Which Single-Stage Press?

[Uniquedot]

Lyman makes quality tools!

For sure no doubt about that!

 

[RustyFN]

Best dies you can buy (along with Redding and Dillon).

What makes RCBS, Redding and Dillon dies the best? I am curious because I have never used RCBS or Redding. I have used Dillon dies and like Lee better. I use Lee dies on my 550.

 

[manithree]

I'll echo what I've said before. I'm still fairly new to re-loading, but if I had bought a s/s for handgun on someone's advice, I would hesitate to take their advice again.

I ended up with a Lee classic turret, and I load .38 spl, 9mm, and .40 S&W in turret mode. I take out the indexer and use it as a single stage for .22-250, .243, and hopefully .30-06 soon.

I've read a lot of bad things about Lee progressives, but not the s/s or turrets. And the price of the classic turret is so close to the s/s, and it does both, why not enjoy your high-volume handgun reloading more for only a little more money?

I haven't done 375 h&h on my classic turret, but I'm pretty sure it will do it.

 

[jcwit]

Legion489

Dick Lee (<edited by taliv>)

I think we all get the idea you do not like Lee or their products, now grow up and act like an adult and stop the name calling.

Regarding which press to buy, any and that is any[/B of the major manufactures currently in business will more than meet your needs that you list. Spend the bucks you have but remember price alone does not indicate quality and value.

The first press I got has gives me the best value by far and none could even equal it. It is a BAIR press I got way back in the 60's, yup 50 years ago. Why can none equal the value? It was a salesman's sample given to me as a gift, gratuity if you will, sorta hard to beet that for value and yes it still performs as well today as it did then.

 

[JO JO]

redding makes good stuff to,

 

[Uniquedot]

redding makes good stuff to

As far as fit and finish of the press (O frame) the redding beats them all.

 

[Bobson]

Thank folks. This has been answered, and I appreciate it.

You are mistaken if you think the moderators around here are going to continue to tolerate this.

I agree, but will add that you're not helping the situation by repeatedly feeding the troll. Mods, please feel free to close this as you see fit. Question has been thoroughly addressed.

 

[THe Dove]

From the looks of your poll, RCBS is your answer.........

The Dove

 

[Uniquedot]

Thank folks. This has been answered, and I appreciate it.

Well???? we gotta know what you decided on.

I agree, but will add that you're not helping the situation by repeatedly feeding the troll.

Yes i realize that.

 

[Bobson]

Well???? we gotta know what you decided on.

My bad lol. To be completely honest, I'm not sure whether it's going to be the RCBS Rock Chucker or Lee Classic Cast. I'm also not sure whether I'm going to go with a kit, or if I'm going to buy a press on it's own, and mix and match and build my own kit. If I go the kit option, it'll likely be the RCBS, because I haven't found a kit offered with the Lee Classic Cast. If I build my own kit, I'll probably select the Lee Classic Cast. Just gonna depend on the price of the items if purchased separately.

Also going to check out reviews on each individual item in the kit, and look to better offerings for the items that are sub-par. I know, I know. It's a long drawn out process. This is how I shop...

 

[BADUNAME37]

An RCBS Rock Crusher will outlast our lifetimes, if kept from the elements and prevented from rust or corrosion. In fact, I bet it would last several lifetimes! At nearly 30 years of use, they are just broken in.

 

[Uniquedot]

Also going to check out reviews on each individual item in the kit, and look to better offerings for the items that are sub-par. I know, I know. It's a long drawn out process. This is how I shop.

You'll probably find the most reviews at midway, but you'll likely find better prices elsewhere.

 

[Bobson]

You'll probably find the most reviews at midway, but you'll likely find better prices elsewhere.

Thanks for the heads up I had been doing most of my research on Midway; but I was under the assumption their prices are also among the best. Where might I find better?

 

[GT1]

Spent primers contained verses all over the place will show your choice to be a happy or sad one later. Especially if you are in the house instead of a shed out back, or some such.

Also going to check out reviews on each individual item in the kit, and look to better offerings for the items that are sub-par. I know, I know. It's a long drawn out process. This is how I shop...

Me too, I enjoy saving money that can be used to buy components or other things.

When/If you price check the Lee stuff try fsreloading.com

 

[4895]

If you buy Green (RCBS), then it will match all of the other equipment that you will probably buy, in color that is. I haven't found a bad product made by RCBS yet, unlike some others.

 

[taliv]

the co-ax is a superior press in MANY ways.

better built
more mechanical advantage
more ergonomic
much better primer seater
>that you can use any time w/o unscrewing dies and inserting adapters like the rock chucker
>that operates at the point of least mechanical leverage so you can feel the seating and avoid crushing primers

you can switch dies out in half a second. go from decap to sizer to seat your primer to bullet seater to crimp die in as long as it took to write this sentence.

superior case holder
>that self-centers making more concentric ammo (and the die floats too)
>that you don't have to buy different shell holders for each caliber

better spent primer disposal

 

[rugerman]

I too would go with rcbs.My rockchucker is over 36 years old and still works great. Back then there were fewer choices I chose rcbs and have never looked back.

