Single Stage vs. Progressive...Which one should I buy?

If you are not loading a lot, then the single stage is the way to go. I have a Dillon 550 set up for 45 ACP. As HM stated, the ball powder in a Dillon is the way to go.

Also, on the Dillon, I use RCBS or REdding dies. You can set up your REdding BR-30 powder measure on your Dillon, or set up your Dillon to actually pour your powder in from the top where you are measuring it on every round.

I am a freek in getting accurate powder charges in my cases, and feeling the tension needed to seat primers. Redding Competition dies or Forster Benchrest seaters take care of the bullet seating.

I also set up a Hornady Projector press where I did nothing but throw powder charges with the Redding br 30 and seat bullets.

If you hate changing out dies, then get another press or two. You do not need a rockchucker to neck size with or seat bullets with. When buying a used press of any kind, wiggle the ram back and forth to see how much play is in the ram which would indicate possible alignment issues. Old ratty looking rock chuckers that have not been used much are a real buy...keep the rams lubed and clean.

When I load at the rifle range, I carry two RCBS partnter presses to neck size and seat bullets with.

If you are just wanting to speed things up a bit, buy a lot of loading blocks, throw all your powder charges, then seat the bullets for all. Things go a lot quicker this way.
 
I have used a Dillon 550 for a few years loading 22-250 ammo and 22-250ai. I used a RCBS charge master for measuring the powder. I used redding comp dies and also seated the primers with the press. I had excellent accuracy and high production. Some people have the notion that you can not reload accurate ammo on a progressive press. They either did it wrong or have never done it. If your wanting to buy a progressive press to expand your arsenal, do it and dont look back. I love having to option to hammer out great ammo way faster if i need to.
 
For precision loading at a hunting volume, ~50rnds at a time, a Forster Co-Ax is the ticket.

I have multiple presses set up on my benches, a Lee single stage O press as a universal decapper, a Lee Turret for my high volume revolver loads, a Lee pro 1000 cheap progressive for AR and 9mm blasting ammo, a pair of Forster Co-Ax's to do my precision ammo, and a Redding T7 in case I want to make precision ammo a bit faster.

Having 2 Forster's set up is nice for the way I reload. For everything but my progressive, I really only do one or two loading steps at a time. I decap, resize, trim (when necessary), clean brass, prime by hand, and charge with a dispenser, checked with a beam balance. So when I come back to the press, I only have bullet seating and crimping (if any) to do - meaning I only really need two positions in the turret at the same time when I'm loading. For rounds I crimp, I set up the seater in one Co-Ax, then the crimper in the second - bang bang - loaded round, onto the next one.

I've had Dillon and RCBS progressives, great machines if you're reloading massive volumes of one cartridge. I'd love to give a Hornady ammo plant a run, but I shoot far too many cartridges to lock myself into that much equipment cost and that much time swapping from one cartridge to the next.

But a guy just loading a few hundred or few thousand rounds a year with the intent of precision hunting will do very well with a Forster Co-Ax.
 
I have a Dillon 650 with all the bells and whistles dedicated to .223/5.56 bulk plinking/societal breakdown ammo production. All hunting/precision ammo gets done in a single stage RCBS Rock chucker.
 
Buy a Forster co ax! I have a b3 and I couldn't have a better press. It's so easy To set up and manufacturer ammunition for all my different rifles. I also would strongly recommend using Forster ultra seating dies, because none of the the other dies work as well as Forster's dies do. And I would strongly recommend using the inline fabrication accessories for setting up the press! They work great with the Forster Co Ax B3 set up. You sure won't regret buying this press!
 
I have a Forster as well nice press but won't pull bullets with a collet style puller. I just use mine for smaller cases.
 
I've been following this thread also and was wondering if anybody has had any experience with the hornady quick change bushings.looks like that would help when changing dies with a single stage??
 
