Reloaders

[Shootinsurveyor]

Do any of you have any experience with the Lee progressive press? The Lee stuff I have used before worked pretty good. I mainly just want to volume reload 40 s&W with a little 308 and 243 later. I know its not a Dillon, but I am looking for the best value, not the best period.

[Eric in NC]

There is a recent review on the "member reviews" page.

I would say - save your money. The Lee turret press is a good item and saves some time over a single stage but if you want a progressive, the Dillon is the way to go.

BTW the Lee progressive won't handle 308/243 unless they have changed it recently. Last one I played with was pistol cartridges and 223 only.

[Rick_W]

My recommendation would be the Dillon 550B or the Hornady Lock N Load.

Leaning towards the 550B myself - simpler.

[viper9696]

I love my lock n load

[Shootinsurveyor]

Just found the review in the member reviews section. I can get 100 rounds of 40 Winchester white box at WM for 30 bucks. Haven't found it anywhere cheaper once shipping is figured in. I have a friend whose Dad just bought a Dillon, but they haven't loaded anything and don't know how to. I have done a little reloading for rifles, whereas they haven't done any of any type. I feel better just maybe getting something to load for myself. Maybe its not worth it to reload handgun if I can get it for the price I get it at. I have recently gotten into alot of pistol shooting and the only way I can see being able to take classes and shoot competitions is if I can reduce the cost of ammo.

[laportecharlie]

Once fired 40SW brass is available everywhere and its dirt cheap. If you go with a cast bullet or a cheaper jacketed bullet like the Zero brand you should be able to load for about a third of the cost of the WW white box. I use a Dillon 550B and love it. Have heard nothing but good reviews on the Hornady LNL You can't go wrong either way.
Charlie

[GaCop]

I've been loading on my Dillon 550 since I bought it in 1989. I do my 9mm, 45 ACP, 223 for AR-15 and 308 on my Dillon. I've had no major problems with the Dillon after loading thousands of rounds over the years.

[Rick_W]

I just picked up 1,000 pieces of .38 Special once fired brass for $100. One pound of powder costs about $20 and I'll much more than 1,000 shots out of it. 1,000 primers cost me about $35 a couple weeks ago. 1,000 cast lead 105 gr TC bullets cost me $62 including shipping.

The first 1,000 shouts will run me about .22 cents per shot.

The next 1,000 shots will only cost me about .10 cents per shot because I'll only need to buy new lead and primers.

The best thing (for me) about reloading is that I can taylor the loads for what I'm doing. Shooting Cowboy Action Shooting I don't want full-house loads. I drop the powder down to an acceptable level and have fun.

[Ledge]

Depending on what your intended reloading volume will be, a Dillon 550 is the way to go. It's more money than the Lee, but offers the best value in the long run, due to the lack of required tweaking during reloading. The thing just runs and runs. Dillon's no BS warranty policy, and their fantastic customer service is also well worth the extra cash. I have reloaded thousands and thousands of .223's, .40 s&w, 9mm, and .45 ACP on mine, and my only regret is that I didn't buy a 650 instead, due to the volume that I reload.

[frank1947]

Hornady for money is best value a dillon does not do anything more hen the hornady does
Rick W that was alot of money for 38spl brass try here http://shop.topgunss.com

[Rick_W]

Rick W that was alot of money for 38spl brass try here http://shop.topgunss.com

Yeah, but I was in the area and "needed" some brass. :-\

It supports a local gun shop so I don't feel too bad about it, but I won't be buying any more unless he drops the price down to par with what I can order it online for.

I'm stocking up on brass now so I don't get in this position again (if I can help it).

[Warthog]

I like my Dillon 650. I am learning that 308 is a lot more work to reload than my 357 or 380. Also the handgun cases last longer. One advantage of hand loading it that I can load 357 cases to 38SPL levels for practice and not get that ring from using shorter cases. I also load reduced recoil 308 loads for my wife (10 grains of Titegroup 168 gr 308 bullet) which is sub-sonic and more like shooting a 22. I use X-treem plated bullets for my 380 and 38SPL loads to save money and not get lead fouling.

I have had some problems with the Dillon, but most were due to me being new to reloading. The staff is very helpful and replaced stuff free of charge.

[Ben-in-WA]

I have a Lee Classic Turret press and have been very happy with it. So far I have loaded 358 Mag, 38 Special, 40 S&W, and 223 Rem on the press. I can't say enough good things about it.

I have found loading 40 S&W for a semi-auto the most challenging reloading I have ever tried. I mostly load for rifles and have been happy with the results. The pistol ammo I have loaded all functions, but I have had trouble getting a major power factor using 165gr bullets. Once I shoot up my 165gr bullets I am going to try 180 gr bullets. Another challenge is that my light target loads seem to burn dirty making it necessary to clean my gun every 100 rounds or so. I guess my point is that I have found reloading 40S&W a little of a challenge and still need to try some new stuff.

Once you develop a good rythem with the Lee Classic Turret press you can reload pretty fast. I can get about 200 rounds an hour.

-Ben

[Monkeymaster]

Lee progressive 1000
The only thing it did for me was to get my blood pressure up.
The primer loading was not good.
The powder drop and the stackable plastic powder load disks was not good.
The bullet holding fingers was not good.
I am being VERY NICE by saying not good.
I honestly could load as fast with my rock chucker.
Now Lee dies Are Great, have several sets, no problems whatso ever there.
I personally bought a dillon 550, and it is honestly 6 to 8 x's better than the pro 1000 progresive.
Save your coins, go with anything but the pro 1000 ! Try buying a used dillion, they have a no bs warrenty.
Just my opion.
Good Luck

[dolomite_supafly]

I bought a Lee 1000 for $50 that had been refurbished.

I tried over and over again to get it to run right but finally settled into the fact it wouldn't run well enough to do a complete loading cycle. Now I just use it to deprime and size brass or throw powder and seat bullets. I would not even fool myself into thinking I could do all that together.

It works well as long as you don't have great expectations.

Dolomite

[marchboom]

Go with the Dillon (550 or 650) or the Hornady LNL AP. These are quality machines with great warranties. Don't think that all machines are the same except for price. Lee machines are cheaper for a reason. Go to a store and look at one. You will see the difference. You will spend way too much time readjusting, fixing, etc, this machine. Quality reloading machines will hold their settings. As said above, Lee dies are great, especially their collet die.

Not so much on this forum, but on others Lee reloading machine owners will defend their machines to the death. Those who state the truth about Lee machines are called names, called ignorant, etc. But they are definitely not called cheap. They defend Lee machines like smokers defend cigarettes.

Save your money until you can afford a better machine. You will thank yourself latter on.

[GaCop]

I've loaded on my 550 since 1989. Other than two minor parts that needed replacing (because of my stupidity) it's been chugging along for many thousands of rounds. Over the years, I've set up four individual tool heads with pistol dies and Dillon powder measures so caliber changes are quick and easy.

Before I retired from Law Enforcement, I was out department training officer/firearms instructor. I loaded all our 40 caliber and .223 qualification/practice ammo on a Dillon 1050. Qualification ammunition was checked on a Pact chronograph to insure our velocities were close, if not equal to the velocity of duty ammunition. The only down side to the 1050 is caliber changes are a royal pain and take about 20 minutes.