Editing Handloading (section)

=== Presses ===
[[File:Hornady Reloading Press.jpg|thumb|right|[[Hornady]] single-stage reloading press ("O" frame) with die]]
The quintessential handloading equipment is the '''[[machine press|press]]''', which uses compound [[lever]]age to push the cases into a [[die (manufacturing)|die]] that performs the loading operations.<ref name=nonte_2>Nonte, chapter 2, "Choosing Tools and Equipment"</ref> Presses vary from simple, inexpensive single-stage models, to complex "progressive" models that can perform multiple operations with each pull of the lever, like an [[assembly line]], at rates exceeding 500 rounds per hour.<ref name=progressive>{{cite journal|title=Dillon RL-550B automatic case feeder: the best gets better |author=Charles E. Petty |journal=Guns Magazine |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_7_52/ai_n16419701 |date=July 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070907072456/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0BQY/is_7_52/ai_n16419701 |archive-date=2007-09-07 }}</ref>

Loading presses are often categorized by the letter of the [[English alphabet]] that they most resemble in shape:  "O", "C", and "H".  The sturdiest presses, suitable for bullet swaging functions as well as for normal reloading die usage, are of the "O" type, which has a frame that completely encloses the die mechanism.  The "C" frame, usually a less sturdy press, is suitable for most handloading operations other than bullet swaging.  Iron, steel and aluminum construction are seen with all presses.  Some users prefer "C" style presses over "O" presses, as access to the operational area is much more open.  Shotshell style presses, intended for non-batch use, for which each shotshell or cartridge is cycled through the dies before commencing onto the next shotshell or cartridge to be reloaded, commonly resemble the letter "H".<ref name=nonte_2 />

''Single-stage press'', generally of the "O" or "C" type, is the simplest of press designs. These presses can only hold one [[die (manufacturing)|die]] and perform a single procedure on a single case at any time.  Each operation, resize, deprime, bullet seating, bullet crimping, etc., requires the user to change the dies or setup. When using a single-stage press, cases are loaded in [[batch production|batches]], one step for each cartridge per batch at a time. The batch sizes are usually kept small, usually 100 cases or less at a time.  Single-stage presses are commonly used for high-precision rifle cartridge handloading, but may be used for almost any reloading operation.  Single stage presses are also popular for load development prior to [[mass production|producing]] large numbers of cartridges on a progressive press.<ref name=nonte_2 />

''Turret presses'', most commonly of the "C" type, are similar to a single-stage press, but have a mounting disc (also called a die head) that [[indexing (motion)|indexes]] at each die position. This allows multiple dies to be mounted to the machine and quickly rotated into position.  Batch operations are performed similar to a single-stage press, different procedures can be performed by simply rotating the turret to place the appropriate die into position.  Although turret presses operate much like single-stage presses, they eliminate much of the setup time required by removing and installing individual dies.<ref name=nonte_2 />  There are also automatic indexing turret presses which rotate the turret one position with each pull of the handle.  These presses allow the user to quickly change caliber by swapping die heads (turrets) and produce one complete round with 3-6 pulls of the handle.<ref>https://leeprecision.com/reloading-presses-turret-press</ref>

''Progressive presses'' are far more complex in design and operation and initial setup usually takes longer.  However, the benefit is increased output. Progressives can handle several cases at once.  These presses have a rotating shell holder/plate that indexes at each individual station with each pull of the lever.  Progressives can hold 3 or more dies in interchangeable toolhead assemblies. The toolhead assembly allows the user to quickly change calibers with minimal readjustment of the dies. The dies, and sometimes loading modules (which can include case hopper/feeder, primer feeder, powder measure and/or bullet feeder), are mounted to be in alignment with the corresponding index position on the shell holder/plate. Progressives can have 4 or more stations, extra stations allow for the addition of optional equipment such as a powder level checkers. Progressive presses can load hundreds of cartridges an hour with their streamlined efficiency. All the user has to do is pull the lever to produce one finished round per stroke.<ref name=progressive />