I use a 3-hole lee turret press as a single stage.
Have just that one lee press, but several turrets.
Keep each cartridge type on a separate turret that can be popped in/out quickly, for six rifle cartridges.
That way the dies stay adjusted when not in use, ready for the next go.
Most turrets have only full-resize die and a seating die.
The 300 blk also has a crimp die, so three are enough for me.
Have one turret dedicated to only a pill puller, since its tightening handle collides with any dies on that same turret.

sqrlgtr: I've heard the quick change bushings are more trouble than they are worth, think was from this forum.
 
Forster Co-Ax.....end of story. Only downside I have with it is that I wasted $100 on a Hornady concentricity checker before I bought the Forster. Now it just gathers dust in the closet.
 
My first press was / is a Redding Big Boss II. Love it. I wouldn't mind upgrading to the Redding T-7 Turret, but I guess I don't have the need.

My 2nd press is a Dillon Square Deal for .45acp and .45 colt (I have 2 different heads that I swap out).

Between those 2, I don't need anything else.
 
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Love my Hornady AP, but for match rifle reloading it's not much quicker than a single stage would be. All the steps are still separate. I can size brass at about the same rate as a single stage, and I can prime as quick as a tabletop priming station would do. Unless i'm reloading bulk, I weight out all my powder charges individually. I also clean my primer pockets so I won't go right from my sizing die to seating a primer as I would with pistol reloads. Really not a huge advantage for rifle unless you reloading bulk range ammo where consistency isn't imperative.

If you reload pistol, at all, the progressive really shines. If I did it all over again I'd still go with the progressive right off the bat, you're gaining alot of versatility and not loosing much if any when compared to a single stage.
 
Same discussion on a local forum and this come up...

"You can load Single stage on a Progressive, but you cant load Progressive on a single stage."
 
All I've used for loading everything since 1992 is a Dillon 550. Accuracy isn't a problem.

It does cost more to tool up for a new caliber than it does on a SS press though.
 
Originally Posted By: Stu FarishAll I've used for loading everything since 1992 is a Dillon 550. Accuracy isn't a problem.

It does cost more to tool up for a new caliber than it does on a SS press though.


^^^^^^^^^^I've loaded thousands of rounds of 308 & 30-06 match grade rounds between 1984 and 1999 and a bunch of sub moa .223 since on a Dillon 450. It is not difficult to obtain very uniform loads on the Dillons with a little practice.

Regards,
hm
 
if you already have a single stage, get a progressive and mount it on the bench next to the single. then you have the luxury of both worlds. I eventually plan to upgrade my lee single stage to a hornady so i can use the same dies on either press without taking the bushings off.

99% of my loading is still done on my progressive, and if i'm making hunting ammo, i just hand weigh the charges.


i rarely run true "full progressive" as i often do my prep in multiple stages. doing pistol ammo is as close as i get (i do decap before cleaning first).

brass will go through my progressive twice for prep (once with just universal decapper pre cleaning) and then again for a final loading round. with a case feeder in play this is a VERY workable solution as far as efficiency goes.
 
For low volume like you're doing the cost of a progressive doesn't make much sense to me. I agree with others about the co-ax press, I love mine. Precision ammo can be loaded on a progressive, lots of top competitors load their ammo on progressives.
 
Forster Co-Ax with Forster Dies. Buy once, cry once, keep your field dressing knife sharp cause your gonna need it!
wink.gif
 
I do most of my loading on a Lee Cast Classic Turret press but use it as a single stage. It's a four hole Turret and the heads just pop in and out. I have eight turrets set up for fourteen cartridges.

For heavy case forming and some oddball cartridges I have a Lyman Crusher single stage.

I also have a cheap little Lee C press on the bench just for breaking down ammo, never load anything on it, the bullet puller stays in it all the time just change collets and shell holders.

This seems to work well for me. I've had a number of presses on the bench over the years(50+ reloading). I have no plans to change any time soon.
 
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