Question for single-stage afficianados

[Demi-human]

Hi there, @wrench459. SHhhh.. I load pistol cartridges on my single stage. Nice morning, isn't it? I batch load a thousand at a time, one handloading step at time. Winter in Michigan, right? I'll see you at the hotel, they have a range and the room service is great! Bring your press, they deliver cases right to the room! Well, have a nice New Year.

 

[brasscollector]

Why choose one SS over another SS press? Well, for instance, Hornady makes two SS presses. They have the traditional O-frame press, and one with a more triangulated frame (the 'iron' press). I'm not sure one is going to outperform the other in terms of concentricity but one might offer better ergonomics. The 'iron' press is advertised as being ambidextrous where the O-frame is not.

 

[flashhole]

I like bc's comment about ergonomics. Lots of people rave about the Co-Ax press. I had one, hated the ergonomics. Not that it wasn't a nice press. It was well made but didn't fit my reloading needs. It was especially hard to seat bullets in long cartridges and pulling the handle straight down blocked my vision as to what was going on. It just sat there on the bench unused so I sold it in favor of my Ultramags.

 

[doubleh]

I try to use the tool(s) that best suit my needs. So far a SS press has met my reloading needs and I don't see any change in the future. Mine's green because of it's reputation and it hasn't disappointed me. During my working years I didn't have the spare time to need a progressive and being retired I have plenty of time for the SS press to fill my needs now.

I found the primer spitting to be annoying. Instead of spending quite a bit of money to buy a new press that didn't do that I designed and built a very simple little gadget that solved the problem. I use a hand primer so no problem with that feature either.

 

[Chuck R.]

I have multiple presses: Dillon XL650, Dillon 550, Redding Ultra Mag, RCBS RockChucker (1970s) and a couple Ponsness Warren shotgun presses.

All serve a purpose. I loaded for years (and years) on my old RockChucker. Even after buying the Dillon 550, I still used the RC for rifle. It wasn't until I started messing with black powder cartridges (2.4") and case forming that the RCBS wasn't cutting it (too small of an opening). Then came the Redding Ultra-Mag, which is used for 90% of my rifle reloading now. The only rifle loads I do on the 550 are bulk 7.62 and 5.56/.223. The RockChucker was sitting idle until I ordered one of these 3D printed gizmos:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/RCBS-Reloa...2-PCATRC2-LEFT-BLACK-/322463926254?rmvSB=true

which fixed my one major complaint about the RockChucker and that was it sucked when depriming. Now it's a premature set up depriming station.

IF you're looking at case forming, take a look at the Redding Ultra Mag, it's expensive for a single stage, but works and has some serious leverage.

The Redding Model 700 Ultramag Single Stage Press features a huge frame opening and very long useable ram stroke, making it ideal for loading oversize cartridges such as the old Sharps "Buffalo Cartridges" and British Nitro Express rounds. Its unique long link compound leverage system has more mechanical advantage over a greater distance than any other reloading press on the market. Includes primer catcher and primer arm for large and small primers. Dies and shellholder sold separately.

Chuck

 

[flashhole]

Yea! Another Ultramag fan.

 

[Ireload2]

You have asked a strange question. There are many single stage presses that offer no particular advantage over the others. Mature and highly developed but simple products are all going to be very similar. Many guys dislike the RCBS Rockchucker because it drops primers on the floor. But I don't care because I deprime manually.
All those other presses did not exist when I bought my press so I had fewer choices. My 1971 Rockchucker is still in good condition and does all of my operations well. There are other $80 to $300 presses that will do the same job.
Some might do it a little better. However I see little advantage to buying a more modern competitors's press.

I do have other single stage presses for specific purposes.

I have a small Harrell's C press that is only suitable for seating bullets and neck sizing at the range. That little press has a clamp that permits me to clamp it to the table.

I have an RCBS A2 and a RCBS A4 BIG MAX that are very large heavy duty presses that I bought only to form cases. I have never loaded ammo on them and I never will.

