Conversation Between S&W-57Man and versifier

The last thing in the world I would do would be to encourage a new loader to start on a progressive machine. I always insist that my students start with a single stage press. That way, they learn all the details of what has to happen at each step in the process thoroughly, one step at a time, in a logical order. Expecting a new reloader to digest the volume of information necessary for safe loading and to be aware of every operation that happens simultaneously on a progressive press is, I believe, a recipe for disaster. There is no room for even one mistake. When a loader has been at it for a year or has loaded at least a thousand rounds, then he has a better idea of what kind of is needed and a decision to upgrade based on knowledge and experience can be made easily.

Any decent loading manual: Sierra, Speer, Lyman, Lee, Nosler.....etc..... has all the basic information to get a new loader started, and the first investment should be in at least two current manuals.