My favorite Press

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Alex G said:
Currently:
  1. Redding Big Boss 2
  2. Dillon XL-750
  3. Lee APP
Each has its purpose and they complement each other extremely well.
Started out with a Lee Classic Turret 6 years ago as a junior in high school and got hooked!
Picked up a Lee APP when it came out for brass prep (and love it).
Sold that and got a Hornady LNL AP a little while ago, then sold that to get a Dillon XL-750 before the price increase.
Picked up a Redding Big Boss 2 to have a main single stage to complement the progressive. It and the APP mount to the same Inline Fab quick change plate, depending on which one I need at the time. The XL-750 is mounted to a 75 lb steel beam that my dad and I machined as a riser mount.
View attachment 1018594 View attachment 1018595
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what the name of that lee brass colander!
 
In order,
RCBS A2 for rifle
MEC Grabber for 12ga
MEC 600 for 20ga
RCBS Rockchucker with piggyback for pistol
Lee hand press for priming
Lee challenger because it is a Lee
 
RCBS Ammocraftet for rifle ammo, Lee Pro 1000 for pistol, Mec 650 for 12 ga, Mec 600jr for 16,20,28
 
An old Bair Kodiak I bought used around 1980. I used it in the garage when we competed in IHMSA in the early eighties.. Then used it for years in the damp basement of our 1930s farmhouse. I have a picture of it, but it's embarrassing with all the rust, but it still works. Now we have a shiny new reloading room, so I'm thinking of having it sandblasted and powder coated as soon as I can find a Rock Chucker to use in the interim. Also, a RL550 I bought in the early 2000s when my son and I competed in USPSA.
 
I have a Dillon 550 from about 20 years ago but the one I use most is an old Pacific 07 press. I see one of these sold on ebay a year ago for $234.and change. People are a damn site crazier than I thought.
 
Mark_Mark said:
250,000 round on a single stage. I think you win an award! I tell you what… that’s bragging rights!
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I just enjoy the process and do everything in batches, so it’s therapeutic and fills my time. I scrounge every piece of brass I find and process what I can and trade or sell what I don’t need to get more components. Those little presses are fantastic, I loaded 4800 rounds of 308, 2700 rounds of 223, 18,500 rounds of 9mm, 3200 rounds of 357, and 1500 rounds of 38 one winter with one bolted to the coffee table in the living room. I had another bolted to a 2x6 and a 12” C Clamp to do load development at the range. They were like $23 each when I bought a few. Absolute best deal going at the time, and probably still is.
 
bullseye308 said:
I just enjoy the process and do everything in batches, so it’s therapeutic and fills my time. I scrounge every piece of brass I find and process what I can and trade or sell what I don’t need to get more components. Those little presses are fantastic, I loaded 4800 rounds of 308, 2700 rounds of 223, 18,500 rounds of 9mm, 3200 rounds of 357, and 1500 rounds of 38 one winter with one bolted to the coffee table in the living room. I had another bolted to a 2x6 and a 12” C Clamp to do load development at the range. They were like $23 each when I bought a few. Absolute best deal going at the time, and probably still is.
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You don’t have to try to convince me. I truly believe you. I also enjoy batch processing too.

here a single stage tip that I do. I put 50 brass on the RCBS brass tray, then use my powder drop like cake decorator, and drop powder in every case, very fast too. Then I check the case with a light to ensure powder looks right in each case. I can do 1,000 9mm in a weekend evening
 
I started out reloading in ‘98 on a Lee Challenger kit set up. I used that for a few years then I bought a used Dillon 550. I gave the Lee set up to my son-in-law.
I really didn’t care for reloading on the progressive press. I found myself constantly checking and rechecking everything. I didn’t actually trust the process and pretty much gave up reloading for a couple of years when I went through my IDPA phase and bought all my ammo.
I was at a gun show in Charlotte NC in 2010 (I think) when I bought a Lee Challenger Breech Lock kit really cheap. I left it in the box for a couple of years and then decided to start reloading again.

I really like that Lee Breech Lock single stage press. I never liked or trusted that progressive press. If your heart skipped a beat at that statement, well you’re you and I’m me. Anyway, I donated the entire Dillon 550 setup I had including plates and brass prep equipment to a Boy Scout Troop in Northern California. They were happy and I was happy.

Here’s my bench with my Lee press with all my RCBS accessories. I like the press, not the rest of Lee’s kit. ;) I do really like Lee dies though. :cool:

9404DCA0-1027-433E-9998-97FADC73FECF.jpeg

Yeah, my bench ain’t all that neat now. :D
 
Mark_Mark said:
You don’t have to try to convince me. I truly believe you. I also enjoy batch processing too.

here a single stage tip that I do. I put 50 brass on the RCBS brass tray, then use my powder drop like cake decorator, and drop powder in every case, very fast too. Then I check the case with a light to ensure powder looks right in each case. I can do 1,000 9mm in a weekend evening
Click to expand...