====Shotshell presses====
Shotshell presses are generally a single unit of the "H" configuration that handles all functions, dedicated to reloading just one gauge of shotshell. Shotshell reloading is similar to cartridge reloading, except that, instead of a bullet, a wad and a measure of shot are used, and after loading the shot, the shell is crimped shut. Both 6 and 8 fold crimps are in use, for paper hulls and plastic hulls.  Roll crimps can be used for metallic, paper, and plastic hulls.  The shotshell loader contains stations to resize and deprime the hull, reprime the hull, measure powder, insert the wad, measure shot, and crimp the shell.<ref name=shotshell>{{cite web |url=https://shop.rcbs.com/WebConnect/,DanaInfo=shop.rcbs.com+MainServlet?storeId=webconnect&catalogId=webconnect&langId=en_US&action=ProductDisplay&screenlabel=index&productId=2831&route=C04J002 |title=RCBS Products - Shotshell Reloading Presses |access-date=2007-09-14 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> 
[[File:MEC Single stage press.jpg|thumb|MEC 600 Jr Mark V shotgun reloading press]]

Due to the low cost of modern plastic shotshells, and the additional complexity of reloading fired shells, shotshell handloading is not as popular as cartridge handloading.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chuckhawks.com/touching_shotshell_reloading.htm |title=Touching on Shotshell Reloading |author=Randy Wakeman |publisher=Chuck Hawks}}</ref>  For example, unlike when handloading rifle and pistol cartridges, where some of the various components (cases and bullets of the same weight) from different manufacturers are usually interchangeable, shotshell loads are usually restricted to using only the particular brand or design of shotshell hull, a specific brand/style of wad or shot column components, primer and powder that are called for in the recipe. Substitution of components is not considered safe, as changing just one component, such as a brand of primer, can increase pressures by as much as 3500 PSI, which may exceed SAAMI pressure limits.  Reloading shotshells is therefore more along the lines of precisely following a recipe with non-fungible components.

Where shotshell reloading remains popular is for making specialized shotgun shells, such as for providing lowered recoil, for achieving better shot patterns, to make low-cost "poppers" (blanks) used to acclimate hunting dogs to the sound of gunfire without actually shooting projectiles or to manufacture obsolete shotshells that are no longer commercially manufactured.  Handloading also allows the loader to make other improvements or features not available in commercially loaded shotshells.

Metallic reloading presses are not usually dedicated to reloading a single caliber of cartridge, although they can be, but are designed to allow for reloading various cartridge calibers through changing the dies.  In contrast, shotshell presses are most often configured for reloading just one gauge of shotshell, e.g., 12 gauge, and are rarely, if ever, reconfigured for reloading other gauges of shotshells, as the cost of tooling and time to switch gauges on a shotshell press often exceeds the cost of buying a new shotshell press outright, as shotshell presses typically come from the factory already set up to reload one gauge or bore of shotshell.  Hence, it is common to use a dedicated shotshell press for reloading each gauge or bore of shotshell used.

The price of shot for reloading shotshells over the last several years has also risen significantly, such that lead shot that was readily available for around $0.50/lb. (c. 2005) now reaches $2.00 per pound (2013.) Due to this large increase in the price of lead shot, the economy of reloading 12 gauge shotshells vs. just using promotional (low-cost) 12 gauge shotshells only starts to make economic sense for higher volume shooters, who may shoot more than 50,000 rounds a year.  In contrast, the reloading of shotshells that are usually not available in low-cost, promotional pricings, such as .410 bore, 12 ga. slugs, 16 ga, 20 ga., and 28 ga., becomes more economical to reload in much smaller quantities, perhaps within only 3-5 boxes of shells per year. Reloading .410 bore, 12 ga. slugs, 16 ga., 20 ga, and 28 ga. shells, therefore, remains relatively common, more so than the reloading of 12 gauge shotshells, for which promotional shotshells are usually readily available from many retailers.  These smaller bore and gauge shotshells also require much less lead shot, further lessening the effect of the rapid rises seen in the price of lead shot.  The industry change to steel shot, arising from the US and Canadian Federal bans on using lead shotshells while hunting migratory wildfowl, has also affected reloading shotshells, as the shot bar and powder bushing required on a dedicated shotshell press also must be changed for each hull type reloaded, and are different than what would be used for reloading shotshells with lead shot, further complicating the reloading of shotshells.

