What presses does everyone use....

[bottlerocket]

and how do you like them? I have a Dillon SDB and a Lyman Spar-T.

The Dillon SDB is a great little press as long as all you wanna do is pistol calibers. It can crank out ammo at a crazy rate, but its like a racecar. It seems like if the slightest adjustment is off in its mechanism it all goes to hell in a hurry. When its set up properly it does an amazing job at putting rounds together. My only real complaint is the powder measure hates extruded cylinder powder like IMR800X but otherwise no real issues. It also doesn't use standard size dies, just proprietary Dillon ones. Again, a con there but not really to me. It does a job well.

The Spar-T is a cool little press, was great to learn on. 6 place turret so I could have 2 calibers fully set up and ready to go. I have heard issues of turret presses being weak up top and flexing, but I haven't had any issues. Its been great thus far other than it can be picky of the lock rings you use since the dies are kinda close together.

[Nash B.]

Lee Challenger. First and only press I've bought, slow and tedious but I plan on eventually getting a turret and a Dillon 550, maybe 650, in the near future.

[Roger]

I have a single stage Redding Big Boss press. I like it but it's kind of a slow tedious process. I've been considering either a turrent or a progressive in the future for higher volume calibers.

[Vanner27]

I use the RCBS Rockchucker. I load up .308, .303 british, and a few pistol rounds. Does everything I need it to do and saves me quite a bit of money.

[CJ]

Dillon, only press I would recommend. The SDB is nothing like a RL550B as far as finicky behavior. My RL550 runs very smooth and quick, very little problems and I'm about ~75,000 rounds through it by now and I've only had to replace a few parts (which were 100% free and covered by Dillon).

[momo]

i want to buy a dillion rl550b but the prices to get started start adding up fast. there are too many options!

[slowyellow]

I have a Dillon XL650, freakin' awesome press. That is what I use to crank out a lot of 9MM and it does a great job of it.

I also just got a Lee Challenger to hand load rifle rounds. I really like the breech lock feature. Very easy to change out calibers without having to re-adjust the dies.

I know it's a little backwards as far as getting the progressive and then the single stage, lol. I can tell you that after going from the 650 to the lee I have a whole new appreciation for the 650.

[BajaBob]

RL550b for me too. Just started a month ago. Got mine used so I had to buy some stuff from Dillon for them to like me, once I did they started sending me free stuff. Works flawlessly now.

9mm (2k), .45 (1k), .45lc (100), .308 (none yet), .223 (none yet), .38/.357(500).

Have three, I kid you not, three -5 gallon buckets full of unsorted brass and five large ziplock bags of cleaned (not trimmed) .223. My friend's dad own's a local gun range and he sells me brass at a dollar a pound.

[bottlerocket]

Dillon, only press I would recommend. The SDB is nothing like a RL550B as far as finicky behavior. My RL550 runs very smooth and quick, very little problems and I'm about ~75,000 rounds through it by now and I've only had to replace a few parts (which were 100% free and covered by Dillon).

So you'd suggest the RL500B over the Hornady LnL AP? I am looking to step up from the turret press and both of those have caught my eye

[dee]

An antique RCBS single stage works great but slow.

[CJ]

So you'd suggest the RL500B over the Hornady LnL AP? I am looking to step up from the turret press and both of those have caught my eye

I would personally. If you want an auto indexer, I'd get the 650. Dillons are the Cadillac of the presses.

[03trubluGT]

I had a RCBS Rockchucker, and it worked great for reloading single stage competition .308.

I used a RCBS piggyback for .40 and .38/.357.

When I get another press, it will be a Dillon.


Lee will work, I have a friend that has reloaded hundreds of thousands of rounds on that thing. It has more lateral play than Rupual, but works.

My RCBS was very reliable, but the piggyback had quirks.

I have a friend with a Dillon that swears by it. Break a part and they will ship you a new one, no questions asked.

[svauto-erotic855]

I have a few Hornady and RCBS single stage O-presses, a Hornady LNL and a Dillon 650. For loading match rifle ammo I stick to the single stage presses.

[slowyellow]

Lee will work, I have a friend that has reloaded hundreds of thousands of rounds on that thing. It has more lateral play than Rupual, but works.

Does he know about lee's refurb program? They will refurbish any of their presses for 1/2 of current msrp of that press.

[CJ]

Does he know about lee's refurb program? They will refurbish any of their presses for 1/2 of current msrp of that press.

yeah that kinda sucks. It all depends on how much you plan to reload. I like Lee's products, I prefer their crimp dies and I like their pistol dies for the money. But their presses just don't seem as fluid as the Dillons, and their warranty doesn't compare. Redding is another company that makes great products. I use their carbide dies for all my high volume pistol. I've got 75k through my Dillon and it's still so tight I can't even measure play anywhere in it. Only thing I've broke was my powder charge safety arm, which literally worn through a 1/8" steel rod. Dillon sent me a new one free, along with a refurb kit whenever I might need it.