Top 4 Best Progressive Reloading Press for Beginners

Best Progressive Reloading Press for Beginners/ Best Progressive Reloading Press

What is the best progressive reloading press for beginners? Reloading to some is a way of cutting on ammo costs and to others, it is a hobby. Whatever your reason is, one thing is for certain, reloading your own ammo increases its precision and accuracy over time. The more you get good at it, the more you achieve this. For beginners, using the progressive press might be a little difficult at first but as time goes by, it becomes very easy to use. 

Sure, you can first get a single-stage press or a turret press to first learn the ropes of reloading but over time you will realize the need for a progressive press. What’s more, technological advancements in the reloading business have ensured using a progressive reloading press is easy even to a beginner. 

Let’s look at some of the best progressive reloading press for beginners on the market. 

Best Progressive Reloading Press for Beginners

#1) Hornady 095100 Lock-N-Load Auto-Progressive Reloading Press

#2) Dillon Precision 16944 XL 650 9mm Progressive Auto Indexing Reloading Machine

#3) Lee Precision Load Master 223 Remington Reloading Rifle Kit

#4) MEC 9000GN 12 Gauge Press

 

Best Progressive Reloading Press for Beginners Reviews

#1) Hornady 095100 Lock-N-Load Auto-Progressive Reloading Press   Check Price      Hornady is known for manufacturing the best reloading press kits on the market. The Hornady 095100 Lock-N-Load Auto-Progressive Reloading Press is one of the best progressive reloading press for beginners for many reasons.  For starters, it comes with the case activated powder drop that only dispenses powder when a cartridge case is present. This makes the process neat and organized. Additionally, a universal case retainer spring lets you insert or remove a case at any point in a quick and easy way.  This progressive reloading press comes with the EZject feature that ejects cartridges reliably and without jamming while a 5-station quick-change bushing system ensures you can make quick changeovers from 223 to 45 in under 5 minutes.  The whole purpose of this reloading kit is to make the reloading process, quick, efficient, easy, and reliable.  Features A built-in priming system A 5-station bushing system EZject system Quick-change metering inserts Case-activated powder drop Pros Can produce more than 300 rounds per hour and to the experienced reloader this can go up to 800 rounds and above Comes with a large capacity hopper Quick caliber switches Automatic Indexing Cons Does not come with dies

 

 

 

 

#2) Dillon Precision 16944 XL 650 9mm Progressive Auto Indexing Reloading Machine Some would consider this a progressive reloading press for an experienced reloader but its simple design and ease of use makes it one of the best progressive reloading press for beginners. You can easily produce more than 500 rounds per hour and it is not even hard to set up. What’s more, you can get aftermarket accessories to increase the round production count per hour.  This is such a high-quality product that even professional reloaders who sell reloaded ammo use it as their primary kit. This company’s customer service is unmatched which means any problem you encounter that is the manufacturer’s fault can easily be rectified. It features fast-change tool heads, automatic indexing and it even comes with various component feeders to make reloading easier.  Apart from its effectiveness, this reloading kit justifies its price by being very durable. It is made to withstand constant use while promising to last you for a long time.  Features Auto indexing Fast-change tool heads 5-station reloader Made from quality material Pros Great customer service and warranty Durable Can produce 500-800 rounds within an hour You don’t have to measure powder manually for each caliber Time-saving Cons Price

 

 

 

 

#3) Lee Precision Load Master 223 Remington Reloading Rifle Kit   Check Price      This is one of the best progressive reloading press beginners for its price. It is a more budget-friendly option in comparison to other progressive presses like the Dillon precision.  It comes with 5 progressive stations that can produce up to 400 rounds per hour while the chrome-plated diameter ram can use bigger rifle cartridges. To ensure the rounds are high quality and precise, this reloading kit is fitted with the auto-indexing system.  Its auto-disk powder measure ensures gunpowder does not spill or leak which means your workstation will always be neat. This also helps in controlling the quality and consistency of the ammo produced.  This reloading press is made with a durable die-cast aluminum frame that makes it pretty reliable.  Features Detachable turrets for dies 1.75in ram w/ a big stroke clearance Five stations  Pros Budget-friendly Can work with most standard dies Changing dies is quick Good for beginners Cons Die and shell plates sold separately

 

 

 

 

