I want to get into reloading, I want a progressive press, I was thinking on getting a Lee Precision Loadmaster, I could use some starter advice

[bwframe]

The Lee LM was my first progressive and what I still use today. I agree with the fiddly statement. You have to tweak things here or there. If I sit down to do 1000 9mms, i will probably dork up 5 to 10 primers because they will go in sideways and probably the same number of times, a primer won't get fed. I also have to re-seat probably 10 cartridges but that is because I am doing range ammo and sometimes the resizer doesn't like one so i don't get a full press. I just ordered an APP so i am going to do it in 2 steps from here on out. Deprime, prime, resize will happen on the APP and the the progressive will be used for everything else.

I don't have much 9mm issue with my Dillon 650, other than the norm of a higher percentage of case gage fails than I'd like.

It's be great to hear more on your APP experience though. Maybe in the APP thread? I'll look it up...

I picked up my APP for other purposes, but got away from all reloading for a few years, while component prices were high.


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[nucular]

I don't have much 9mm issue with my Dillon 650, other than the norm of a higher percentage of case gage fails than I'd like.

It's be great to hear more on your APP experience though. Maybe in the APP thread? I'll look it up...

I picked up my APP for other purposes, but got away from all reloading for a few years, while component prices were high.


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Honestly, my biggest problem right now is not keeping an eye on the primer feeder and running out.

 

[COOPADUP]

+1 for AEAmmo. Good prices and fast turnaround times.

 

[nucular]

I don't have much 9mm issue with my Dillon 650, other than the norm of a higher percentage of case gage fails than I'd like.

It's be great to hear more on your APP experience though. Maybe in the APP thread? I'll look it up...

I picked up my APP for other purposes, but got away from all reloading for a few years, while component prices were high.


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Really impressed with the APP so far. I set it up to deprime and cranked through every case I had here. This will make it a lot easier to deprime before cleaning the cases and it's a lot less messy than doing it on my progressive. Tested out doing a few resizes and that was pretty simple too. I haven't tried out the priming aspect of it yet but looks promising. The press is much smaller than I expected it to be but it doesn't feel flimsy at all.

 

[Sniper 79]

Dillon is the only press to buy. No such thing as cheap ammo. Hand loading let's you tune your loads to your gun and maybe get a few more rounds for dollars spent. No now is not a good time to get into it. Prices have gone up four times as much and companies cut back on sales. I used to place an order for components once a year on black Friday. No deals to be had now and availability is sketchy. My Dillons have been sitting for years. Might be time to cash out. See what happens next election I guess. I'm expecting more panic buying.

 

[Creedmoor]

I don't have much 9mm issue with my Dillon 650, other than the norm of a higher percentage of case gage fails than I'd like.

It's be great to hear more on your APP experience though. Maybe in the APP thread? I'll look it up...

I picked up my APP for other purposes, but got away from all reloading for a few years, while component prices were high.


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What crimp die are you using?

 

[Sniper 79]

When I was in a revolver club I got a Dillon Square Deal B progressive loader. My goal was reliable cheap ammo that met minimum power factor with reasonable (not gnat’s eyelash) accuracy. The SDB did that for me.

I made about 10,000 .38 rounds that year. I think I hit pay back point in about 2000 rounds, if I recall correctly.

SDB has the disadvantage that it’s harder to change caliber to another compared to the more expensive Dillon reloaders. However some of my club buddies simply bought another or three SDBs and used one for each caliber. This eliminated having to fiddle with switching calibers, and also meant that once they had the machine set for each caliber they didn’t lose the settings by switching to another.

Of course you need to have the space for more than one SDB but they’re not very big.

I’ve never use anything except the SDB, but I was very happy with it.

I really enjoyed my square deal. Sold it for a profit after years of use and bought a new 650. The 650 is nice but it is HUGE. Square deal cranked out some quality ammo. I could see having more than one.

 

[bwframe]

What crimp die are you using?

The Lee Factory crimp die.


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[Creedmoor]

The Lee Factory crimp die.


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I use them with some autoloading rifle rounds, with auto loading handguns I use Taper crimps.
My rejects with gageing went to almost zero long ago with I changed to using them.
I use either Dillons or Redding taper crimps on 9mm, 40, 357 sig, 45 acp and 38 Special wad-cutter.
If you woulds like to try one I would be more than willing to loan you one to try and see if it works for you.

 

[nucular]

I use them with some autoloading rifle rounds, with auto loading handguns I use Taper crimps.
My rejects with gageing went to almost zero long ago with I changed to using them.
I use either Dillons or Redding taper crimps on 9mm, 40, 357 sig, 45 acp and 38 Special wad-cutter.
If you woulds like to try one I would be more than willing to loan you one to try and see if it works for you.

What kind of gage issues did you get with 9? Case mouth oversized or?

 

[Creedmoor]

What kind of gage issues did you get with 9? Case mouth oversized or?

I generally load 124 grain jacketed Rocky Mountain and Coated cast lead from Summit City, I do a minimal flair for both. The gage's I use are a single Dillon gage at the press and a 100 hole Armanov before packing in ammo cans.
Dillon carbide dies are used in the press, I would have to think most of the non gageing rounds before I went to using a taper crimp were the top of the case being to large.

Now its always a bulge at the bottom of the case. I'm going to assume its from loosing/adding range brass when we shoot.

I have a ring roller but all of the brass/loaded ammo, we use hasn't been run through it as of now.
Once that is done I'm going to say the problem then will be the occasional primer thats not right.
I hope anyway.

I really like the thousands of coated bullets I have bought from Summit City, but the last year or so you can get Jacketed from Rocky Mountian for the same price as coated lead.

