"Re: For the progressive 303 Savage Shooter."
http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=65318
I have been looking at the Hornady Lock-N-Load Progressive press for a couple of years, now, because its setup appears to be the quickest of any true progressive press, and its lock-in dies are a real plus. But it seems that its shell ejection system still needs some work, which was a problem with its earlier model(s).
![Image](http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa193/JohndeFresno/120827_ReloadingAreaPartial.jpg)
My first setup was the RCBS Rockchucker (center) which has done well for over 12 years with rifle loads that I want to carefully load, one process at a time. For other loads such as plinking and pistol loads, faster output was desired.
The Dillon sure sounds appealing for higher production rates and consistent loads. But when I go online, I constantly read comments of "work arounds" and so on to problems with that setup. Just go to a Dillon site and see for yourself. I have concluded that if you use a dedicated Dillon station for each caliber, it works very well. But if you constantly change calibers and loads within calibers (as I do), the setup is long (powder, primer, etc. changeovers, even with preset die stations) and problems are prone to develop. I liken the Dillon to a Lamborghini - very fast, somewhat complicated, very high maintenance. And very expensive, since after your first setup, you will be purchasing die stations for each additional setup, as my friend did/does. I'm a Toyota guy - I want value, mileage, with no unnecessary service time.
OK - I suspect that there will be a flood of Dillon defenders. They are passionate and loyal to their product, just as Mac computer users are. My hat is off to y'all, but I ain't listening much any more.
As for my Dillon friend - I met him online at a sporting goods forum, and he sold me his setups at a tremendous bargain so that he could "step up to The Blue." He is happy with his change, and still spending money on it.
The old RCBS Piggyback (on the left in the photo) has worked faithfully over the years, although the auto-indexer bushing went out. RCBS sent me another one, which has to be pressed into the setup. I had difficulty doing that, and then decided that I'm actually happier indexing the shellplate (turning the base holding the cartridges) by hand to avoid any skipping. One model of Dillon works that way, anyway.
I have read much about primers sticking in tubes unless you clean them regularly (another chore requiring scheduling), primer tray alignment problems, flipped primers, etc - from users of all brands of reloading presses. So I will not use any auto prime system.
Instead, I use the RCBS hand priming tool for that chore. One advantage of hand priming - when I run across unexpected anomalies, like the occasional .45 ACP with a small primer pocket - hand priming allows one to feel the mismatch before things get out of hand. A progressive press, not so much!
The bad thing about the RCBS Piggyback Progressive machinery: That danged shellplate is so hard to unscrew and re-install inside its carousel with these beefy ol' hands! I use a short chuck and Allen bit to fit into the tight cage area, but it is still time consuming.
![Image](http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa193/JohndeFresno/Socket_RCBSshellplate02.jpg)
And after a couple of hundred rounds, the plate always works loose, bringing reloading to a halt. So I applied some Loctite to the plate and now use it for loading .44 Mags, only (since I shoot that in quantities, usually a reduced 1,000 fps cast target load).
The LEE Turret press on the right is used for all other loads. It will not accommodate extremely long rifle cartridges like the .50 BMG, but I don't load that, anyway. Its production rate cannot match a progressive setup, but its changeover is immediate. Over the years I have purchased LEE and RCBS dies and the very inexpensive LEE turrets to create "setups" a la Dillon, so I just pop in the caliber desired and adjust the powder and bullet depth. That is done quickly, using a dummy round. No screwing down the seater, then backing it out and screwing down the die for the crimp. etc. Instead, the bullet is seated and later the crimping is completed with a LEE Factory Crimp die as a final step.
Pictured in the setup on the right is the Lee AutoDisk Powder Measure which feeds into the expander die. I found that the adjustable Powder Measure Bar (instead of Auto Disks) is far more reasonable to use, since you have infinite (instead of several preset) adjustments. This setup - an attached powder measure for each "setup" on the turret press - is my only real additional expense for my various setups that are stored in the cabinets above the reloading area. But some came with my original purchase and others were not all that expensive.
In the final analysis:
The RCBS Rockchucker, with its powder measure on the extreme left of my loading station, works reliably for careful handloads.
The RCBS Piggyback Conversion Progressive press, due to its slow and somewhat difficult setup changeovers, now works well as a dedicated, fast, one caliber station. It is essentially glued together for one caliber.
The LEE with its drop-in turrets is perhaps the quickest press in the world for changeovers!
![Image](http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/aa193/JohndeFresno/LeeTurretStorage_002a.jpg)
It is the way to go for, maybe, 50 or 100 rounds at a session. But production rate suffers, because you have to insert one case at a time, and either walk it around or insert and remove each cartridge for each stage of loading.
I was hoping for a quick changing, reliable progressive that doesn't take an engineering degree to maintain. It appears that Hornady has come close but isn't quite there yet. So I'll keep using my setup.
(Edited for more photos - JdeF)