I can’t say I’m not disappointed in this “comparison”. The thing I waited two years for was mostly to see which progressive press loaded the best ammo. Concentricity, accuracy tests etc. maybe which one has the best powder measure or what ones the fastest, smoothest, most ergonomic. These are things people can not learn themselves without taking random guys word on forums. You would need to buy and then try. What we got is a brief overview of specs, accessories, and price, which can be come by through basic research. I don’t even know how this would take two years. Almost like it’s targeted to those brand new to reloading and don’t even know what a progressive press advantages are. Most of us know what can be done with more stations and that you can add case and bullet feeders. The things we are unable to learn ourselves are the exact things you did not cover.
When discussing Dillon loaders I was waiting for you to mention one of the most important specs. The lifetime warranty. I have two 550s over 15 years old and have loaded so much ammo on them that one has been rebuilt once and the other twice. Free. Something breaks or wears out, they have replaced it or provided parts to rebuild it. Plus, I understood you to talk about "manual index" as a negative. You can index as slowly as you want or as fast when it is manual. If you are loading an almost full pistol case you can index slow enough that you aren't jumping powder out. A positive to me.
Can’t imagine how long this video took to edit and put together. Thanks for all your hard work, Gavin. Always contributing. Although I would like to see an ammo consistency comparison between the presses, I imagine it would be motion picture in length. Thanks again for the information.
I love the fact that you shared some negitive things. It always feels disingenuous when you watch a review/comparison and it comes off like an infomercial. You did an excellent job here of being honest, yet not "burying" any company's. Kudos and Great work!
I am definitely interested in the X10 from Franklin Armory. Really great demonstration and the pros and cons as presented are fantastic. In-depth and succinct. The fact that you have used some of the reloaders gives you insight and knowledge that you pass on freely. You are a big help to me!
Wow I was Instantly!!! Upset!!! 🤦🏻 when he said he will not be testing the presses performance of ammo!! The MAIN purpose, for most of us who have been waiting to see this for SO LONG! Was to see what Progressive Press Make the most “ CONSISTENT AMMO!!! “ Good job for all your hard work, much appreciated and I’m sure it will help some people make a decision, So thank you for all that! But it’s not what most people have been waiting for.
If you compared the single stage shootout with this one, you’d think you were watching two different channels, one of which earned every subscriber he has, while the other one might as well be an automaton preloaded with marketing material by the reloading companies.
@@armalite3009 Agreed. Def helped me weed through the different options. Gavin is always putting out new content, so I am sure the ammo testing content will eventually be there and available....maybe not in one concise video, but still there as a resource
Couldn't agree more, the #1 piece of information I wanted/needed/waited for from this video wasn't there... While appreciate a one stop rundown of presses, the ciritcal info that honestly matters the most is missing, hard to overlook that.
I use a loadmaster, but deprime on a C-press, and prime on a bench prime. Only clean primed cases are ever on the press so it stays clean. Resize on 1, powder on 2, powder-cop on 3, seat on 4, crimp on 5. This arrangement solved all my problems with the loadmaster.
My introduction to all this Gee-Whiz gear was way back in the late 1970s and spending some time with a Dillon 1000, set up to reload .308 Win. WAY out of my personal financial league, but it clearly showed the way for the well-heeled enthusiast. However, I run a Lee 1000 for 9mmP. VERY early on I learned about the problems of primer feed / seating and powder "spillage" ( if you try to go too fast , a few flakes will sometimes "shake" out of the case as it approaches the seating station. These magically seems to find its way into the "guts" of the mechanism and start to gum things up The issue of "primer crud" getting into teh press was solved by Carbide sizing ALL the cases on my Rockchucker. Cases are then sorted into crimped "range pickups" and "un-crimped" commrcial style. The crimped ones get a once-only treatment from my fabulous Dillon 600 primer pocket "adjuster". If you "recycle" a lot of ex-mil brass, this is the ONLY pocket swager to buy, I had endless dramas with both the CH and RCBS press-mounted systems . The Dillon is better than Smirnoff!. Prepped brass gets a whirl in the trusty Lyman Cyclone to remove ALL the remaining detritus. Thus, ONLY fully-prepped and clean and shiny cases go through the 1000. I do all this case prep in bulk; several thousand at a time. The finished and FULLY DRIED cases then go into AIRTIGHT storage jars with a date label. So, no rummaging around for suitable brass come match season; it will be there , sparkling, on the storage shelf. It also means that you will have weeded out the dubious cases somewhere along that preparation chain. See also: culling out the "small-primered" 45ACP "NT" cases from the "normal" ones". In these parts, weeding out Berdan-primed brass is also a must. Not that it is "un-reloadable", just you cannot do it on a progressive press set up for Boxer primers. Waste not, want not, especially if you live in places where ammo and components cost at least 3 times the US MSRP. One additional thing about the 1000: the indexing "drive-shaft" arrangement is marginal, at best. The dinky nylon "follower" is not immortal and, as it wears, the press "timing" goes astray.. I lube the entire machine with Moly powder, NEVER any oil or grease. This slicks things up substantially, BUT, as soon as you notice a bit of "sluggishness" or misalignment, it is time for a full service. Spares are cheap; keep a stash of any of the small plastic bits handy. Moving the "heavy" sizing and priming operations off-press substantially reduces the wear and tear on the press even if, like me, you run with the Lee case and bullet feeder extras. Finally, the "Auto-Disk powder systems work better with all the moving parts receiving a rub-over of graphite powder. Also LOTS of videos about "hot-rodding the 1000 hereabouts.
Thank you very much , I been loading since I was 9 , to this day , I can listen to you talk all day like a teacher. Very easy to understand ❤️❤️❤️❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
This just makes me wish I could use my dillon rl 550, I haven't been able to find primers in almost 2 years, and the ones I had as a backup are all but gone. 😢
Awesome video. I'm looking to upgrade from my first Lee turret to a fully progessive and this has video gives me the information i was looking for. Thanks again.
Hey Gavin, I want to thank you for putting in the hours to get this done. I've been watching a lot of your content over the last couple of weeks as I prepare to start my reloading journey. After doing quite a bit of my own research, and waiting for my head to stop spinning, I had my mind all but set on the Lee Pro 4000 but really was looking for a cumulative comparison of what's out there. This video hit it out of the park for me. Everything about it, the costs associated, pros and cons, comparing everything available from each manufacturer, optional accessories, jist really top notch presentation all the way. Much appreciated!