With the recent rampant rise in lead shot prices, though, a major change in handloading shotshells has also occurred.  Namely, a transition among high volume 12 gauge shooters from loading traditional 1-1/8 oz. shot loads to 7/8 oz. shot loads or even 24 gm. (so-called International) shot loads have occurred.  At 1-1/8 oz. per shotshell, a 25&nbsp;lb. bag of lead shot can only reload approximately 355 shotshells.  At 7/8 oz. per shotshell, a 25&nbsp;lb. of lead shot can reload 457 shotshells.  At 24 grams per shotshell, a 25&nbsp;lb of lead shot can reload approximately 472 shotshells. Stretching the number of hulls that it is possible to reload from an industry-standard 25&nbsp;lb. bag of lead shot by 117 shells has significantly helped mitigate the large increase in the price of lead shot.  That this change has also resulted in minimal changes to scores in shooting sports such as skeet and trap has only expedited the switch among high volume shooters to shooting 24 gm. shotshells with their lesser amounts of shot.

With the recent shortages over 2012–2013 of 12 gauge shotshells in the United States (among all other types of rifle and pistol ammunition), the popularity of reloading 12 gauge shotshells has seen a widespread resurgence.  Field use of the International 24 gm. 12 gauge shells has proven them to be effective on small game, while stretching the number of reloads possible from a bag of shot, and they have subsequently become popular for hunting small game. Since shot shells are typically reloaded at least 5 times, although upwards of 15 times are often possible for lightly loaded shells, this transition to field use of 24 gm. loads has helped mitigate ammunition shortages for hunters.

Shotshell presses typically use a charge bar to drop precise amounts of shot and powder.  Most commonly, these charge bars are fixed in their capacities, with a single charge bar rated at, say, 1-1/8 oz. of lead shot, with a switchable powder bushing that permits dropping precisely measured fixed amounts of different types of powder repetitively (e.g., MEC.)  On the other hand, some charge bars are drilled to accept bushings for dropping different fixed amounts of both shot and powder (e.g. Texan.)  For the ultimate in flexibility, though, universal charge bars with micrometers dropping fixed volumes of powder and shot are also available; these are able to select differing fixed amounts of both powder and shot, and are popular for handloaders who load more than just a few published recipes, or, especially, among those who wish to experiment with numerous different published recipes.  Fixed charge bars are rated for either lead or steel shot, but not for both.  Universal charge bars, on the other hand, are capable of reloading both lead and steel shot, being adjustable.

Like their pistol and rifle counterparts, shotshell presses are available in both single-stage and progressive varieties. For shooters shooting fewer than approximately 500 shells a month, and especially shooting fewer than 100 shells a month, a single-stage press is often found to be adequate.  For shooters shooting larger numbers of shells a month, progressive presses are often chosen.  A single-stage press can typically reload 100 hulls in approximately an hour.  Progressive presses can typically reload upwards of 400 or 500 hulls an hour.

Shotshell presses are most commonly operated in non-batch modes.  That is, a single hull will often be deprimed, reshaped, primed, loaded with powder, have a wad pressed in, be loaded with shot, be pre-crimped, and then be final crimped before being removed and a new hull being placed on the shotshell press at station 1.  An alternative, somewhat faster method, often used on a single stage press is to work on 5 hulls in parallel sequentially, with but a single processed hull being located at each of the 5 stations available on a single stage shotshell press, while manually removing the finished shotshell from station 5 and then moving the 4 in-process hulls to the next station (1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, 4 to 5) before adding a new hull at the deprimer (station 1) location. Both these modes of shotshell reloading are in distinct contrast to the common practice used with reloading pistol and rifle cartridges on a single-stage press, which is most often processed in batch modes, where a common operation will commonly be done on a batch of up to 50 or 100 cartridges at a time, before proceeding to the next processing step.  This difference is largely a result of shotshell presses having 5 stations available for use simultaneously, unlike a single-stage cartridge press which typically has but one station available for use.

In general, though, shotshell reloading is far more complex than rifle and pistol cartridge reloading, and hence far fewer shotshell presses are therefore used relative to rifle and pistol cartridge reloading presses.

====.50 BMG and larger cartridge presses====
Reloading presses for reloading .50 BMG and larger cartridges are also typically caliber-specific, much like shotshell presses, as standard-size rifle and pistol reloading presses are not capable of being pressed into such exotic reloading service.  The reloading of such large cartridges is also much more complex, as developing a load using a specific lot of powder can require nearly all of a 5&nbsp;lb. bottle of powder and a load must be developed with a single load of powder for reasons of safety.