• If you are being asked to change your password, and unsure how to do it, follow these instructions. Click here

Want to get into reloading!

Not necessarily.

The fact of the matter is that for the moat part, it's the design and machining quality and tolerances of threading etc that determines the potential of a press. Then everything that is added to the press adds a bit of potential stacking of negative tolerances. An educated guess would be that the iron Hornady will handle larger sizing or swaging with less flex.

The classic Hornady, Redding Boss, RCBS chuckers, and Lyman O styled presses are all very similar. Hornady uses the LNL quick change and a couple others can do so using their own set up. Personally for routine plinking to slightly better than average accuracy all these brands and even Lee in many cases are more than adequate. When you finally get comfortable that you are close to mastering reloading, then you will have to become a bit of a gun crank in order to squeeze a bit more out of the process. At that point, higher end DIES and press start to earn their ROI.
 
Last edited:
PS.

If I was starting over today, i'd very likely consider the new Franklin Arsenal press which basically mimics the good from the Forster CO-AX and in some cases like with primer catching and the sliding jaw plates has improved upon one of the best single stage presses made and price should be about 100 less and likely availability much better once stores receive their stock. And I also like the look of the new MEC press.
 
The Hornady Lock-N-Load quick change setup can be added to many of the top line presses. They will have a big removable bushing where the die screws in. I just pulled the bushing out of my old Lyman Crusher and added the Hornady adapter and it works just the same. I think the RCBS Rock Chucker and Redding Big Boss are the same. You can buy the adapter with three die bushings as a set from Hornady. I do like the system as it is faster to change dies.
 
so is one Single Stage Press any better or more accurate? I'm really close in choosing the Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic , like how they have the lock in bushing!

Yes, personally I do think the single stage press is more accurate and stronger too. Less moving parts, less to go wrong, KISS approach. But I have no data to prove that. Just my engineering gut sense.

I have no experience with the Hornady Die Bushing System and can't vouch for it. It appears to replace the oversize die bushing in the press so it ought to work with other presses like RCBS and Redding. If it floats a bit it could help improve concentricity. I doubt it would make things worse.

On the flip side, those bushings could get darn expensive if you have a lot of different cartridges. You need one bushing for each and every die you own. I guess you could swap bushings but that kinda defeats the purpose of quick change. It might also mean your dies don't fit your die storage boxes anymore. I would hate that.

But this does remind me that I really like the Hornady die lock rings. They have a great clamping system and they work with all other makes of dies. And you can get a great die lock wrench at Sinclair's that makes installing and remocing screw-in dies easy. I buy them in bulk and gave them on all my dies. If you can get the bushings in bulk, the price might get reasonable.

That said, screwing dies in and out of a press is not onerous at all. After a while you get really good at spinning them on and off. So the locking bushing is no real great advantage.
 
I may have misunderstood. I thought he was asking about Classic vs the new Iron press from Hornady.

Both single stage O style presses.

I agree that the single stage O presses should provide an edge on accuracy over progressives.
 
Not necessarily.

The fact of the matter is that for the moat part, it's the design and machining quality and tolerances of threading etc that determines the potential of a press. Then everything that is added to the press adds a bit of potential stacking of negative tolerances. An educated guess would be that the iron Hornady will handle larger sizing or swaging with less flex.

The classic Hornady, Redding Boss, RCBS chuckers, and Lyman O styled presses are all very similar. Hornady uses the LNL quick change and a couple others can do so using their own set up. Personally for routine plinking to slightly better than average accuracy all these brands and even Lee in many cases are more than adequate. When you finally get comfortable that you are close to mastering reloading, then you will have to become a bit of a gun crank in order to squeeze a bit more out of the process. At that point, higher end DIES and press start to earn their ROI.

I like and agree with every point made here. Especially the last one.
 
I may have misunderstood. I thought he was asking about Classic vs the new Iron press from Hornady.

Both single stage O style presses.

I agree that the single stage O presses should provide an edge on accuracy over progressives.

Intuitively, the O style should be less prone to flex with load. However, I'm not so sure that a thorough engineering analysis would support that intuition. It is not unreasonable to think that other Designs with strong backs and/or other ways to stiffen the press might actually flex less than the O type.

I had an RCBS Rockchucker "O" press for many years and it worked great, but I traded it for a Redding UltraMag to handle larger cartridges, get convenient open access with my big hands, and to take advantage of the improved spent primer handling. If there is a difference in the quality and precision of my reloads as a result of any additional stress, I don't notice it.

If I still had the RCBS, I'd do some testing myself. I don't, so I'd love to see a rigorous analysis/review of the O vs other presses.
 
Last edited:
Been watching reviews on the RCBS Summit and it looks really solid, found it on sale for just over $200

I have never tried it. It's a different approach for sure. Only time will tell if it will perform as well as promised.

The nice thing about your situation is that you get to buy the latest and greatest. The bad thing about your situation is that buying the latest and greatest means you may end up regretting it.

Frankly, I'd give anything to be 50 years younger and have choices like that to make.....
 
I haven't reloaded and shot my firearms as much last few years having moved rob ny for work. But I may end up in ID for work and it got me thinking again about hunting, shooting and reloading again.

This thread has me considering selling everything and starting over:)

There is something cool about the ultramag and so I've always wanted to buy one.

I know it's ridiculous but YouTube fella did a review on a German CNC 3 post Press that would cost about 1k by the time it passed through customs and duty fees. I may hce to sell some stuff off:)
 
They say it's cheaper! Lol

You will shoot more though so it's not!!!

I was lucky and learned from my father in law. I took it to the next level from there though and now i teach him. I been reloading for around 10 years now and ain't a master by no means but i feel it is worth learning. Single stage press all the way for bolt guns. I don't mess with pistols or black guns, just don't get into them

You will find in a quick hurry you need more stuff then you think. Learn how to read pressures and don't trust the gosh darn internet loads. Be safe!!!!
 
Warning! This thread is more than 6 years ago old.
It's likely that no further discussion is required, in which case we recommend starting a new thread. If however you feel your response is required you can still do so.
Top