@gavin Lee has a new Progressive Press coming out with a six die positions and primes on the downstroke, so all six are available. It's called the Pro 6000.
@Gavin, thank you so much for doing this video. I can't even imagine the time and work it took to put this together (not to mention costs). This video has really helped with narrowing down which is the right progressive press for me!
@@grantdorcey8053 I bought an RCBS Rebel press. I like the D shape and also like the open area without other stuff in the way. I didn't care about no priming on the press , there are many off press options available. I like it a lot. It is a heavy chunk of iron. I have loaded some pistol and hope to do rifle this summer, but getting powder and primers is slowing that down.
Started on my reloading journey with the Lee hand tools and shotgun press over 40 years ago. Graduated 20 years later on to a used Dillon RL550B because the price was right. Upgrading process and parts/tools as budget allows. 550B has been solid, reliable, fully supported by both company and community probably the single best investment in a machine. Also have a MEC single stage for processing and load development. My advice to a new loader would be a progressive and the 550 series with its semi progressive and upgradable nature i think is the sweet spot and has good resale value. If you are just starting ona budget go with Lee if you know you are hooked go with Dillon save up if need be. Articles about starting with single stage instead of progressive are not spot on and the 550 series is where the value in production and control, and small learning curve
As a noob i really appreciate your comment. What I'm totally lost on is- I'm looking for a progressive press that will have the most variety/ability to do different rounds ex. .223, 9mm, 762x39, .45acp, .357, .38, 7mm, .308, 30-06, 30-30 etc etc. Can i simply buy the "dies" for each round or am i limited by the machine? Is there a press that can do them all? Thank you
@@thomasjefferson6334 the Dillon 550 just needs dies, and a shell plate and locator pins ( caliber conversion kit) for each caliber. Sometimes a different powder bar. I know lots of books say start with a non progressive press but as an intermediate reloader i would go strait for the 550. It is manual indexing and you can do one at a time but it's easy to progressively reload at a comfortable pace
I think I'm happy with the Lee Turret I chose instead of the Lee Loadmaster Progressive, but looking forward to this shootout (and have been for a while). BTW Gavin, did you get any hands on with the new Lee Pro 6000?
The huge amount of work you’ve done on. this is much appreciated. You’ve helped me decide on the X 10 and saved me hours of research. Definitely following for more of your videos. 👍
Awesome frikin job with your channel n knowledge of all you content...I learned my progressive from your videos.🔥🔥..hands down brotha...thanx..take care🤙🤙
The predecessor of the Dillon 550 was the 500AT. It was a manually indexed progressive loader offered bone stock. Fortunately it was forward compatible with all of the accessories for the 550/650 lineup. I had one for a few years and it was a fantastic machine. I would do about 400 rounds/hr without a case or bullet feeder.
Thank you so much for putting these videos out. I’m lookin to get started with my first reloader and was lost in all the options. You really made a great comparison video and showcased very well what the purposes are of each press and helped me a lot as I start to try and hone in on what to get for my first reloader.
This was a very good progressive press comparison video. I feel very good about my decision on buying my dillon XL750 press. It's perfect for the type of reloading I do. Although my cost of ownership is higher because of the 9 calibers I reload for including all the tool heads I bought for each caliber.
I love you videos. Very educational. Bought my xl750 2 yrs ago. After watching tons of videos and reading. Had your video on repeat setting up my xl750😂. Thank you
I use the load master and have for years . My riffle reloads are exceptional. My pistol is reloads are very good as well. Most of my issues with pistol deal with over crimping of rounds once you find the right crimp they are very accurate. If I could post pictures I would.
For once in my life, my timing is impeccable. Getting into reloading and ready to decide which progressive makes the most sense for me/my needs so I can purchase in the next few days!
Given the large price increases, significant supply chain shortages and insane competition for primers and bullets you actually picked a T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E time to get into reloading. 🤣
@@r1ght1left1 Yeah, so you could definitely say that about shooting sports in general, but it still makes more sense to reload than shoot factory regardless of the time
Santa Clause brought my Loadmaster in 2018 when I was doing a lot of USPSA shooting. "Fidgeting" is a profession when you own a LM... and I eventually gave up on the priming system altogether choosing to manual prime off press and use the stations as: #1 with case feeder for sizing (decap removed) #2 for Rotary powder/flare, #3 for a powder check, #4 seat and #5 crimp. If I ever need high volume pistol again, I'd probably jump over to the other "RED" alternative.
As I was looking more into the Lee Load Master. From Lee Precision: "April 27, 2022 After 30 years of production, the Load-Master Progressive Press is going to legacy status. All of the Load-Master specific parts (shell plates, primer feed, etc.) will continue to be produced."
thanks for the shoot out . I for one have had the Lee presses for years and always had problems with them to the point both loadmasters went to single loading cases pre-primed ( I gave up ) to changing the powder measure as I got some foots . But I went to Dillon this year and OMG what a difference Smoother easier and they work . for the 9mm I changed the powder expansion die to Double Alpha Bullet feeder die as it mad a big help seating the heads without scraping the FMJ off .I went for 2 XL750 one small primer one large ( 9mm and .44mag ) I dont load that much but wanted to be able to just walk in and load some ammo as and when I needed it . Yes i big lay out but worth it for my time and ease of use . So for me it is not all about $$ pre load its about ease of use and smooth loading. If there is one thing I would like to change is the primers feed I would love the Apex 10 auto primer set up just so you can tip a box it and away you go, I just have to make do with another double Alpha's primer loader. its funny here in the UK most people go for the cheapest option me I want a good life :)
I don't understand why many people are bashing Gavin for the video. Progressive Reloading have a ton variables, and he ain't a scientific lab doing scientific research. An apples to apples comparison is maybe impossible. Break down of the quirks and total cost of ownership is great. (For example, the Lee Load Master is somewhat of a 4.5 station press.) In my opinion, great video Gavin.
People were expecting much more based on the old single stage comparison video. Remember he said this has been in planning from 2008 and was posted 2 years after the single stage video so the hype and expectations were not in line with him just reading the product specs and telling rough prices. Now that doesn't make this a bad video. Great video for new people getting into progressive presses. One stop shop specs breakdown. We ordered cheesecake but only got the cake. Cake is still good just not what we wanted lol.
