Presses

[SidecarFlip]

I would absolutely not recommend a starter press that is any shorter than a Rock Crusher. I prefer the Redding and even it is not long enough to suit me. I don't think there is Jack squat of accuracy difference between any of the larger presses. Starter kits are just that, They start you buying other stuff. - Pay for it once!

There is Ken. It has to do with sliding wear between the ram and the base plate which is why it's important to keep those surfaces lubricated. A tiny bit goes a long way. Look at a New Rock Crusher and a used one and compare the hard chrome on the rams, you'll see what I'm referring to, especially one that's seen heavy use.

I use high viscosity way oil because I have it (for the machine tools) but any lubricant will work. The worst case scenario is running the ram dry. It not only increases the effort to resize, it wears the bearing surface of the base plate and the ram. I get quite a bit of crud when decapping and it collects around the shellholder and the ram. It's mildly abrasive so it needs to be cleaned off regularly, which I do.

Far as I can ascertain the only time longer ram travel and more frame clearance is needed is in 50 BMG cases.

I started out with a Lee hand press, sitting on the couch and loading. I still have it somewhere. I still hand prime every casing, on the couch, with my cat.... I have no inherent trust that I won't seat a primer proud if I used a progressive. I can 'feel' each and every primer when I hand prime. Besides, the cat likes the company. I want those primers recessed a bit and 'feeling' them tells me if they are right or not.

Probably the one thing I'm not fond of is the Lee Powder Dipper that comes with each Lee Die Set (I admit that I have a Lee set in 45 ACP as a backup to the Dillon...). I want to weigh charges not spoon them in, especially in a pistol case where a little goes a long way......

 

[SidecarFlip]

We are all jabbering about equipment when in reality, this new to reloading poster needs to go get some quality reading material like the Hornady Book of Reloading or a Speer Reloading Manual and do some serious reading beforehand.

Once you get through the ya da da in the front, both have some serious information explained in simple terms plus almost all the reloading data a reloader needs to get started.

 

[ken snyder]

Yep I meant Rock Chucker, Good press but as stated a real finger pincher on the long cartridges. The Redding has a longer stroke but not by much and still have to tilt the bullet sideways and push it up into the die and then set it in the mouth. I'm thinking about getting an even longer one for cartridges over 3.5 inches in length. After a while a guy just sort of ends up with a bunch of Presses and leaves them set up for a particular rifle so even the shorter ones are highly prized - Just don't start off with one that will need to be replaced right off the bat - A Rock Chucker is minimum in the scheme of economy For The Longer cartridges

 

[boomtube]

Hey Boom...

I believe he means 'Rock Chucker (vs. Rock Crusher) as in RCBS'........

I suspect you're right; that's not what he said. What we say matters here, not what we hope or "believe" someone should have said. When giving 'expert advice' we really need to say exactly what we mean and not to leave some guy asking our advice to have to say, "*** is that one and who makes/sells it?".

I have a 22 year old Rock Chucker in perfect condition and know full well it's a good press. In fact, it's almost as good as my young friend's less costly Lee Classic Cast. Of course I too would really like to have a primer catcher that actually works, a lever that's fully adjustable and the larger diameter ram of his Classic Cast. But, other than those piddly little details, I suppose my more expensive green RC is as just as good as his bigger red CC!

Given the same dies and components any of us should easily be able to make equal qualty ammo on any press made. If we can't, it wouldn't be the press' fault!

 

[SidecarFlip]

I've considered building my own with threaded uprights to adjust the upper die holder to whatever height deemed necessary. Of course the ram would need adjustability as well, but easily overcome with internally threaded sections and locking collars and I'd machine the ram with an external rail that would engage the base plate and remove any radial flexing.

Threaded stantions work well on stationary steam engines to tailor the output of the engine to a partuicular requirement.

But then I own a real nice hydraulic arbor press with enough throat to load a 70mm Howitzer round, if I could find appropriate dies.....lightbulb

2 presses are bad enough here.... I have to remove them and stow them away because the loading bench serves duty as my layout bench and assembly bench when I'm assembling products made in the shop.......

My gracious wife allows me to utilize the island in the kitchen for loading and bullet seating. That way, I'm close to the phone, computer and my customers plus the cat likes to watch the goings on.

 

[SidecarFlip]

It's contagious...you got me typing it.....................

.........Look at a New Rock Crusher and a used one and compare the hard chrome on the rams.............gun)

 

[ken snyder]

Yes I made a mistake by calling a rock chucker a rock crusher. What we say is important and should be factual. boomtube I would like to see anyone get a bullet into a 338 Lm case useing a RCBS Junior and a set of Forster Ultra Micro Seater dies. The answer is clearly " It will not "without unscrewing the dies, so factual infromation is that you can not make good ammunition with any Press Or Dies you choose - Read the last part of your post!!!

 

[boomtube]

boomtube I would like to see anyone get a bullet into a 338 Lm case useing a RCBS Junior and a set of Forster Ultra Micro Seater dies.

So would I, but that wasn't my point was it? I repeat; we must say what we mean or the poor guy we're trying to help won't be helped at all.