I have an RCBS JR that can be used for pistol ammo or I can loan it to a noobie.

I have a chumpy cheap Lee press that is only used for a ram priming process. And I have a Lee portable hand press. Neither serve much of a purpose. I was given them by a friend's family after he died.

Some people have other preferences. If you buy most any good press you will not care what others use.

The main functional differences have to do with
1. Compound linkage for higher sizing force (heavy duty use) vs simple linkage for light duty use.
2. A O frame design vs The open C frame.
The O frame does not spring open under a heavy sizing load. The. C frame will spring open but it is still ok for pistol ammo.
3. Cast iron vs aluminum press frame.
Cast iron will last a life time. Aluminum will spring open. If used long enough aluminum will break.
There are other small features that may matter to the OCD people. Eventually those small features are only a matter of personal taste.
In the end all the press does is hold a die and permit you to force cases in and out of the die.

That sounds like why you prefer a single stage press generally. My question is about why one would prefer one single stage press over a different single stage press. .

Apparently, this is a very difficult question to ask!

 

[daboone]

I started with a Herters 50+ years ago. Since then I've had a Rock Chucker, 2 different Lee's and a RCBS Summit. I really can't say that one was better than the other other than the primer disposal on one of the Lee's was a major improvement. Now I have a Bonanza CO-AX , I can say it is the easiest, friendliest best SS press I've ever used. I admit adding a roller handle made it even better for my worn out shoulder. Its primer disposal is also as good as the Lee's press was. It's only downside was learning how swap shellplates. I can't say the CO-AX makes better ammo it's just easier, faster and more fun to use. It's still beautiful piece of engineering after 9 years of steady use.

 

[rayatphonix]

One press that hasn't been mentioned is the "H style" CH press. I like it because it's very simple and it sits flat on my bench with nothing hanging down. I made my own primer catchers and it's served me well for years.

 

[SamT1]

I think a lot of us buy a press because we don’t know any better. Some of us are addicted to presses.
It really boils down to ford vs Chevy and I’ll throw Lee in as Toyota and Dillon as Cadillac. They all get you from point A to B. They all can last a really long time if they aren’t abused.
Some of them look a hell of a lot nicer sitting on your bench. And a few of them are more likely to be passed on to the next generation.

I personally believe everyone should start reloading with a single stage press kit. Any of them get that job done. I bought a $100 Lee kit because there was a monster gap at the time between that and a rcbs or Lyman kit. Now days the other kits have come down some. The snob in me wishes I had a rock chucker I could leave my boys some day instead of the Lee press but they will have to fight over my CH4x4 and Lyman all American because I doubt I ever buy another single stage.
I’m restoring a Lyman tru-line jr to take over most the stuff I do on the Lee single. It’s my favorite press by far, but it’s not very versatile due to capacity limits.

 

[SamT1]

One press that hasn't been mentioned is the "H style" CH press. I like it because it's very simple and it sits flat on my bench with nothing hanging down. I made my own primer catchers and it's served me well for years.

The CH is probably the most underrated press of all time. I load 60% of my stuff on mine. And i even own a progressive.
Simple to setup and use.
Easy to check your work.
You can crank some ammo out really fast when setup correctly.

It doesn’t have the strongest ram power though. And they are kinda expensive.
http://test.ch4d.com/products/equipment/presses/444-X
I think my best is 275 rounds of 45acp in an hour. I wish mine looked that nice. Bought the whole setup in a box of stuff at an auction. It was all there somehow. It was free for what I paid for the lot.

The negatives are you need 4 shell holders and most die sets don’t come with powder through expanders.

 

[Offfhand]

Here is a Dodd single stage press with the distinct advantage of integral JLC "click" system for precise sizing die adjustments...

 

[SamT1]

Here is a Dodd single stage press with the distinct advantage of integral JLC "click" system for precise sizing die adjustments...View attachment 773085 View attachment 773086

Man I said I’d never buy a single, but that thing turned me on.