Gavin, about 12 years ago I got into reloading. I started with a single stage kit, the RCBS Rock Chucker. Within a month I was ready for more and I watched all the videos you had, specifically focusing on caliber change over. This is why I went with the Hornady LNL AP. Over the years I've added lights and a 3D printed case feeder, picked for the ceiling height requirement over a motorized case feeder. I will say this, if I had it all to do over again, I'd get the Frankford Arsenal X10 no holds bar, but I'd have to check the height of the case feeder. Love my Inline Fabrication quick change flush mount. As for future subjects, Buller Feeders for .223 & .308, (pistol as well) possibly including 3D printed ones and after market like Double Alpha. Oh, and one of the reasons I like gravity feed over motor feed, besides lack of height, is you don't need change over parts. Yeah you get into a bottle neck when you have to reload tubes, but that happens with powder and primers too.
My loadmaster in 2016 shipped was 203 in 9mm config, bought 7.62, 223 and 350 legend dies case holder and 2 auto drums for another 200. Still running strong tens of thousands rounds loaded
The Frankford Arsenal has been 'Coming Soon' for about 2 years. I wish they would get it sorted out and available for purchase, some day soon. Seems like vapor-ware, rather than hardware.
@@greeneman99710 Yep. That has always bothered me about FA products, they make good products, but in China. I have one of their hand primers with adjustable seating depth and their rotary powder dropper that doesn't leak; it just seems Lee could up the quality or someone like Lyman build a price competitive product.
@@rwcraver As a noob i really appreciate your comment. What I'm totally lost on is- I'm looking for a progressive press that will have the most variety/ability to do different rounds ex. .223, 9mm, 762x39, .45acp, .357, .38, 7mm, .308, 30-06, 30-30 etc etc. Can i simply buy the "dies" for each round or am i limited by the machine? Is there a press that can do them all? Thank you
@@thomasjefferson6334 The short answer is that all 7/8"-14 dies will 'work' on any press, but on a progressive with a powder measure will probably work best with that manufacturers dies, particularly a Dillon with their activated powder measure. Case length is something to be wary of with the 30-06 and maybe the 7mm as the turret has to be able to turn with the finished length cartridge; this will be in the manufacturer's product description information. For example a Dillon 550 can handle up to a 338 Lapau, my Lee Pro4000 can only auto-index up to a 2-5/16" overall length case, though it will load longer if manually indexing.
@@rwcraver i see. So it might be a good idea to get a progressive for cases smaller than 30-06 and an additional single stage press for 30-06 and up, i assume? Any presses that blow you away.... and any i should avoid? I wanna get a good one so im willing to pay around 2k. Possibly more if the dies are more
well Gavin,gotta say I was a bit let down. I have been with you since the early days of hornady lnl reviews [about the time i got mine]and progressed in geeking out over reloading gear at a bit slower rate than you but not far behind. there honestly was not much in this video that I didn't know but this has become my favorite video to recommend to any newbie looking for a progressive. all in all, excellent job on what you covered and it will be a huge help to me since i help a lot of people getting into reloading and picking out gear. I greatly appreciate the effort, time and attention to detail you put into your videos.
@@DRock558 info like his single stage press shoot out. Not that a lot of that info matters but I have a weakness for such details. Not slamming this video and no respect lost for Gavin. Just My personal opinion
I’m a newbie and would like to get the best of the best that can be upgraded. Would love to see someone make a video from start to finish and what press with all the extras linked so I could buy the whole package. Thanks
I bought my LNL AP and don’t use a case feeder. It’s been a great press. I pretty much keep it on 9mm mostly. I don’t mind loading in the brass myself. Sometimes I load 223 as well. It’s really easy to switch over. It has been a great value. I bought it March 2019 for $379 and got 500 projectiles (129 grain interlocks 6.5mm). If you consider the projectile value it was a real bargain.
I like my lnl ap, the priming took some tweaking but now is flawless, the powder measure is good to very good depending on types of powder, I’ve been reloading since the seventies and since I’m retired now I have more time to shoot so I needed to load more rounds
Me either. Case feeders seem to be far, far, far more trouble than they are worth. I do use the bullet feed, however. I love my LNL AP and 16 years after purchase, it's still going great.
Wow, you've been busy. This is awesome information and review. I have a few presses but one progressive being the Dillon xl650 and I love it. I want another one to do the large and small primer thing. Can't say anything bad about the Dillon. I have a RCBS rockchucker and a turret press too. They all have a purpose. Thanks for your time and effort.
I like the analogy about the race horses going back and forth.... But as the old saying goes: “buy once cry once”.... I believe “The Blue” wins on an overall if you also factor in “time” And yes, most people as commented would like to see an overall product comparison “accuracy test”, etc. But I. relieve you have tested all or almost all of these separately, and those results can be found in your other vids. Thx for taking the crazy amount of time I’m sure it was to splice this all together
I was thinking of upgrading my XL750 for the RL1100 for the swaging feature but the smaller maximum case length makes it a no go as I load .308, 6.5 creedmoor and soon to be 8.6 blackout. Bummer.
No exaggeration when I say I've been waiting YEARS for this. I couldn't wait anymore so I broke down and picked up a Lee load master a few months back. Lets see if that choice is backed up by Gavin.
Great video Gavin, thanks for all the effort. I use a Dillon RL550B and would like to do some upgrades but I’m still waiting for primers to be available again to feed the beast.
I have Bought Item's from Midsouth Shooter's & I am Pleased with All that I have Ordered. The Shipping was fast & Easy. The Only Worrie's that I had was, Not haven enough Money to Buy all that I Truly wanted. But that's Life. Thank You for all You'r Video's. I have learned alot, alot that I never heard of & glad that I am still watching You'r Video's. Thank's Once Again My Friend.
Question for Gavin. (Since I have yet to find answers to the question.) What's your process for Rifle Case Preps for Progressive Reloading? Since you would trim the brass after the resize, therefore it would break the progressive process.