I now cheat a little. Got a Hornady lock n load electronic powder dispenser for Father’s Day a year or 2 ago. Now I pull a primed case out of an ammo can, dump the powder in it, set a bullet, seat the bullet, and drop it through a “funnel” into another ammo can. I keep up with the dispenser and load a few hundred per hour easily. It helps that I keep 8 cans of primed brass in 9mm available and another 6 or so just waiting on my to prime them. It’s a little rough trying to keep up with the dispenser loading 2.7 grains of bullseye for the 38, so the blasted machine has learned to be patient and wait on me, I’m not in a hurry. Doing it this way guarantees I won’t miss a charge, won’t have one under or over, and there will be a primer in it(or I’ll have powder everywhere).
 
Pat Riot said:
I started out reloading in ‘98 on a Lee Challenger kit set up. I used that for a few years then I bought a used Dillon 550. I gave the Lee set up to my son-in-law.
I really didn’t care for reloading on the progressive press. I found myself constantly checking and rechecking everything. I didn’t actually trust the process and pretty much gave up reloading for a couple of years when I went through my IDPA phase and bought all my ammo.
I was at a gun show in Charlotte NC in 2010 (I think) when I bought a Lee Challenger Breech Lock kit really cheap. I left it in the box for a couple of years and then decided to start reloading again.

I really like that Lee Breech Lock single stage press. I never liked or trusted that progressive press. If your heart skipped a beat at that statement, well you’re you and I’m me. Anyway, I donated the entire Dillon 550 setup I had including plates and brass prep equipment to a Boy Scout Troop in Northern California. They were happy and I was happy.

Here’s my bench with my Lee press with all my RCBS accessories. I like the press, not the rest of Lee’s kit. ;) I do really like Lee dies though. :cool:

View attachment 1018995

Yeah, my bench ain’t all that neat now. :D
Click to expand...

Kind of like I did. I started in 88 or 89 with the challenger anniversary kit and years later bought s Loadmaster then went back to the challenger. Loved it but ended up with a Reloader press and it suited me and I stuck with it.
 
bullseye308 said:
I now cheat a little. Got a Hornady lock n load electronic powder dispenser for Father’s Day a year or 2 ago. Now I pull a primed case out of an ammo can, dump the powder in it, set a bullet, seat the bullet, and drop it through a “funnel” into another ammo can. I keep up with the dispenser and load a few hundred per hour easily. It helps that I keep 8 cans of primed brass in 9mm available and another 6 or so just waiting on my to prime them. It’s a little rough trying to keep up with the dispenser loading 2.7 grains of bullseye for the 38, so the blasted machine has learned to be patient and wait on me, I’m not in a hurry. Doing it this way guarantees I won’t miss a charge, won’t have one under or over, and there will be a primer in it(or I’ll have powder everywhere).
Click to expand...
My bench looks like a buffet line after the Steelers wiped the Seahawks during Super Bowl of 2004-5
 
Started out in 1987 with a RCBS Rockchucker and learned to load rifle and handgun on that. Great machine. I had to move and couldn't take my reloading stuff with so gave my FIL all of it, including the press. Fast forward to 2015 I got back into reloading at which time he gave me a RCBS turret press. I use that for all my handgun loads. Bought a MEC Marksman in 2018 which I use for rifle. The MEC is smooth as silk and rock solid.
 
DRAINSMITH said:
I had two strokes and fell and broke my back. you will notice when I make a post it is quick and to the point. Setting for more than a few min at the computer and my back starts to spasm.
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Up to and following my cervical fusion I picked up a speech to text package that, once trained, did a reasonably decent job of allowing me to spend time in front of the computer. It wasn't perfect, but I understand they've improved quite a bit since then. It takes getting used to talking to yourself, but it really helped me to stay connected while down for 8 weeks post surgery. It was nearly 18 months before I could resume "normal" computer use. I also picked up a finger mouse...a small trackball mouse that you hold in your hand, as reaching and clicking were particularly aggravating. Not suggesting that you actually want to spend more time at the computer....but it was a big part of my job at the time, so it probably saved my career.
 
DRAINSMITH said:
I had two strokes and fell and broke my back. you will notice when I make a post it is quick and to the point. Setting for more than a few min at the computer and my back starts to spasm. I have felt better the last two weeks so I am giving it a try to set a little
longer.
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Sorry to hear that. Do what the doctors tell you, do all the therapy. It will get better over time.

I've had 4 major back surgeries and have a constant battle with leg cramps. I do a lot of stretching helps with the cramps.
 
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