What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations.

[Jakal]

I use a Dillon RL550B press, Redding and Dillon dies. An RCBS Chargemaster for charge ladders. The Dillon powder system is very consistent.

If you reload a lot of different calibers, this maybe a way to go.

[Klem]

Rifle Press
Lyman 'Crusher II' single-stage.

Dies
Redding FL sizer.
Forster competition seater.
Redding taper crimp.

Powder measure
RCBS Chargemaster.

Measuring gear
Mitutoyo calipers and Micrometer.
headspace and bullet-seat depth (Stoney Pt).
Rifle gauge (Sheridan Engineering).

Priming
Lee Auto Prime (nothing 'Auto' or fancy about it but it works!).

[Joseph5]

I have the RCBS Small Base dies in 264 LBC that I have used with good results with both a RCBS single stage and a Dillon 550 press . I have sitting in boxes in my garage with no where to set it up, a Dillon 650 with all of the extra goodies for high speed ammo manufacture. If I can ever get my house sold and finally buy/build one where I currently live I will be able to set up my reloading/gunsmithing room and go to town.

[1075 tech]

If I can ever get my house sold and finally buy/build one where I currently live I will be able to set up my reloading/gunsmithing room and go to town.

The other day, my wife "strongly suggested" that I get part of the basement finished and set up my "gun room" there. That'll be my winter project but I'll have an approximately 10x20 room when I'm done.

As far as everyone else, I appreciate seeing all the different equipment you use and suggestions. I look forward to more. I've ordered several small items from Midway to add to my reloading bench.

I'm afraid that the new gun room will put a damper on the budget for reloading and gun building for a bit but will make things so much easier and nicer to work with in the end.

[LRRPF52]

If MKo could pipe in, he has the best modification list to the RCBS Chargemaster I've ever seen.

He replaced all the electronic components like resistors and capacitors.

Lined the inside with aluminum adhesive tape.

Reprogrammed the dispenser to kick out powder 4x as fast.

Choked the powder funnel so that it wouldn't dump powder all over.

[Savage Shooter]

For high volume pistol loads (.380 ACP, 9mm, .40 S&W) I use my Hornady Lock-N-Load Progressive press but I often resize and deprime, then clean the brass again using steel media in a tumbler and then hand prime. Then, I use the multi-stations to expand, charge with powder and seat the bullets.

For rifle loads, I have a Hornady Classic single stage or I will use the Lock-N-Load AP press as a single stage press.

What I do to get my powder charges very accurate is I use a Hornady drop measure to dial in to the approximate weight (usually less than 0.1 gr below target weight), then I use an RCBS beam scale and trickle the powder to within about 0.05 gr using the Dandy electronic Powder Trickler http://www.omegapowdertrickler.com/ . I then weigh the powder and pan on my GEM Pro http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004C3I...ge_o01_s00 scale which is accurate to +/- 0.02 grains. With this powder weighing set-up, I typically get standard deviations in the 5-8 fps range for a five shot group. While the powder is trickling out (it has an auto-shut-off when the target weight is hit on the beam scale), I am usually seating bullets or adjusting them for run-out, so I am not really wasting time waiting and have gotten reasonably fast.

[sneaky one]

I have the Lee Challenger basic press- to deprime , and prime, and load a few calibers. 44 mag.-- .223--7.62x40--9mm. Breech lock setup is fine.

My Lyman turret press is only for the Grendel. I like it. No runout on loaded ammo. $95.00 in the bargain cave @ Cabela;s 3 years ago.

Hornady digital scale. , Rcbs powder thrower, . All works fine. With this caliber, the mighty Grrrrr.... I have shot some amazing groups- .115.

I have no need to upgrade anything. I'm happy.

[pinzgauer]

Bonanza (Forster) Co-Ax hard core convert. Forster Grendel dies. Mix of Hornady and Lee Co-Ax dies for other calibers.

Used Lee turret for years, brother still cranking out ammo on it

If you ever use a Forster co-ax, you will want one!

