefer the manual indexing, as it allows me greater flexibility when I'm experimenting.

I have toolheads for my pistols set up and ready to go, and I have learned that any stick powder will not very accurately meter through the dillon charging system...that being said, I can crank out alot of .223 with 4895 that is accurate enough to keep my non accuracy friends entertained when I take them shooting, and H335 meters quite well, and I'm hoping to find that TAC works well also.

I had the opportunity to trade for a 650 with another family member, and after alot of though, I happily have stuck with the 550. As much as I change calibers, the 550 is easy to changeup....the service is great, and I don't see Dillon ever eliminating this product from their lineup.

I had and sold a Hornady Projector...neat mechanism, and more similar to the 650 due to the indexing....but for me...I like the manual indexing...it suits my reloading style better.

MQ1

 

[markr]

I've have a Dillon 550 that I inherited from my dad when he passed 10 years ago. He must have seriously loaded at least 200,000 rounds through that press before I got it.

Dillon's service is second to none, and I know that I've put at least another 20,000 loaded rounds through the beast. They are easy to maintain, and I prefer the manual indexing, as it allows me greater flexibility when I'm experimenting.

I have toolheads for my pistols set up and ready to go, and I have learned that any stick powder will not very accurately meter through the dillon charging system...that being said, I can crank out alot of .223 with 4895 that is accurate enough to keep my non accuracy friends entertained when I take them shooting, and H335 meters quite well, and I'm hoping to find that TAC works well also.
I had the opportunity to trade for a 650 with another family member, and after alot of though, I happily have stuck with the 550. As much as I change calibers, the 550 is easy to changeup....the service is great, and I don't see Dillon ever eliminating this product from their lineup.

I had and sold a Hornady Projector...neat mechanism, and more similar to the 650 due to the indexing....but for me...I like the manual indexing...it suits my reloading style better.

MQ1

TAC works great in the Dillon measure!
At one time I bought a Lee progressive to save some money...I threw it away because I didn't hate anyone enough.. that I thought would use it if I gave it to them!
I now have a Squre Deal to load volume pistol ammo (smaller stuff) and a 550 and 650...They can't be beat by anything close to their price range period Use the dies that you would use for accuracy loads if thats what you want. No one, I repeat NO ONE beats their warranty and customer support!
Mark

 

[xr650rRider]

I've been using the Pro 2000 since it came out. Mine is manual index which I prefer, so its very smooth. Anything I ever had issue with has been replaced with upgraded parts and that was the original priming feed. I've loaded thousands and thousands of rounds. Used for rifle single stage style when needed just as efficiently as my Forster Co-Ax. You can't beat the strip primers for ease and never having to touch them. I just loaded 750 rounds of .223 yesterday. It will throw TAC within .1 grain all day long. It throws, Titegroup, Trailboss,H-335,H-380,Winchester Special Field,Special Target, Unique and any ball powder just as well. I haven't really tried most stick powders as I have RCBS and Pact auto dispensers, so I use them for rifle.

I can't say that RCBS beats Dillon warranty but I have never paid for anything that has been broken by me for any piece on the press. They ask no questions, just send you new parts, if you request them.

I load .338 RUM, .325 WSM, .300 Win Mag, .270 Weatherby Mag, .270 Winchester, .25-06, 30-06, .243 Winchester, .308, .257 Roberts, 5.7x28, .223, 300 WSM, 7mm Mag, 7mm-08, 6BR, 30BR,.22-250, .220 Swift, .204 Ruger, .45 ACP, .357 Mag, .357 sig, .40 S&W, .45 Long Colt, .50 AE, .500 S&W, 9mm and I'm sure there are others I'm forgetting but you can see it's quite versatile.

 

[minnesota]

If it is that much better, how come other manufacturers are still very popular.

I have shot some sub .25 inch groups using the LNL, with 223 rem.
I read about problems with the powder dispensers, not one with mine. switching calibers is as easy as ever with the LNL. The only thing I can see that the dillion has on the LNL is getting the cases to the shell plate.

 

[markr]

If it is that much better, how come other manufacturers are still very popular.I have shot some sub .25 inch groups using the LNL, with 223 rem.
I read about problems with the powder dispensers, not one with mine. switching calibers is as easy as ever with the LNL. The only thing I can see that the dillion has on the LNL is getting the cases to the shell plate.

I could only speculate as to the answer to that one...If you own one of the others it's probably like having an ugly baby...It's still your baby. I suspect if one could find the sales figures for the top four...Dillon would have a far and away lead.

 

[xr650rRider]

It could be that you think you have a hot girl friend, but your buddies giggle behind your back.

Any of them will do the job. When I bought mine in 1999, I could have bought the Dillon 550 for a little cheaper than I bought the Pro2000. I don't think the LNL was even out or didn't have much of a following then. It's what suits you nobody else. They all have the same warranty. I didn't like the Dillon because of the locator buttons. I intended to load rifle on it single stage even though I had a Rock Chucker then. I figured I would end up with more money in the Dillon due to setting up a toolhead with seperate powder measure for every caliber. The RCBS you pull 2 pins and change the die plate. If you need a different shell plate, you pull one allen screw. To change powders, it's as simple as dialing in the new powder charge with the micrometer adjustment.

You won't go wrong with either one. Some friends will think she's pretty and others won't.

 

[Ron10x]

I figured I would end up with more money in the Dillon due to setting up a toolhead with seperate powder measure for every caliber.

You do not need a seperate powder measure for each caliber. You can get by with just one and change the provided charge bars between the pistol and rifle sizes.

By using your dial caliper to measure the lenght of the adjustment bolt you can get close to a previous setting when the charge bar is changed.

Ron

 

[jonbearman]

The rcbs is a contraption imho. The dillon works the same way and changing the powder measure is as simple as 2 screws and a nut. By the way the buttons you speak of are there so you can remove a shell at each location to pull a bad component if you do notice something not quite right.You dont need more than 1 powder measure which comes with it.It takes 2 pins to remove the die plate as well.