If you are a gun enthusiast and you practice shooting or go on hunting trips often, you have probably spent a lot of money on your ammunition already. If by any chance you are holding back on practicing and trying to be a better shooter because you don’t want to spend too much on your ammo, maybe you should consider reloading your own ammunition.
Aside from being a cost-effective option, reloading can also be a fun and exciting hobby. It is a smart way to feed your shooting hobby with a steady supply of ammo.
Types of Reloading Press
For those who are fairly new to this hobby, there’s going to be a lot to learn. The first thing you need to be concerned about is knowing which reloading press to buy. There are several manufacturers of this equipment, and if you have a little background on the reloading process, you may have already encountered the brands Lee, RCBS, Hornady, and others.
Each make and model of reloading press has its own edge over the rest, but it’s really about what your specific needs are going to be that will matter at the end of the day.
So, to help you decide which reloading press is the most appropriate for you and your ammunition needs, here’s a list of the different types of reloading press.
Single-Stage Press
This is the simplest and most affordable type of reloading press that you can find. As implied by the name itself, this reloading press only has one stage which means it can only do one load at a time.
You only have one place to thread the die on so it’s definitely going to take some time to finish. But even though it is time-consuming, it also allows you to be more precise in the reloading process and ensure the quality is spot on.
For newbie shooters and for anyone who’s just starting on this particular hobby, this is the most recommended type of press. It is very easy to use and, if you have time to work on reloading your ammo, it’s a good way to learn and master this craft.
Turret Press
The turret press is a little bit more advanced than the single stage press. Most of the turret press models can accommodate up to 4-5 dies in a turret plate. It is a lot more time-efficient compared to the single stage press.
Since you are doing less than 5 dies at a time, you still have time to check on the precision of the loading process. You will have to add a little extra to your budget because turret presses are a bit pricey compared to single stage presses.
Progressive Press
This press is mostly recommended for experienced shooters who are also knowledgeable with reloading. It’s also what people who need large batches of rounds use.
The more advanced models of this type of press are also equipped to feed primers, cases, and bullets. Operating the press basically just involves pulling the handle. The tricky part is setting up the press. But once it’s dialed in, loading the rounds is going to be super quick and easy.
Just a precaution: beginners are not really advised to take on a progressive press because it’s a bit complicated to operate for those who don’t have as much experience in reloading.
Beginners are often advised to use the single-stage press because it is fairly simple to use and operate. Intermediate reloaders who want speed in their reloading while also keeping check of the quality of every load would do well with the turret presses.
For those who want to save more time reloading and are not really concerned with the price, the progressive press is the perfect option.
These are the three main categories for reloading press that you can choose from. Just know that there are several different models of presses available under each category.
It can be quite overwhelming for a newbie reloader to choose among all the available models in the market. If you’re having the same trouble, you can always consult product review sites to check the bestsellers and start from there.
