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Posted: 7/26/2016 9:14:22 PM EDT
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I'm looking at buying a reloading setup.
Main loading is 5.56 and 9mm. I also want to load very precision 300 Win Mag and 308. I'm looking at the Hornady lock n load ap progressive. Can the progressive reload precision rounds as well as a single stage or do I need a separate single stage for the precision stuff? I'm looking at the lock n load kit. I need dies, she'll plates, digital scale, and case feeder and trimmer? What else. |
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As said above, most folks choose to load precision rounds on a single stage. Progressives just aren't designed for weighed (rather than thrown) powder charges, minimal OAL variation, and the case prep work normally associated with precision loading. That doesn't mean the Hornady won't turn out very good ammo - just doesn't make sense to most folks to set it up, use it, and tolerate the variances associated with progressive presses.
The Hornady single stages are good presses, but don't buy one with the thought that you can switch dies between the presses without adjusting them after each switch. While shimming the single stage to match the AP's required die settings is theoretically possible, many folks found it impractical. So your choice of SS presses should be open to any quality brand. ETA: If I were going to have only one scale, my experience after reaching my 7th scale tells me it would either be a quality beam scale or a MFR digital scale whose prices begin north of $500 and go much higher. Lesser digital scales are strain gauge scales that drift, flutter, and can become unreliable in electrically noisy envrionments. Noise includes everything from microwaves to fluorescent ballasts to anything that transmits. |
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straight wall handgun (9mm, 45, 10mm, .38, etc) youll want a progressive or turret, loading those on a single stage is just masochism... I still load bottleneck rifle on the single stage due to case prep, its just not worth the effort on the progressive, IMO, as you still need to perform all the case prep off the press, unless you have a dillon with case trimmer I guess... but if not, you still have to size with lube, case trim, etc so...eventually you'll probably end up with more than one press if you like it enough. Some people just dont like to do it and thats fine, reloading takes on almost a hobby in itself with some people |
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Any cast iron press will work great and last your lifetime.
RCBS Rockchucker Redding Big Boss Lee Classic Cast Hornady I have 2 Rockchuckers 1 Lee Classic Cast 1 Redding Boss (it's smaller than the Big Boss) and 1 Lee cheapo pot metal press I use strictly for de-priming |
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Unless you really want to go all in right from the start(and spend a big pile), you should think about starting on a single stage. It would be frustrating as hell to try and load 400 rds of 9mm on a single stage, but that is pretty cheap right now loaded. You can load 9 of course on a single stage, but a progressive is just so much faster.
But back to a single stage, you are going to need a lot of allied equipment for any type of reloading. It all adds up, and the cheap stuff usually is crap. Get a good start with quality accessories and a single stage press. If you like it, try a decent progressive. The 556 begs for a 650 or equal. If you can do without high volume 556 get a DILLON SDB for 9. Those things are so easy to run, and will knock out a pile of good ammo quick. This is a very good time to get into reloading, supplies are plentiful and reasonable. Do it soon. |
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Nothing wrong with the hornady, I'm just a blue guy.
He answered above, I like the rcbs and hornady single stage and have both. Serious on the components, buy that stuff soon. We were scrounging for powder and primers not that long ago. I just dropped 1k on powder and primers as I was sick of scrounging. |
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Quoted: I'm looking at buying a reloading setup. Main loading is 5.56 and 9mm. I also want to load very precision 300 Win Mag and 308. I'm looking at the Hornady lock n load ap progressive. Can the progressive reload precision rounds as well as a single stage or do I need a separate single stage for the precision stuff? I'm looking at the lock n load kit. I need dies, she'll plates, digital scale, and case feeder and trimmer? What else. Do some reading at the top of the page. In Reloading Tools and Accessories is where you find list of what you need. A good read also, https://www.ar15.com/forums/t_6_42/263380_Everything_You_Wanted_to_Know_About_Reloading_But_Was_Afraid_to_Ask.html&light=everything%7Creloading Myself I load precision loads on a RCBS Rockchucker and bulk on a Dillon 550. I would suggest you learn reloading on a single stage press, then get a progressive at a later time when you have more reloading knowledge. Also get a copy of Lyman 50 and read the first part that contains "how to reload" also explains components. (brass, primers, powder, bullets) Then use the loading data in the back of the manual. |
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Hands down, for single stage match reloading, it would be the Forster Co-ax press.
The downside, sooner of later, your going to need a work horse press for things like bullet making, and here something like the rockchucker just fits the bill better. As for the LNL, if you are thinking about putting a case feeder on it, then get the Dillon 650 from the start isntead. The LNL case feeder is iffy at best, while the 650 just reloads a lot faster and problem free way better instead. Yes, the conversion kits are a little more for the 650, but when you do the math that part of the kit is for the case feeder system that allows it to case feed problem free, you get the clue why you want the 650 instead. As for the LNL bullet feeder, it semi doable with jacket bullets, by when you get into casted bullets, all bets are off. So for a bullet feeder system that will work with jacket and casted bullets, it the MR. Bullet feeder all the way. As for match ammo on the LNL, between trying to get the powder drops unified, and the OAL unified on the machine, it more of a pipe dream, then reality instead. Hence as for powder drops uniformity, ball power will get you closer to that, but ball powder is harder to get started and most of the time a step in the wrong direction for trying to come up with a load instead. So for most rifle match loads, it comes down to some type of extruded powder, and for this, need someone like a RCBS charge master for faster drops once a time, or throw short with a lever dispenser, and bring the drop weight up yo spec with a trickle instead. As for OAL, you want the jump to lands at around .003" contact (measured on the bullet ogive, and not OAL of the bullet tip), and with a LNL, not uncommon to end up with a .004 variance from round to round isntead (flex of the sub plate, and how you have the tools clocked on the top of the machine with all the tools loaded with rounds to try to keep constant pressure on the entire sub plate as you are seating bullets round to round). Bottom line, progressive press is good for chunning out hand gun and plinking type loads, but in regards to rifle match loads, it's back to basic with a single stage press isntead (if you are shooting sub MOA for 20 shots or better groups, and trying to shrink the groups by .01 measurements by reworking the loads). Note, with match rifle loads, all your real time will be prepping brass to unify it to begin with instead. |
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Dryflash nails it (like always). Starting out with an RCBS Rockchucker kit is the best route IMHO, because you'll always find it handy to have around. Even with a progressive next to it. Good quality ammo is definitely possible on a progressive (they don't load Black Hills match or FGMM on a single stage  ) but I find it easier to do that kind of stuff on a single stage. Granted, I don't load high volume for rifles anyways. My Dillon 650 loads pistol only at the moment. |
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