To go progressive or not...

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  • MikeSlater

    Sportsman 'N' Paradise
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    66   0   0
    Jun 23, 2010
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    Walker, LA
    Morning all!

    I am considering upgrading to a progressive press. Looking at the Lee loadmaster and a few others. Currently I have a turret and single stage press. I already have all the dies I need and what not. I guess one of my questions would be pertaining to the case and bullet feeders. Are they specific to the caliber of what your loading. Or do they work with multiple calibers?? I barely know enough about them to ask intelligent questions, but I want to kick my productivity up a notch. Any info would be helpful. Thanks!
     

    beauxdog

    Well-Known Member
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    10   0   0
    Sep 18, 2007
    3,867
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    Baton Rouge
    Do yourself a big favor & go Blue. Get a Dillon for years of trouble free loading.
    Once you go Blue you never go back To anything else.

    Bryan
    Louisiana Gun
     

    Vigilante Sniper

    Guns are my crack!!
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    Jan 28, 2009
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    LaPlace
    Do dillions use the same threads as rcbs and lee dies? I am assuming that a universal thing.
    You can use your dies with Dillon, only thing is the expander die is used with the powder measure and you need one for your particular caliber. Bryan sells Dillon and can set it up and teach you how to use it. The case feeder comes with either small pistol, large pistol, small rifle, or large rifle plates, you have to buy the second one. A bullet feeder is caliber specific, you have to have a kit for different calibers. You really don't need a bullet feeder unless you loading thousands of rounds, I use one for 9mm.

    Buy once, cry once, get the Dillon.
     
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    MikeSlater

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    Jun 23, 2010
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    Walker, LA
    Im a big believer in buy once, cry once. Will check it out, thanks for the info!
     

    sksshooter

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    Jul 28, 2008
    1,298
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    Walker, LA
    have either of you ever owned a loadmaster? i ask because i read that a lot however i'm a member of several reloading forums and i gotta say i see more broken frames posts on dillons than any of them. i had and sold a dillon and am looking at buying a loadmaster as well. part of the deciding factor is knowing several folks who own and use loadmasters successfully. the other part is i can just about buy a complete loadmaster setup for 1 caliber for the cost of a quickchange setup for 1 caliber for the 550.
     

    MikeSlater

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    Jun 23, 2010
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    Walker, LA
    I have been looking at the loadmaster, kind of leaning towards Lee as 99% of my dies are lee, i already have multiple lee powder measures and pretty much everything is Lee. Also looking at the lee 4000. Havent decided yet, but I want to try and not have to rebuy as much as possible. I may just go with a loadmaster without any dies and just add the case feeder and what not. Unless it gets up there in price with one that comes with them. In that case I will just sell the die set it comes with.
     
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    Tboy

    Moving forward
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    Jul 14, 2008
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    If you like to tinker and continue tinkering with things to keep them working, the loadmaster will suit you well. I started out buying one and sent it back after the first week. That was several years ago.

    I went with Hornady AP for no major reason over the blue one. Hornady has been great with customer support and helped me out every time I had an issue.

    I do use the lee powder measure on the Hornady. I prefer it over the one that came with it.
     

    MikeSlater

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    Jun 23, 2010
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    Havent really had to tinker with my lee turret press, adjust the timing once, but nothing other than that. I am sure progressive presses might require more tinkering. But I do like to tinker anyway. Lol. I have come to realize that asking someone what press is best is like asking them ford or chevy.
     

    Tboy

    Moving forward
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    Jul 14, 2008
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    I have come to realize that asking someone what press is best is like asking them ford or chevy.

    Ford then Toyota of course. But you’re right.

    If I were buying again today I’d consider the blue one. But my AP runs just fine still.
     

    MikeSlater

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    Jun 23, 2010
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    Walker, LA
    Lol, yea I do a good bit of my work off the press anyway (depriming,priming,swaging etc), might just stick with what I have also.
     

    340six

    -Global Mod-
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    Apr 12, 2012
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    Kenner, La
    Lol, yea I do a good bit of my work off the press anyway (depriming,priming,swaging etc), might just stick with what I have also.