@@silentbob267 As a noob i really appreciate your comment. What I'm totally lost on is- I'm looking for a progressive press that will have the most variety/ability to do different rounds ex. .223, 9mm, 762x39, .45acp, .357, .38, 7mm, .308, 30-06, 30-30 etc etc. Can i simply buy the "dies" for each round or am i limited by the machine? Is there a press that can do them all? Thank you
@@thomasjefferson6334 I'm no expert but many of the commercially available progressive presses with caliber change available will do most common cartridges until you get into the very large rifle calibers. Can you just buy the dies to change calibers, typically not, it kind of depends on the press and how much time, money, effort you're willing to put into the caliber changeover. Best thing I can tell you is to do as much research as you can before making a decision. There are videos on pretty much all of these presses explaining how they operate and how the caliber changes go.
@@thomasjefferson6334 I have a Hornady LNL AP and I have been happy with it. I run it without the case feeder to keep the cost down and simplify caliber changes. I also have a single stage press I use for various tasks. That being said if you want to load the most calibers on any one of these presses the one with the longest allowable C.O.A.L. would in theory accommodate the most calibers. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the best or the one you should go with. Most people don't load very high volume of larger rifle cartridges. They typically load them in low volume for precision which can be done quite easily on a single stage or turret press. Speaking of which if you don't need a high volume of the rounds you plan to reload some turret presses might be easier and cheaper to switch calibers on. If you need to do it all on a progressive watch videos on each progressive press available and check features to see what you do and don't like. Cost is usually a big factor. C.O.A.L. of the longest round you plan to load is a factor. Cost and ease of caliber changover will be a big one to consider. The Dillons can be quite easy to change over if you spend enough money buying everything to make it easy.
My first press is also my favorite. Hornady Lock N Load AP. I think all presses will have a learning curve and the Hornady is no exception. Just hit 25K rounds reloaded and it looks and performs as well as it did brand new.
I am so grateful for this video. I'm just getting into reloading, and this video helped me narrow down my choices. I'm between the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP and the Dillon XL-750. I don't want to start at the bottom and work my way up. I am probably buying my last Press first. The choice isn't made, but it's much narrower now. Thank You, very much.
Which one did you go with? Funny enough those are the two im looking at the begin my reloading journey as well. I dont like starting off too basic either. My 3rd option considered would probably be the lee pro 6000.
Great video and I learned a lot and you made me realize I really need the Dillon precision XL 750 and I was fixing to make a big mistake buying the Lee precision 4000!!
Gavin- do you by chance have an updated release time frame for the x10? I have emailed frankfort arsenal regarding an update but haven't heard anything back...
In May of 2023 I graduated from my Lee Classic Turret (which I still love) to the Lee Six Pack Pro 6000. It is an amazing press at half the price of a Hornady LNL.
Great video! Big Blue all the way for me... I've had my 650 since '98, and keeping an eye on what they've been going for on ebay, I can actually get more for it now than I paid for it 24 years ago.
Thanks for putting this together. I have the loadmaster. It worked great initially, but now having some problems with the powder feed. Thinking of moving up.
I have to give you a big thumbs up on all the work it took to put this together. Great presentation!
I can’t say I’m not disappointed in this “comparison”. The thing I waited two years for was mostly to see which progressive press loaded the best ammo. Concentricity, accuracy tests etc. maybe which one has the best powder measure or what ones the fastest, smoothest, most ergonomic. These are things people can not learn themselves without taking random guys word on forums. You would need to buy and then try.
What we got is a brief overview of specs, accessories, and price, which can be come by through basic research. I don’t even know how this would take two years. Almost like it’s targeted to those brand new to reloading and don’t even know what a progressive press advantages are. Most of us know what can be done with more stations and that you can add case and bullet feeders. The things we are unable to learn ourselves are the exact things you did not cover.
Kinda agree with you.
Agreed
I didn't watch the entire thing with rapt attention, but it sounds like you got some legit complaint. Demand your money back!
cool life story kid
Shill city is what it was unfortunately
When discussing Dillon loaders I was waiting for you to mention one of the most important specs. The lifetime warranty. I have two 550s over 15 years old and have loaded so much ammo on them that one has been rebuilt once and the other twice. Free. Something breaks or wears out, they have replaced it or provided parts to rebuild it. Plus, I understood you to talk about "manual index" as a negative. You can index as slowly as you want or as fast when it is manual. If you are loading an almost full pistol case you can index slow enough that you aren't jumping powder out. A positive to me.
Slows the process down.
Gavin, I’ve been watching you off and on for 15 years. You really are the ultimate reloader!
Great video for making the final decision after going back and forth for a long time. Thanks
Never signed up for a premiere video on RUclips but this one I think everyone has been anxiously awaiting!
Good deal!
Can’t imagine how long this video took to edit and put together. Thanks for all your hard work, Gavin. Always contributing. Although I would like to see an ammo consistency comparison between the presses, I imagine it would be motion picture in length. Thanks again for the information.
Probably just an hour and a half..🤪
I love the fact that you shared some negitive things. It always feels disingenuous when you watch a review/comparison and it comes off like an infomercial. You did an excellent job here of being honest, yet not "burying" any company's. Kudos and Great work!
I am definitely interested in the X10 from Franklin Armory. Really great demonstration and the pros and cons as presented are fantastic. In-depth and succinct. The fact that you have used some of the reloaders gives you insight and knowledge that you pass on freely. You are a big help to me!
Wow I was Instantly!!! Upset!!! 🤦🏻
when he said he will not be testing the presses performance of ammo!!
The MAIN purpose, for most of us who have been waiting to see this for SO LONG!
Was to see what Progressive Press
Make the most
“ CONSISTENT AMMO!!! “
Good job for all your hard work,
much appreciated
and I’m sure it will help some people make a decision,
So thank you for all that!
But it’s not what most people have been waiting for.
If you compared the single stage shootout with this one, you’d think you were watching two different channels, one of which earned every subscriber he has, while the other one might as well be an automaton preloaded with marketing material by the reloading companies.
Too much hype and expectations were set way too high. Should help some new people though.
Maybe there will be another video that is a real shootout.
@@armalite3009 Agreed. Def helped me weed through the different options.
Gavin is always putting out new content, so I am sure the ammo testing content will eventually be there and available....maybe not in one concise video, but still there as a resource
@@PastaLaVista. about 50% of this channel is just a commercial anymore.
Couldn't agree more, the #1 piece of information I wanted/needed/waited for from this video wasn't there...
