Loading Long gun on a progressive

[rlandry6]

How do you guys feel about it? I have a Dillon 650 that I've loaded tens of thousands of rounds on and love it, it's fast and easy.
Ever since I began loading for rifle, beginning with .223, I've loaded everything on a single stage press. For some reason, I just don't have the confidence that I can get the consistancy from the Dillon that I get on the Rock Chucker. Metering issues with certain powders, the adjustment on the shell plate not always being the same, the vertical movement of the tool head when the ram is raised.
I throw the charge for each round then trickle up to the weight i want and I seat with a Forster micrometer die, and after going through all of the work of squaring primer pockets, deburring flash holes and checking every case in a case gauge, I wonder if all of that is for naught because of the varying tolerances introduced in the operation of the Dillon. I've got a .223 conversion kit for the Dillon that I just can't make myself open.
I would love to have the speed of the Dillon, but for .223, 300 BlkOut, and now 6.5 Creedmore, I just don't want to give up any consistency. I'm even thing of getting a turret just so I won't have to do so much die swapping.

[smustian]

You could always have 2 sets of ammo for each caliber. Plink/play and precision work. Do the plink/play on the Dillon where a little variance will not mean anything and do the serious precision rounds on the rock chucker.

[rlandry6]

To me, it's all precision. LOL Every time I go to the range, I'm looking to shoot the best groups possible and where I might improve.
Besides, I've already painted myself into that corner with handgun ammo. A load for paper, one for bowling pins, another for Ruger & Freedom Arms(Hot),one for Smith revolvers with Michelek trigger spring kits, etc. I think my boxes of ammo are having babies.
I think I'm just about to pull the trigger on a Redding T-7 turret press. I really like the consistency of the single stage press, now if I didn't have to change dies so much I would be OK. Since I'm only loading three rifle calibers, a second tool head would put me in business, as I prime seperately with a RCBS Auto Primer.

[rebel]

You will never get the consistency with a progressive than you will with a single stage, trickling powder, measuring each component.
You can get great ammo from a progressive, ultimate precision as described above. Either has their place.

[Flatliner]

I am with the others, I have two different processes based on what the end product is intended for. For a carbine class, plinking, etc, I use the progressive. For hunting, 'off the bench', or load development, I use a single stage.

[dellet]

To me, it's all precision. LOL Every time I go to the range, I'm looking to shoot the best groups possible and where I might improve.
Besides, I've already painted myself into that corner with handgun ammo. A load for paper, one for bowling pins, another for Ruger & Freedom Arms(Hot),one for Smith revolvers with Michelek trigger spring kits, etc. I think my boxes of ammo are having babies.
I think I'm just about to pull the trigger on a Redding T-7 turret press. I really like the consistency of the single stage press, now if I didn't have to change dies so much I would be OK. Since I'm only loading three rifle calibers, a second tool head would put me in business, as I prime seperately with a RCBS Auto Primer.

If you’re truly anal about your loads, you would probably be better off buying reasonable quality single stage presses and an arbor instead of a turret. That will keep you from changing dies.

Even the best turrets flex and suffer from alignment issues.

I just paid $5 for a used Lee cheap bench mounted press that will do nothing but decap. I hand prime so that station is not needed. Sizing is where you really need the strength and rigidity of a full frame press. Seating can be done with an arbor and if the necks are sized right you don’t need to crimp.

For what it’s worth I own a 650, a T7 and an arbor. My best consistency comes when cases are sized on a very well kept RCBS Partner press I bought somewhere around 1975.

MOA +/- .2 is certainly possible on a 650, but you need a slow, steady, repeatable stroke. That’s where most people fail. And better than most people can actually shoot.

[QuietMike]

To achieve excellent consistency and some increase in speed, I use a Forster Co-Ax press.
Snapping dies in and out is as fast as using a turrent and more repeatable. Plus multiple calibers (more than can fit a single turret head) can be set and snapped in and out at will. The floating die and shellholder jaws keep runout at a minimum.

A Co-Ax and 650 are bolted on my bench for the reasons you mentioned.

[Smurky]

I use a Forster Co Ax for precision ammo a Dillon 550 when I want higher production. I like both presses and they produce great ammo as long as I do my part. I have the same opinions as most of the others but I believe a 650 can produce ammo close to or as Good as most single stage presses. John Whidden says he uses a 650 for his ammo and that’s saying something. Uniquetek makes a tool head clamp which minimizes the movement of the tool head and Whiddengunworks makes a tool head for the 650 that allows the sizer and seater die to float for improved concentricity. Adding those accessories and a funnel instead of a powder measure so each charge is measured would get a 650 Loading very consistent excellent ammo IMO.

[Scratch]

I load for my AR on my Dillon 650. Here's a video I did on it:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IvfMk1cOtkM

I do my precision loading on a single stage though.

[golfindia]

I've always been happy with the consistency of batch loaded bottleneck rounds on my LNL.

The Dillon powder measure "bar" setup is probably the biggest consistency killer.