Types of Presses for Reloading – Everything You Need to Know!

Reloading can be a fun little project or excruciatingly painful depending on how you go about it. To many, it is a relaxing hobby that lets them save a few bucks on ammunition. But if you don’t know what you are doing or are ill-equipped for the project, it might end up costing you more.

First thing first, though, you need a reloading press for the job. But since there are different types of reloading presses out there, it can be pretty confusing to settle on a specific one. Don’t worry; I will try to fix that here.

In this article, I will talk about the main types of reloading presses out there so that you can have an easier time figuring out which one you want for yourself.

How Many Types of Reloading Presses Are There?

As of today, you can find three types of reloading presses on the market. And while all three variants are designed to do pretty much the same thing, how they do it is quite different. One type might be good for a hobbyist, while professionals might prefer a different type.

That is why it is critical to understand exactly what you are getting with each type of reloading press. Don’t worry; I will cover everything in this section.

The three types of reloading presses are; single-stage, turret, and progressive. Let me give you a thorough breakdown of the three types of presses used for reloading.

Single-stage Reloading Press

A single-stage reloading press is the most common variant that is often found in most reloading kits. And if you have already tried your hand at reloading before, there is a good chance that you used a single-stage reloader. It features a pretty simple and straightforward design, both functionally and mechanically.

To use a single-stage reloader, you first have to screw the reloading die into position at the top. At this point, pulling the lever will push the round into the die from the end of the ram.

A single-stage reloader features fewer moving parts compared to a turret or progressive reloader. This, in turn, allows them to produce ammunition that is more consistent and accurate. As you can imagine, this makes them extremely popular among hunters and target shooters who prioritize reliability over speed.

Single-stage reloaders are also great for new reloaders. Since you have to be involved every step of the way when using this type of reloader, you will have to pay attention to your work. As a result, you can learn from it much better compared to other types of reloaders.

If you are a newbie at reloading, you will be forced to learn the fundamentals with a single-stage reloader. And since it is less complicated, it will not overwhelm you. However, there is one major drawback of a single-stage reloader; it is extremely slow.

You can only produce one ammo at once, which means turning in large volumes will take a long time with a single-stage reloader. Despite this hiccup, I would recommend picking up a single-stage reloader anyways if this is your first reloading press.

Two of my favorite single-stage reloading presses are the RCBS Rock Chucker and the Hornady Lock and Load Classic.

Turret Reloading Press

A turret reloading press follows pretty much the same mechanics as a single-stage reloading press except for one major difference – it can hold multiple dies at the same time. However, this one small design change makes all the difference in terms of function and performance here.

With the ability to hold more than one die on the press, a turret reloading press drastically speeds up the entire process. If you were using a single-stage reloader, you would have to exchange dies any time you switch between resizing, expanding, seating, etc.

But with a turret press, all you have to do is rotate the turret to seat the desired die over the ram. And since the turrets are sold separately by the manufacturers, you can have multiple plates ready for different bullet calibers and switch between them as needed.

Turret reloaders are extremely convenient whether you are a beginner or a veteran reloader. It lets you cut down on the time it takes to switch between the different processes. And if you are working with different bullet calibers, you can set up multiple turrets and swap between them depending on your needs.

However, it is not without its fair share of flaws. While they are definitely fast, they are not as fast as a progressive reloader. And since they have more moving parts, they are not as precise as a single-stage reloader. So, in essence, a turret reloader gives you a nice middle ground between a progressive and a single-stage model.

A beginner might still find a turret reloader pretty useful despite its complexity. It is priced higher than a single-stage reloader but still is a lot more affordable compared to progressive reloaders.

I have used many different turret reloaders before, but if I had to choose one, I would go with the Lee Classic 4-Hole Turret Press.

Progressive Reloading Press

If speed is what you need, then both single-stage and turret reloading press might disappoint you. But this is exactly where the progressive reloading press excels. A progressive reloading press is a complex and advanced device that is somewhat akin to a mini-ammunition factory.

In both single-stage and turret reloaders, one pull of the lever equals one action. However, with a progressive press, pulling the lever does several actions at the same time, depending on the model. For example, pulling the lever on a progressive reloader can lead to the following course of action:

• Decap and resize a case
• Expand another case
• Prime a different case
• Add powder to a case
• Seat a bullet

Needless to say, this design makes it an ideal choice if your goal is to reload a large volume of ammunition. Typically, professional reloaders tend to prefer a progressive reloader because of their need.

However, this speed can become a double-edged sword, too, in some situations. Sure, it is fast, but speed comes at the cost of precision. So even though progressive reloaders are pretty consistent, they are not as reliable as a single-stage or a turret press.

Another downside to progressive presses is their complexity. If you are a beginner, you might have a hard time keeping up with all the functions of the press, which will lead to mistakes. However, at the hands of an experienced user, a progressive press is a fantastic tool.

If I had to pick two favorites among the progressive reloading presses available today, I would go with either the Dillon Precision RL550 or the Hornady Lock and Load AP.

Final Thoughts

Understanding the different types of reloading presses is essential when you are planning to start your journey as a reloader. If this is your first time, I would always recommend going with a single-stage reloader. However, if you want speed and know what you are doing, a progressive reloader is hard to beat.

Hopefully, after reading through my article on the types of presses for reloading, you can decide for yourself which one is more suited to your needs.