While appreciate a one stop rundown of presses, the ciritcal info that honestly matters the most is missing, hard to overlook that.
I use a loadmaster, but deprime on a C-press, and prime on a bench prime. Only clean primed cases are ever on the press so it stays clean. Resize on 1, powder on 2, powder-cop on 3, seat on 4, crimp on 5. This arrangement solved all my problems with the loadmaster.
My introduction to all this Gee-Whiz gear was way back in the late 1970s and spending some time with a Dillon 1000, set up to reload .308 Win. WAY out of my personal financial league, but it clearly showed the way for the well-heeled enthusiast. However, I run a Lee 1000 for 9mmP.
VERY early on I learned about the problems of primer feed / seating and powder "spillage" ( if you try to go too fast , a few flakes will sometimes "shake" out of the case as it approaches the seating station. These magically seems to find its way into the "guts" of the mechanism and start to gum things up
The issue of "primer crud" getting into teh press was solved by Carbide sizing ALL the cases on my Rockchucker. Cases are then sorted into crimped "range pickups" and "un-crimped" commrcial style. The crimped ones get a once-only treatment from my fabulous Dillon 600 primer pocket "adjuster". If you "recycle" a lot of ex-mil brass, this is the ONLY pocket swager to buy, I had endless dramas with both the CH and RCBS press-mounted systems . The Dillon is better than Smirnoff!. Prepped brass gets a whirl in the trusty Lyman Cyclone to remove ALL the remaining detritus. Thus, ONLY fully-prepped and clean and shiny cases go through the 1000. I do all this case prep in bulk; several thousand at a time. The finished and FULLY DRIED cases then go into AIRTIGHT storage jars with a date label. So, no rummaging around for suitable brass come match season; it will be there , sparkling, on the storage shelf.
It also means that you will have weeded out the dubious cases somewhere along that preparation chain. See also: culling out the "small-primered" 45ACP "NT" cases from the "normal" ones". In these parts, weeding out Berdan-primed brass is also a must. Not that it is "un-reloadable", just you cannot do it on a progressive press set up for Boxer primers. Waste not, want not, especially if you live in places where ammo and components cost at least 3 times the US MSRP.
One additional thing about the 1000: the indexing "drive-shaft" arrangement is marginal, at best. The dinky nylon "follower" is not immortal and, as it wears, the press "timing" goes astray.. I lube the entire machine with Moly powder, NEVER any oil or grease. This slicks things up substantially, BUT, as soon as you notice a bit of "sluggishness" or misalignment, it is time for a full service. Spares are cheap; keep a stash of any of the small plastic bits handy. Moving the "heavy" sizing and priming operations off-press substantially reduces the wear and tear on the press even if, like me, you run with the Lee case and bullet feeder extras. Finally, the "Auto-Disk powder systems work better with all the moving parts receiving a rub-over of graphite powder.
Also LOTS of videos about "hot-rodding the 1000 hereabouts.
I'm really happy with my Hornady LNL the last 12 years. Never a single issue.
Wanna buy one, please tell, could I reload soviet rifle cals? 308 win?
Thank you very much , I been loading since I was 9 , to this day , I can listen to you talk all day like a teacher. Very easy to understand ❤️❤️❤️❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Looking forward to it! Huge amount of info and specs collected!
It's going to be GREAT- see you at the Premier!!! Thanks Dan.
This just makes me wish I could use my dillon rl 550, I haven't been able to find primers in almost 2 years, and the ones I had as a backup are all but gone. 😢
Awesome video. I'm looking to upgrade from my first Lee turret to a fully progessive and this has video gives me the information i was looking for. Thanks again.
This was amazing. Thank you for doing this. You've saved me hours of research. I've narrowed down my choices to 2-3 presses now.
You're welcome!
I'm only 18 minutes into this video.
This video is amazing. So much information, very interesting to me. Thank you for this video
You’re welcome, glad it is useful!
Hey Gavin, I want to thank you for putting in the hours to get this done. I've been watching a lot of your content over the last couple of weeks as I prepare to start my reloading journey. After doing quite a bit of my own research, and waiting for my head to stop spinning, I had my mind all but set on the Lee Pro 4000 but really was looking for a cumulative comparison of what's out there. This video hit it out of the park for me. Everything about it, the costs associated, pros and cons, comparing everything available from each manufacturer, optional accessories, jist really top notch presentation all the way. Much appreciated!
“I’ve been waiting a long time for this” - Count Dooku
@gavin Lee has a new Progressive Press coming out with a six die positions and primes on the downstroke, so all six are available. It's called the Pro 6000.
Definitely been waiting on this one!
@Gavin, thank you so much for doing this video. I can't even imagine the time and work it took to put this together (not to mention costs). This video has really helped with narrowing down which is the right progressive press for me!
Oh my god!!! I've never been so excited to see a Premiere notification 🤣🤣🤣. A perfect thing to drop on a Friday evening 😎. I. Can't. Wait.
YESSSS! See you at the Premier!
I've waited so long for this! Thanks Gavin.
Getting into reloading, and this really helped me with my decision. Thank you so much for the video!
Awesome video. Time to sit down and make a solid plan for reloading.
Required viewing for anyone in the market. Great job
Man that had to be the most expensive reloading video ever. Thanks so much Gavin for all of your great videos. 😎
Thats terrific news, thanks Gavin. I made a purchase last year based on your single stage shootout, which was a great video. Thanks again.
Glad you are liking these shootouts!
What single stage did u get?
@@grantdorcey8053 I bought an RCBS Rebel press. I like the D shape and also like the open area without other stuff in the way. I didn't care about no priming on the press , there are many off press options available. I like it a lot. It is a heavy chunk of iron. I have loaded some pistol and hope to do rifle this summer, but getting powder and primers is slowing that down.
Started on my reloading journey with the Lee hand tools and shotgun press over 40 years ago. Graduated 20 years later on to a used Dillon RL550B because the price was right. Upgrading process and parts/tools as budget allows. 550B has been solid, reliable, fully supported by both company and community probably the single best investment in a machine. Also have a MEC single stage for processing and load development. My advice to a new loader would be a progressive and the 550 series with its semi progressive and upgradable nature i think is the sweet spot and has good resale value. If you are just starting ona budget go with Lee if you know you are hooked go with Dillon save up if need be. Articles about starting with single stage instead of progressive are not spot on and the 550 series is where the value in production and control, and small learning curve
As a noob i really appreciate your comment.
