Looking For New Press

Rory McCanuck

Rory McCanuck

CGN Regular
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Location
Middle of Manitoba
Here's your chance everyone, you get to spend someone else's money.
I'm in the market for a new, main press to replace my Co-Ax. I want something substantial, and would like primers dealt with rather than popping out to hopefully hit a tray. A little thing, but it bugs me all out of proportion.

I've narrowed it down to five, but I'm open to other suggestions.

1: Lyman All American 8. Turret press, looks like a beast, have heard good things. Not impressed with spent primers, but maybe I could live with it? However, I have a big turret, and I'm not convinced they're conducive to getting consistent numbers unless the dies go back into the same holes.

2: Hornady Iron Press. A buddy has an extra one that I can get a bit of a deal on, but shipping is going to hurt! It has the Lock and Load bushings, but I really don't see a need for them, or really want them. Primers spit out the side of the ram, into a tray, hopefully? I could probably live with it. Gavin Toobe (Ultimate Reloader) says that it has a very hard camover action, that doesn't really appeal.

3: MEC Marksman. Gave one a fondle at a gunshow a few years ago, and I was impressed. I've heard only good things, except again, primers spitting out the back, and mostly into a tray. I could probably live with that. Anyone know where I can get a Marksman in Canada?

4: Lee Classic Cast, the one without the breech lock. Best spent primer handling, but the rest of it is no-frills (that's quite alright). Just how accurate/repeatable is it for runout, overall length, that kind of thing?

5: RCBS Rebel. Like a RockChucker, but bigger and heavier, and sort of deals with primers neatly, with a garbage can underneath. Why they couldn't put a nipple on the ram and use a tube like the Lee I don't understand. Plain, basic press, not even any provision for priming, but that's alright.

Any others I should look at/research?
I'm not above buying used.

Does anyone have any real-world experience with any of the above presses? Can you compare them to another? If so, I'd like to hear it.
 
Assuming by "Co-Ax" that you mean Forster Co-Ax ... and not the pile 'o sh#t Frankfart Arsenal Co-Ax (which only uses their proprietary lock rings).

Were I in your position, then I would replace my Forster Co-Ax with another Forster Co-Ax.
Its already superior to the other 5 presses you listed there.

Just my 2 dollar opinion.
 
I don't know why anyone would not use the Forster Co-Ax press - hopefully he's referring to the FA Co-Ax which is probably junk. I am glad I bought once/cried once when I purchased my Forster Co-Ax five years or so ago.
 
No, my Co-Ax was a Bonanza.
I have absolutely buggered shoulders, and I can no longer resize on the Co-Ax. Reaching up and pulling down does my shoulder in after 15-20 rounds, and I can't used my arm for 2 days.
So no, I'm not replacing my Co-Ax with another Co-Ax.
 
I don’t have the Hornady iron, I have the classic and the spent primer catch tray works great. As long as the priming arm assembly is attached to the ram the spent primers all go into the catch tray, I wouldn’t expect any less in the iron.

I thought the lock n load bushings would be something I wouldn’t like but I like them, especially while I’m working on one cartridge a lot. Which I have lately, load and shoot and everything is set up for the next loading session. Easy to switch dies once I’ve loaded 50-100 cartridges and go back to processing the last range days tumbled cases.
 
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A turret press would be nice. I have a almost 40 year old Lyman orange crusher. I once took the ball expander rod out of a 243 dye and ran a 3006 brass through it one shot. I always liked the over centre press, the dead stop always leaves me wounding if went all the way. Get a sore arm pushing extra to make sure it’s all the way. Over centre gives me the reassurance that it is perfect, like the click of a torque wrench.
 
Tom Morrison said:
Redding Ultramag is my go to for rifle rounds.
Click to expand...

They sure look like quite the press, but they have one problem they share with the Co-Ax, they have to be loaded from the front.
I much prefer an O-frame design where it is loaded from the side.

But, I'd definitely look at a Big Boss II, does anyone know where to buy Redding stuff in Canada?
 
Rory McCanuck said:
They sure look like quite the press, but they have one problem they share with the Co-Ax, they have to be loaded from the front.
I much prefer an O-frame design where it is loaded from the side.

But, I'd definitely look at a Big Boss II, does anyone know where to buy Redding stuff in Canada?
Click to expand...

Prophet River or Xreload sell Redding.
 
I use the LCC and get great results. With the proper dies and good brass I can load to .0015 run-out on a loaded round. Lots of hand space, great spent primer retrival etc. I load from my 222 Rem to my 30/378 Weatherby with no problem.
 
Munkey1973 said:
Assuming by "Co-Ax" that you mean Forster Co-Ax ... and not the pile 'o sh#t Frankfart Arsenal Co-Ax (which only uses their proprietary lock rings).

Were I in your position, then I would replace my Forster Co-Ax with another Forster Co-Ax.
Its already superior to the other 5 presses you listed there.

Just my 2 dollar opinion.
Click to expand...

What he said! I swear by the Forster Co-Ax. A superior product to all mentioned in the OP. I only load rifle rounds on it, for pistol I have a dedicated Hornady LNL AP.
But I can see why the OP is looking for another type, due to shoulder strain.
 
I "upgraded" from a Lee Classic Cast to an RCBS RC Supreme, and I'm regretting it. Way better primer catching system on the Lee, and the ram was notably more rigid.
 
I share your hatred of spent primers and primer dust ending up on the floor. The best way to eliminate that issue is to separate depriming from sizing. The best way to do that is with a Lee APP press.

If you don't need to quickly change calibers, the addition of a Lee case feed produces a system that can deprime cases at the speed of several thousand per hour without a single spent primer hitting the floor. Everything is captured in a plastic container for clean and easy disposal.

Depriming prior to sizing, allows the cases to be cleaned, which keeps dirt out of the main press and dies. Now that I have an APP, I will never go back to depriming at the sizing die.
 
Ya i hear you I’m on the fence for a ne press...thinking forester co ax xl I got a lee classic but holy Hanna the problems Ive had with it priming arm ...
Time for new
 
My solution for catching spent primers on a Co-ax was to first get rid of that silly cup. You can see on both of these Co-ax's, tubing that routes into a large bottle that really works well. The tubing is clear so you can see that the primer has been extracted from the case.

7-D198-A92-6-CC5-417-C-9-AC5-3-A8-D5-E192885.jpg


A simple, yet elegant solution. Rory, sorry to go off topic. I can appreciate your struggle with the Co-ax. I hope you find something that works well for you.

Andy 6MT
 
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mudgunner49 said:
This is the way - I have an RCBS Big Max that I've been using for over 30 years, but I'm thinking of adding an Ultramag. Every one that I've look at or used has continued to push me in that direction...
Click to expand...

Yup, I like the ergonomics and the spent primer handling is solid. I've used mine for full length sizing and depriming Lakeside MG 7.62 cases in one step and it was not at all hard to run through a hundred at a time.
 
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