I think we all have varying uses with reloading. Some are into higher round counts with few cartridges, I switch around a fair bit.

I get by with my 4 station turret type press. Right now it’s set up for 45 acp loading, may do more today.

I’ve decluttered my loading bench by removing my 3 single stage presses and pared it down to my older than dirt Dillon RL450 and the Lyman All American 8 turret press I purchased earlier this year…it’s heavy and well made…I just received an email from Natches with a sale on the full press kit…it’s turret can accept two 4 die pistol die setup or four 2 die rifle setup…

https://www.natchezss.com/lyma...ng-kit.html?___SID=U

I used single stage presses for decades, starting as a teen. I used the lee hand press, which looks like a V with a pivot point at the base of the V. Originally I did everything on one press, changing dies with each operation. Eventually I had several presses, each with a die, and I'd just swap one to the other. It took eighteen hours to do 1,000 rounds. I shot 15,000 to 20,000 rounds a year.

I finally broke down and got a Dillon, just recently. I can cut that eighteen hours down to two or three, depending on what's going on. With the quick change kits, each with their own powder measure and all the dies set up, just slide in the whole set and it's ready to go.

With the individual hand presses, changing cartridges or loads or bullet designs or lengths, means either more presses, or changing dies, which generally means re-adjusting everything.

I have a Rock chukker and a T7 but for years just the rock chukker. I really like the setup, I decap and size on the chukker and then hand prime. I use the Hornady quick change bushings on the chukker. I have a flow thru flare die for most of the stuff I load and I use a little dandy powder measure with them, so I bell and charge, turn the head and seat and turn the head once more and crimp. If I'm loading revolver stuff I seat and crimp at the same time but a taper crimp I like to do in a separate operation. I have the RCBS stuff to prime on the chukker but I prefer to hand prime. If I'm loading something that has to be right like a hot 44 mag then I will do everything on the chukker and use my uniflow powder measure. I enjoy loading and really have no desire to have a progressive press but I do like the T7, the way I use it works for me.

I loaded for 40 years on a single stage press but did not need the amount of ammunition that would make its use impractical. Then I bought a Harrells turret...beautifully made and a joy to use and superbly accurate but not a real volume press.

After several years, I bought a Dillon 550B after using one of my sons. It's as good as either of my previous presses...run out is virtually the same, right around 0.003" for rifle ammunition. And for pistol rounds, I found it easy to turn out 200 rounds in an hour of loading, and that they were of target quality, too.

For the guy who's hesitant about using a progressive press, that Dillon is a good fit...it's easy to use, has the industry's finest customer service, and since it's a manually advanced turret, it can be used as a single stage with complete safety. It's the best choice in my mind and worth the little extra initial expense.

Best Regards, Rod

There is no way I would get rid of a Rockchucker press regardless of what else I was going to get.

quote:

Originally posted by Texas Bob C.:
There is no way I would get rid of a Rockchucker press regardless of what else I was going to get.

I've got 6 presses mounted on my reloading bench and 4 more in a box under it, but one of the ones that always stays on the bench is my RockChucker.

Here’s an issue that impacted my decision. A shell holder for a single-stage press is easy, everyone makes them. With the turret or progressive press, ‘shell plates’ are more rare. That’s all the more true with obsolete presses.

With less common rounds, it’s just easier with a single shell holder.

Years ago I got a case stuck in the sizing die. I contacted Lee about a related issue, mentioned the stuck case. They gave me the spiel about proper case lube. That’s just fine, but if using an improvised shell holder(plate) it’s easier for the case head to slip out. That’s usually only a concern during the resizing step.

Now that I have the single-stage on the bench, I think it’s easier to source that single shell holder.

The Redding T-7 uses the exact same shell holders that single stage presses use. As far as I'm aware, so do all the other turret presses....

I have 3 single stage presses: Lyman Crusher II, on which I do all sizing operations; Lee Challenger, on which I decap before cleaning; and a 1 ton arbor press, on which I do all of my seating.

Each has its own specific purpose, but the only one I can't combine into one press with the dies I use is the seating - I seat using LE Wilson dies and refuse to give them up. Sizing and decapping are separated out for no real reason other than convenience - I started on the Lee and bought the Lyman later on so I had both taking up space; while the tolerances are less than stellar it's perfect for the dirty job of decapping before I bathe my brass.

*Doesn't include my Lee progressive, on which I do all pistol calibers (currently limited to 9mm)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: vulrath,

JD2 is correct. Turret presses do not use shell plates. Only progressives do. For that matter, my Hornady Pro 7 uses the same plates as my L-N-L, and it’s from the 1980s. You’d have to be using a really old progressive to be unable to find a shell plate, and I can’t think of what that would be.