What I'm totally lost on is- I'm looking for a progressive press that will have the most variety/ability to do different rounds ex. .223, 9mm, 762x39, .45acp, .357, .38, 7mm, .308, 30-06, 30-30 etc etc.
Can i simply buy the "dies" for each round or am i limited by the machine?
Is there a press that can do them all?
Thank you
@@thomasjefferson6334 dillon 550 just need dies and a conversion kit for each caliber maybe a different powder bar
@@thomasjefferson6334 the Dillon 550 just needs dies, and a shell plate and locator pins ( caliber conversion kit) for each caliber. Sometimes a different powder bar. I know lots of books say start with a non progressive press but as an intermediate reloader i would go strait for the 550. It is manual indexing and you can do one at a time but it's easy to progressively reload at a comfortable pace
You have an outstanding channel and when I need a reference outside of MFG I go to you. Thanks for all the effort and accuracy!
I have been reloading since 1966 and you have reminded me of things I forgot. Keep up the great work 👍
Really good job, above and beyond! Totally 5 star buddy. Keeping this one!
Hi everyone! Looking forward to watching this video with you all at the Premier, 4:00pm PST, Friday 05/27/2022!
I think I'm happy with the Lee Turret I chose instead of the Lee Loadmaster Progressive, but looking forward to this shootout (and have been for a while).
BTW Gavin, did you get any hands on with the new Lee Pro 6000?
@@n.u.t.y. No, LEE has gone unresponsive on me, I know a major retailer that hasn't been told about it yet. Not sure what LEE is up to.
@@n.u.t.y. Wow, what this Pro 6000 is about?
Nevermind, find the description at the Lee website. Thanks.
@@kolynos Yep, basically the replacement for the Loadmaster, which their website says will be discontinued this year.
Never once reloaded a single cartridge. But that'll change. Thanks for the many reloading videos.
Ps: going single stage. Not getting a mark 7 or something crazy. Thanks again.
Even though I'm totally locked into my 550 and 650 dillons I'm really looking forward to this.
Thank you for the great video. I have the Hornady AP for about 7 years that I do all my pistol rounds on I have 2 Redding T-7s for my rifle.🇺🇸
Thanks Gavin I like this comparison. I have been using the RCBS Rockchucker for many years. Time to upgrade.
The huge amount of work you’ve done on. this is much appreciated. You’ve helped me decide on the X 10 and saved me hours of research. Definitely following for more of your videos. 👍
Gavin,
Thanks for another great video! Keep up the excellent work!
Awesome frikin job with your channel n knowledge of all you content...I learned my progressive from your videos.🔥🔥..hands down brotha...thanx..take care🤙🤙
The predecessor of the Dillon 550 was the 500AT. It was a manually indexed progressive loader offered bone stock. Fortunately it was forward compatible with all of the accessories for the 550/650 lineup. I had one for a few years and it was a fantastic machine. I would do about 400 rounds/hr without a case or bullet feeder.
@gavintoobe Do you have a review of the Lee Six Pack Pro 6000? I'm really interested in your opinion. Thanks!
Amazing comparison video. It was 100% awesome.
Very impressive presentation 👍
This had to take so much work, thank you for putting this together 🇺🇸
Thank you Gavin, leading the reloading revolution! It was worth the wait!
Ba Man - you are the master of overstatement.
Just here to boost the algorithm. This videos deserves so many more views.
Excellent job. Well done and looking forward for more.
Thank you so much for putting these videos out. I’m lookin to get started with my first reloader and was lost in all the options. You really made a great comparison video and showcased very well what the purposes are of each press and helped me a lot as I start to try and hone in on what to get for my first reloader.
Which did you go with?
This was a very good progressive press comparison video. I feel very good about my decision on buying my dillon XL750 press. It's perfect for the type of reloading I do. Although my cost of ownership is higher because of the 9 calibers I reload for including all the tool heads I bought for each caliber.
Thanks Gavin, lots of time in this. Looks like the X-10 is out and maybe a Dillon Square Deal B and an upgraded single stage for my rifles.
Would love to see how the Lee Pro 6000 Six Pack compares in this list.
I love you videos. Very educational. Bought my xl750 2 yrs ago. After watching tons of videos and reading. Had your video on repeat setting up my xl750😂. Thank you
I use the load master and have for years . My riffle reloads are exceptional. My pistol is reloads are very good as well. Most of my issues with pistol deal with over crimping of rounds once you find the right crimp they are very accurate. If I could post pictures I would.
For once in my life, my timing is impeccable. Getting into reloading and ready to decide which progressive makes the most sense for me/my needs so I can purchase in the next few days!
Good deal! We'll see you at the Premier !
Given the large price increases, significant supply chain shortages and insane competition for primers and bullets you actually picked a T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E time to get into reloading. 🤣
@@r1ght1left1 he will still get his money back eventually if he uses the equipment. Might take several more years, but the result will be the same.
If you are hooked you can't go wrong with a Dillon
@@r1ght1left1 Yeah, so you could definitely say that about shooting sports in general, but it still makes more sense to reload than shoot factory regardless of the time
We need a turret press showdown now. If not too much to ask. Thanks for video. Great info.
Excellent overview, thank you!
Santa Clause brought my Loadmaster in 2018 when I was doing a lot of USPSA shooting. "Fidgeting" is a profession when you own a LM... and I eventually gave up on the priming system altogether choosing to manual prime off press and use the stations as: #1 with case feeder for sizing (decap removed) #2 for Rotary powder/flare, #3 for a powder check, #4 seat and #5 crimp. If I ever need high volume pistol again, I'd probably jump over to the other "RED" alternative.
As I was looking more into the Lee Load Master.
From Lee Precision:
"April 27, 2022
After 30 years of production, the Load-Master Progressive Press is going to legacy status. All of the Load-Master specific parts (shell plates, primer feed, etc.) will continue to be produced."
Thank you for all you do!
I really appreciate you and your help
thanks for the shoot out . I for one have had the Lee presses for years and always had problems with them to the point both loadmasters went to single loading cases pre-primed ( I gave up ) to changing the powder measure as I got some foots . But I went to Dillon this year and OMG what a difference Smoother easier and they work . for the 9mm I changed the powder expansion die to Double Alpha Bullet feeder die as it mad a big help seating the heads without scraping the FMJ off .I went for 2 XL750 one small primer one large ( 9mm and .44mag )
I dont load that much but wanted to be able to just walk in and load some ammo as and when I needed it . Yes i big lay out but worth it for my time and ease of use .
