The Never-Ending "Perfect Press" Hunt

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Olympus

Olympus

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I feel like there are two things that I am constantly in an endless journey in search of. One is the "perfect" (for me) deer rifle. The other is the "perfect" reloading press. Am I the only one on this endless journey? I will have to note one caveat is that my Dillon 550 is the perfect "high volume" press for me. There's no way in heck I'm going to let that one go. What I'm searching for is the perfect small batch, handload press. Come to think of it, I've tried a good many different presses over the years and a few have been really good, but just had that one or two things that didn't quite work for me or that I didn't care for. I used them for a while, but I always seemed to find something I didn't like and I moved them on down the road.

Last summer we moved to a new house and I still haven't decided what I want to do about a reloading bench/work area. But what I have decided is that I want to streamline my reloading setup down to fewer and better quality equipment. I'm fairly certain that I want a good quality single stage press to compliment my Dillon 550 for small batch rifle-only loading. I don't want a turret press, but I do think I want a press that has quick change die capabilities. I want the ability to put the dies in some kind of small box when not in use and keep them stored away. This year has convinced me that I need to get more serious about consolidating calibers, components, and equipment. There's nothing wrong with being spread out with various calibers, components, and equipment. But for me, consolidating to a "core" system has really became important.

That being said, I'm interested in the following presses: Hornady LnL single stage, Hornady Iron Press (possibly with the auto-priming if it's not gimicky), RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme (with the Hornady LnL converstion), and the Frankford Arsenal M-Press. Those all seem to be the options I can find that have the quick change die capabilities. I'd be interested in hearing everyone's opinions of these and anything I may be overlooking in my journey for the "perfect" press.
 
Olympus said:
I feel like there are two things that I am constantly in an endless journey in search of. One is the "perfect" (for me) deer rifle. The other is the "perfect" reloading press. Am I the only one on this endless journey? I will have to note one caveat is that my Dillon 550 is the perfect "high volume" press for me. There's no way in heck I'm going to let that one go. What I'm searching for is the perfect small batch, handload press. Come to think of it, I've tried a good many different presses over the years and a few have been really good, but just had that one or two things that didn't quite work for me or that I didn't care for. I used them for a while, but I always seemed to find something I didn't like and I moved them on down the road.

Last summer we moved to a new house and I still haven't decided what I want to do about a reloading bench/work area. But what I have decided is that I want to streamline my reloading setup down to fewer and better quality equipment. I'm fairly certain that I want a good quality single stage press to compliment my Dillon 550 for small batch rifle-only loading. I don't want a turret press, but I do think I want a press that has quick change die capabilities. I want the ability to put the dies in some kind of small box when not in use and keep them stored away. This year has convinced me that I need to get more serious about consolidating calibers, components, and equipment. There's nothing wrong with being spread out with various calibers, components, and equipment. But for me, consolidating to a "core" system has really became important.

That being said, I'm interested in the following presses: Hornady LnL single stage, Hornady Iron Press (possibly with the auto-priming if it's not gimicky), RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme (with the Hornady LnL converstion), and the Frankford Arsenal M-Press. Those all seem to be the options I can find that have the quick change die capabilities. I'd be interested in hearing everyone's opinions of these and anything I may be overlooking in my journey for the "perfect" press.
Click to expand...
RCBS or Hornady will work mate as single stage, T7 as a turret, and LNL as progressive

Thewelshm
 
My go to small batch press is the classic RCBS A2. I like the solid simple design. Good feel in the handle.
I have a number of others presses from turret, progressive, hand press and C frame.
I still go to my A2 for load development.
 
If I ever decide to buy another single stage......it'll probably be the new RCBS RockChucker replacement: The Rebel. Why? It's simple, heavy, no spent primer mods to make (finally a drop thru the ram model for RCBS), no on-press priming.....which is great for me, because I prefer a bench primer anyway. Why else? Bigger opening than Rock Chuckers, Lee Classics, or Hornady singles, so it's more than adequate for anything less than .50 caliber, that I'd ever want to load. Plus it's in stock most of the time, and it goes with my other green stuff.:) But is there a bigger heavier single? Just one....Hornady's finally makes an "Iron" press.

353329.jpg

Rebel-9353-w-Die-Side-Profile.jpg
 
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I had the same desire and stuck with Dillon. Several years ago, I bought what was then called an 'AT500'. Looking at the website it seems to be now called the 'BL (Basic Loader) 550'. It seems to be Dillon's answer to the turret press of other companies. Except rather than the turret head with dies rotating, the shell head holder (shell plate) rotates and the dies hold still. The press does not advance automatically, but manually. Set up is no more complicated or time consuming than a single stage press in my mind.
 
GW Staar said:
If I ever decide to buy another single stage......it'll probably be the new RCBS RockChucker replacement: The Rebel. Why? It's simple, heavy, no spent primer mods to make (finally a drop thru the ram model for RCBS), no on-press priming.....which is great for me, because I prefer a bench primer anyway. Why else? Bigger opening than Rock Chuckers, Lee Classics, or Hornady singles, so it's more than adequate for anything less than .50 caliber, that I'd ever want to load. Plus it's in stock most of the time, and it goes with my other green stuff.:) But is there a bigger heavier single? Just one....Hornady's finally makes an "Iron" press.