 

[flashhole]

It oozes machismo.

 

[RainDodger]

Then there are the guys heading into that 6th decade mentioned above... some of us just like the simplicity of a single stage press where you get the chance to LOOK at your components during every stage of the process. It is "hand loading" vs. "re-loading"... at least that's the way I look at it. I'm not in a hurry when I load and I enjoy the precision of the entire operation.

All that being said, I DO own a Dillon Square Deal - one of the very first ones and it's already been rebuilt by Dillon once. For free of course. All of my rifle rounds are done on one of my 3 single stage presses. A big press is set up for sizing only and it has the leverage to make it super-easy to do. Another press is set up for seating bullets only. It's a smaller press. It's all personal choice - that's what makes our country so great!

 

[Offfhand]

Another single stage press with unique features is the Hood Press designed and initially made by tool genius Charlie Hood. In addition full leverage for case sizing with standard dies it incorporates an arbor press-like feature for use with chamber type bullet seating dies. Which is why Hood presses , and look-alike clones, are widely used by benchrest shooters and similar accuracy specialists. Plus the convenient fact that it is only 2" thick, making it easy to store and transport for on-site reloading.

 

[flashhole]

Never see those on eBay. I didn't even know the Hood and Dodd presses existed until this thread. Thanks for sharing.

 

[WestKentucky]

I started on lee hammer loader sets and moved up to single stage. I have had a bunch of single stage presses since I buy benches occasionally and sell off the parts I don’t want or need. There is a wide variety of quality, strength, and speed out there. Lee Challenger presses are cast aluminum and I broke one. It was fairly quick though. My ribs RS was among the strongest presses I have ever had but it’s short window made it tougher to get bullets in position and slowed down that aspect but the shorter throw also served to speed up the process. I moved on to a Lee Classic Cast which is a large press with a big window to reach into. It’s boat anchor heavy, strong enough I don’t see any flex, machined very nicely, and has a hollow ram which contains the primers that would otherwise bounce all over the house. It is however a bit slow. That’s fine by me because my big hands fit and I don’t drop stuff and have to stop to track down what I dropped.

I’m considering a turret in the next year or two.

 

[Jack B.]

Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic. Started with The Classic Lee Loader many years ago. Found Hornady and haven't looked back.

 

[RainDodger]

Agree with flashhole - the Dodd and the Hood are gorgeous presses. I love good quality tools and those just ooze "goodness"... Beautiful!

 

[farm23]

Wow those are two beautiful presses but out of my price range.

 

[Jeff Flannery]

an analogy;
I have a pneumatic nail gun and it works great. I can assemble projects in no time. But sometimes a good old fashioned hammer is precisely the tool for the job. There have not been a lot of technological improvements to the hammer in decades, yet it is still an essential tool that I will use in lieu of the pneumatic for certain tasks. While one hammer can do a wde variety of jobs, there are different hammers for different special tasks.

For example, I have a claw hammer and a ball peen hammer (among others). they can both drive nails but, while my ball peen has been used to drive nails, it is designed for and best used to shape metal.

VERY good analogy!!!!

 

[quest4perfection]

I changed mine to get a better spent primer capture, among other considerations. I liked the idea of having dies mounted on adapters that I could twist on and off the press fitting. Finally, I appreciated having cast iron versus aluminum and better rifle cartridge capability. I avoided some choices due to price difference, with some seeming needlessly expensive.

What did you do to capture primers better?

 

[quest4perfection]

Bottom line
You can have my single stage rock chunker
after you pry my cold dead fingers from it.

God bless Heston!!!!!!!!!!

 

[quest4perfection]

God bless Heston!!!!!!

Single stage presses are for serious handloaders.
Turrets, progressives and other gee whiz machines are for the common reloader whose goal is some easily produced volume of ammo that goes bang.

Kudos.