Turret vs. Progressive

[dred]

I'm fairly new to reloading, been using a single stage press for a few months now, and I'm thinking about upgrading my press so I can load handgun ammo faster.
My question is: what's the difference between a turret press and a progressive?

[beardman2]

I'm about to start with a single stage myself.

A turret is essentially a single stage with a "turret" on top that you can rotate to different dies. It isn't automatic. A progressive is generally automatic where it does multiple operations with each pull and rotates to the next station.

You may not have heard of the Hornady Lock-n-load collars. That is what I plan to do. They allow you to pretty much change dies really fast in the traditional single stage.

My plan is to hand prime and then run batches through the single stage. Hopefully the hornady collars will speed up die changes enough to avoid the cash involved in a decent progressive press.

[mcb]

If you can afford it go with the progressive. Assuming your looking for volume reloading to support large volume of shooting a progressive IMHO the best way to go.

Look at Dillon Precision reloaders for the money they are hard to beat. I started loading pistol ammunition this past January with a Dillon 650 XL and since January I have nearly 8000 round of 40S&W through my reloader with no problems. Another 3-4 thousand rounds and even this relatively expensive reloader will have paid for itself in cost saving. If your on a budget and only going to do pistol cartridge take a look at A Dillon Square Deal. Its a very affordable progressive but will not do rifle cartridges like the 550 or 650 will.

The only way I would not recommend a progressive is if your going to be loading cartridges for for super accuracy such a bench rest matches. Then a turret or singe stage press is probably better but for volume reloading a progressive is the only way to go.

mcb

[dred]

Thanks for the quick replies, gentlemen!
Now I understand the difference. I'm looking to do high volume for pistol rounds, but I'll probably just continue using the single stage for rifle rounds, as I never load more than 100 rifle rounds at a time. The Dillon square deal sounds like it may be just the ticket.

[JD McDorce]

Originally Posted by mcb

The only way I would not recommend a progressive is if your going to be loading cartridges for for super accuracy such a bench rest matches. Then a turret or singe stage press is probably better but for volume reloading a progressive is the only way to go.

If I were loading for super accuracy, I would probably go single stage. If 0.001" of variation in sizing or OAL is too much, there is enough play in a turret head that you won't get there. From there, it becomes a question of how you are metering your powder. For super accuracy, you would probably go with something like a RCBS Chargemaster Combo for dispensing and weighing each charge.

In my little world, I started out with a RCBS Turret kit which included a Uniflow powder measure. My RCBS Pro 2000 progressive came with similar powder measure with a mechanical linkage. Repeatability of thrown charges are similar between the two.

[QCATrader]

I use an RCBS 2000 Progressive for all of my pistol loading, but continue with my RCBS Rock Chucker for all of my rifle loads - seems to be a good system for me.

[Glenn]

Whats written above about the turret press is wrong. The turret press does turn automatically each time you pull the handle and raise the ram Hence the turret press is much faster than a single stage but not as fast as a progressive press which will produce a round each time you pull the handle An experienced re-loader on a turret press can knock out a box of 50 handgun rounds in about 15 minutes

[beardman2]

sorry about that I didn't realize they did.

[JD McDorce]

Originally Posted by Glenn

The turret press does turn automatically each time you pull the handle and raise the ram

It may depend on the brand of turret press. While the Lee Classic Turret Press appears to have automatic indexing capability, a RCBS Turret Press does not (it can only be indexed manually through the use of a lever extending out from the turret head).

[mcb]

Originally Posted by dred

Thanks for the quick replies, gentlemen!
Now I understand the difference. I'm looking to do high volume for pistol rounds, but I'll probably just continue using the single stage for rifle rounds, as I never load more than 100 rifle rounds at a time. The Dillon square deal sounds like it may be just the ticket.

I have used one of these, a friend had one and I used if for awhile before I got my 650XL. For the money its one nice press. Not quite as fast as a loaded 650 but you can still do several hundred and hour if you have your set up running good.

Later
mcb