| Posted: Mon Sep 14th, 2009 01:36 AM |
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NorthPoint
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I've recently caught the bug of shooting steel plates with .40. I have experience reloading shotgun and am researching presses for pistol and rifle.
I'm thinking I'd like to get a dillon 550, but the budget won't allow for it at the moment. I'm considering a lee hand press to get me going.
I have two questions:
1. Can I purchase dillon dies that will fit the lee for the time being? (or should I get lee dies, can I use them on the dillon later)
2. Should I just hold off and then 'bite the bullet' and buy the dillon when the budget allows?
Thanks for any advice.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14th, 2009 02:22 AM |
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leadhead
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Some dillon presses use proprietary dies but I think the 550 will use standard 7/8-14 tpi dies. I load using an rcbs rock chucker single stage press, which I recommend (and had recommended to me) before going on to the progressives as you get to understand the process better.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14th, 2009 02:30 AM |
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leadhead
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A lee or lyman, hornandy, redding single stage or turret press would also work well. The rcbs I got in a master reloader kit which had everything I needed to get started except powder, primers, brass, and bullets.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14th, 2009 02:02 PM |
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Bigdog57
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The inexpensive Lee Turret Press is fairly quick at producing good accurate pistol ammo, once you get some practice and devlop your 'system'. 
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| Posted: Mon Sep 14th, 2009 08:31 PM |
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Charley
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The Dillon Square Deal B uses Dillon's oddball size, the 550B is 7/8x14, which is pretty much standard today. I use Lee dies in my 550B, no problems at all.
Lee's hand press, while good for many things, isn't going to be blazing fast. Going to be tough to load enough ammo to really get into volume shooting. I agree with BigDog, the Lee turret will not break the bank, but will still let you load in some volume. It isn't a heavy duty lifetime press ( I wore one sloppy after about 15 years!), it wil last a lot longer than the naysayers let on. After you get your Dillon, you will still find a turret or single stage press handy for a lot of uses, so don't worry about it sitting neglected on the bench.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20th, 2009 04:29 AM |
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Gray Wolf
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Dillon dies cost a little more, but they have added features that make them well worth the money. they have a separate die for crimping, and the bullet seater plug is easily removed for cleaning without needing readjustment after it is reassembled.
I wish someone had told me way back when I started reloading to just buy a Dillon. I would have saved the cost of the Dillon many times over, and not had the frustration of dealing with lesser machines!
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20th, 2009 02:05 PM |
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Busted
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"I agree with BigDog, the Lee turret will not break the bank, but will still let you load in some volume. It isn't a heavy duty lifetime press ( I wore one sloppy after about 15 years!), it wil last a lot longer than the naysayers let on."
You would have a much harder time wearing the current Classic Turret sloppy. It has the same cast steel body and larger diameter ram of the Classic Cast, much bigger, stronger and more durable than the older alum alloy framed presses. And the price is very little more.
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20th, 2009 03:23 PM |
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miestro_jerry
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I think Dillon from time to time, offer you the ability to pay for a press in 3 payments. You might want to give them a call and ask.
1-800-762-3845
Jerry
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| Posted: Sun Sep 20th, 2009 03:29 PM |
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Charley
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You would have a much harder time wearing the current Classic Turret sloppy. It has the same cast steel body and larger diameter ram of the Classic Cast, much bigger, stronger and more durable than the older alum alloy framed presses. And the price is very little more.
I know, I currently have a Classic Cast Turret. I use it for case forming as well as handloading. Doubt I'm going to wear it out in my lifetime.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 21st, 2009 01:36 AM |
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BigJakeJ1s
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Dillon dies work very well in Dillon presses, where they spend all their time locked in place on a tool head, but some of their features do not work so well in single stage presses.
Dillon die sets don't come with an expander die for pistol cartridges. You'd have to buy a special powder die, and a separate "powder funnel" for your specific cartridge.
Dillon lock rings do not have set screws or anything else to hold them in place while the die is not in the press. Every time you replace a die in your single stage press, you'll have to set it up from scratch.
Dillon seating dies do not have separate seating depth adjustment screws, so you have to screw the entire die in/out to adjust seating depth (and loosen/tighten the lock ring). True, they do disassemble for cleaning without changing the setting, but so do Hornady seating dies. And Hornady seaters have a sliding alignment sleeve for easier placement of bullets prior to seating, an optional micrometer adjustment screw, and excellent cross-bolt lock rings.
Finally, if you want to seat and crimp in one step (a time saver on a single stage press), you can do that with a Hornady (or most other brand) seating die, but not with a Dillon seating die.
You might want to take a look at the Hornady LNL AP progressive press too. Hornady offers 1000 free bullets with the purchase of the LNL AP, which goes a long way towards making it more affordable. It has the features and quality of the 650 (and a few more), at a 550 price (before the free bullets are counted).
Andy
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| Posted: Wed Sep 23rd, 2009 01:01 AM |
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Thecyberguy
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I have had and used a Lee turret press for many years. I never went for extreme accuracy , so I do not know how it stacks up with the more expensive presses, but I have loaded 1000's of rounds from 38 special to 6.5 Swede. I love the thing. I have a turret for each caliber and get them set and leave em. Just swap the turret when I want to change calibers. You can get set up pretty cheaply through Cabelas or Midway.
