Single Stage Press Suggestions

[moxie]

I'm pretty sure the JR3 is out of production, so you would probably have to find a good used one on ebay or the like. But, might find a good deal! Parts could be a problem. But you probably wouldn't need any.
The JR3, if I recall correctly, kicks spent primers out at bench level, hoping to catch them in a plastic cup. The Partner kicks them out through a hole in the ram and off to the side, below bench level into your wastebasket, (95%).

Either one would do the job for you. Both fine presses.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Ah, thanks.

I already have the JR 3, it came with the first AR I bought back in the mid-70s...some CLP and 320grit paper brought it back to life. I don't like the way it handles spent primers, that is one of the reasons I'm looking at other presses.

In a pinch, I can slide it onto the bench with the Lee Bench Plate I have...Just looking for better options

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Ah, thanks.

I already have the JR 3, it came with the first AR I bought back in the mid-70s...some CLP and 320grit paper brought it back to life. I don't like the way it handles spent primers, that is one of the reasons I'm looking at other presses.

In a pinch, I can slide it onto the bench with the Lee Bench Plate I have...Just looking for better options

That goes along with what I said in Post #15, how the press handles spent primers.

The Lee Classic Cast single stage press IMO handles them best.

 

[9mmepiphany]

That goes along with what I said in Post #15, how the press handles spent primers.

The Lee Classic Cast single stage press IMO handles them best.

I just took a closer look at it and see what you mean. It is completely different than the way primers are handled by the 2 Lee presses I've had experience with...Lee Reloader and Classic Turret.

Would you suggest the Classic Cast with their Breech Lock or the Classic Cast combined with the Hornady L-N-L bushings? (I have the conversion insert and several bushings already, so there isn't any extra expense)

 

[hanno]

I just took a closer look at it and see what you mean. It is completely different than the way primers are handled by the 2 Lee presses I've had experience with...Lee Reloader and Classic Turret.

Would you suggest the Classic Cast with their Breech Lock or the Classic Cast combined with the Hornady L-N-L bushings? (I have the conversion insert and several bushings already, so there isn't any extra expense)

Get the Classic Cast, you already have the LNL conversion and some bushings so no extra expense. With the Breech Lock, you wil need to purchase the Breech Lock quick change bushings.

I have a Classic Cast (with the LNL conversion) and it is an excellent press.

ADDED: The LNL bushings are also cheaper (if/when you need more). Just checked Amazon, the Breech Lock bushings are $8 per. The LNL bushings are 3 for $15 or 10 for $44.

 

[Toprudder]

I have not seen them in person, but it appears to me that the standard Lee Classic Cast sends the spent primers down through the hollow ram. The Classic Cast Breech Lock does not, it is a similar design to the Callenger press that I have. I don't like the way the Challenger handles spent primers, as a lot of the primer residue ends up gumming up the ram such that you have to take it apart to clean it.

 

[The Bushmaster]

LEE (cast iron) "O" single stage press.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I just took a closer look at it and see what you mean. It is completely different than the way primers are handled by the 2 Lee presses I've had experience with...Lee Reloader and Classic Turret.

Would you suggest the Classic Cast with their Breech Lock or the Classic Cast combined with the Hornady L-N-L bushings? (I have the conversion insert and several bushings already, so there isn't any extra expense)

I like the Classic Cast press and that's what I would buy if I were in the market.
I would buy the plain press but since you already hand Hornady bushings I see no reason not to buy that Lee press. I'm no fan of the Lee Breach Lock system because I think it's too expensive for little gain. (IMO of course)

 

[greyling22]

I am in a similar boat, and after asking the same questions I am going with the lee classic cast (without quick change) as soon as midway posts a good thanksgiving coupon. reports were that the quick change dies have some wobbly-slop to them, and I want rock solid feel. otherwise I would just load rifle in the turret classic.

What sold me on the lee was the priming. I love the safely prime as opposed to hand priming or filling primer tubes, I like the primers being caught through the ram into a tube, and I like that it is iron as opposed to aluminum like the hornady.

 

[PistolPete45]

I was given a lee (somethin small ) deprimes sizes great hand primer RCBS . A old rock chucker to load em back .

 

[9mmepiphany]

Get the Classic Cast, you already have the LNL conversion and some bushings so no extra expense. With the Breech Lock, you wil need to purchase the Breech Lock quick change bushings.

I have a Classic Cast (with the LNL conversion) and it is an excellent press.

ADDED: The LNL bushings are also cheaper (if/when you need more). Just checked Amazon, the Breech Lock bushings are $8 per. The LNL bushings are 3 for $15 or 10 for $44.

I like the Classic Cast press and that's what I would buy if I were in the market.
I would buy the plain press but since you already hand Hornady bushings I see no reason not to buy that Lee press. I'm no fan of the Lee Breach Lock system because I think it's too expensive for little gain. (IMO of course)

This makes complete sense and thank you for the additional input. I just wish I could get the RCBS Summit out of my system

I'm often surprised at the fluctuation of prices. I was looking at the CC for $101 and when I checked last night, it had jumped to $111...but then it dropped back down to $101 this morning (FS Reloading)

 

[Paddy]

The summit does not prime if that's a consideration. I really love it though. Ugh more user friendly having dies move rather than cases imo. Plus, it has a very small footprint.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Priming isn't an issue. My inclination is to deprime, size and prime my brass in one session and then complete loading in another.