#4) MEC 9000GN 12 Gauge Press   Check Price      This is a powerful reloading kit that is one of the best progressive reloading press for beginners and pros alike. The MEC 8567N Grabber got a major upgrade to the 9000GN with features like automatic ejection of shells and auto-indexing being added on.  The Auto-Dex™ moves the shells automatically through each stage just by returning the handle to the top. This gives off resized shells that are accurate with each stroke. The indexing system is very smooth and quick so the ammo you produce is consistent every time.  What’s more, after the final crimping finished shells are ejected automatically from the shell carrier which eliminates the need to do it manually. This feature also saves you time.  This reloading kit is easy to use for beginners and it’s efficient enough to produce accurate ammo over a long period of time. You may want to purchase a cover for it so as to keep it clean.  Features Auto-Dex™ that moves the shells automatically on every stage Finished-shell ejection Durable Six stations  Auto-cycle charging Power ring resizer Pros Shell resizing is accurate Finished shells are automatically ejected Smooth automatic indexing Cons Extra expense of buying a cover Each variant is gauge-specific

 

 

 

Best Progressive Reloading Press for Beginners Buying Guide

Brand– By the time you have settled on buying a progressive reloading press, you probably know they are more expensive in comparison to a turret press or a single-stage press. If you did not know, yes, progressive reloading kits are more expensive in comparison to the rest but this is because they come with features that me the process easier, faster, and are capable of producing a high amount of rounds within an hour. With that said, as with every item in life, there are brands that are known for their high-quality presses more than others. Reloading presses from Hornady and Dillon precision are known to be among the best presses on the market. 

Ease of use- Since you are a beginner, you want a progressive reloading kit that is easy to use and assemble. The problem with a progressive reloading press is moving parts are many. This might make it hard to use for a beginner. The best progressive reloading press for beginners has fewer movable features and more permanent features. So you won’t have to keep assembling and putting parts every time you are using it. This means some processes should be mechanical or automatic not manual. 

Ammunition compatibility-  If you are going to spend this much on a reloading kit, then it is important to make sure it perfectly worked with your ammo. Some progressive reloading presses are made for specific calibers while others allow for caliber changes. 

If you are only going to reload one specific type of ammo, then you can comfortably get a progressive kit for it. Although, as you get more into reloading you will notice you might want to reload more than one type of caliber. 

Rate of reloading- To a beginner, this might not be important at first but as you get more into it, you will find yourself wanting to produce more rounds per hour. Ensure the progressive kit you choose can produce more than, say, 300 rounds per hour. To produce more than that, you will need to practice more and gain more experience. You can do this by, reading customer reviews to know how much a kit can produce in an hour. 

Quality– The best progressive presses are of high quality and durable. They are built from quality material that ensures the press is long-lasting. Investing in a high-quality press might feel expensive at first, but it will be very helpful in the future. Reloading is meant to save on ammo costs, so getting a low-quality reloading kit will entirely beat the purpose. 

Types of Reloading Presses

Single-stage press– These presses are cheaper compared to the turret and progressive presses. They are recommended to beginners as they have fewer moving parts and are easier to use. They are pretty straightforward and quite easy to maintain. On the flip side, they are time-consuming since you can only perform one function at a time and their production rate is slow. 

Turret press- This a single-stage press upgrade. It is capable of producing more rounds per hour and it is also fairly easy to use. A turret press is cheaper than a progressive reloading kit. However, with this press, there are more moving parts and can feel hard to use for a beginner. 

Progressive press– This is the most effective press of the three but at cost. It is more expensive and technical to use. You also get to produce a huge amount of rounds per hour with this press. 

 

Best Progressive Reloading Press for Beginners FAQs

What is the best reloading press for a beginner?

The best reloading press for a beginner is one that is easy to use and assemble. The Hornady lock-n-load and the Dillon Square B are some of the best kits reloading kits for a beginner. 

What is the difference between a turret press and a progressive press?

The difference is in how they work and price. A progressive reloading press works on multiple rounds at once while a turret press works on a round at a time. A progressive press is also more expensive in comparison to a turret press. 

Who makes the best progressive reloading press?

Manufacturers like Hornady and Dillon Precision make some of the best progressive reloading press. 

 

Conclusion

For a beginner, a progressive reloading kit is not highly recommended. This is due to its complexities and technicalities. If you however want one, the ones we have reviewed here are easy to use and easy to assemble. They also come with easy-to-understand manuals and some even have videos to help. All in all, the best progressive press for beginners is one that you can afford and can learn to use efficiently over time.