The auto index it a bit fussy to get working properly, but is good for short cases. The press can be used nearly as fast without it.
For plinking I put the Lee powder measure on it. For more accurate and larger calibers, I use my scale and weigh each load.
Have good one, Guy
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| Posted: Wed Sep 23rd, 2009 10:11 AM |
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Bigdog57
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I don't use the auto-indexing on my turret press - never could get it adjusted quite right. I like doing all one operation anyways - size all cases in the batch, then flare all, prime all with hand primer tool, then load powder and seat bullet for each case. Being a mainframe batch programmer, this just comes naturally. 
I just got the Lee Auto Disk powder measure, and will use it for high-volume loading. Since it has to be screwed onto the flaring die, it won't be as much 'plug&play as my turret sets. Might get another, and keep one on the .38 Special and one on the .45ACP turrets. Use the Perfect Powder Measure for smaller batches of other calibers.
Just got Lee's "Modern Reloading" handbook too - an excellent resource! For newbie or expert. Lots of load data!
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| Posted: Wed Sep 23rd, 2009 12:13 PM |
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fryboy
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Bigdog57 wrote:
I don't use the auto-indexing on my turret press - never could get it adjusted quite right. I like doing all one operation anyways - size all cases in the batch, then flare all, prime all with hand primer tool, then load powder and seat bullet for each case. Being a mainframe batch programmer, this just comes naturally.
I just got the Lee Auto Disk powder measure, and will use it for high-volume loading. Since it has to be screwed onto the flaring die, it won't be as much 'plug&play as my turret sets. Might get another, and keep one on the .38 Special and one on the .45ACP turrets. Use the Perfect Powder Measure for smaller batches of other calibers.
Just got Lee's "Modern Reloading" handbook too - an excellent resource! For newbie or expert. Lots of load data!
they make a part to help alleviate that ...it's called a swivel adapter
scroll down a bit on this page
http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1253707681.893=/html/catalog/powhan1.html
i love lee's powder measures for pistols !! as for lee's book ...the reloading data as always bears cross checking tho
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| Posted: Wed Sep 23rd, 2009 01:29 PM |
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swampshooter
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For a limited budget I'll give the Lee turret press . I have my Dillon 550 set-up for varmint rifle and target rifle cartridges and my Dillon Square Deal B set up for .45acp, other pistol and revolver cartridges get loaded on a Lee turret press, and other rifle cartridges get loaded on an RCBS Rockchucker.
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| Posted: Wed Sep 23rd, 2009 01:34 PM |
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-6
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My Lyman TMax has six holes for dies/powder. Am going to change the 38 and 45 dies around and add two more dies for another caliber instead of using it for the Lee powder dispenser. wc
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| Posted: Sat Sep 26th, 2009 08:02 PM |
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Harvey57
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I started with Lee's little bench press. It catches the primers too. I have loaded thousands of rounds on it. I still use it to charge cases with one of the Lee powder measures. I check the weight several times before I start. Good luck.
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| Posted: Sat Sep 26th, 2009 10:15 PM |
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Busted
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" I'm considering a lee hand press to get me going."
I have one and love it - for what I got it for; seating changes at the range. NOT for loading! It will work but, trust me, you don't want to load much with a hand press.
IF you can't swing a Lee Classic Turret now, do as Mr, Harvey says and get the little Lee "Reloader" press, it's the same price and is MUCH better for actual reloading work. And no matter what press you might up-grade to later you will still have plenty of uses for the little press.
I have dies from maybe a dozen makers but not Dillon. I'm sure they are good but so are others and I see no rational reason to pay the higher prices.
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| Posted: Sat Sep 26th, 2009 10:16 PM |
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Busted
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abcdef
Last edited on Sat Sep 26th, 2009 10:18 PM by Busted
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n15wb
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Years ago I used to load on a single stage press. Got out of it for a long time and only recently started again.
I did a lot of research on loading presses, and was steered pretty consistently to the Dillon 550 series by others. However, I ended up with a Lee Classic Turret because I like the thought that I can use it as both a single stage press and a moderately fast reloading press.
Very reliable, easy to set up and use, and I have found the powder measure to be very consistent. I can sit down and load up a hundred rounds in an hour taking time to check powder loads every few rounds, and I check seating depth quite often as well.
I like the priming mechanism and not having to load up tubes of primers. I just flop a hundred primers in the tray, shake'em right side up and away I go. Turret changes are easy and quick too.
All in all, not as fast as a Dillon, but simple, reliable, allows me to closely look at every round that comes off, and from what I hear will last me for years.
Cheers,
Bill
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| Posted: Tue Oct 27th, 2009 01:23 AM |
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WILDCATT
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I use a lee 1000 for 45 acp.and two turret presses.I did the auto advance on 45 colt and loaded 500 rds in one sesion.I liked it. normally I single stage withthe turret. and with the disk measure its benn set for the 45 since I got the presses 20 + yrs ago
I set it and never touched it again.I shot bullseye targets so dont need 1000s of cartridges.and since they go in the 10 ring and some times the x ring at 50 yds I dont care.I am out of it since I moved south.
I find midsouthshooters.com is as good as any.
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