I'm not sure why I'm not a big fan of de-priming/re-sizing as part of the progressive process, but my loaded cartridges seem more uniform when I separate the operations from charging, seating and crimping

I'm waffling between..."It's only another $50 more than the Lee" and "It cost 50% more"

One of my better rationalizations is, "For the price of the Co-Ax, I could get both the Lee and the Summit"

 

[jmorris]

I'm not sure why I'm not a big fan of de-priming/re-sizing as part of the progressive process,

Seems like a lot more work to decap, then size, then...That is the point of a progressive.

What equipment and testing have you done to come to that conclusion?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Why wouldn't you deprime and size in one stroke?

 

[cfullgraf]

I'm not sure why I'm not a big fan of de-priming/re-sizing as part of the progressive process, but my loaded cartridges seem more uniform when I separate the operations from charging, seating and crimping

I am in this camp as well. Loading the cases on the progressive goes more smoothly with fewer glitches when I can concentrate on just filling the case with powder and bullets.

I resize and prep cases shortly after shooting and store them away for a future loading session. Small batches go quick.

I'm waffling between..."It's only another $50 more than the Lee" and "It cost 50% more"

One of my better rationalizations is, "For the price of the Co-Ax, I could get both the Lee and the Summit"

My mother had an axiom on purchasing a cooking range for her kitchen that works well for me with many other major purchases. "Choose the best range that you can afford and get the next better one. You will not be disappointed."

 

[9mmepiphany]

Why wouldn't you deprime and size in one stroke?

Perhaps I wasn't clear. I am depriming and re-sizing in on stroke. The slash "/" symbol was to denote that both operations were occurring together.

Seems like a lot more work to decap, then size, then...That is the point of a progressive.

What equipment and testing have you done to come to that conclusion?

I'm loading on a Hornady L-N-L AP

I've found that when I seat a bullet without a case entering the resizing die, I'll get variations up to .015" in the OAL from seating with a case being resized.

A likely artifact of being new to reloading...I've only loaded a couple of thousand rounds of 9mm...is that I might be paying too much attention to the feel of the decapping pin and ensuring that the primer is seating correctly. I'm still developing a feel for these operations. I find that this takes away from my attention of placing the bullet in the case mouth...which slows me down.

I'm sure this is part of the attraction, to me, of the LNL. The ability to remove dies from the rotation at will and to install them as I want to use them.

It is certainly cheaper than a shooting buddy who does it, separates the operations, with two Dillon 650s

 

[9mmepiphany]

My mother had an axiom on purchasing a cooking range for her kitchen that works well for me with many other major purchases. "Choose the best range that you can afford and get the next better one. You will not be disappointed."

I like it...that's how I ended up with the LNL AP rather than a Lee Loadmaster

 

[jmorris]

I've found that when I seat a bullet without a case entering the resizing die, I'll get variations up to .015" in the OAL from seating with a case being resized.]

It has been a few years since I sold my last LNL but isn't the base of the case independent of the shell plate (like the 550)? As in the base sits directly on the platform mounted on the ram.

I remember it had a keyway but not sure if they relied on the bolt/ram or base plate itself for horizontal location.

The 550 is the only Dillon that has the case base not sitting on the shell plate, likely why David Tubb uses it over the other models. He doesn't do to bad with a progressive (and a Prometheus powder measure).

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Another vote for the Lee Classic Cast single stage and adding the LnL bushing set up to it. 10 years ago, I put it beside a US made RCBS Rock Chucker for a month on my bench. One month later, I sold the Rock Chucker. I've looked at other presses, but after fine tuning it (I fine tune any and all presses I own.), I don't think there's a press on the market that can beat it's price/performance point. You'd have to spend a lot of money to get a better single stage, if you could even get one that beats the Lee in a comparison of all the features.

Just my .02,

Dave

 

[hanno]

Another vote for the Lee Classic Cast single stage and adding the LnL bushing set up to it. 10 years ago, I put it beside a US made RCBS Rock Chucker for a month on my bench. One month later, I sold the Rock Chucker. I've looked at other presses, but after fine tuning it (I fine tune any and all presses I own.), I don't think there's a press on the market that can beat it's price/performance point. You'd have to spend a lot of money to get a better single stage, if you could even get one that beats the Lee in a comparison of all the features.

Just my .02,

Dave

Hard to argue the price/peformace point for the Lee Classic Cast.

I still use my Rock Chucker 2 along with a LCC. I just can't imagine getting rid of the RC2. It is a great press, lousy primer disposal system and all.

The spent primer disposing system and the lever adjustment of the LCC are far superior to the RC, no question.

IMHO, the only other press that competes with the LCC as far as price/performance and ease of use is the Lee Classic Turret. Another winner from Lee.

 

[thump_rrr]

I have a Lee Callenger which was my first press and a Hornady LnL SS and a LnL AP Progressive. The press I use the least is the Hornady single stage because the handle is on the right which forces you to use your left hand to insert/remove the cartridges from the press. The Forster Co-Ax is my next press.

 

[Paddy]

What's wrong with using left hand for cases? I think I prefer it. I use my right hand for the lever, only, and lefty does everything else. Despite being right handed I feel that my dexterity is better in my left.

 

[Toprudder]

^^^^ +1

 

[GBExpat]

Single Stage Press Suggestions
This is more a "want" than a "need" kind of thing.

Gee, thanks a bunch, bud-dy.

For ~4 decades I have been happy with my JR3 and now, because of your thread, I find myself seriously considering adding a Lee Classic Turret or Redding T-7 to my bench.