Progressive setup comparison thread...

[G.A. Heath]

I thought it would be interesting to see what progressive presses and configurations people run. To kick it off here's mine:

Press: Hornady LnL AP
Calibers loaded: .45ACP, 10mm
Dies
Station 1: Lee or Hornady sizing die (depending on caliber)
Station 2: Hornady case activated powder drop
Station 3: RCBS lockout die
Station 4: Hornady Bullet feed die
Station 5: RCBS Seating and Crimp die.

Press: Lee Pro1000 (Seldom used, was used to load .40S&W until I cannibalized those dies for 10mm)
Caliber Loaded: 9mm
Dies
Station 1: Lee Sizing die
Station 2: Lee Powder through charging die
Station 3: Lee Seating die

[warnmar10]

I don't have just one L-N-L configuration but my most out of the ordinary...
I deprime, size and expand in one pass. Cases then go into the soup for cleaning. Priming is its own operation.
Finally for loading:
Station 1 is powder drop.
Station 2 is Hornady lockout die.
Station 3 is Hornady bullet feeder.
Station 4 is Redding competition seating die.
Station 5 is Redding micrometer crimping die.

Most days: deprime/size/expand, cleaning then prime on the press during loading.
1 is empty
2 is powder
3 is lockout
4 is seating
5 is crimping

I like the bullet feeder and I worked with it until it will feed pretty much anything I want from cast to plated or jacketed. But I prefer to hand feed the bullets most of the time.

If I had it to do over again I'd get a Dillon 1050. IMHO, L-N-L = P-I-A. Dillon 650 is better but not enough to make me want to switch. I will get a 1050 one day.

[G.A. Heath]

If I had it to do over again I'd get a Dillon 1050. IMHO, L-N-L = P-I-A. Dillon 650 is better but not enough to make me want to switch. I will get a 1050 one day.

I hear that, The only thing I dislike about my L-n-L is the priming system seems too fragile. However I feel the downfall/weakness of all progressive presses is the priming system. I hand prime all my 9mm cases because I absolutely despise the Lee Pro1000 priming system. If I load any .45 ACP or 10mm I have to hand prime at the moment because the bracket for the cam wire has nearly broken in half (Waiting on the replacement part from Hornady).

I tend to deprime all my brass with a dedicated lee decapping die, clean, and then I feed them to the press. I do not, nor do I plan to, have the bullet feeder sytem, just the die and a tube I hand fill.

[shooter37]

Got an old Dillon RL450 that's run trouble free since 1983........ no idea of the round count but it's high: sets for:
45ACP
38/357
9mm
40S&W
45 Colt
41 mag
44 spl/mag
44/40
223 rem.

Also an old RCBS Rockchucker and Lyman Orange crusher for long gun stuff.....
Like me old but still working

[ghostrider]

Dillon 550B. Dillon & Lee dies: 9mm, 45ACP, 40 S&W

[G.A. Heath]

Piece of cake to get this thing up and running - the primer-feed runs smooth as silk, so I don't know why you boys are battling.

The issue I have with the Hornady priming system is that it seems too fragile, Hornady has tried to correct this however it still continues to see issues with the primer punch catching on the primer slide and locking the primer feed system up. To address this issue Hornady has at least three variations of their primer feed system that I am aware of.

MK I: Non-breakaway cam wire where the bottom of the cam wire sits in a socket that holds it securely in place. The head of the primer punch is larger than the shaft in this system.

MK II: Features the Breakaway cam wire, the primer punch remains unchanged from the MK I. I know at one time Hornady offered an upgrade kit under warranty to bring the MK I up to date with the MK II spec. This upgrade kit was often sent to MK II owners with issues as some early MK II primer feed systems were seemingly out of spec (Including mine where the "cup" at the base of the breakaway cam wire was nearly flat).

MK III: Features the same Breakaway cam wire as the MK II, however features a revised primer punch where the head and the shaft are nearly the same size if they are not actually the same size.

