Need a new Single Stage Press

Bought my Rock chucker used about 30 years ago and it still gives good service. Watching the online stores selling out of one press after another I took the plunge and bought the Redding Big Boss 2 from Prophet River and what a treat it is. Also have an ancient Hollywood Gun Shop monster that could be considered one of the very early progressive presses and it works as well as the day it was made, whenever that was. D.H.
 
Very upper end, but if you have the funds maybe the ATRS Accu-Max reloading press would fit the bill. You'd be supporting some fellow Albertans as well and keeping your money local!
 
I've been using the RCBS Rock Chucker since 1982, and its good as since day one. RCBS offer many other products of great quality.
 
I bought a lee breech lock challenger press when I started loading 15 years ago. I have sized probably over 50,000 cast projectiles, made probably over 10,000 rounds of ammunition and have had absolutely zero issues with it. I used it to size some pulled .311 projectiles down to .308 for my 300 BLK. My buddies rockchucker struggled with it but the little challenger had no issues with it. To this day this press still helps assemble my 223 match ammo. I also have the lee classic cast 50 BMG press. I use .... used for 50 BMG. I still use it for 338 LM, 300 Win, 30-06 ect. IMO unless you are shooting F-class or need something to show off, the lee press is a pretty solid press.

Now.. when it comes to progressives, my old pro 1000's have nothing on my mark 7!!
 
Thanks all. I don't need to do BMG or anything larger than 7.5x55 Swiss, so the ready large presses are out.
The MEC being made in China is out. Forester Co-Ax, just due to price and availability is probably out.

That 14 press shoot-out is a bit of an eye-opener. Kind of confirms my earlier suspicions and experience with the Rock Chucker - that is despite some maligning, they are really good presses (even if the way the spent primer discharge spits primers all over your gun room drives you nuts).

I'm intrigued by the Summit, but for the money and availability, I'll probably just go back to the old standby.
 
nitro-express said:
... Much the same as building a race engine, two mechanics with the exact same tools and the same parts can build two identical engines, and one will make 50 HP more than the other one. Sometimes it's not the parts, or the tools...
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I really like what nitro-express said (sorry for editing, but I like this part the most)...
...Cool trick I was taught for concentricity (if you have the time and your dies aren't the best)... seat your projectile the way you always do... then turn the cartridge 90deg and repeat.

pacobillie said:
I am very happy with my Rock Chucker Supreme and 3d printed primer catcher. The one that came with the press is a POS.
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mmmm... yes, I got a 3D printed primer catcher for my two Rock Chuckers from Cool Shooters in Calgary when black friday sale was on - 99.5% of the spent primers down the tube, lol.
 
I did not know that the MEC press was made in China. The Hornady progressive and Redding Ultramag will have do for a few years until I save up for an Area 419 press.

I would go for the Forster Co-Ax, however I just can't get over the proprietary die ring thing (even at ~$7 each).
 
In the unlikely chance that you buy a Rock Chucker, (or any other press) with alignment issues, you can use an O-ring to hold the shell holder on. From all reports I've read, it works great. Allows a certain amount of wiggle that self centers.

Presses with conventional shellholder arrangements use a spring clip to retain the shellholder in its slot atop the press ram. Get this clip gone! It cocks the shellholder askew.

The solution is to incorporate an o-ring to retain the shellholder in its slot. Get one at any real hardware store. Size that works is usually 7/8-inch outside diameter, 11/16 inside diameter, 3/32 thickness. The o-ring fits into the exterior channel previously occupied by the spring clip. To install a shellholder you just roll the ring down a tad, slide in the holder, and let the ring back up to block its exit out the front.
 
I replaced the old Lee I had after the first few years of reloading, it was on its second set of toggle links.

I now have a RCBS RS2 and an RS5 on my bench, the RS5 handles the bigger dies (577-450)

the RS2 doesn't get much use but is a good place to put my powder throw

I also have an old texan single stage C press taking up space on my bench.
 
Forster rings are .315" thick. Redding are .309", Hornady are .312. The slot in the Co-ax is designed to fit Forster rings.

The Zero press is $1650 + tax and shipping. I imagine Ver 2.0 will be out in a year or two - that's what you call a lifetime investment.
 
NaviDave said:
I would go for the Forster Co-Ax, however I just can't get over the proprietary die ring thing (even at ~$7 each).
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I've had my Co-Ax since the early '70s. Aside from the dies I had at the time, since then I've bought dies from Redding, RCBS, Dillon, Lee, etc. The die rings that came with each of them work just fine in my Co-Ax.

When did this "proprietary die ring thing" start for Co-Ax presses?
 
My single stage is the Lee Classic cast press. Yes it can do the mighty fiddy, but it works just fine on the "standard" cals most of us mortals load. Cast iron frame, steel linkage and the spent primers go through the center of the ram down a hose and into the bucket, coffee can, whatever of your choosing. Reasonably priced too. I paid $99 for mine when they first came out. It's set up to accept the safety prime system if you wish as well.

Auggie D.
 
I'm happy with my Hornady LNL Classic. I always rotate my brass during sizing and seating anyway.
My 2nd hand RCBS RC is loose enough that I use it only with the Piggyback.

If I didn't have two mortgages to pay...my basement spiders would likely have a Co-Ax to walk on.
 
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