What type of reloading press do you use?

[Ad Astra]

No you don't save money at all. Lol.

I started out with this:

View attachment 1064948

And, a year later, ended up with this:

View attachment 1064949

View attachment 1064951

This includes 3 presses, 2 Lee's and 1 RCBS. I have since added another casting pot for pure lead M/L bullets. I cast and load for 10 different calibers. Reloading is worse for me than shaving is for most on here.

+1! Does look familiar.

Lee molds: affordable, but I find them harder to work with, myself. Aluminum is finicky. Lyman/steel retains heat longer ...


AA

 

[Brian C.]

+1! Does look familiar.

Lee molds: affordable, but I find them harder to work with, myself. Aluminum is finicky. Lyman/steel retains heat longer ...


AA

I've heard others say that but I've never had any issues with mine, even when casting in the garage in the winter.

 

[Ad Astra]

I've heard others say that but I've never had any issues with mine, even when casting in the garage in the winter.

Hard to say, but I've had better luck with the Lee molds in .452 than .356-7-8. Maybe larger projos work better in aluminum.


AA

 

[ShaverAZ]

I still use the old Spar-T turret press I got as a kid when I began reloading in the late '60's. I use it today for pistol calibers.

My "Newer" press is an older All-American Turret press, used for rifle calibers today.

As for bullet molds, I have a few Lyman steel molds that I've had since waay back when they were more affordably priced. I also have around a dozen Lee molds. The oldest is a hollow-base .54 cal minie mold from 1977, and the rest from throughout the decades up to my last from a year or 2 ago. All still perform as new, requiring reasonable care in use, just occasional cleaning and minimal carbon soot smoking to produce flawless bullets.

 

[Whiterook]

Vintage presses .. vintage razors, it's all good!

 

[Rudy Vey]

Dillon! Two 550s here, one for large and one for small primers. I also have a Lee Turret which I used for some years, but the Dillon is much faster. Have friends with 650 presses, but they have some issues with the priming system; no wonder that Dillon chose the 550 system for their new 750 press. On my 550s I never had a problem, but I also use the Primer Track Bearing plate with the ball bearings and have Inline lights installed plus use Armanov Powder throw adjustments.

 

[Esox]

The worst press I ever used was the old Lee Hand Press, what a machine. A friend that shot an old Swedish Mauser in 6.5 even used to bring it woodchuck shooting because he always ran out lol. Even it worked well though.

My brother in law and I wore out a Lee hand priming tool and promptly bought another. They worked good but the plastic inside the handle wears.

 

[Ad Astra]

The worst press I ever used was the old Lee Hand Press, what a machine. A friend that shot an old Swedish Mauser in 6.5 even used to bring it woodchuck shooting because he always ran out lol. Even it worked well though.

My brother in law and I wore out a Lee hand priming tool and promptly bought another. They worked good but the plastic inside the handle wears.

View attachment 1065178

I use the same. I'm funny about priming ... Meaning, particular and edgy. Safety glasses etc.


AA

 

[Esox]

I use the same. I'm funny about priming ... Meaning, particular and edgy. Safety glasses etc.


AA

Dont forget to clean those primer pockets either! Thats a good way to get misfires and hangfires. Lessons learned the hard way.

I'm not sure theres anything worse than seeing this after a loud click lol.

 

[Ad Astra]

Dont forget to clean those primer pockets either! Thats a good way to get misfires and hangfires. Lessons learned the hard way.

I'm not sure theres anything worse than seeing this after a loud click lol.

View attachment 1065197

Ah, the white flag of Adios! I have seen it!

No, I use a precision screwdriver for cleaning primer pockets. So many steps; I want my ammo now!

Have the chamfer tool too.

So far, most people have a single stage press? Interesting. Love the turret press and it's loaded when I'm working.


AA

 

[simon1]

The old indestructible RCBS Rock Chucker I've had since the late '70s. Used to do a lot of hot rodding for the .41 mag. Sometimes when I look at the labels I put on the old cartridge boxes with the load data on it I get scared.

 

[nortac]

Stock Dillon powder measure adjustment bolt.

 

[nortac]

Mr. Dial replacement knob.

 

[nortac]

Uniquetek micrometer replacement for the stock bolt.

Note that the sharpie markings on the side of the charge bar have nothing to do with the Uniquetek micrometer. Before installing the micrometer, I had used a standard 6 in. micrometer to measure the adjustment range of the charge bar, but that proved imprecise and impractical. Uniquetek has an Excel template to download, which you can calibrate the micrometer with a given powder and supposedly accurately predict other charge weight adjustments on the micrometer. I have yet to try it though.

 

[nortac]

Taylor Tactical Supply replacement knob, the least expensive option that I have tried.

 

[nortac]

There are certainly other options for upgrading the adjustment bolt on the Dillon powder measure. I remember reading about an inexpensive knob you can buy for less than a dollar at the hardware store.

 

[Whiterook]

I like the Entirely Crimson quick change adapter for the Dillon powder measures. It makes emptying out the powder that much easier. Just pull the handle and lift it off the die. I have all my Dillon PMs outfitted with one.

 

[OkieStubble]

I have learned more from this thread about the ins and outs of reloading then I did taking an 8 hour basic reloading class a few months back that cost $120.

 

[nortac]

I like the Entirely Crimson quick change adapter for the Dillon powder measures. It makes emptying out the powder that much easier. Just pull the handle and lift it off the die. I have all my Dillon PMs outfitted with one.

Link? I have the Uniquetek Powder Measure Drain -N-Change tool, but have not made use of it much. I have a powder measure for each tool head, so I don't change powders all that often. I really don't see the problem of just removing the whole tool head and dumping out the powder. It's not like you lose any adjustments or anything, but it is awkward. I know I shouldn't, but I tend to leave powder in my powder measures for often used calibers/loads.

 

[nortac]

I have learned more from this thread about the ins and outs of reloading then I did taking an 8 hour basic reloading class a few months back that cost $120.

That's the whole purpose of this thread!