Single stage press with multiple stations

[atblis]

Need something with some precision for rifle stuff. The idea of a single stage press with multiple fixed station appeals to me.

Anybody familiar with these presses? Worth the money?
http://www.ch4d.com/catalog/?p=61

 

[atblis]

Found a previous post
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=92723

 

[rcmodel]

They have been making it for a long time, so it must be pretty good. As well it should be for $255 bucks.

However, with that said, I would consider them pretty good for pistol ammo, but maybe not so much for big rifle calibers.

If you look closely, none of the die stations are directly in line with the center line of the press shell-holder plate.

It seems to me some flexing of the support posts would have to occur when sizing big rifle cases with the die off-center in the press.

The other thing is, you have to buy multiple shell-holders of the same size to have one in each die station.

An in-line ram C or O frame press has proven over the years to be the most flex-free design.

Anyway, I can't see any real speed advantage to having several dies in the press at once.
It only takes a few seconds to change dies between sizing a bunch of cases and then seating bullets in all of them.

rc

 

[atblis]

Four operations with one handle pull. I imagine that would be the speed advantage.

Looking for something to do 223 with. Really only neck sizing at that.

But yeah, I see what your saying. Full length Sizing a 30-06 or 300 Mag might be an issue. I wonder if you were to put the resizing station in the back between the pillars if that would avoid a flexing issue.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

set up 2 single stage in tandem. look for used press at yard sale or such.

 

[rcmodel]

I wonder if you were to put the resizing station in the back between the pillars if that would avoid a flexing issue.

Yes, it should. I looked at the picture the first time and somehow saw it as off-center too.
I see now that it isn't.
That for sure would be the sizing die station!

My mistake!

rc

 

[TimRB]

"Four operations with one handle pull. I imagine that would be the speed advantage."

Maybe it's just me, but I get the impression that the press is not really intended for that. If you loaded four pieces of brass into the tool and pulled the handle, then you would have to manually shift each piece to the next station. That seems like a lot of fumbling, and presumes that pulling the handle on four stations is not too much work.

I think mostly you save the setup time for your dies, which I admit is a distinct advantage. On the other hand, the Forster Co-Ax has very short setup time (since the dies snap in) and is very popular among competitive rifle shooters. YMMV--good luck with whatever you decide to get!

Tim

 

[mkl]

I must be missing something here, but the only advantage I see over a single stage press is that you would not have to screw a particular die in and out.

It would appear that you have to move your brass to each station manually.

Die setup should not be a issue since you don't have to "set up" a die on a single stage each time you use it as long as you are using the same case/bullet (just set the lock ring the first time; screw it in till it stops from then on).

I would think the classic "O" frame single stage could load at 98% of the rate as the one pictured.

Oh... maybe the OP's thinking is that with a single stage press you have to screw a separate die in and out for each cartridge. You don't do it that way. You size/deprime a batch (say 50 cases), then you continue on with each operation by doing lots of 50 at a time. Thus you only unscrew a die each 50 cases, not each time.

 

[Asherdan]

Neat design on these. From reading the link literature it looks like a press solution along the lines of a turret press, except you hand rotate the die position of the case instead of dealing with a rotating turret head, indexing issues and the 'slop' (if any) necessary for turret operation. I could see it fitting in just fine as a solid piece of production equipment. CH4D makes good stuff.

With that said, for precision large rifle I'd be leaning towards a quality cast iron O style press and batch processing.

For other cartridges, I'd want to know how it handles stuff like priming and primer disposal and rcmodels shellholder point before I gave it the nod over a good turret press.

It's worth investigating though, especially if you like working a little different.

 

[mkl]

turret press, except you hand rotate the die position of the case instead of dealing with a rotating turret head

Nothing rotates. That's what makes me wonder where the speed advantage is.

Reference the second post, reply #5, which says:

when you pick up a casing and move it through the positions, in seconds it is a loaded round,

Apparently, you make one complete cartridge, then make another, then make another, etc...

Never have seen one of these before; guess it's not a bad idea.

 

[atblis]

Yes

No fumbling, you remove the finished round and that leaves an empty space. Just shift everything over one. Not any worse than a regular o frame press. Better actually because you never have to put stuff in a tray/holder and then transfer it back.

Using it for 223 so not concerned with large rifle stuff.

Already have an O frame.

If the thing is strong enough, then I'll probably snag one.

 

[rcmodel]

At what point do you plan to put the powder in it?

IMHO: Properly used loading blocks are a very good way to keep from blowing yourself up when loading handgun calibers!

rc

 

[ranger335v]

That CH "H" press design goes back to the mid 60s at least, maybe the late 50s. It is not intended to process more than one case at a time but I guess you could IF your arms are like Popeye's.

