Recommend a press

LeeMajors

LeeMajors

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I'm finally ready to start reloading. I'll be reloading for 5.56/223 ,9mm .45acp and 308. Looking to load 200 to 400 per week.

What's the consensus on presses.
 
multicalibers to start with, I recommend the LCT (Lee Classic Turret) press. Easy to change cartridges with the turrets, easy to load the rifle single stage, and the pistol in indexing mode for speed.

Also, you double posted this topic...just FYI.
 
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After researching this a few years ago, I chose an RCBS Rockchucker for my first press. I've been very happy with it.
 
for the 500 budget I also recommend the LCT, I have one

youre looking at 115 for the press, ive seen it as low was 100
30 bucks for each set of dies (120)
risers for rifle powder drop dies (20)
powder dropper 25
extra turrets, not necessary but if you want to change quickly with minimal adjusting (40)

that puts you around 330 then you can buy after market parts like this that will speed your process up dramatically.
https://inlinefabrication.com/colle...r-for-the-lee-classic-turret-reverse-rotation $60
https://inlinefabrication.com/colle...ducts/ultramount-for-the-hornady-single-stage 75

that puts you at 460
 
Zedhound said:
for the 500 budget I also recommend the LCT, I have one

youre looking at 115 for the press, ive seen it as low was 100
30 bucks for each set of dies (120)
risers for rifle powder drop dies (20)
powder dropper 25
extra turrets, not necessary but if you want to change quickly with minimal adjusting (40)

that puts you around 330 then you can buy after market parts like this that will speed your process up dramatically.
https://inlinefabrication.com/colle...r-for-the-lee-classic-turret-reverse-rotation $60
https://inlinefabrication.com/colle...ducts/ultramount-for-the-hornady-single-stage 75

that puts you at 460
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He needs a scale, you could get a Frankford Arsenal digital one for around $25 on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002BDOHNA/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i1?

Also gonna need a way to trim and spec that rifle brass also.


Alternatively, you could go with a Amazon Warehouse Deal single stage Challenger Kit, but it may impact your pistol ammo making speed (which is why I didn't recommend any single stage kit).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00162RM3E/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=A2L77EE7U53NWQ
 
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I had an LCT for a while and I won't recommend it for 223/308. It's great for go-bang pistol ammo but there's too much flex and move in the press for my taste to load rifle rounds. You can't go wrong with a Rockchucker. Even if you upgrade to a progressive or turret later you'll keep it around.

Another option within your $500 budget is to get both a Lee turret and single-stage press.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/785993/lee-classic-4-hole-turret-press-deluxe-kit
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/176078/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press
 
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LeeMajors said:
I'm finally ready to start reloading. I'll be reloading for 5.56/223 ,9mm .45acp and 308. Looking to load 200 to 400 per week.

What's the consensus on presses.
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You looking to load 200-400 of each caliber each week? If so you will need a progressive, and if $500 is your all in investment you will be looking only at Lee, Loadmaster or Pro 1000. Ive had both and currently load on Loadmasters, great press if you don't mind a learning curve, very careful setup, and a little more ongoing maintenance and tinkering. If you are looking at 200-400 a week total you could make do with a turret. Really depends on how much time you want to spend at the bench.
 
dave33 said:
You looking to load 200-400 of each caliber each week? If so you will need a progressive, and if $500 is your all in investment you will be looking only at Lee, Loadmaster or Pro 1000. Ive had both and currently load on Loadmasters, great press if you don't mind a learning curve, very careful setup, and a little more ongoing maintenance and tinkering. If you are looking at 200-400 a week total you could make do with a turret. Really depends on how much time you want to spend at the bench.
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200 to 400 total. Some weeks may be none but that's just an estimate. That includes what a couple of friends may want to come load.
 
dave33 said:
You looking to load 200-400 of each caliber each week? If so you will need a progressive, and if $500 is your all in investment you will be looking only at Lee, Loadmaster or Pro 1000. Ive had both and currently load on Loadmasters, great press if you don't mind a learning curve, very careful setup, and a little more ongoing maintenance and tinkering. If you are looking at 200-400 a week total you could make do with a turret. Really depends on how much time you want to spend at the bench.
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I can load over 200 9mm an hour with the LCT easy
if your not including time for trimming rifle brass I can do easily over a hundered an hour for rifle, obviously these aren't precsion rounds but still
 
Zedhound said:
hes asking advice on the press only, and press related accessories
don't make me bust out the king of the hill memes

now go back to having sex with your AK and let the men talk
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pretty sure that budget was "all in" in other words, everything. Good thing about the AK is I don't need to reload for it, since ammo is $0.19 a piece. Gives me time to reload precision rounds for the big guns.

