Which Press

quandary · Nov 10, 2024

Beluebow said:
The most consistent presses in our testing ended up like this...

Hood press...super consistent and the click die adjuster is nice. Big cartridges could be an issue with leverage.
SAC Nexus....super consistent (as consistent as the Hood IMO) handle has a lot of leverage. Nice press.
RCBS Rock Chucker....great do it all press, been around for years and proven. Doesn't do anything great doesn't do anything terrible.
Redding T7...nice press especially with the Creedmoor Sports head upgrade.
Area419...not designed to cam over....IMO this leads to inconsistencies in shoulder bump. Very nice well machined piece of kit as you would expect from Area419. Overpriced IMO

Keep in mind these were pretty much one off tests with one off presses. The exception would be the Hood and SAC presses. Multiples of those were tested. YMMV.

Actually the Area 419 does have what is effectively a cam over. The most effective way to use the Area 419 is to set the sizing die up deep enough to get the "cam over" and use the Redding Competition shellholders (or Area 419 equivalent) to adjust from there. It works great and is incredibly consistent with essentially no measurable difference case to case.

cape cove · Nov 10, 2024

The press has very little effect on run-our as long as it is in decent shape. The dies you use and your procedure have a much greater effect. JMO

Hydra6 · Nov 10, 2024

I bought a RCBS Rebel press a few year ago - serves me well. I have Dillon 550s too and I often use the Dillon 550 to seat PRS cartridges.

quandary · Nov 11, 2024

Beluebow said:
The most consistent presses in our testing ended up like this...

Hood press...super consistent and the click die adjuster is nice. Big cartridges could be an issue with leverage.
SAC Nexus....super consistent (as consistent as the Hood IMO) handle has a lot of leverage. Nice press.
RCBS Rock Chucker....great do it all press, been around for years and proven. Doesn't do anything great doesn't do anything terrible.
Redding T7...nice press especially with the Creedmoor Sports head upgrade.
Area419...not designed to cam over....IMO this leads to inconsistencies in shoulder bump. Very nice well machined piece of kit as you would expect from Area419. Overpriced IMO

Keep in mind these were pretty much one off tests with one off presses. The exception would be the Hood and SAC presses. Multiples of those were tested. YMMV.

To finish this off. I am final testing a load I am developing for a 7PRC. I loaded 10 shells up this morning. Every piece of brass was bumped exactly .002, no deviation, zero. Every neck was .311, no deviation, zero. Every seated shell was 2.374 to 2.376 (most within 2.3745 to 2.3755) base to ogive measuring using the Area 419 comparator. Area 419 press with Forster dies. If thats not precision I don't know what is. If I wasn't a nice guy I might say perhaps you need a bit more experience with the Area 419 press to learn how to use it properly?

Beluebow · Nov 11, 2024

quandary said:
If I wasn't a nice guy I might say perhaps you need a bit more experience with the Area 419 press to learn how to use it properly?

I appreciate your thoughtfulness.

Ten cases huh....impressive on that large sample size. Congrats.

old_heli_logger · Nov 11, 2024

My redneck Lee progressive...just get one for every die.

Which Press

quandary

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cape cove

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Hydra6

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quandary

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Beluebow

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old_heli_logger

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