Here we kick off a series of write up on the basic tools of reloading along with my recommendations. Getting into the hobby, or upgrading existing tools, can be a daunting task as there is a rainbow of colors, price points and tools out there.
Heaven knows anyone who has been in this hobby for a while has accumulated a drawer of tools that seemed to be the Bee’s Knees at the time, but have fallen into disuse. Hopefully we can save you some of that pain.
I try and follow the “Buy Once, Cry Once” montra. This means that many of the presses, equipment, and supporting tools may be more expensive, but they will last a lifetime to the hobby handloader. They are will also remain relevant no matter the experience level of the handloader.
Where to Start – Single Stage Presses
A reloaders press is the centerpiece of the reloading bench. You will be using this tool the most during reloading, and substantial thought should be given on what press you select. You want something ergonomic, easy to use, quick to set up dies in, and gives good feedback and feel.
For someone just getting started, it is generally recommended you stay away from progressive presses. These are presses that do multiple operations for each stroke of the ram.
I say this now, but in the interest of full disclosure, when I got into reloading, I did so with a Lee Pro 1000 press. I loaded 1000’s of rounds with this, but the learning curve was steep, and I spent a lot of time fiddling with the press to get it to work, while not completely understanding every operation. I loaded my fair share of squibs and duds, which can be quite dangerous, thus from experience I cannot say enough to try and dissuade you from following in my footsteps.
Single stage presses have long been the workhorse of the handloading/reloading community. These presses come in different styles, C-Frame, O-Frame, and some that boast universal shell holders, others that are completely upside down (I’m looking at you RCBS Summit). While there seems to be much debate on what press is better, I have a strong suspicion that is all superfluous. For the most part I relegate all single stage presses to utility presses. They are used when I want to do a dirty, or specific task and don’t want to sacrifice room my turret press.
To be completely honest, I am not as big fan of most single stage presses. For the simple reason that like to set up a die once and leave it. I know that Quick Change Bushing are now a thing, but for the cost of a bunch bushings and a press I can get a Turret press. So what single stage press do I like? Well it’s going to surprise you…
There are some shortcomings to this press, and I wish LEE Precision or someone with means would address them. This press works great but it isn’t kind on the hands when processing lots of brass. Also the ram fills up with primers faster then you might expect and can jam the shell holder in the ram. This can take a bit of finesse to get free. However I live with these shortcomings as hand press allows me decap brass, and size the cases all while seated in my favorite lazy boy watching TV. For the price ($60) it is easily one of my most used presses.
At minimum I like to use this press for depriming. Spent primers have carbon, ground glass, and other abrasives that can introduce wear and tear on expensive presses. I much prefer doing the dirty operations on “Sacrificial” utility equipment rather then doing it on my nice presses. (My exception is pistol brass which gets fed through the Dillion 550 and I just clean it.)
The Lee Hand Press packs nicely in a 50 Cal ammo can. You can build yourself a portable reloading kit to go to the range in one of those ammo cans and do some development work right there on the bench.
There is one hand press I would love to try. That is the Buchanan Precision Machine Hand Press. However I cannot justify the expense for something that I simply use to deprime and size brass.
(I do own another single stage press, but it is purpose built for bullet swaging. This is the Corbin Megamite 2 press. This press weighs 70lbs can reload, everything including 50bmg and 30x173mm Valcun, and also costs $1300+. )
As previously mentioned besides decapping, and some sizing, I really shy away from using single stage presses. I rather set up dies once and make slight, as needed adjustments, for that reason I am a big advocate of Turret presses. These presses have a head that can hold multiple dies, you rotate the head to move the die over the ram.
Turret presses also have replaceable heads. You can permanently set up your dies in these heads. When you need them, you swap out the head, check to make sure the die is set up properly, and then go. It’s usually a pretty simple and painless process. Lee make it a bit easier and provides a bit more automation, with the ability to turn the press into a semi-progressive press. Honestly, I’ve never used the feature, I typically batch load. Do one operation and then switch to the next die for the next.
Before you accuse me of being a big Lee Precision advocate, just note, most of my personal purchases have been constrained by my budget. There are presses that I have extensive time on, that I highly recommend, but come at a cost. The first and foremost of these is the Redding T7.
I truly believe that all of the reputable presses will load accurate and quality ammunition. This means that the ram to head alignment, the leverage, and the repeatability is there on all of the cheapest and the most expensive presses out there. What sets apart a $30 press from a $500 press is the “Feel”. This can be hard to describe, but as you seat a bullet you can feel all sorts of things. On a quality press, you can feel if the bullet is sliding smoothly into the case or if it is compressing powder, or the case mouth is scratching and digging into the bullet jacket. These are nuances that may be lost on someone new to reloading.