[shellcatcher]

Hello,
For pistol ammo I use a Dillon XL650.
Most rifle development is done on my RCBS Rock chucker.
I still use my RCBS 505 scale and trickle up.
RCBS uniflo measure with mic. adjustment.
For 5.56 and 7.62x51 I use a Dillon XL650 set up for rifle.
Their measure is very good and gets better with certain powders.
I also have a powder die set up so I can drop straight from my scale.
Bob

[lweb43@yahoo.com]

Very handy tool.

[Wheelhorse]

Most pistol ammo is loaded on a 550B, rifles on a Rockchucker with Redding Type S full length dies, with the exception of the bullets for my 6br, they get seated with a Wilson die on a Sinclair arbor press.

[Lightning8]

Dillon 550 but I am a "heretic" and use Lee pistol dies and (gasp!) the Lee autodisc powder measures for pistol. I load a high volume of 9mm and this suits me well. Have same setup for 380 and 40. Still use a Dillon Square Deal for 45ACP but if I ever get enough small primer 45 brass - I will probably retire the Square Deal.

I have an old RCBS single stage press I use for rifle and case prep. Lyman tumbler that is at least 20 years old and still going strong.

[Blanco]

Nothing at all wrong with Lee. I have been loading all my rifle on a Lee classic cast press for quite a few years. I have loaded plenty of 30-06 that will shoot 5 shot groups you could cover with a quarter.
Yes some of Lee's equipment is less than stellar... I do have 4 Loadmasters that I load pistol on. They are not for the mechanically challenged, But once you learn their quirks they can keep up with the best. I wonder how good the 6.5 Lee dies are??

[762n40]

For low volume rifle, Redding Big Boss 2 press
My favorite die set is a combination of a Redding bushing sizing die with carbide button, and a RCBS competition seater die.

For high volume pistol, hard to dislike Dillon equipment.

[glackin88]

I load with a lee load master for all my pistol and 223 ammo. I also use it as a single stage for my 6.5 rounds. its ok as a single stage but I plan on getting a t7 for all my precision rifle rounds.

[SDguy]

Old is referring to the press @ w my knee giving me grief today I am feeling a little old for a guy in his early 50's.

As for dies - Lee, Hornady and Redding for me I have really been switching to Lee collet necking dies lately. Just picked up a couple custom collet neck sizing dies recently in 17 Fireball and 6.5 Grendel. Must say I have been very pleased with the RCBS competition bullet seater also, especially in the little 17's. That side access window dropping the bullet into the sliding guide sleeve is sweet when handling the little 20 to 30 grain 17 cal pills.

Of course the neck dies of any sort are out of the question for the AR type applications. Still primarily a Bolt action guy here. I used to think a AR could not be a truly accurate gun. Boy had I been wrong on that one.

[diddlyv]

Just about all my rifle dies are Hornady new dimension. Years ago in El Paso could not find hornady 7mm mauser dies so those are forstner or RCBS. I was using a Lyman T Mag old style with the quick change turret system until a couple of weeks ago when the shoulder bolt that holds the turret on broke. The new T Mag II shoulder bolt does not work without fabricating some kind of a hard shim to present the bolt from going too far in to the ram and locking the turret. I suppose I could have just tightened the bolt done what ever operation, loosened and turned to the next die and re-tightened. Too much hassle so I just got a new T Mag II.

[Rickc]

I use a forster co-ax for.all my precision reloading

I also have a Harrell combo press for a portable range setup.

For the grendel I have a forster sizing die and a Wilson in line seater.

Checked runout.on the 50 rounds I loaded yesterday. Most were around .001. Only 3 were .003 or worse.

This is with brand new resized lapua brass. I always.run a neck expander through new lapua brass. Necks are always so tight. Then I run them through the sizing die.

[Chrazy-Chris]

What is the go-to die two die set for SAAMI 6.5 Grendel? Is there any one in particular that you all agree on to be the best value?

[LRRPF52]

I think the Hornady New Dimension die set is the best value. I wouldn't go lower than that.