Progressive press questions

[Classicvette63]

Hey gang, was thinking of getting a progressive to load 5.56. Used a single stage press for probably 25 years. Couple questions. How do you get the lube off the cases? Tumbling afterwards?

In the videos I've seen, no one trims to length or chambers or deburrs. What gives? Thanks

[Adam Helmer]

ClassicVet63,

Good Questions? One more thing: How do you clean primer pockets on a progressive press? I have seen folks decap cases and clean pockets before putting cases into the press, but then it is a two-step process, so I stay with my RCBS Jr. and RockChucker.

Adam

[Classicvette63]

Adam, yep I almost forgot that. Deburring the flash hole would be out as well.

[GoodOlBoy]

Honestly I tried a progressive press, and wound up going back to Lee Classic Loaders for most of my loads (Lee "Whack-a-mole" set). Back when I was still able to reload (can't handle the lead for several more years because of cancer) I did still like to use a single stage press with a carbide die for decapping and resizing. But most of what I loaded were rimmed straight wall cartridges at the time. Then again I was much more interested in consistency, than I was in volume. Plus one thing I had was time, so being able to "only" load 50 rounds in an hour or two wasn't a big deal to me. So much time, in fact, that I even built custom dippers for my powders and calibers. I had a buddy try to tell me "But dippers aren't consistent!" so I showed him half a dozen times in a row I could drop the exact same load (tested on a digital scale) every single time using Trail Boss, which was my main powder.

God Bless, and One Love

GoodOlBoy

[wrenchman]

after years of rifles my son wants do do hand guns after doing it on my single stage i am thinking of getting one.
i dont seem to have near as much case prep but there are more steps to loading and changeing out the dies.
i have found that the 357 comes into its own hand loading when hand loading.

[skeet]

Hmmm. How to answer....I use progressives. I have found quite a bit of prep we do is really not needed...seriously. Believe it or not most people don't clean pockets..and I find it un-needed for the most part. Removing lube is easy..ten min in a tumbler. Yes I even lube cases with carbide dies...spray lube lightly. Flash hole deburring?? If you are a benchrest shooter...maybe. I do clean pp with my varmint loads. Loading 222 & 204 right now. Got a small P dog town here on the ranch. Kind of a precise imprecise game because of wind. For cast bullet handgun and 223 stuff most of the prep really isn't needed. My serious hunting ammo? Yep I do the prep..heck how many good hunting loads do we load? 40? I shoot my deer with a Win 64 32 sp with cast bullets...max 75yds. I have a couple hundred of them loaded. My daughter has been shooting the P dogs and think she has missed four shots out of about a hundred with my 223 loads out of my Bushmaster Varminter.with loads right off my Dillon 650 progressive. She is a good shooter though. Case length? I do it when needed. Handgun ammo almost never need trimming except maybe 357 or 44 magnum loads and they will even last the 6 to 8 loads(full mag) loads I will put through them till I retire them to plinkers. BTW if you need to trim rifle cases every time....your loads are probably too hot

[skeet]

after years of rifles my son wants do do hand guns after doing it on my single stage i am thinking of getting one.
i dont seem to have near as much case prep but there are more steps to loading and changeing out the dies.
i have found that the 357 comes into its own hand loading when hand loading.

Got to say...if you buy a progressive for your hand gun ammo...go with a quality press. Not a Lee...ask me how I know. I would recommend a Dillon 550... Oh and the full blown mag handgun loads? Do them on your single stage press. It is a bit safer till you really learn your press. I never load top of the pressure range loads on a progressive. You are loading for quantity. I am sure you understand the reasoning for that statement