Experience with Hornady Iron Press?

HI; Been pounding out reloads for 35 years on a RCBS rock chucker. Use Lee lock rings with the rubber O rings on all dies. At 5000 plus a year it is just getting smoother. Oil that ram always.
 
BCRider said:
Comparing the new Iron Press to the Rockchucker is a little like comparing apples to oranges. The Iron Press appears to be Hornady's entry into the "serious single stage" competition arena. Meanwhile the Rockchucker has more in common size and design wise with the Hornady Lock N'Load Classic press. But at just over half the cost of the Rockchucker. Granted the Classic's main frame is aluminium. But for stiffness I'd rank it up there. And after wrestling with a Lee single stage which turned out to be out of alignment between the ram and die station the first thing I checked when I bought my Ln'L Classic is the alignment and trueness of the ram axis to the die station. And it passed with flying colors.

So all in all I would say that if you are looking at the heavier options that go beyond the more or less traditional loop style frame of the Lee, RCBS, Hornady and others then the Iron Press is not a bad item to consider. But along with the Iron Press I would suggest you also look at the RCBS Summit, the Forster Co-Ax and perhaps a Lyman T-Mag. All are in that range of bigger, heavier, stiffer and generally more burly.

When I was shopping for a SS press which led me to buying the Hornady Classic I was taken by the rapid die changes possible with the Hornady bushing system. It proved out to be a lot faster than screwing the dies into place. I've had zero regrets about going with Hornady's press and bayonet style bushings.

If I were to go with one of the other brands I'd likely make sure that the press has the threads for the 1 1/4 size dies and that takes the Hornady bushing conversion. The other option is the pinch lock style threaded die lock rings.

The Lee rubber Oring style still allows movement much too easily and the styles with the set screws bugger up the threads on the dies. And neither one sits accurately flat like the Hornady or similar pinch lock style rings do. The other styles also do not ensure a square positioning of the lock rings. So for use in something like a Forster where only the ring is holding the die in position I'd suggest that the split pinching style lock rings are essential. But the rings cost as much as the bayonet bushings. And the bayonet bushings speed up die switching on any press other than the Forster so much that I'd have to say that it's a slam dunk sort of deal if the press will accept the bayonet outer bushing.
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I have numerous Lee die sets and detest the rubber lock ring as sent from the factory but you can easily just take them off, remove the O-ring (so it doesn't hinder easy adjustment/turning) turn upside down and re-install...now they are a flat lock ring that works as good as any other brand.
 
Has anyone found the just the press for sale in Canada?

Natchez has them for $209US plus $64 more for the priming system upgrade.

Edit: found at least one listing in Canada.
 
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I'm really tempted with that deal to give the Hornady a whirl

It's a strong looking unit and the quick change dies appeal to me
 
It's $319 everyday price at X-Reload. I've been eying this press since they announced it last year. I figure it would replace my LEE press and compliment my LNL AP since they both use the same quick change system.
 
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Trinimon said:
It's $319 everyday price at X-Reload. I've been eying this press since they announced it last year. I figure it would replace my LEE press and compliment my LNL AP since they both use the same quick change system.
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Shipping would be expensive at 26lbs for the press. Plus you need to buy the priming system upgrade separately.
 
NaviDave said:
Shipping would be expensive at 26lbs for the press. Plus you need to buy the priming system upgrade separately.
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I got quoted $17.66 via Canada Post but I'm in ON so it'll be a bit more to the west/east coast. I guess they both work out to roughly the same price in the end.
 
Was looking at one of these earlier and almost took the plunge but decided a little more research was needed

Watched some youtube reviews on the Forster Co-Ax and it seems pretty slick but it is pricy

The Hornady is well priced with the deal that Wholesale currently have on them but I want to be sure before taking the plunge as this is something I intend to have for a loooong time
 
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