Help me choose a new single stage press plz

Paatz said:
If it's your first press I'd suggest something with a turret.
I sort of regret not owning one now, and I may just take the drive out to WSS and see if they have anything left on the shelf.
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They did have a couple on the shelf, got a good deal on a Lee turret today.
 
crazy_davey said:
I have used five different single stage presses, currently own three. My choice would be the Redding Big Boss II.
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It (the Redding Big Boss) has more of the must haves than any press out there, and if a press is an important decision, it deserves a matrix. None of the current production presses are total garbage, but some do not meet very many of the must haves or would be nice to haves.

I own an Redding Ultra-Mag, a Lyman T-Mag II, RCBS Summit and my first press, a RCBS Rock Chucker circa 1977. I also have 2 Lyman Tru-Line JRs (both versions) that are mostly museum displays. I've also owned others, and only the Redding 25 deserves mention.

IMO the Redding T-7 is a very good press, combines strength of a single stage with the convenience of a turret.

One important must have is the feature of having the primers collected in a tube, out the bottom, which is a far superior method than a catcher cup.

I like to load with my left hand, so I prefer a press that has a large left side open window, the Ultra-Mag fails this criteria, therefore is under-utilized in my reloading room. It is however a power house, with do the most difficult forming or ? with little effort. It is smooth.

I have unbolted my RC from the bench on several occasions, only to put it back later. The new ones are not the same.

When I started out, the experienced reloaders steered me towards the best press I could afford, and I've never been sorry. If the opening were just a bit larger, and it had a primer collection tube, it would still be the best press out there. Unfortunately, to have a bigger opening, RCBS fiddled with the leverage system and it doesn't feel right on the new ones.

Buy new, used presses can be a bag of snakes. Trust me, there are a lot of ways to screw up a press.

All LEE single stage presses use a toggle stop linkage (no cam over), whereas most others utilize a toggle or cam over linkage. I'm used to the feel of a toggle/cam over and find the feel of a LEE and abomination to my senses. If it were not for the price, LEE would not sell many presses. I use LEE products, they make lots of good stuff, but they have QC issues, and some of their products are cheap.

Redding takes quality pretty serious.

One last point, if you are going to use the presses arm to prime cases, make that a key factor. I don't prime on the press, and I remove that mechanism.

Unlike marriage, if you buy a press and don't like it, you can throw it away and buy a different one.
 
Another vote for the redding Big boss II it works awesome. Forester coax is also a very nice press. And bang for you buck goes to the Lee classic cast. Its not pretty but gets the job done very well.
 
jaydendyck1 said:
One important must have is the feature of having the primers collected in a tube, out the bottom, which is a far superior method than a catcher cup.
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This seems to be the drawback of the Lee turret I just bought.
Wondering if there are some solutions for that.

I have single stage that I can decap with, and then I tumble after anyways.
Then I have been sizing and using the decapping pin in the sizer to push out any corncob in the primer pocket.
Or I might take it back and get the classic. But I only paid about $120 for it so...:yingyang:
 
crazy_davey said:
I have used five different single stage presses, currently own three. My choice would be the Redding Big Boss II.
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That would be my choice as well, but only if you plan on reloading large cases in the future. I find my Rock Chucker is a PITA when loading things like the 416 Rigby and 470 NE due to the small size of the opening in the press. If I was a high volume 338LM shooter I would have a Big Boss for sure. For the limited loading the big safari cases see, I can limp along with the Rockchucker.

Unless someone local wants to trade a Rockchucker for a Big Boss...;)
 
Intersting trend i have noticed when this question comes up every so often - You hear of people that had this, then went to that, and like this, and wish they had that. The only constant i have seen is that those that have a Forster Coax never change after they have that unit. I think there is a message in that!
FYI i started lee, then rcbs, and now a big boss II.
 
BigUglyMan said:
That would be my choice as well, but only if you plan on reloading large cases in the future. I find my Rock Chucker is a PITA when loading things like the 416 Rigby and 470 NE due to the small size of the opening in the press. If I was a high volume 338LM shooter I would have a Big Boss for sure. For the limited loading the big safari cases see, I can limp along with the Rockchucker.

Unless someone local wants to trade a Rockchucker for a Big Boss...;)
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If you load the .338 you will find the Lee Classic Cast a better press to use. Used both and it just is. NOT the Breech Lock. Some people don't realize there are 2 different classic cast presses. The differences don't seem like much until you use them. The Classic Cast can do .50 as well.
 
BillD said:
Got the Lee Anniversary kit for Xmas - simple to setup and works as advertised, just add dies and consumables!
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And a case trimmer Lyman universal (Thinking it needs a drill added)
And a Hornady lock n load case prep trio (Electric) cause the thimble in the lee set will hurt your fingers.
And a nice Lyman digital scale to finish off the charges thrown by the lee powder thrower...:p


Then Powder dies and stuff
 
I have a Rockchucker. It's ok
Don't like the mess from the old primers.
Don't like the install of the new primers.
It does make acurate loads.
I would try the Forster.
 
beltfed said:
....because no other press centres the case on/in the die...:rolleyes::onCrack:
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the shell holder floats and can (technically) center perfectly to the die even if it was drilled off center on the co-ax press. all other variables aside i'm not sure how much of a difference that will make.
 
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