 

[nucular]

I generally load 124 grain jacketed Rocky Mountain and Coated cast lead from Summit City, I do a minimal flair for both. The gage's I use are a single Dillon gage at the press and a 100 hole Armanov before packing in ammo cans.
Dillon carbide dies are used in the press, I would have to think most of the non gageing rounds before I went to using a taper crimp were the top of the case being to large.

Now its always a bulge at the bottom of the case. I'm going to assume its from loosing/adding range brass when we shoot.

I have a ring roller but all of the brass/loaded ammo, we use hasn't been run through it as of now.
Once that is done I'm going to say the problem then will be the occasional primer thats not right.
I hope anyway.

I really like the thousands of coated bullets I have bought from Summit City, but the last year or so you can get Jacketed from Rocky Mountian for the same price as coated lead.

Thats interesting. I do a lot of Berry's in 9mm and have a few RMRs loaded up waiting to chrono. I'll be honest - I dont run them through a gage. When I started 9mm, I couldn't even source one so I just plunk test a few and move on . I should probably pick up a gage.

 

[Creedmoor]

Thats interesting. I do a lot of Berry's in 9mm and have a few RMRs loaded up waiting to chrono. I'll be honest - I dont run them through a gage. When I started 9mm, I couldn't even source one so I just plunk test a few and move on . I should probably pick up a gage.

Like you, for eon's I just used a single Dillon at the press on occasion. As more and more pistols arrived and my sons starting shooting I had to relearn and up my game. To many different chamber to deal with.
I gage just about everything now. I will say it has virtually cured problems with ammo at the range.
I usually tumble, process then load, tumble to clean lube and then gage with clean loaded ammo.
I have single Dillons, a few 6 round Lymans and two 100 rd Armanoy's.

 

[chezuki]

I see a red press and I want to paint it blue.



Edit: Buy once, cry once. I loaded about 10k rounds of 9mm on a Lee Pro 1000 prior to splurging on my 650. The Lee got the job done, but required near constant tinkering and maintenance to do so. And god forbid you have a primer misdeed and dump power in an unprimed case… what a mess.

The Dillon just work, every time.

 

[bwframe]

I use them with some autoloading rifle rounds, with auto loading handguns I use Taper crimps.
My rejects with gageing went to almost zero long ago with I changed to using them.
I use either Dillons or Redding taper crimps on 9mm, 40, 357 sig, 45 acp and 38 Special wad-cutter.
If you woulds like to try one I would be more than willing to loan you one to try and see if it works for you.

Very kind of you to offer!

I'm gonna note your suggestions for the future. My case gage problem is not as huge as I cry about.

I plunk test with my barrel, everything that fails the case gage. Anything that doesn't plunk test gets designated practice ammo. I had one FTF out of 150 rounds of "practice ammo" last range session.

I have always erred on the side of being anal about my reloads. It takes me a lot longer than some can reload on their Dillons. I have a LOT of inspections like seeing powder level in every case, frequent powder drop weight verification, and visual high primer checking.

Some of the gamer guys I used to shoot with would bring a coffee can full of ammo. The same coffee can that sat under the completed round ramp on their 650/1050.

It was amazing how many accomplished shooters had problems with their reloads. Some of them, very well known folks, had problems repeatedly.

I seen everything from a shooter bleeding from above and below their eye pro, to a gent's wife not making power factor at a level II match.

 

[Creedmoor]

Honestly, my biggest problem right now is not keeping an eye on the primer feeder and running out.

They sell this buzzer to help with that. $38.00

 

[nucular]

They sell this buzzer to help with that. $38.00
View attachment 292691

Mine is a lee so i don't think that would work but cool idea. I may move to a 650 one of these days.

 

[nucular]

Spent a couple hours depriming brass on the new APP today. Did about 3k rounds. It wasn't seamless - had a couple hiccups with upside down shells and cases not ejecting but overall, an extremely fast way to deprime.

 

[canebreaker]

I started with the Lee 50th anniversary O frame kit in 1990. Bought the Lee reloading book for $15 and got a free C frame press in 1991. My uncle left me his old Lee Engineering O frame press kit in 1995. Searching craigslist back when you could find gun related stuff cheap I bought a Lee O frame kit with extras for 38spl, another for 9mm with extras, A C frame with extras for 308, a loadmaster for 38spl with extras, a loadmaster for 223 with extras, RCBS 2000 for 45 ACP with extras.
My benches have a surface of 12X24 and 15X24. 2 are angle iron framed with plywood shelf and top. One is a kitchen cabinet with all drawers. One is a kitchen cabinet with 1 drawer and door. All at desk height and on casters, stored in a spare bedroom, roll them to any place in the house I wish, can sit in a chair and reload while watching tv. Not much on tv that I care to watch.
I've bought a lot of parts for the loadmaster, watched the Lee videos and Utube videos. I've reengineered a few parts and tweaked a lot.

 

[Reverin0ats27]

Good morning folks, Thank you to everybody that chimed in, I appreciate your 2 cents on the matter. However I think I'm gonna pass for now on getting a reloading setup, I've looked at prices of primers and did some cost analysis and I just don't think it would be worth it at this time for what I want to reload.

I am grateful at how in depth some people went with the specifications in their setup, and the tweaks and work they needed to do to get right. I liked that some people mentioned Dillon as I have heard nothing but good things about them, and will be my most probable choice if i do get a progressive press at some point. Also some people recommended a single stage press, which would probably be the best beginner option If I do think about getting into reloading again.

Sorry for the disappointing ending of not getting a setup, but I do greatly appreciate every bodies knowledge and experience in the field and their willingness and decency to help me out. Have a nice morning everybody!