So for me it is not all about $$ pre load its about ease of use and smooth loading.
If there is one thing I would like to change is the primers feed I would love the Apex 10 auto primer set up just so you can tip a box it and away you go, I just have to make do with another double Alpha's primer loader. its funny here in the UK most people go for the cheapest option me I want a good life :)
Thanks Gavin for simplifying all this for me, I just ordered the x10.
Congrats, and thanks for watching!
Have you reviewed the Lee inline bullet feeder and will it work with the FA X10 and or which feeder would you recomend for the X20?
I don't understand why many people are bashing Gavin for the video.
Progressive Reloading have a ton variables, and he ain't a scientific lab doing scientific research.
An apples to apples comparison is maybe impossible.
Break down of the quirks and total cost of ownership is great. (For example, the Lee Load Master is somewhat of a 4.5 station press.)
In my opinion, great video Gavin.
People were expecting much more based on the old single stage comparison video. Remember he said this has been in planning from 2008 and was posted 2 years after the single stage video so the hype and expectations were not in line with him just reading the product specs and telling rough prices.
Now that doesn't make this a bad video. Great video for new people getting into progressive presses. One stop shop specs breakdown.
We ordered cheesecake but only got the cake. Cake is still good just not what we wanted lol.
@@armalite3009 still, free cake.
Maybe we should be a bit more appreciative?
@@tonyzhu403 pump the brake there fella. Appreciate the free content? You ask too much sir. I want my cheesecake lol
Great Video helped a lot with my final decision, Dillon XL 750
Gavin, about 12 years ago I got into reloading. I started with a single stage kit, the RCBS Rock Chucker. Within a month I was ready for more and I watched all the videos you had, specifically focusing on caliber change over. This is why I went with the Hornady LNL AP. Over the years I've added lights and a 3D printed case feeder, picked for the ceiling height requirement over a motorized case feeder. I will say this, if I had it all to do over again, I'd get the Frankford Arsenal X10 no holds bar, but I'd have to check the height of the case feeder. Love my Inline Fabrication quick change flush mount.
As for future subjects, Buller Feeders for .223 & .308, (pistol as well) possibly including 3D printed ones and after market like Double Alpha. Oh, and one of the reasons I like gravity feed over motor feed, besides lack of height, is you don't need change over parts. Yeah you get into a bottle neck when you have to reload tubes, but that happens with powder and primers too.
Incredible, exceptional job. What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday morning, coffee cup in hand, dogs taken out, ready to watch. Thank you sir.
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it!
Good stuff. Still and always comes down to individual preferences, needs and other factors $$. Thank you as always.
Well said!
My loadmaster in 2016 shipped was 203 in 9mm config, bought 7.62, 223 and 350 legend dies case holder and 2 auto drums for another 200. Still running strong tens of thousands rounds loaded
Loadmaster was a really good budget progressive.
Nice overview of the current and immediately coming options.
The Frankford Arsenal has been 'Coming Soon' for about 2 years. I wish they would get it sorted out and available for purchase, some day soon. Seems like vapor-ware, rather than hardware.
Well with China being in all kinds of lockdowns I am sure that has slowed down their production.
@@greeneman99710 Yep. That has always bothered me about FA products, they make good products, but in China. I have one of their hand primers with adjustable seating depth and their rotary powder dropper that doesn't leak; it just seems Lee could up the quality or someone like Lyman build a price competitive product.
@@rwcraver As a noob i really appreciate your comment.
What I'm totally lost on is- I'm looking for a progressive press that will have the most variety/ability to do different rounds ex. .223, 9mm, 762x39, .45acp, .357, .38, 7mm, .308, 30-06, 30-30 etc etc.
Can i simply buy the "dies" for each round or am i limited by the machine?
Is there a press that can do them all?
Thank you
@@thomasjefferson6334 The short answer is that all 7/8"-14 dies will 'work' on any press, but on a progressive with a powder measure will probably work best with that manufacturers dies, particularly a Dillon with their activated powder measure.
Case length is something to be wary of with the 30-06 and maybe the 7mm as the turret has to be able to turn with the finished length cartridge; this will be in the manufacturer's product description information. For example a Dillon 550 can handle up to a 338 Lapau, my Lee Pro4000 can only auto-index up to a 2-5/16" overall length case, though it will load longer if manually indexing.
@@rwcraver i see. So it might be a good idea to get a progressive for cases smaller than 30-06 and an additional single stage press for 30-06 and up, i assume?
Any presses that blow you away.... and any i should avoid? I wanna get a good one so im willing to pay around 2k. Possibly more if the dies are more
Well done Gavin as always and thanks for Keeping Us well informed !
Thanks for this video, it really helps out. Greetings from The Netherlands.
well Gavin,gotta say I was a bit let down. I have been with you since the early days of hornady lnl reviews [about the time i got mine]and progressed in geeking out over reloading gear at a bit slower rate than you but not far behind. there honestly was not much in this video that I didn't know but this has become my favorite video to recommend to any newbie looking for a progressive. all in all, excellent job on what you covered and it will be a huge help to me since i help a lot of people getting into reloading and picking out gear. I greatly appreciate the effort, time and attention to detail you put into your videos.
What additional information were you looking for?
@@DRock558 info like his single stage press shoot out. Not that a lot of that info matters but I have a weakness for such details. Not slamming this video and no respect lost for Gavin. Just My personal opinion
Yeah i was expecting a winner called out for leverage or ease of use, and reliability or repeatability.
I’m a newbie and would like to get the best of the best that can be upgraded. Would love to see someone make a video from start to finish and what press with all the extras linked so I could buy the whole package. Thanks
Great video, thank you for your efforts to clear up the market!
Thanks for all of your work on this. Great info for sure.
Gavin. YOU ARE THE MAN!
You are too kind, Thanks for watching!
After the stellar test setup for the single press test, I had hoped for the type of data provided during the single press showdown.