As far as the LCT have "flex and movement", you can easily dial that out on a turret with the die setup. I haven't noticed any flex at all on my multi-turret setups for .223 or .308.
 
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I went cheap on the press (RCBS single stage) and expensive on the powder thrower (RCBS Chargemaster).

I also, for rifle, LOVE RCBS competition dies. They may dropping the bullet so incredibly easy, and fine tuning depth a breeze.
 
LeeMajors said:
200 to 400 total. Some weeks may be none but that's just an estimate. That includes what a couple of friends may want to come load.
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If you are going to be learning how to reload, I would pick one caliber and get good with it before branching out. Look at getting a Dillon 550, it will eat up the majority of your budget, and may put you over budget depending on what else you need, but it doesn't auto index so you can use it like a single stage until you learn and are ready to move up. Its cheap to add calibers when you are ready, and its very sturdy for loading rifle with. Added bonus, if you don't like reloading, Dillon resale value is incredible.
 
dave33 said:
If you are going to be learning how to reload, I would pick one caliber and get good with it before branching out. Look at getting a Dillon 550, it will eat up the majority of your budget, and may put you over budget depending on what else you need, but it doesn't auto index so you can use it like a single stage until you learn and are ready to move up. Its cheap to add calibers when you are ready, and its very sturdy for loading rifle with. Added bonus, if you don't like reloading, Dillon resale value is incredible.
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Well I did reload years ago. So I know the basics and the the how to's. I do want to get with someone and relearn.
 
I started on a Rock Chucker over 25 years back with basically the same array you are talking. I learned a lot on it and still to this day use it for all load development and on OCD loading for long range and hunting loads. Some years back I did come across a steal on a Dillion from a guy who thought he was going to reload and never did. His wife wanted to clear out "clutter" and he needed to move it and I got it cheap. I do crank out numbers on the Dillion for GP use but I actually spend more time with the Chucker. It is a way to relax and get away from things because you must deal solely with reloading and takes my mind off everything else ... it is a good form of therapy and cheaper than a therapist.

Oh yeah, people will say you save money reloading. That isn't true, you just shoot more ... and if done right ammo that your firearms likes better.
 
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I've been and will continue to watch the bst for reloading. See what comes available
 
I've got a Lee Challenger SS inherited from my grandfather, I use it for my "precision" rifle stuff, I'd step up at least to the Classic cast if buying, the Challenger has some significant deflection in it, still it has turned out many a sub MOA round. I find myself wanting something "better" which is mildly annoying, but since what I have works I can pretend I'm saving for a Forster Co-Ax.

For quantity reloading I use a Hornady LnL, I think it just squeaks into your budget, seems everyone can't make them run, but I have had no issues that I didn't cause, and few of those, can run about 350-400rph without feeders. Changes are pretty quick with the bushings.
 
LeeMajors said:
Well I did reload years ago. So I know the basics and the the how to's. I do want to get with someone and relearn.
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it doesn't get any easier than loading .45 and .223 (except for looking into the .223 case since it's tiny). They're both very forgiving of powder choice and bullet choice, and there is literally data to be found everywhere. The same can be said for 9mm and 308.

I load all 4 of these regularly, and never change a thing on my turrets. On .308 I do load on my el cheap Lee C reloader for hunting ammo since it's usually lower volume. I've loaded 200-300rds of 45 and 9mm in one sitting before, takes about an hour and a half.
 
