Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Which progressive reloader to buy?

I imagine this has been debated on and off for years,
But I have been watching videos of the Hornaday LNL press and now I am seeing features I never saw before.

I have been using a single stage ( Lyman ) press since the early 70's and now we are shootin enough pistol rounds, that I need to bite and get a progressive press.

Which do you use and why?
I have always leaned towards Dillion
But now the Hornady looks like it be the one.

I'd like to buy a machine that I can add a case and or bullet feeder at a later date, if I feel the need.

Thanks for your input,
Paul

If you are going to do be doing pistol rounds no reason not to go with a Dillon. Shop here has a Hornady progressive at the range with a case feeder. I think in the year they've owned it 11 months of those have been waiting for new parts under warranty. They never have gotten it going right and it's been back to Hornady several times for issues with the case feeder.

Thanks Nathan
That is the feedback I am looking for.
Anyone else?

Dillon sure seems to be the most popular. They have positives and negatives but the guys that have them generally like them and that says a lot. I've heard some good things about the Hornady too.

I like Lee-Precision, but some of their stuff works and some doesn't. I wouldn't buy one of their progressives. I like my Turret Press very much, but didn't like the progressive of theirs that I had.

I've had Dillons for many years. I have zero complaints about the tool, or the customer service (550B). No case feeder, but never felt the need, either. The Square Deal is a bit weak, I broke several parts using one, but I assembled enough good ammo on it to win a 550B at a big pistol match later.

Other than really watching that primer feed mechanism when you're starting out, the 550B is all but bulletproof, and will no doubt outlast me. I'd go "blue" and never look back.

Dillon has always been too rich for my blood, but it really is the best stuff.

I had an RCBS Ammo-Master back in the day, that I traded in an old SKS for. I loved that press, but sold it to go back to college. It's not made anymore, and the replacement wasn't as slick as the Ammo Master. If I recall, it was not auto-indexing anymore, the one they came out with after the Ammo Master.

Without a doubt, I'd go Dillon.

I researched this a couple years back and bought the Hornady. It was cheaper, caliber conversions are cheaper, and they gave me 500 bullets to boot. Go to Midway USA and read the reviews. At the time I read something like 70+ reviews on the LNL and no one had anything seriously negative to say about it. Neither do I. Set it up like the instructions tell you to, including all the cleaning off of packing grease, and it will run like a champ.

Dillon

Dillon.. I"ve run 550, upgraded it, and still have it, a 650 also... both are just lights out basically...

Compared to listening to others issues with other presses, I"ll never try a different one when it comes to progressives.

Dillon. Great equipment and, if you need it, customer service is excellent.

THAT was always the big plus for Dillion.
One could call 'em at 1:00 AM and get great customer service.
But is that a deciding factor?
I wish I could lay hands on both , side by side. Dillion vs a new Hornaday.

From what I've personally seen RE Hornady quality of dies, quality of bullets and other products, I wouldn't even waste time wanting to compare... Dillon would be head and shoulders above anything Hornady put out.

BTW thats not saying that Hornady is not good, its just not at the level of stuff I desire to buy generally speaking...

Another Dillon guy here. I have a 650 which I use to do large runs of ammo (5000 to 20,000 rounds each setup), mostly pistol ammo with it but I have run a LOT of .223 and 308 ammo out of it. I have the case feeder on it but prefer to set bullets by hand. Caliber conversion takes about 30 minutes, so I tend to set it up and run several thousand rounds off at a time. In other words, it's a really good production press that you can put to great use in the off-season, but doesn't lend itself well to making small runs on an as-needed basis.

If you're doing pistol only, the Square Deal B is a great little press. One of my IDPA pards has 3 of those, one is always set up for 45 ACP, one for 9mm, and the other he converts to the caliber du jour as the mood strikes him. I've got one SDB that's always set up for 45 ACP, as that's what I find myself in need of a quick run of 200-300 rounds of most often.

Dillon's customer service is superb.

FWIW, I run mostly Lee and Redding dies in my Dillons.

"FWIW, I run mostly Lee and Redding dies in my Dillons"


That's what I use now, Lee Dies.
FOr that reason, I would not get a Square Deal.

I'm a long-time Dillon owner and have nothing but positive things to say.

I have no clue about their customer service - and that too is a positive comment.

I'd like to have a dollar for every 38 wad cutter that has been seated on this thing.

Timely thread - I was thinking about this the other day.

As I understand it, the Dillons have fewer stations than the Hornady, so if you want to seat and crimp pistol rounds in separate stations, you are outta luck?

That IS a big plus for the LockN Load!

I've been running a Dillon 550 since the late 1980s... I'm well pleased with mine.

Dillon, since 1982. No complaints.

L.W.