However with experience you will find that the “feel” will tell you if things are going right or wrong. If you didn’t expect to be loading a compressed load, and you feel that powder crunch, it could be a warning sign. If you want the utmost precision from your ammunition, you want to feel that bullet seating is the same every time, and that it’s not catching on burrs.
There is no doubt Turret presses cost more than their single stage counterparts. However I believe you will be happier with a turret press. It is worth the extra money. RCBS makes one, and it’s a quality press, but I never fell in love with it like I did with the T7.
Progressive Presses
I do not shoot enough rifle rounds to really justify having a progressive press. I can batch load several hundred rounds in the matter of a few hours, and that’s enough ammunition to last me months, depending the caliber, years. Pistol is another story. Depending on the the caliber I can blow through 200-300 rounds in a day. In order to keep me on the shooting range and out of the reloading room I need a good progressive press.
As I previously mentioned I started with a Lee Pro 1000, this was because I knew the bulk of the ammunition I shot was pistol. I was fortunate, despite loading several squib loads, none of the loads caused serious damage to my gun, or to myself. Others might not be so fortunate, which is why it is recommended that you start with a single stage, or, my favorite, a turret press.
Progressive presses can be a different animal. There are alot of operations going on at once, and if they have an autoindex feature, they can really get complex. For this reason you are better off going with something that is well made. If you are not someone who is mechanically inclined, progressive presses can be frustrating, even the well made ones.
The Lee Pro 1000, had it’s issues. It has since been redesigned and released, and I cannot speak to it’s newer counterpart. I have since gotten rid of that press and upgraded to the Dillon 550.
This press has been easy to use, and has just worked. I have had very few issues with the press. My biggest complaint is changing out to a different caliber. The most efficient way is to have a seperate powder dispenser for each tool head, but that will cost you over $100 per head. There is one thing that almost turned me off from the Dillon 550 and that was the lack of an auto index. However I have come to enjoy this feature. It lessens the complexity of the press, and I do not feel that it handicaps my production rate.
I cannot give honest reviews of the Hornady Lock-n-Load AP press, or the RCBS Pro Chucker 5, as I have no direct experience using those presses. They may be every bit as good as the Dillon 550. Progressive presses go up in complexity the more you add to them. Case Feeders, Bullet Feeders, Auto Case trimmers, powder checkers, are all fine and dandy but how much time do you want to spend adjusting, verses how much time do you want to spend loading? Unless you are a high volume shooter (10,000+) rounds per year of a specific load and caliber, don’t see the justification for the added expense and complexity, making sense.
I do think the Dillion BL 550 and at $300 is a worthwhile investment, as it is a stripped down 550 Press, and allows you to have some of the automation of a progressive press while simplifying the loading and priming to that of a turret press. You can then add things to this press as your experience grows. The downside is you are stuck using caliber conversion kits supplied by Dillion which are more expensive than using T-slot shell holders. I would consider adding this press, to my collection of presses to load some of the higher volume rifle calibers such as 308 Win, and 223 Win.
Bottom Line Press Recommendations
Just starting out on a budget, the Lee Classic Turret press is hands down my top recommendation for those on a budget for ~$125 its hard to beat. If your budget is a little larger, I would go for the Redding T7 Turret press. The build quality, the feel of the press and it’s larger tool head definitely justifies its ~$400 price tag.
As an auxiliary/utility single stage press, for decapping or sizing brass, the Lee Hand Press is pretty much the only affordable option out there. I have had mine for years and processed 10,000’s rounds with it. It still goes strong. You can find these for about ~$35. If you must have a bench mounted utility press, the Lee Challenger is a O-Frame Press which allows spent primers to drop through the ram. They can be had used for pretty cheap, but brand new they will run you ~$80 on Midway.
When looking to speed up production, the vast majority of shooters are going to be well served by the Dillon 550c. Based on my experience with the Lee Pro 1000, the Dillion is worth the extra money. With that said, I cannot give honest comparisons to the RCBS or Hornady options. However I am satisfied with the 550, and at ~$500 I recommend wholeheartedly to anyone else.
Remember reloading presses are the heart an soul of the reloading bench, and if you get into this hobby, or turn it into a profession, you will have multiple presses. I have 5 Presses alone, and will probably get a few more before I’m dead. This write up hopefully give some direction and thought into what press you might get for your first press, or if you’re looking for something more, your next press.