I will also chime in and recommend the LCT. 200-250 rounds per hour is easy once you get everything setup and are using the auto-index. I mostly load rifle (.223 mainly) and revolver ammo with it. I have a Dillon 550 that I use just for semi-auto pistol loads, 380, 9mm, 40, and 45acp. If I could only have one press, I would probably stick with the LCT. But, between my wife and myself, we typically only shoot 200 rounds a week.

Unless I am making more than 50 rounds of revolver plinking ammo, I leave the auto-index out of the LCT and run it in single-stage mode. I hardly ever use the auto-index for rifle, since I size the brass first, then trim/chamfer etc. I may charge with powder off-press as well (for my precision loads). So, I am typically priming, seating and crimping on the press in batch mode.
 
Beef15 said:
I've got a Lee Challenger SS inherited from my grandfather, I use it for my "precision" rifle stuff, I'd step up at least to the Classic cast if buying, the Challenger has some significant deflection in it, still it has turned out many a sub MOA round. I find myself wanting something "better" which is mildly annoying, but since what I have works I can pretend I'm saving for a Forster Co-Ax.

For quantity reloading I use a Hornady LnL, I think it just squeaks into your budget, seems everyone can't make them run, but I have had no issues that I didn't cause, and few of those, can run about 350-400rph without feeders. Changes are pretty quick with the bushings.
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Agree with that. I had a Challenger, and it works, but it is not nearly as heavy duty as the Classic Cast. If I were going to buy the CC, I would get the non-breechlock version, but buy the Hornady bushing insert kit to get the quick change feature. One reason I would get the non-breechlock version is because the breechlock version handles the spent primers the same way as the Challenger, IOW the spent primers drop out of the side of the ram into the catch tray. Primer residue gets on the ram as a result and requires more frequent cleaning. The non-breechlock drops down through the center of the ram, just like on the LCT. I use my LCT with a universal decapper, for ALL the brass I process for wet tumbling. Of course, if you end up using one of those hand-held deprimers, then this is a moot point.
 
Toprudder said:
Agree with that. I had a Challenger, and it works, but it is not nearly as heavy duty as the Classic Cast. If I were going to buy the CC, I would get the non-breechlock version, but buy the Hornady bushing insert kit to get the quick change feature. One reason I would get the non-breechlock version is because the breechlock version handles the spent primers the same way as the Challenger, IOW the spent primers drop out of the side of the ram into the catch tray. Primer residue gets on the ram as a result and requires more frequent cleaning. The non-breechlock drops down through the center of the ram, just like on the LCT. I use my LCT with a universal decapper, for ALL the brass I process for wet tumbling. Of course, if you end up using one of those hand-held deprimers, then this is a moot point.
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I started reloading 20+ years ago with a Lee Anniversary Kit, which contained a Challenger press, and most of the basics to load. Still use it for most of my rifle loading because I mostly load for hunting and accuracy. I'm considering a LCT for pistol and revolver, and figure Labor Day sales might land me a deal.
 
For under your budget you can get you an RCBS Rockchucker package that has about everything you need except dies, shell holders, components, and a trimmer for the 223. Those necessary extras will fill out your budget plus a little more. That equipment will serve you well and will be something you can use for the rest of your life. Load in batches and you can make a surprisingly large number of rounds in a surprisingly short time.

If you want to load faster, a basic progressive would work. The Dillon 550 with Dillon dies suits my purposes quite nicely. Be aware that caliber change is not as easy as with the single stage unless you add some better locking rings to your dies or get complete caliber change kits for a couple hundred dollars each.

There are all sorts of options that work. Get good stuff.
 
I may get flamed for this, a lot of people don't like it.
But for a beginner, who tries to research as much as he can, I choose the Lee pro 1000. There's a lot of trash talked about it on the interwebz, but I like tinkering. If you take your time, insure everything is properly setup, and your not trying to chuck out 200 rounds an hour it's great. As a bonus, when I first started I just removed the indexing rod and used it kinda like a single stage. There are quite a few great YouTube videos showing what tweaks you can perform before you get started. I was able to buy the parts I needed to load 9mm and swap out the parts quickly for about $85. It didn't cost alot to get started and that was the first priority. Maybe I'll upgrade one day.
 
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