    I De-Cap on a single. Also, Swag Primer Pockets on Military Brass as well Seat Hard ti Seat Gas Checks with Spacial Dies just for that. May end up Swaging Brass into Bullet with one of the Steel RCBS Press's have.
    Go Dillon, Hornady, or RCBS if Progressive.
    This guy has a bunch of set up videos and shows different kinds. Stay away from Lee.
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9q5g_4gZ76p7fFDwD6XY2A
     

    340six

    -Global Mod-
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    Apr 12, 2012
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    Funny that you post his videos. Ive qatched quite a number of his videos and dont recall him having any issues with the load masster.
    https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=TjeyRAKtG3g
    Sorry posted him as he reviews all kinds. So he cans see all brands in action.
    I know of one guy who had the Lee and he always he to stop and fix thiis or that.
    I saw lots if guy's on other site's sat same thing.
    Enough to make me not buy one.
    He may do alright with none.
     

    beauxdog

    Well-Known Member
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    10   0   0
    Sep 18, 2007
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    Baton Rouge
    Most dies are of the 7/8 X 14 thread pattern. There is a few for some very large rounds that are bigger than the standard size. Dillon SDB & Star use a Proprietary die size due to the tool head size.
    I have never seen a frame break on a Dillon but I have broken the bottom linkage on mine. It was 28 years old at the time and Dillon sent me another one out no questions asked. I have 2 - RL-550Bs and until yesterday 2 - XL-650s. I bought my first on 30 years ago. The second one I picked up used & I don’t know how old it is but the original owner had it before I owned one.
    We have been selling Dillon machines for over 15 years. We have had a lot of folks switch from Lee to Dillon but we have never had anyone switch from Dillon machine to a Lee Unit.

    Bryan
     

    Vigilante Sniper

    Guns are my crack!!
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    Jan 28, 2009
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    Most dies are of the 7/8 X 14 thread pattern. There is a few for some very large rounds that are bigger than the standard size. Dillon SDB & Star use a Proprietary die size due to the tool head size.
    I have never seen a frame break on a Dillon but I have broken the bottom linkage on mine. It was 28 years old at the time and Dillon sent me another one out no questions asked. I have 2 - RL-550Bs and until yesterday 2 - XL-650s. I bought my first on 30 years ago. The second one I picked up used & I don’t know how old it is but the original owner had it before I owned one.
    We have been selling Dillon machines for over 15 years. We have had a lot of folks switch from Lee to Dillon but we have never had anyone switch from Dillon machine to a Lee Unit.

    Bryan

    I agree with Bryan, had one of my presses over 30 years, started with RCBS, then Lyman, then Dillon. I own a 550 and 2 650's.
     

    Joe504

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    Oct 20, 2012
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    I started with Lee, I have had most of their presses, including the lee loadmaster. I used it for years, and was never comfortable with the powder dispenser.

    Eventually I replaced the lee powder dispenser with a hornady, and its accompanying case activation.

    That solved a bunch of problems.

    I fell into a deal that gave me 2 RL550's. One set up for large primers, one for small.

    I sold all my Lee stuff the week after I started using the Dillons.

    I may never have started reloading without Lee being so economical, but I should have parted was once I wanted to go past a turret press.

    Yes, the Dillons are expensive, but, I am shocked at how easy they are to use. Once adjusted, they are set for good. I can make more ammo in the same 1 to 2 hour time frame with my 550's than I could make with the Loadmaster. Maybe the lee would be better if I ran it for longer than and hour and a half, but I'm not sure.

    If the 550 is in your price range, I would whole heartedly encourage it.

    Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
     

    MikeSlater

    Sportsman 'N' Paradise
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    Jun 23, 2010
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    Walker, LA
    Im going to do my due diligence researching them, hard to tell with Dillon exactly what you get, all the ones I see for sale are loaded with optional stuff which double the price of the press. Can I use my lee powder through dies and powder measures with the dillon? Thanks for the replies!
     
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    Jgarris11

    Active Member
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    Jan 19, 2010
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    I had a Lee loadmaster, and a Hornsby progressive press and now a Dillon 550. The Lee loadmaster was the worst out of all of them. I sold it for 50.00 dollars just to get rid of it. The priming system sucks and is always hanging up and breaking so make sure you have a few extras on hand. The powder measure is inconsistent. Varying up to 1.0 grain per load. The Hornady was alright but I had a chance to buy a 550 for a deal and I just like it better. Never had an issue with it going on 15 years with it. I use Lee, rcbs and Dillon does on it with no problems. Since you need a Dillon caliber conversion that comes with the funnel to flare the case there is no need for the Flaring die that comes with most dies.
     

    mickey

    SSST
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    Sep 27, 2008
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    Most dies are of the 7/8 X 14 thread pattern. There is a few for some very large rounds that are bigger than the standard size.
    Bryan
    :D
    8138b2abb7363845f4ea825ec59abc26.jpg
     
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