353329.jpg

View attachment 986027
Click to expand...
The Hornady Iron press is in my list. I don’t see a lot of internet chatter about them so I’m wondering why. They are quite a bit pricier compared to other single stage presses and I wonder if the extra beef isn’t necessary for most people.

I’ll also look into that Rebel press. Thanks.
 
I also have the Dillion 550, and damn happy I do.

But for getting the best ammo for a specific rifle to kill things at moderate to long range, my 30+ year old Rockchucker works fine.
 
Interchangeable die bushing systems are available from Hornady and Lee that are adaptable to most presses. I use both, and favor the one offered by Lee.

I prefer any press used for de-priming to have a hollow ram for the spent primers to pass through. Such presses are available from Lee, RCBS, and Redding, and perhaps others.
 
I hate to see that the Redding Big Boss II did not make your list. And they are back in stock now. And will take the LNL bushings.
 
I completely fail to understand the reasoning behind quick change dies, for heaven sake slow down and get it right has been preached again and again.
Spinning a die a few threads into a press only takes a minute. Now a turret press is a different cat but a single stage... Comonman.. What am I missing?
 
For a single stage press I have an old RCBS JR3 and it works very well for light work. I mostly use it for my 223 brass prep and de-capping brass and pulling bullets with an RCBS collet puller. The JR press fills this nicely with the sturdy, shorter frame and simple leverage.

If I were to eliminate this press for a larger model I would be looking at the Lee Classic Cast with the Breech Lock bushings. It has a larger "O", the Breech Lock bushings, compound leverage and primers thru the ram.
 
I completely fail to understand the reasoning behind quick change dies, for heaven sake slow down and get it right has been preached again and again.
Spinning a die a few threads into a press only takes a minute. Now a turret press is a different cat but a single stage... Comonman.. What am I missing?
Click to expand...

Consistency AND efficiency. Put in a quick change die like a Lee Breechlock and there's no messing around with adjusting, pulling "too-deep" bullets, etc; it's the same length/crimp/expansion every time.
 
I'v owned about 6 or seven single stage presses and none were "bad". Some I liked better than others but all produced good handloads when I did my part. I quit looking for the "perfect" press for me when I got my Forster Co-Ax. I don't think I could find anything faster for die changes (for multiple dies I had a Lee turrets loaded w/dies but individual die swaps in my Co-Ax takes about 3.5 seconds). The only thing I changed was the shell holder jaw screws from a allen socket to a phillips head, I use a 18" MAC screwdriver to remove/insert the screws. Much easier for me...
 
rfwobbly said:
I have a 550... but it's not perfect.

I'm with Jmorris... no such thing.
Click to expand...

True enough, but any press can be improved to "close enough" way beyond what comes in the box.....and it doesn't take an engineering degree nor a machine shop....but I wouldn't turn either down...;) Lately, I've found that a 3D printer makes it easier....especially if you're not jmorris with his metal-working resources! But he was one of the first to build and use a 3d printer around here, and it got my attention......eventually.

That said, a few years ago, I spent some time making my old Rock Chucker II way more useful and pleasant, then January 2020, I bought a little Lee APP that accomplished those same things and with a bullet/case feeder to boot, at more than twice the speed......and it cost less than a $100. So O.P. you might want to get in line for one of those, if they are out of stock......maybe in addition to your holy grail single station press. I haven't talked jmorris into trying one yet......:) some operations don't need heavy weight to accomplish well.

More to the point, any single station press is better with an APP by it's side.....IMO of course. Why? What can an APP do better?

Depriming before wet tumbling....with a case feeder.
Swaging......with a case feeder
Seating bullets.....with a bullet feeder
"Sizing" lead boolits.....with a bullet feeder
 
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Presses don't necessarily make consistent ammunition, people do.. good fitting dies, good brass prep, learning how and where to measure etc.
Load development skills come in above press selection, use of good barrels, good bullets, quality brass.
 
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South Prairie Jim said:
Presses don't necessarily make consistent ammunition, people do.. good fitting dies, good brass prep, learning how and where to measure etc.
Load development skills come in above press selection, use of good barrels, good bullets, quality brass.
Click to expand...

That's a given....

How much time you have to spend to get there is the variable......the older you get, the more that becomes important. When I was younger, I would have preferred to do more shooting, less load development....but you pay your dues. I wish I had the tools then, that I have now.....then the time spent in good ammo production would have been a lot less.
 
South Prairie Jim said:
I completely fail to understand the reasoning behind quick change dies, for heaven sake slow down and get it right has been preached again and again.
Spinning a die a few threads into a press only takes a minute. Now a turret press is a different cat but a single stage... Comonman.. What am I missing?
Click to expand...
Because it’s wasted time and because you’re more consistent when the dies stay set the same way each time.
 
You still have lock rings, only thing I see is an additional layer of tolerances, so how can that be an improvement in consistency?
Awesome Avatar BTW. Are those Esmeralda s?
 
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