Best press for a beginner?

[noylj]

>I am going to get into reloading and wanted to know what the best press would be to use. I have heard a dillon is the best

I think talking about the best press is like talking about the sexiest woman--we all different wants and needs.
The best is almost always subjective. In fact, generally, the best is something you and I haven't even heard of--we only hear about the common things.
Rolex and Omega--common. Patel Philippe and Breguet--rare. Richard Mille RM027--very rare. I happen to really like Jaeger-LeCoultre, but that doesn't mean I think it is the best (just the best for quality, style, weight, and cost for me).
You may think your $2000 Sony stereo is the best. Some, however, want the following:
SPEAKERS:
$240,000 - NTT AUDIOLAB Model 101 Mk II Speakers w/ room correction (1 pair)
$ 28,000 - NTT AUDIOLAB SW subwoofers (x 2)
AMPLIFICATION / TriAmp Setup:
$204,000 - VITUS AUDIO SM - 101 Monoblocks (3 pair)
TURNTABLE:
$150,000 - OneDorf Turntable
PREAMP:
$ 38,000 - VITUS AUDIO SL - 101 Preamp
$ 34,000 - VITUS AUDIO SP101 Phono Preamp
DIGITAL:
$69,000 - dCS Scarlatti System
CABLING:
$ 90,000 - MIT Oracle speaker wires (x4)
$ 50,000 - MIT system interconnects & pwr
MISC:
$40,000 - NTT AUDIOLAB RC-5 stands
$20,000 - Phono cartridge and arm
$10,000 - MAGNUM DYNALAB MD-109 Tuner
$40,000 - Electronic crossover, power conditioning and treatment

Beginners are often best served with a single-stage. For the money, it would be hard to beat a Lee Challenger Breech Lock, though I would say that the Forster Co-Ax is "the best" single stage.
For a progressive, what do you want? If you really want/need a case collator, then get the Dillon 650 or 1050.
If you don't really want/need a case collator, get the Hornady L-N-L.
I haven't used a progressive except for Hornady and Dillon, so I can't say they are "the best," just that they meet my needs.
I wish I could have gotten a Star back in the early '70s.
I can say that the Dillon SDB and 550 do not meet my needs/wants, as I consider five actual die stations a minimum. However, they might be just what you want/need.
The Camdex 2100 would probably be "the best" press for handgun ammunition, though the 2500 might be best if you want to get into rifles some day.
You can go to
http://bullseyenation.com/best-reloading-press/
for another point of view.

 

[iceberg]

noylj very well put. Guess i need to go and look at the different options and see what i am want/need first along with literature

 

[FamDoc2892]

Let me add that different stages of handloading will influence your needs. As noted above, when you're working up a load, a single stage helps you focus on one round at a time and be precise and consistent until you maximize your performance for a particular gun. When you're ready to load in bulk, it's great to have the turret/progressive output.

 

[iceberg]

That would make sense to work my way up through them since i havent reloaded before and know very little about it besides the few videos i have watched

 

[richs]

I found this info about presses, it makes a lot of sense.

 

[mishoprat]

You're just starting out! Have to agree with the turret press. Take a look at the Lee 4 position turret press. It's inexpensive, a very strong design, and you can get most of your money back out of it easily, should you decide reloading isn't for you, or you want a more complicated unit. Pair it with the Lee premium Die set and Lee Pro Autodisk powder measure, and you have a sweet set up to make a lot of quality loaded ammo for a little money. It will handle your calibers under 50 BMG. It is very flexible allowing use as a single stage, or in full auto-index turret mode. The turrets can be quickly exchanged to change from one caliber to the next (leave the dies set in the turrets), and they are inexpensive.

Do yourself a favor to start and buy a good hand priming tool such as Lee Ergo Prime...the best I've come across is the RCBS for a little more money (best because of handle ergonomics and construction). Hand priming forces you to handle (and hopefully pay attention to) each empty case you load, and it reduces the complexity of any press set up your starting out with.

There are other great press designs out there that will allow you to load faster, and they can cost $5X. You're just starting out. Get the basics down first, and figure out what your volumes are going to be, and how much complexity you want to deal with, and learn what kind of $$ reloading really costs or saves. Even if you go to a progressive for high volume pistol loads, I'll lay odds you keep your turret press for lower volume and load development. Reloading is fun, and the payoff isn't just saving money...it's developing loads that work best in your firearms.
Pete

 

[mishoprat]

What would be some good manuals to have? And i would like to reload from here on out. I plan on getting evolved with shooting matches and other things of that nature. I have watched videos about reloading, reloading supplies, etc. Just wanted to first hand knowledge about it and what would be a good beginner press but one that could take on more as i became more into it and doing more than 1 caliber.

Again I would suggest a Lee Product for the manual based on comparing a number of manuals. The Lee is more comprehensive in that it includes load data for a multitude of manufacturers products...bullets, powders, etc. It also has very good instructional sections for a beginner. There is no single source for load data, but it gives the beginner a good basic inexpensive source of information. Manuals like Hornady cover only data for their great product...Hornaday bullets...which leaves one hanging. There is a lot of info on line for free...take a look at "Ramshot" powders load data...it will also include "Accurate" powder information as they are both in the "Western Powder" family. There are many other sources on line, but do buy a couple manuals.