I bought my LNL AP and don’t use a case feeder. It’s been a great press. I pretty much keep it on 9mm mostly. I don’t mind loading in the brass myself. Sometimes I load 223 as well. It’s really easy to switch over. It has been a great value. I bought it March 2019 for $379 and got 500 projectiles (129 grain interlocks 6.5mm). If you consider the projectile value it was a real bargain.
I like my lnl ap, the priming took some tweaking but now is flawless, the powder measure is good to very good depending on types of powder, I’ve been reloading since the seventies and since I’m retired now I have more time to shoot so I needed to load more rounds
Me either. Case feeders seem to be far, far, far more trouble than they are worth. I do use the bullet feed, however. I love my LNL AP and 16 years after purchase, it's still going great.
Wow, you've been busy. This is awesome information and review. I have a few presses but one progressive being the Dillon xl650 and I love it. I want another one to do the large and small primer thing. Can't say anything bad about the Dillon. I have a RCBS rockchucker and a turret press too. They all have a purpose. Thanks for your time and effort.
I like the analogy about the race horses going back and forth....
But as the old saying goes: “buy once cry once”.... I believe “The Blue” wins on an overall if you also factor in “time”
And yes, most people as commented would like to see an overall product comparison “accuracy test”, etc.
But I. relieve you have tested all or almost all of these separately, and those results can be found in your other vids.
Thx for taking the crazy amount of time I’m sure it was to splice this all together
Excellent information, looking move to a progressive reloader.
I was thinking of upgrading my XL750 for the RL1100 for the swaging feature but the smaller maximum case length makes it a no go as I load .308, 6.5 creedmoor and soon to be 8.6 blackout. Bummer.
No exaggeration when I say I've been waiting YEARS for this.
I couldn't wait anymore so I broke down and picked up a Lee load master a few months back. Lets see if that choice is backed up by Gavin.
Great video Gavin, thanks for all the effort. I use a Dillon RL550B and would like to do some upgrades but I’m still waiting for primers to be available again to feed the beast.
Excellent video !!!!! Keep up the great work !!!
I hope you will consider a review of the Lee Six Pack Pro / Pro-6000 kit. Any plans for this?
I have Bought Item's from Midsouth Shooter's & I am Pleased with All that I have Ordered. The Shipping was fast & Easy. The Only Worrie's that I had was, Not haven enough Money to Buy all that I Truly wanted. But that's Life. Thank You for all You'r Video's. I have learned alot, alot that I never heard of & glad that I am still watching You'r Video's. Thank's Once Again My Friend.
Question for Gavin. (Since I have yet to find answers to the question.)
What's your process for Rifle Case Preps for Progressive Reloading?
Since you would trim the brass after the resize, therefore it would break the progressive process.
RCBS X-die can make it doable in a single run. Otherwise most people split it into separate runs.
@@silentbob267 As a noob i really appreciate your comment.
What I'm totally lost on is- I'm looking for a progressive press that will have the most variety/ability to do different rounds ex. .223, 9mm, 762x39, .45acp, .357, .38, 7mm, .308, 30-06, 30-30 etc etc.
Can i simply buy the "dies" for each round or am i limited by the machine?
Is there a press that can do them all?
Thank you
@@thomasjefferson6334 I'm no expert but many of the commercially available progressive presses with caliber change available will do most common cartridges until you get into the very large rifle calibers. Can you just buy the dies to change calibers, typically not, it kind of depends on the press and how much time, money, effort you're willing to put into the caliber changeover. Best thing I can tell you is to do as much research as you can before making a decision. There are videos on pretty much all of these presses explaining how they operate and how the caliber changes go.
@@silentbob267 Any advice on which presses you think are great, or which we should absolutely stay away from??
thank you for your time sir!
@@thomasjefferson6334 I have a Hornady LNL AP and I have been happy with it. I run it without the case feeder to keep the cost down and simplify caliber changes. I also have a single stage press I use for various tasks. That being said if you want to load the most calibers on any one of these presses the one with the longest allowable C.O.A.L. would in theory accommodate the most calibers. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the best or the one you should go with. Most people don't load very high volume of larger rifle cartridges. They typically load them in low volume for precision which can be done quite easily on a single stage or turret press. Speaking of which if you don't need a high volume of the rounds you plan to reload some turret presses might be easier and cheaper to switch calibers on. If you need to do it all on a progressive watch videos on each progressive press available and check features to see what you do and don't like. Cost is usually a big factor. C.O.A.L. of the longest round you plan to load is a factor. Cost and ease of caliber changover will be a big one to consider. The Dillons can be quite easy to change over if you spend enough money buying everything to make it easy.
My first press is also my favorite. Hornady Lock N Load AP. I think all presses will have a learning curve and the Hornady is no exception. Just hit 25K rounds reloaded and it looks and performs as well as it did brand new.
Buying my first press, thinking of starting with the LnLAP...thots?
I am so grateful for this video. I'm just getting into reloading, and this video helped me narrow down my choices. I'm between the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP and the Dillon XL-750. I don't want to start at the bottom and work my way up. I am probably buying my last Press first. The choice isn't made, but it's much narrower now. Thank You, very much.
Which one did you go with? Funny enough those are the two im looking at the begin my reloading journey as well. I dont like starting off too basic either. My 3rd option considered would probably be the lee pro 6000.
This video and your single stage video was awesome. Love to see a turret press comparison video
Great video and I learned a lot and you made me realize I really need the Dillon precision XL 750 and I was fixing to make a big mistake buying the Lee precision 4000!!
Wow, great job Gavin. Tons of great information. Thanks!
Gavin- do you by chance have an updated release time frame for the x10? I have emailed frankfort arsenal regarding an update but haven't heard anything back...
Awesome been looking forward to this video 👍
In May of 2023 I graduated from my Lee Classic Turret (which I still love) to the Lee Six Pack Pro 6000. It is an amazing press at half the price of a Hornady LNL.
What do you load with it and how much/hour within reason?
Where would the Lee 6000 end up if it were available when you did this test?
Great video! Big Blue all the way for me... I've had my 650 since '98, and keeping an eye on what they've been going for on ebay, I can actually get more for it now than I paid for it 24 years ago.
That is a good investment! :)
Thanks for putting this together. I have the loadmaster. It worked great initially, but now having some problems with the powder feed. Thinking of moving up.
Dillon 550 are great press. 100's of thousands of round thru mine i got used!!