New press opinions

[FEENIX]

I have a Rock chucker and a Rebel. My only complaint with the Rebel is spent primers. They hit the linkage when they come out of the bottom of the ram. And they go all over the place. 1 out of every 4-5 will miss the bucket and shoot across the floor

Like the Rock chucker, there are also spent primer catcher upgrade kits for the Rebel.

https://primercatchers.com/product/rcbs-rebel-reloading-spent-primer-catcher-upgrade/

There are other sources, I.e., eBay.

 

[Mark37082]

I like the idea of multiple presses, but I've got to get rid of some of my accumulation of junk to make room. It is crazy how quickly a reloading area gets filled up with stuff.

 

[3chester]

I like the idea of multiple presses, but I've got to get rid of some of my accumulation of junk to make room. It is crazy how quickly a reloading area gets filled up with stuff.

Presses become like old trucks, when ya get a new pickup in the fleet, then keep old reliable, just for backup and haulN firewood.

 

[Pudgy]

Rock Chucker and MEC are both great choices.

I have the MEC. I really like the precise feel of the ram and it doesn't have camover so there is just a dead stop at full stroke. It makes straight brass and ammo within a 1-3 thousandths. To me this is the key. Dies are a big part of that too. I took my same dies and brass from another press and my ammo got straighter.

I shoot F-class and use the Mec, it is capable of consistently producing rounds with less than .001 runout, .001 headspace and seating depth variance and groups under .50 at a 1,000. Have loaded 7-8K rounds with no issues. It's a great press for the $$

 

[Ol' Red]

I have never owned a turret press of any kind.
I had a friend that swore by them and would crank out piles of ammo and we never really shot targets to see who was better until one day he was challenging me, I was a little reluctant since he shot all the time, way more bullets down range than me.
When the shooting started he was hitting the targets all over the place and mine were in small tight groups.
Same thing happened with the rifles.
About a year later he asked me to help him with a 270 that blew apart at the range.
I started with his ammo by measuring each one and pulling them down to weigh the powder.
What I found was his powder charges were all over the place and the bullets were seated all different.
I would rather be slow and have ammo that's as exact as possible.

I have a RCBS, Redding and Lyman Spartan turret press and have never loaded bad or sloppy ammo on any of them. Your friend had other issues than a press. Especially if charge weights fluctuated. I still use my old RCBS single stage.

 

[victor3ranger]

The guy doing that review actually raves about the Lee press, says he loves it. He's doing Browning 50 caliber cartridges and built a LONG CHEATER BAR, to make the handle six inches longer. Tells of his problems tearing the press off it's mounting. Total BS trying to slam Lee.

I agree, it's my workhorseView attachment 480421

The one in the middle looks like a tough one

 

[44-40]

The guy doing that review actually raves about the Lee press, says he loves it. He's doing Browning 50 caliber cartridges and built a LONG CHEATER BAR, to make the handle six inches longer. Tells of his problems tearing the press off it's mounting. Total BS trying to slam Lee.

I have this Lee press and the RCBS 50BMG press no need to use a cheater bar on either...the secret is Lee resizing lube for the first resizing. I prefer the RCBS most of the time for its larger dies 1 1/2 " diameter will not fit the smaller Lee press,with 1 1/4" dies. The more robust dies from RCBS are smoother and feel they provide more accurate loads for my rifle. Both presses are mounted on aluminum plates for quick mounting on a Bridgeport milling machine, so each press the mill table can be adjusted for height for ease of operation for each individual press. Each press loads 50BMG a bit differently with with respect to priming, and features...one may prefer one over the other for. But both do the job, and I haven't broken either, but the price point goes to Lee.

 

[3chester]

I have this Lee press and the RCBS 50BMG press no need to use a cheater bar on either...the secret is Lee resizing lube for the first resizing. I prefer the RCBS most of the time for its larger dies 1 1/2 " diameter will not fit the smaller Lee press,with 1 1/4" dies. The more robust dies from RCBS are smoother and feel they provide more accurate loads for my rifle. Both presses are mounted on aluminum plates for quick mounting on a Bridgeport milling machine, so each press the mill table can be adjusted for height for ease of operation for each individual press. Each press loads 50BMG a bit differently with with respect to priming, and features...one may prefer one over the other for. But both do the job, and I haven't broken either, but the price point goes to Lee.

That guy's whole deal pretty suspect. First his Click Bait photo of the press with the crack, never appears in the video. The press has already, no doubt, been replaced by Lee's lifetime warranty.Suppose there's some,out there could break an anvil, with big enough lever. That 1-5/16 inch end wrench got there, he's pretty proud of, was it used with a cheater pipe, to side load the press and crack it, who knows? Video's from UK, drives a Jaguar XJ-6 with a horse trailer that will easily, out pull a 1 ton Dodge turbo Cummins, over a mountain pass. That stuff just internet BS, all it is. Lee Precision in Hartford WI, made in USA is great outfit to get loading equipment.

 

[Pointman]

I've been at the reloading "game" for a long time. For example, I still have my old Lyman D7 scale. The price tag on it says 11.95. At this time, I'm running a '70 vintage Chucker, a MEC Marksman, and most recently, a Forrester CoAx. All of my presses have their strong points, and I won't part with them until I leave this world. They're going to my favorite niece and her Dad, whom I recently inducted into the reloading family. I do like the service I've gotten from RCBS over the years; I once bent a decapping stem and called them to order a new one. The young lady I spoke with got my particulars and sent one out free of charge. Not bad since the damaged stem was from my own negligence.

 

[Kansaswoodguy]

I have a Redding T7 and a Coax press I like them both no complaints with either one.

 

[SmokinCrow]

I've got an older Forster Co-Ax my dad picked up at a yard sale and never used. He gave it to me when I graduated college. I love it, and I am surprised my dad gave me the Co-Ax rather than his Rock Chucker. It's produced some great ammo, and even after my wife dropped it out of a moviing truck. My only issue so far is my new 7 PRC dies don't fit in it. So I found a Rock Chucker on Facebook Market Place for $75. Setting it up tonight so I can hopefully start loading for the PRC. Never had an issue with dad's old Rock Chucker so I don't know why I will with this one. Solid and silky smooth.

 

[6.5x300 WBY]

Unless you plan on world class precision for your next F Class competition, I'll suggest what I always suggest…..a quality turret presses! memtb

Agree. Redding T7 but get the updated head version at creedmoor sports. It's fantastic and I love mine. Add the inline fabrication mount and your set. That's what I did and couldn't be happier. Best of luck in your decision

 

[MtPockets]

Presses become like old trucks, when ya get a new pickup in the fleet, then keep old reliable, just for backup and haulN firewood.

Tell my wife that. She seems to think I dont NEED 3 pickups, 4 if you include the work truck?!

 

[Tiny Tim]

Well, you haven't bought anything from them in 30 years. They have upgraded a great deal in recent years. Their Classic Cast Press is a cast iron monster. A beautiful heavy press, their Classic cast Turret press is the same, just solid.
I have to add, I've never ever had any issues with their dies. Easy to adjust, they produce extremely accurate Ammo. With little to no runout, as accurate as any manufacture.
Funny the perfect powder measure looks like it wouldn't last your lunch break, but it's extremely accurate. No one could fault their universal decap die.
Check out their current catalog, they have upgraded considerably over the past decade.

There new stuff looks pretty good. Still own and use one of their scales and lots of dies. Once I bought a rock chucker, never really looked at their presses again. They got me in the game and always replaced what I broke. If I were starting over, I'd give them another shot.