ammunition-reloading, reloading-pressWould it be easier for someone just starting to reload, to use a single stage reloading press or a progressive press? For the new users, what are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
In addition to being expensive, progressive presses are rather complex and not the easiest thing to learn on. On the other hand, while simple and inexpensive, single stage presses only provide a limited output in terms of number of rounds.
One other type of press to consider would be a turret press. A turret is substantially less complex than a progressive, but is considerably faster than a single stage press. It also lets you keep all your dies set up as you move through the reloading process, rather than having to reset them after every step.
A big factor in this decision is what kind of reloading you’re doing. Is this volume reloading, cranking out large numbers of low-cost rounds? A progressive press may be your best bet. Accuracy reloading, producing a few, carefully made rounds made to the highest standards of precision? This is the domain of the single stage press. Specialty reloading to produce a round not commercially available (making major with certain calibers in gun games, etc.)? Choose a press deepening on how much of this ammo you plan to shoot. Will you be reloading one caliber, or many? Progressive presses often require more work to change calibers on. Some turret presses can be changed quite easily by buying another turret for each caliber. On a single stage press, there’s really no overhead to changing calibers since you’ll be setting up the press anew for each step in the reloading process.
What you’re trying to do is going to have a big effect on what kind of press is best to start off with.
Unless you have a lot of cash to throw around, I would start with a single stage press. Progressive presses are going to be very expensive and can be temperamental, and it would be a shame to drop $500+ on a hobby you decide you hate.
With the progressive you do have the option of treating it like a single stage. On some rifle calibers like .30-06 I full length size and decap first, trim the brass to length and then prime, charge and seat bullets on a different day. Splitting it into two sessions is still a lot faster than a single stage without much more complexity. On easier to load pistol calibers I’ll go ahead and do everything at once. I’m glad I got a progressive press up front as I was still able to ease into reloading and learn the ropes like I would have on a single stage.
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