How many presses do I need?

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mmorris

mmorris

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I tend to abuse large horizontal surfaces, so I want my bench area to be compact. I have a Lee Reloader Press I got with the Lee reloading book, and I thought I would mount it and put a no size/de-prime die in to punch out the primers before inspection and cleaning.

Instead, how about an extra turret plate for the Lee Classic Turret press (UPS has it) to hold the no size/de-prime die, and maybe a bullet puller die. Swap it and disable turret advance. That way there's only one press to mount, and the primer catcher on the Classic looks like it works a lot better.

Are any bullet pulling dies able to pull all types of bullets? Hornady doesn't do lead according to the catalog on the web.

So, one press or two and are bullet pulling dies recommended?

Thanks,
Mike
 
By far, most loaders have one press.

A bullet puller is like unto the erasure on a pencil; only needed if you make an occasional mistake.
 
I have a single stage and a progressive; the prog stays set up for 40S&W 95% of the time, and any small quantity I do (like 44mag) I do on the single stage.

The RCBS Collet puller needs separate collets, but is pretty quick.

The kinetic varieties are less expensive, and work on all sorts of cases.
 
I primarily use 4 different progressive presses (Dillon, RCBS, Hornady and LEE) for pistol calibers and .223's. Most of the time these presses are set to load .223, .40, .45 and 9 mm. I have tool heads set so that these can be rapidly swapped for other calibers like .357, .44 Magnum, .454 and .50 AE. I use either a RockChucker or LEE Classic Cast for most rifle calibers, the LEE Classic Cast is the only press I have to load .50 BMG. I've used it more than the other presses most recently loading .50 BMG, .338 Lapua and .300 RUM's. I have several others set to decap, crimp etc. For the most part my first post was said jokingly but wasn't all that inaccurate. The more presses you have the more you will use and you'll find yourself dedicating a specific press to a certain function. You can certainly get away with only one press. If I could have only one press that could do it all I would have to pick the LEE Classic Cast, it's fairly inexpensive, strong and will do it all. I have an even dozen all of them are used. I have some set up in my vault and some set up in my shop outside. Sometimes I get a little claustrophobic in the vault with no windows, I use it when I don't want to bring the temperature up in the shop during the winter.
 
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I have 3 single stage presses and ould like to add one more. An RCBS RockChuker, Lee Classic and the Lee Reloader. The RCBS does sizing and seating. The Classic does cast bullet resizing and gas checks. The Reloader doe depriming with a universal deprimer. One more RCBS ought to do it...one for seating and one for sizing. But this is just me...I have the space to handle it...A single press will work just fine
 
I have four Dillons. I have a Square Deal, 2 550s and a 650. I also have and use my first press which is a Rock Crusher, and a Herters. I dont really need them all, but I hate to part with them.
 
There's alot of multi press benches out there, isn't there?!

I remember when all I had to handload was a die set, a hammer and a 2x4 for a bench.

Cheers...
 
I've got my original Hollywood press on one end of my bench. Next is a Magma Case Master Jr., and then a Hornady Pro-Jector. At the far end of the bench is my RCBS Rockchucker. I use them all, all the time. I just wish I had more room for more equipment.

Oops, I forgot the MEC 9000GN for loading shotgun shells. How could I forget that monster?

Hope this helps.

Fred
 
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I use the RCBS Kenetic puller for handguns and the Hornady collet for bottleneck style cases. I don't have to use them very often but I am very glad they are close by. I, too, have a Lee Classic cast that has been the work horse of my bench. I love the single stage. It is my main press I own. It replaced my retired rockchucker (not for sale - very sentimental value) I also use a Redding T7 (for my Rifle loads), a Dillon 550b (38spcl, 357 mag, 44mag, 40 S&W, and .223), and 2 Dillon 650's, 1 for 9mm and 1 for 45acp. I really love my Cave but, to be honest, I could get by without all my presses except one, my single stage. And from time to time, I will use it exclusively to load everything from my 9mm to my 375 rifles and everthing in between just to keep me in check.

Cheers.
 
Lay your bench out very carefully.
Measure each slot and determine the best use of the space for each press type.
Build in your mind, the typical loading sequences you want to use.
Make sure you have adequate hand and staging space next to each.

Now, Go buy as many presses as your layout dictates, plus 3 more. Mount them ALL. Stack boxes of bullets and jugs of powder in every nook and cranny. Hang loading charts and pictures of guns on the walls. A picture or two of Billy Jack and Bob Munden also work great. Spill some gun oil on the floor, scatter some tumbling media (walnut preferred) on every hard surface in the house. Make sure it all creeps out into other areas of the house, especially your wife's personal space. Utter Chaos will follow, and you will be a proud and happy reloader! Your bench will also look like most of the rest of them here.... :neener:
 
I have 2 a dillon and a RCBS reloader special.

I load all my rifle ammo on the single stage RCBS and all my pistol on my 550B.

one press can do it all but if you shoot pistol anymore than once or twice a year I would get a progressive just to make life a bit nicer.
 
I have a Lee classic for my magnum rifles. A Co-Ax for 308 and 260. A Dillon 550 and 1050 for my high quantity stuff. I would like to get another 550 so I could leave one set for large and one for small primers. One day...
 
Griz44!! You have never been to my house !!! How could you ever possiblly describe it to everyone without being here? My wife gives you a ++1! I have the 3 extra press laying on the gun room floor for back ups.
 
I'm new to reloading and just have one RCBS setup and that is fine with me since I'm doing a fairly low volume of work. Heck if I had a progressive I don't know how I'd afford to feed it <grin>.

2008_SD400_0383.gif
 
I have two. An RCBS Partner press that I started with, and still use some, and a Hornady Projector, which handles most of my reloading. :)

Whoops. I forgot about my little "custom" single stage press I used for reloading at Benchrest matches. It does not work any better than the Partner press I used, and won with, but it looks cooler, and is more compact.
 
I have three mounted to the bench, one on ready five when needed. A single stage (hornady) I use for rifle cartridges. A lee progressive set up for 45 apc and another one set up for 40 s&w. I switch those depending. and a Pacific shot shell reloader.
 
I have very limited space, so my presses (I forgot the the Lee Load-All, so 3 presses) are mounted on boards and set in my closet on a shelf. So whatever I feel like using at the time comes out and gets clamped down on a heavy desk.
 
I've got 9 or 10 and was looking at another just the other day. Sell all of your centerfire arms right away and get a 22lr and you won't need any.
 
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