 

[Uniquedot]

Thanks for the heads up I had been doing most of my research on Midway; but I was under the assumption their prices are also among the best. Where might I find better?

Check grafs.com as shipping is a flat $5.95 and also checkout midsouthshooterssupply.com there are others that are usually lower such as natchez and i think wideners is very reasonable, but i haven't been to their site in a while. F&M (not FS) has about the best prices anywhere on Lee stuff, but it may take a couple of weeks to get an order from them. Sometimes you will come out better at midway depending on what you buy and one thing for sure they have excellent customer service and hasty delivery.

 

[JimKirk]

the co-ax is a superior press in MANY ways.

better built
more mechanical advantage
more ergonomic
much better primer seater
>that you can use any time w/o unscrewing dies and inserting adapters like the rock chucker
>that operates at the point of least mechanical leverage so you can feel the seating and avoid crushing primers

you can switch dies out in half a second. go from decap to sizer to seat your primer to bullet seater to crimp die in as long as it took to write this sentence.

superior case holder
>that self-centers making more concentric ammo (and the die floats too)
>that you don't have to buy different shell holders for each caliber

better spent primer disposal

Agree with this .... is may cost more at first .... but as you use it ...you'll find that it is worth every penny....

As far as "special" locknuts for the dies .... The Forster brand along with the round Hornady work best .... but all of my RCBS dies are old and they came with round lock rings that work just as well....My Lyman die round rings work too...

 

[Uniquedot]

F&M has the classic cast for $93.99 and the RCBS supreme for $126.75 as well as the Lyman crusher for $109.99 You really can't go wrong with either, but the Lyman can't take large series dies though. Looks like midway has a great price on the big boss 2.

 

[DoubtingDuck]

Go to school on this one...

Harrell presses are worth owning and using. I've tried the ones in your list and none are really up to creating precise ammo. I'm not saying they are junk, they are just inferior to a benchrest loaders press.

 

[Bobson]

The Forster Co-Ax does sound appealing, but I wonder if I would fully appreciate what it offers over the less expensive presses, considering this would be the first press I've ever used. The ability to swap dies out so quickly is the most appealing thing listed there. Not to minimize the other attributes; just saying.

@ DoubtingDuck: I don't know the future, but my best guess is that benchrest shooting is something I'll never really get into.

 

[midnattsolen]

Any one of the presses you've listed will definately meet your requirements. The biggest decision is which manufacturer's kit to buy when starting out. I bought a basic RCBS RS3 kit. I looked at LEE but just did not like the looks of their powder scale. It looked a little on the "cheap" side. My RCBS kit came with the 505 scale, which at the time came highly recommended. I added a caliper set and was ready to go. Later on I added a Lyman universal case trimmer and an RCBS powder measure. So far I have been happy with my RCBS press.

 

[res7s]

I own three Lee's(Classic Cast, Classic Turret, Challenger), one RCBS RS/JR, and one Dillon RL300. I use my Lee Classic Turret press the most. I wouldn't buy the Hornady because it's aluminum. I prefer iron or steel. If I was going to buy a new O-frame, it would be a Lee Classic Cast. If I was going to buy a single stage and money was no object it would be either a Forster Co-ax or a Redding 700 Ultramag. While it is a C-frame, you'll notice the linkages are attached at the top of the frame and this should limit any flexing of the frame. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/736031/redding-700-ultramag-single-stage-press You'll also notice the linkage bolts are supported on both ends. A friend that swages pointed this out to me. Apparently he once broke or bent a bolt on a Redding Big Boss. The RCBS RC, Lyman Crusher II, Lee Classic Cast all fully support the linkage bolts. Next, the Redding presses and the Lee Classic Cast have hollow rams. This allows the primers to fall through the ram into a tube, instead of bouncing out of a tray onto the floor. This doesn't sound like much, but it is aggravating after a while. I would have voted, but you didn't allow us to vote for more than one press.

If you decide on buying either an RCBS or Redding I suggest buying a used one as well. Also never over look closeouts or factory reconditioned products. Lyman has Orange Crushers for $87.75. IDK how reasonable they are on shipping, but it wouldn't hurt to ask. http://www.lymanproducts.com/store/page166.html

If Natchez will ship to your state they usually have good prices.

 

[GLOOB]

I'm surprised hardly anyone comments on the priming systems on these presses. A press that spits spent primers haphazardly into a non removable base and that's so awkward to prime on that using a hand primer is faster and easier.... well, sure it might last two lifetimes instead of one. So I guess you want your kids to suffer with it after you're gone??

Prioritizing durability on a single stage press doesn't make any sense. You'll spend 100's of times the cost of the press in components by the time you wear one out.

Most SS presses "die" by being left in the basement to rot or sold off in a garage sale after they've been upgraded or the hobby abandoned. Not because they wore out or broke.