"... so factual infromation is that you can not make good ammunition with any Press Or Dies you choose - Read the last part of your post"

I know what I wrote, now you read the point of my post, it stands as it was written FOR the OP. I didn't write for you nor any extremely mismatched tool combination you may dream up to support a personal opinion that's irrelivant to a new reloader's needs. We "old hands" too often get excited about guiding new guys to follow our tool purchases into areas they are unlikely to ever enter. Don't take your great experience in your own shooting speciality and enthusisam for an exotic long 338 Super Whis-Bang and an unsually long (expensive) die as a valid guide for all other reloaders, now and forever, amen.

Just to save you some time looking back, note below that Robin is planning to load a 7 RM and asks about a suitable press and Lee dies. Lee's dies are good and for that cartridge any currently available new press will do him very well. Redding's presses are good but the "best" of anything isn't so clear cut. (And, I also wonder, where would someone purchase a new RCBS Jr. today?)


"Given the same dies and components any of us should easily be able to make equal qualty ammo on any press made. If we can't, it wouldn't be the press' fault!"

Finally, and just for factual information, your eagerness to make a counterpoint seems to have distracted your reading. Look again and note that I did NOT say we can load equal ammo using any dies, I said using any press AND the same dies and components; that's a LOT different than your 'quote.'

--------------------------------------------------------------------
robin12

Junior Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 6


Presses
I am just getting into reloading and I have a couple of quick questions. I have a Remington 700 7MM Mag . Which is a good press to make sure I am shooting accurate rounds. I have heard Redding is the best but does Lee do the trick if I am just starting out? I bought some factory rounds Berger 168 vld Is there a way I can duplicate it? my gun really likes em as in 3 shots inside of a quarter at 100 yards.

 

[CogburnR]

I would recommend that a new reloader get the Anniversary kit from Lee and a set of dies.

If they ever determined they needed a better press then they could get the Lee Classic Cast.

If they wanted something else the could go get a Forester.

RCBS made good stuff but they didn't impress me AT ALL when they outsourced to china. That was the end of buying RCBS.

 

[ken snyder]

Getting a press that has a throw long enough for his cartridge is extremely relevant to buying a press. Short presses, Micro seaters and 338 LM are not exotics even the popular 300 Rum has longer brass. Many dies all the way from Forster to Hornady Have sliding inserts that hang down well below the base of the die. Not one thing Exotic here, all very common. Any press will not work

 

[CogburnR]

The Lee Classic Cast also comes in a 50BMG version with dies for less than 200$.

https://factorysales.com/html/xcart/50-BMG-KIT.html

The Breechlock Challenger is capable of 460 Weatherby reloading and the kit is less than 100$

https://factorysales.com/html/xcart/catalog/anivers.html

Real Guns - Lee Precision Breech Lock Challenger

 

[Trickymissfit]

There is Ken. It has to do with sliding wear between the ram and the base plate which is why it's important to keep those surfaces lubricated. A tiny bit goes a long way. Look at a New Rock Crusher and a used one and compare the hard chrome on the rams, you'll see what I'm referring to, especially one that's seen heavy use.

I use high viscosity way oil because I have it (for the machine tools) but any lubricant will work. The worst case scenario is running the ram dry. It not only increases the effort to resize, it wears the bearing surface of the base plate and the ram. I get quite a bit of crud when decapping and it collects around the shellholder and the ram. It's mildly abrasive so it needs to be cleaned off regularly, which I do.

Far as I can ascertain the only time longer ram travel and more frame clearance is needed is in 50 BMG cases.

I started out with a Lee hand press, sitting on the couch and loading. I still have it somewhere. I still hand prime every casing, on the couch, with my cat.... I have no inherent trust that I won't seat a primer proud if I used a progressive. I can 'feel' each and every primer when I hand prime. Besides, the cat likes the company. I want those primers recessed a bit and 'feeling' them tells me if they are right or not.

Probably the one thing I'm not fond of is the Lee Powder Dipper that comes with each Lee Die Set (I admit that I have a Lee set in 45 ACP as a backup to the Dillon...). I want to weigh charges not spoon them in, especially in a pistol case where a little goes a long way......

wear is caused by a lot more than lack of lube. Torquing or twisting of the ram as it comes under pressure will cause uneven wear. It something that is in every known press in the world, wether it bee a 600 ton Verson of an RCBS Partner. It's gonna happen. If you have nothing to stablize the ram during movment, and even more when under pressure you will see the bore develop an eleptical bore. Then you add in varibles like threads and being out of square (nothing can be made perfect). If you can screw something into a female thread, it's gonna move because there's clearence between the male and female thread. How much depends on the quality of the threads. You use a pair of guide rods on the Forster, but they also have clearence built into them. Every dodad that you add to the press creates an option for error (shell holder, indexing top plate, etc). That's basic engineering. The trick is to have the die as square as you can under max pressure and also keep the case as square as you can to the centerline of the die. Some presses do this better than others of course
gary

 

[hittman86]

Dillon 550, you can run it as a single stage until you get your settings just how you want then you can go progressive with it. Its good for like 150+
calibers

 

[robin12]

I picked up the abc's of reloading for starters.
looks like there are some good deals on the Rock chucker as well as the lee classic.