The problem many people encounter is that they get a little powder caught up in the primer punch and they can destroy the primer cam wire or the polymer bracket that holds it in place if they don't pay careful attention. My issue is the bracket became dry and brittle leading to a crack around the top of the cam wire allowing too much play and now will not reliably feed primers. Hornady has mailed a replacement and spare under warranty however I must wait for them.

[Charles L. Cotton]

Due to having precious little time to reload, I have to be as efficient as possible. Therefore:

2 Dillon 650's, one for large primers one for small;
All Dillon dies using taper crimp for all semi-auto calibers & roll crimp for revolver;

• .45ACP; 9mm; 40 S&W; .38 Super; 380ACP; 38 Special; .357Mag. (.44Mag & .41Mag - I think?)

Station 3 is empty but will soon have either a light (LED) or a camera for viewing the powder charge;
LED in the center hole of the tool head that lights the shell plate (coming soon, parts purchased);
2-Dillon RF-100 Primer Fillers (long before they were $325 each!!).

I have other presses that haven't been used in decades.

Chas.

[Beiruty]

My AP press with Case feeder, Bullet Feeder and Bully Adapter.
All Lee dies. On the AP, I do 9mm and 223 both are small case, small primer.
For 9mm:
Pass one:
1) Clean cases in wet SS tumbler (max 60min)
2) De-prime size only. LEE die
Pass two:
1) Clean cases in wet SS tumbler(max 45 min), Spray some Hornady One Shot lube in a zip lock.
2) Prime
3) Drop charge using Hornady measure with PTX flaring
4) Bullet drop from Bully adapter with 4 tubes. Tubes are filled using Hornady bullet feeder
5) Bullet seat using LEE die
6) Bullet crimp using LEE factory crimp.

For 223mm:
Pass one:
1) Clean cases in wet SS tumbler (max 60min), Spray some Hornady One Shot lube in a zip lock.
2) De-prime size only. LEE die
3) Clean primer pockets, chamfer and de-burr on RCBS case mate.
Pass two:
1) Lube the cases with some more Hornady One Shot lube in a zip lock.
2) Prime
3) Drop charge using Hornady measure
4) Case powder check using a digital camera
5) manual Bullet seat using LEE die
6) Bullet crimp using LEE factory crimp.

Also, I can do 45ACP and 40SW (do not shoot it) on the AP.
On Lee Classic Turret with reverse indexing and completed rd ejector, I do 45 ACP, 30-06 and 300WM.
Lesson learned on the weekend, do not mess with the mandrel of the sizing-die.

[Lena]

Star Universal Progressive, case feeder, bullet feeder, indexer, bought it new in 1975, never 1 problem at all, about 3-4 minutes a box production rate, Had a Dillion RL1000 and later sold it never part with the Star.
The Dillion put Star out of business, the RL1000 was a great machine for 5.56 ammo.
38 spl-357mag-9mm-30 carbine-44spl-44mag-45acp
Keep it clean and lubed and still looks as new.

[warnmar10]

Nope, I've checked and I still have no clue what I have - the lack of any video out there online to give some perspective is a hindrance. However, the base of the cam-wire has a nut holding it in place onto the press, if that's of any relevance. Oh well - whichever version I have, it works just fine:

That is Opus I.
Does your press have the new style eject system or the wire that kicks the loaded rounds out?

[Charles L. Cotton]

Star Universal Progressive, case feeder, bullet feeder, indexer, bought it new in 1975, never 1 problem at all, about 3-4 minutes a box production rate, Had a Dillion RL1000 and later sold it never part with the Star.
The Dillion put Star out of business, the RL1000 was a great machine for 5.56 ammo.
38 spl-357mag-9mm-30 carbine-44spl-44mag-45acp
Keep it clean and lubed and still looks as new.

Star, the original progressive. If I recall, they were around $700 in the 70's and that was steep!

Chas.