Looking for press advise

[Nikkel]

Just getting into reloading and deciding on my first press.
I am doing long range hunting and tired of paying someone else 80.00 a box and not getting good consistency. I will be mainly loading 300wsm and want to buy the best press now rather than end up upgrading in years to come. I think I have it narrowed down to a rock chucker IV or the Forester co ax. I also will need dies.
Oh and I am old enough to know that it usually pays in the long run to spend more for the best quality!! Please help me out. Thanks

 

[D.ID]

I use the rockchucker and a dillon 550, They both work great but if I was starting from scratch I would get the co-ax. My interest in reloading started out with hand gun and machine gun volume and for that the dillion wins but for precision ammo the co-ax is suppose to be the best. My hand me down rockchucker is no slouch and is very capable, if your on a slim budget do not hesitate to pick one up. My $0.02

 

[D.ID]

P.S. Welcome aboard.

 

[Kevin Rohrer]

There is no "best" of anything.

Anything but Lee will do you just fine. New or used, it doesn't matter.

Most of the nine presses on my bench I bought used. Some are older than me, but still make ammo as accurate as anything bought new today.

If you are only loading for the cartridge you named, the Co-Ax has too long of a stroke and you will eventually get frustrated by it.

If you want to look elsewhere, checkout the CH 444 and the Ponsness-Warren Metallic 2. Both will easily handle that cartridge and is faster than the two you named.

 

[emn83]

My first, and current press is a Rockchucker, and I really like it, it works well for the rounds I load, mainly .308 WIN and .223

 

[rscott5028]

You can't go wrong with the Forester Co-ax.

I have to disagree with respect to the stroke being too long.

I've used a few other presses and the co-ax is my favorite for everything from 6br to 338L.

If loading for AR's, pistol, etc... look at Dillon or others.

-- richard

 

[Sully2]

Just getting into reloading and deciding on my first press.
I am doing long range hunting and tired of paying someone else 80.00 a box and not getting good consistency. I will be mainly loading 300wsm and want to buy the best press now rather than end up upgrading in years to come. I think I have it narrowed down to a rock chucker IV or the Forester co ax. I also will need dies.
Oh and I am old enough to know that it usually pays in the long run to spend more for the best quality!! Please help me out. Thanks

See my post a few down about Rockchuckers from Sinclair for $139.95

 

[fetch]

I have a Lee Classic Cast press. I like it so far, I really like how you can shorten the handle. Makes it very nice when reloading shorter cartridges. I reload 308, 223, 38 and 357.

I haven't used that many press' but I really like when it deprimes, the press actually catches the primers instead of sending them on the floor.

 

[dig]

It's hard to beat the Forster. All presses will do the job but the Fortster is easy to change dies, has a ton of leverage and best shell plate system. Other than a turret press I have multiple dies set up on, this is my go to press. You won't look back. And Lee cast presses are fantastic no matter the price BTW.

 

[Nikkel]

Thank you every one for the press advise. Sounds like the Forster wins out if I am not worried about a little extra cost, and time because of the longer throw. I am planning on only reloading enough rounds to dial in a good long range load and some practice and hunting rounds each year. I don't mind slower if you all think that the Forster is the superior press. I have heard that they make a shorter handle that helps shorten up the arm movement and helps speed things up if needed. Just want to buy one press if possible so trying to make the best possible decision. So far it's the Forster so now need to find a good deal on one and then decide on the best dies for the job..

 

[Gene]

It is just amazing how many reloaders use the RCBS Rockchucker. I have one that is about 50 years and still going strong. I also have a Lee (junk) and a RCBS Partner press. I have been using the Partner to load at thre bench and it is as good as the RC. I have all sorts of dies but the Redding competition series are the best.

 

[Hunter2678]

Bought my co-ax after all the positive input from many of long time shooters and reloaders at my club. Dont regret it one bit as its well worth the money. Built like a tank, is super smooth and completely effortless. Been loading 22 hornet, 22-250 & 6br with it just fine.

 

[Trickymissfit]

There is no "best" of anything.

Anything but Lee will do you just fine. New or used, it doesn't matter.

Most of the nine presses on my bench I bought used. Some are older than me, but still make ammo as accurate as anything bought new today.

If you are only loading for the cartridge you named, the Co-Ax has too long of a stroke and you will eventually get frustrated by it.

If you want to look elsewhere, checkout the CH 444 and the Ponsness-Warren Metallic 2. Both will easily handle that cartridge and is faster than the two you named.

press is too long for a 2.10" long case???? Then a guy shooting .222's and 22-250's had better not even think about using one! The shortest rounds I load are the 44 Special and the 45acp, and have no trouble. The longest rounds I load are the 30-06 and the 270 WBY mag. with no issues. What can be frustrating is when you forget to lube a case in a Co-Ax. It don't care and with simply push the case in the die like it was nothing. Then you get stuck case syndrome. What's really nice is when your full length sizing long strait walled cases (like 45-70's and longer)
gary

 

[Trickymissfit]

Thank you every one for the press advise. Sounds like the Forster wins out if I am not worried about a little extra cost, and time because of the longer throw. I am planning on only reloading enough rounds to dial in a good long range load and some practice and hunting rounds each year. I don't mind slower if you all think that the Forster is the superior press. I have heard that they make a shorter handle that helps shorten up the arm movement and helps speed things up if needed. Just want to buy one press if possible so trying to make the best possible decision. So far it's the Forster so now need to find a good deal on one and then decide on the best dies for the job..

there's a lot more to it than a shorter handle and of course the longer one. The actual stroke of the Co-Ax is not much different than the RCBS or the Redding, but the Co-Ax has much more power during it's stroke with the max at the right place. People talk about the cost involved, but when you get done they are not all that far apart. The Co-Ax actually dosn't need as heavy a bench top as the others due to the way all the forces are transfered. Another really good press to look at is the Lee cast iron press (both the presses are also U.S.A. made). The Forster is a lifetime press, so you buy one once. But that means little to me, as I like the way it works.
gary