I keep a spare carrier. I don’t know why really. I think it’s so I’ll have parts of something fails. I’ve been pleased with Lee’s customer service.
I keep a spare carrier. I don’t know why really. I think it’s so I’ll have parts of something fails. I’ve been pleased with Lee’s customer service.
Now that you have a new carrier on the way, order the Dillon you actually want. When the new carrier arrives, reassemble the Lee and either: use it as a spare setup for your second most used cartridge, rifle cartridges, etc; or sell it. Use the Dillon for your highest volume cartridge. For me, that would be 9mm.
I, too, broke my first press: a Lee single stage. Not enough lube while full-length resizing a rifle case. Whole thing went to pieces. I’ve used a Redding T7 since. Very nice press that I got for very little money from an estate sale, but not nearly as fast as a Dillon progressive. I plan to buy a Dillon and load pistol ammo on it, mostly 9mm, and use the T7 for rifles and low-volume pistol ammo, like .357 and .45 Colt.
My first progressive was a Hornady LNL AP.
If I had it to do over again, I’d go with Dillon.
The Hornady simply would not feed Winchester SPPs, which I had a HUGE supply of.
When a used Dillon SDB in .38 special turned up locally, I pounced. Since I run more .38 special than anything, it gets the most use. It’s faster than my Hornady.
I've had a Hornady LNL for about 6 years and have put out a ton of 9mm. Win. spp works just fine. I'm trying some CCI but they don't seat initially as well. I believe the Win has a little taper at the edge IMO. Keep the primer 'skid' clean, about every 1500 or so, clean my dies then with Hornady clean and lube spray and things just tick along. Would definitely choose Hornady again.
I've broken Lee stuff and they won't warranty the parts but the replacements are cheap. The last time I broke something, it cost more for shipping than the part.
If it were me, I would fix the Lee so you are back on your feet, and then start saving up for a Dillon 750 with the case feeder. Find some things around the house to sell, work a few extra hours, eat out a little less, etc and in a few months you will have the funds to purchase a pro-grade press. The ammo will be higher quality and you will spend half the time reloading.
-Seconds Count. Misses Don't-
After the op buys a Dillon, he can use the Lee to resize and deprime. Doing so will keep gunk out of the Dillon's mechanism.