Which press?

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Hello again. I was wondering what type / kind of press you use.
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Single stage, turret and progressive from about a dozen different manufacturers they all have something going for them. Not really a "wrong answer" but some are better for certain applications than others.
 
I have:
RCBS Partner
2-RCBS Rock Chucker
And a Pacific C

All work very well for their purpose.
 
CH Auto Champ set up for 45acp.
Lee Cast Turret - all rifle rounds and a ton of 9mm before the SDB
Lee Single Stage- trimming 223, ram priming
Dillon SDB for 9mm

Have three MECs for shotguns as well.

The CH was given to me by an old reloader, and the used Dillon was too sweet of a deal to pass up. The Turret was a Christmas present. All of the MECs were either bought used or traded for.
 
F250GUY said:
Redding T-7. IIRC from the first foundry I worked in, is that their turret press? The foundry I first worked in they never called the presses by their correct names. They always said: "Redding Hunter".
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Yes, the T-7 is their manually indexing turret press.

SARuger said:
The Redding T7 is a Cadillac, top shelf when it comes to Turret presses. If your going to load in volume, that's the press to have
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I'd agree, with added emphasis to the "when it comes to turret presses" part. Loading in volume, a Dillon or Hornady progressive is the press to have, not any turret. If you're loading for precision competition where round count is high, then the T7 is nice, but I can load effectively just as fast on 2 Forster Co-ax's as I can on my T7 - and produce higher quality ammo.

Among single stage presses, the T7 does have significant weaknesses. It produces FAR AND AWAY better ammo than the Lee Classic Turret presses, but the head design DOES offer a lot of movement when camming over.

If money ever got tight and I needed to clear out any of my presses, I would bail on the T7 in favor of the Co-ax's. It's a great press, for a turret press, and even a great press among most lower cost single stage presses, but the best ammo isn't made on turret presses.
 
9mmepiphany said:
IIRC that movement/tilt is accounted for in the design of the turret heads
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It remains a source of inconsistency, variant by the extent ram arm force applied by the reloader. It's lesser than most presses, but greater than the other precision single stage presses in its class.
 
I have numerous press', including RCBS, C-H, Lyman, Ted Smith, Corbin, Bonanza, Mec, Lee and others... BUT, on my most used bench, I have a C0-AX and a Rock Chucker,

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There are lots of good press' made, but those two are my fav's...

DM
 
I've got a Lee Turret press and a Herters Super Model 3. She's old but I really like that press. Great for swaging primer pockets and other high torque type of stuff.
 
F250GUY said:
Hello again. I was wondering what type / kind of press you use. I have a Redding Boss press, new in box for many years. Never had the room to set it up. I also used to work in a foundry that made the presses for Redding. I need more dies, I have many calibers, not enough dies for them all.
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I started with a Dillon 650 and love it. It was a bit much at the beginning so I really took my time. Once I got used to it I found a great rhythm, don't think I'll ever have a need for anything else
 
I use a rcbs rock chucker its well built and will outlast me and many more from now on!! but I do buy lee dies as I like them just fine and I have both rcbs and lee dies and they both work great!! :)
 
I have an RCBS Rockchucker and an RCBS Turret press. Also a Hornady LNL and a Lee C press. I use the LNL 90% of the time, cranked out 1000 rounds of 9mm this weekend for Steel Challenge. I really like the Redding press you have.
 
I use a RCBS Rockchucker for my high accuracy rifles or small pistol batches, and about to buy a Hornady LNL for high volume pistol only rounds.
 
drband said:
Lee Classic Turret press. Probably all I'll ever need!
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I thought the same thing for years with my LCT, but wouldn't you know it I started thinking about progressives/efficiency and now I have a Hornady LnL on the way! One of the appealing things is that there are so many interesting layers to this reloading pastime it is just natural to go in a new direction. If I was not stuck in an apt in the city I could see myself getting into lead casting big time.
 
After a Hornady Single Stage Classic, I bought the 5-hole Hornady LnL. Easy to use and I like the fifth holw either for a powder checker or separate crimp die. Progressive for pistol. Single stage for rifle.
 
F250GUY said:
Hello again. I was wondering what type / kind of press you use. I have a Redding Boss press, new in box for many years. Never had the room to set it up. I also used to work in a foundry that made the presses for Redding. I need more dies, I have many calibers, not enough dies for them all.
Click to expand...
Now when I read this post I thought ,this is total BS. What man would have a new toy sitting in a box and not take it out to play with? So you didn't see a response from me.
Well today I went over to a customers house to camera and locate his main line that my crew is going to dig up and replace tomorrow I see a box for a press sitting on his bench, and I asked him where his press is. He said it's in the box. He got it over two years ago. Holly crap. Well I told him that a camera and locate job came with 100 pieces of brass, 100 primers, 100 bullets, and a pound of power, if the customer had a press set up.
So after I marked up his yard Off I went back to my shop got all of the supplies and stopped off at Menadrs and bought hard wear to mount his press. By noon He had a brand new, two year old Dillon 550 ready to go. By 1600 we were back at my range shooting 100 rounds each from his press.
Son, all I have to say is take it out and play with it. And you too will have a great big grin on your face!!!!
 
I have a Rockchucker, Lee pro 1000 and a new Dillon 650. All work ok but I love the Dillon. It just works great with no problems.
 
I use a Lee Reloader press and a Lee Pro 1000. I would like to upgrade to a RCBS Pro Chucker 5 though.
 
DRAINSMITH said:
Now when I read this post I thought ,this is total BS. What man would have a new toy sitting in a box and not take it out to play with?
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I still have a bran-spakin-new NEW Bonanza CO-AX hanging in my barn... I've just not needed it.....yet.

DM
 
I guess that I’m the odd man out on presses. I’m using a Lyman turret. I’m not going to say that it’s been around for a while, but I bought it used back around 1961 for $35 with 2 sets of dies.
 
An older CH that uses the longer shell holding rods (unknown model)
RCBS Rockchucker Supreme
Redding single O (don't know the model)
Lyman tru line Jr (310 dies)
Lee 3 hole turret
Lyman 450
Lyman 45
 
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