Good single stage press

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wgpardee

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I had an older RCBS Rock Chucker press. I liked the primer feed on that press.
I gave it away and need to replace it now. The new rock chucker has a different primer feed. What is the best single stage press to load 45acp and 38/357 pistol calibers? I am considering the Hornady and RCBS kits.

Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks.

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Thank you all for responding! I guess I was over thinking this issue, there seems to be plenty of options from hand priming devices (which I have never tried) to ram priming dies, with feeder tubes as another option.
 
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I have an older Hornady, good press, but the primer feed never really worked. I have to place each primer in the primer arm by hand, it's not that hard.
 
Why single stage, especially for straight wall calibers? If you don't want to go with a progressive you could try a turret press.
 
hand held primmer tool is the way to go... I have a old lyman that I had to load single primmers on every case,,, slow. slow...I have the rcbs primmer tool that uses the strps,, Go with a handheld tool... you'll neve regret it,,lee makes one I would look at,,,
 
I have used rCBS single stage presses since I started reloading several decades ago, and I have had no issues what so ever. The only recomendation I would make is to make sure you buy one that is a full "O" design. My brother in law bought a press years ago that had a link rather than the solid "O" frame and his was terribly unstable and produced a bunch of flex, especially with bottle neck cases.

So far as priming is concerned, I use an RCBS press mounted priming die and wouldn't even consider a different method of priming. It allows me to seat all primers to the same depth without having to consider how much pressure I apply. In other words, it primes them to a preset depth. I've never timed myself, but I would guess I can primer 10-12 rounds per minute.
 
I still have my old Rockchucker but seldom use it anymore. For Pistol and most rifle I use a Lee Classic Turret with the safety prime system and Pro Auto Disc measure. I'm VERY satisfied with it.
 
People be crazy using a hand primer for pistol cartridges. Must be the same zealots that are cleaning primer pockets. :)

handheld priming tools are well worth the money imo
Click to expand...
I got one free (as part of a kit, anyway), and I put it in the trash. IMO a handheld primer isn't worth the space even if it's free. :)
 
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My press is in the garage so, with my LEE Auto Prime, I can sit and reprime brass while watching TV! I just wish LEE would redesign the handle on it! OOPS! spoke too soon...They did redesign it but I don't want to buy another one :banghead:
 
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People be crazy using a hand primer for pistol cartridges.
Click to expand...

all i've got is a rockchucker and the priming system is slow on it. you won't catch me picking up every primer and loading them into that little cup one by one.
 
GLOOB said:
Primer feed? Whad'ya need that for? This one's the Breechlock:
http://s688.photobucket.com/albums/vv241/gloob27x/?action=view&current=loading001.mp4

On most of Lee's SS, you get spent primers dropping down a tube. On some, the primer arm is reversible, left or right. On the Breechlock, it's on the right side, and not reversible.
Click to expand...
Lee has abandoned ALL their tube-fed primer devices. In chapter 2 of Modern Reloading by Richard Lee, it says "NEVER USE A PRIMER FEEDER THAT FEEDS FROM A TUBE. If one goes off they all explode." (sic). While I cannot attest to the truth of that prediction, I have heard testimony that on occasion multiple primer detonations have occurred in tubes. Probably not ALL, but even one is too many.

No current Lee priming device stacks primers atop one another. All side-by-side.

Lost Sheep
 
I've had a Rockchucker for 35 years but quickly added the RCBS bench mount primer tool after I experienced how easily and quick it seats primers. I primarily use my LNL AP press now for all handgun calibers and use the built in priming system.
 
I just recently decided to start loading for 30-30 again after a long hiatus. I found some prepped and primed brass I had processed probably 15-20 years ago. They were kept in a sealed ammo box, so I'm not too concerned that they won't be any good. Looking over the brass, I found probably 20% of the cases had high primers. They had originally been primed on a Rockchucker ('73). Tried running them through a Lee hand-primer but some of them were sticking out far enough that they wouldn't fit into the Lee shellholders. Ran them through the Rockchucker again, pulling hard. They still wouldn't seat all the way. Did get them to go in enough that I could now use the hand-primer. Popped the remaining ones into the Lee hand unit and proceeded to seat them fully with very little effort. The hand priming unit just seems to exhibit better feel and higher leverage. Go figure. I also find it much quicker.
 
Any press made can easily handle any pistol cartridge made but a single stage is as slow as it gets. Why not consider a Lee Cast Turret with its autoindexing turret. It's not a progressive but it's much faster than a single stage and the turret heads are inexpensive enough to have one set up for each of your cartridges.
 
I use a RCBS Rockchucker for loading rifle ammo and I use a hand primer. For handgun ammo I use a Lee Classic 4 hole turret press and prime on the press with a Lee Pro Auto-Disk. I can also load rifle brass on the Lee press and I do at times.
 
GLOOB said:
People be crazy using a hand primer for pistol cartridges. Must be the same zealots that are cleaning primer pockets. :)
Click to expand...

Different strokes for different folks--pun intended.

I have never liked the feel of seating primers with the press. I just do not feel anything.

I have maybe set a dozen or two primers on my RCBS single stage. Never set any primers on my Redding single stage.

I tried the Lee press mounted Auto Prime (what ever it was called) and it also did not ring my bell. It is the one that screwed onto the die threads at the top of the press.

I very much like the old Lee Auto Prime and sad that they discontinued it. The Auto Prime XR just is not the same.

The priming systems have been removed from all three of my progressives. They were not reliable enough for me (1 reworked case in a thousand due to a mis-seated primer is too many in my book)

I bought an RCBS APS bench mounted primer tool and have not gotten it sorted out. It currently is back in the box.

I have grown to like the RCBS Universal hand primer but if I prime alot at one time, I wear gloves as it give me blisters otherwise.

But, all of the primer systems that i have trouble with, others do just fine and that is a good thing. Variety is what makes the world go around.

By the way, i do not clean clean primer pockets individually. What ever cleaning they get in the tumbler works for me.
 
Well, nobody else mentioned it, so I will. The lee classic cast press will fill the bill for your stated use. AND it has a primer feed, the lee safety prime.

I have one, I consider it to be BETTER than a RCBS rockchucker. It's all cast steel, has a bigger ram, and new designs.

An added bonus is that the spent primers go down the center of the ram, to be collected in a clear plastic hose, or the hose can be directed into a trash can. I recycle my spent primers with scrap cases, so I wait until they accumulate, then dump them into the scrap brass pail.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/317831/lee-classic-cast-single-stage-press

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/548630/lee-safety-prime-small-and-large-primer-feeder-for-2006-later-reloading-press
 
The best single stage press is a Redding Big Boss II. The window is angled toward you. The lever is straight in line with the ram. The linkage is tight. It feels like the locking mechanism to a bank vault. Totally awesome press.

You may also like a Forster CoAx, although you should buy two because flipping those jaws is a pain in the donkey.
 
I forgot to mention above, the Lee Classic single stage press is also very good and for a fair price too. It's just as strong as the RCBS and has a very heavy linkage too. I think the opening is larger than the RCBS too.

*EDIT*
Ops, I see snuffy just mentioned the Lee Classic press above...
 
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