It's semi-great IF you load for only one cartridge and leave the dies in place. Otherwise it's no faster than a conventional single stage.

 

[atblis]

At what point do you plan to put the powder in it?

I was thinking a case actuated powder drop. I believe those exist.

Would be dedicated to 223 so leverage shouldn't be an issue. Will probably only be neck sizing anyways.

1 station would be a resize/deprime
1 station would be a prime
1 station would be powder
1 station would be bullet seating

 

[45ACPUSER]

Get a Forster CoAx press

 

[lgbloader]

Dude... buy progressive and be done with it. Whorenady, Dealin', don't matter.

LGB

 

[atblis]

Progressive

Already have a Dillon 650.
Already have a regular O frame.

I am not asking about the reloading process, flow, speed, or anything like that. Pretty familiar with all that already

Only interested in the quality, strength, and precision of this particular press.

 

[earlthegoat2]

There is really no advantage to this that you cannot got with a 4 station turret press as far as speed goes. These look more beefy.

 

[ranger335v]

"1 station would be a resize/deprime
1 station would be a prime
1 station would be powder
1 station would be bullet seating"

For that plan, used as a dedicated neck sizer press system for .223, the CH four station press would be great.

The Co-Ax is a fine press but it would be great over-kill for this. And quite expensive too.

 

[snuffy]

Progressive
Already have a Dillon 650.
Already have a regular O frame.

I am not asking about the reloading process, flow, speed, or anything like that. Pretty familiar with all that already

Only interested in the quality, strength, and precision of this particular press.

Well, you already have the Cadillac of the progressives, quit while you're ahead. I load MATCH ammo on my 650. Match .223, and someday match .308.

As far as that goes, I wouldn't mind loading match ammo on my lee classic turret.

What you're trying to do is BUY accuracy. Sometimes it CAN be done, especially as concerning the shooting platform,(rifle/handgun). Also with loading dies and presses. BUT you already have good equipment, that C&H won't be any better, might be worse.

 

[Gewehr98]

C-H was good at multiple stage presses.

I have to agree, though, I think that the press in question is intended simply to hold different dies in place, and you move one round through various stages of completion, or do a batch of one stage, then move to the next die position.

This is an early C-H press that does something similar, but the dies are set in sliding plates that index via a ball detent/locking bolt arrangement at the top of the frame.

I bought it some time ago for a whopping $50.00, and received 7 of the die plates as part of the deal. I mounted it on a Midway reloading stand, and use it for my .45-70 BP loads, among others.



Next position:

 

[utk]

"Only interested in the quality, strength, and precision of this particular press."

I have one. The base, shellholder plate and die plate (all black parts) are cast aluminium, not cast iron. There are bronze bushings in the die plate where it rides the two pillars. The linkage etc is steel. The left station is for priming, the priming post screws into the left "lug".

Quality? Strength? Precision? IMHO no better than any other press. Looks nice and "Vintage" but not worth the price, imho.

Bought this press cheap from a friend, together with a bushing type powder measure and primer feed mechanism. It was sold as a pistol press, mine was .32SWL and thus equipped with a hollow expander die, on top of which the powder measure was affixed.

 

[something vague]

As far as speed of changing dies on a single stage goes... if you were to purchase the Lee Breech Lock and I believe Hornady has one, you could buy extra quick change bushings and never have to unscrew the dies out of the press. Press a button and rotate the die an 1/8th of a turn and the die pulls right out. There goes the time of unscrewing dies in and out every time unless of course you need to make minor adjustments but that would be the case for any press.

IMHO i really don't believe that press is meant to utilize every die station with one pull of the handle. Like someone said above, you would have to have arms like Popeye. It also wouldn't seem to be very precise in each die location which seems to be what you are trying to obtain...precision. To each his own. If it was me, I would purchase another single stage to use in progression with your other single stage. But that's me, I'm a single stage fan. I use my single stage more than my turret.

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

Only interested in the quality, strength, and precision of this particular press.

Then skip it and get a Forster Co-Ax. Cast Iron, tons of leverage, with the convenience and accuracy of the floating snap-in/out die retention and the automatic shell holding jaws. The best designed, best built single stage press available.

Andy

 

[ar10]

set up 2 single stage in tandem. look for used press at yard sale or such.

I started with a hornady LnL SS and then got a 30.00 lee, then another 30.00 lee. They're all set up in a row on my bench. Now if there is just some way I could add foot controls I could do everything with just my feet.