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Tools
Jan 1, 2005 20:24:33 GMT -5
Post by MarkKw on Jan 1, 2005 20:24:33 GMT -5
Just to start with presses for now. Having looked at most all of the available presses on-line and a few in person, I'm siding towards the Lee classic cast. I debated on getting a turrett but I know I will only use it as a single stage anyway so why bother. It's not out of the questions, it would eliminate the need to screw & unscrew dies every time.... So how about some feed back on these.
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Tools
Jan 1, 2005 22:02:44 GMT -5
Post by E.T. on Jan 1, 2005 22:02:44 GMT -5
MarkKw
Like any piece of equipment or components it boils down to the individual’s choice and application. I myself am content with a single stage reloading press (RCBS) that has reloaded a few thousand shells over the years. Every time a die is installed I always double check that nothing has been altered or loosened so that the results are a repeat of last time. Also after a number of shells are resized I also take apart my resizing dye for internal cleaning. For the press, attention is giving to cleaning and oiling the ram bar that slides through the bushing. The one item I do recommend for consideration for the press is a dust cover.
Ed T
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DaveK
Eight Pointer
Posts: 150
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Tools
Jan 1, 2005 23:13:51 GMT -5
Post by DaveK on Jan 1, 2005 23:13:51 GMT -5
It can be argued and I studied allot of presses about 6 yrs. ago when I bought a new one. I settled on the RCBS Rockchucker. There were so many others using this press that I felt there can't be that many wrong. I did start with other dies than I am using now, but all my dies are now Redding dies. If I was going to choose a turret press, it would be a Redding. One of the main reasons I reload is accuraccy. I strive for the best accuraccy my guns can achieve and I feel that good equipment means spending a little more. It is a life time investment, why sell yourself short.
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Jan 1, 2005 23:14:12 GMT -5
Post by Rifleman on Jan 1, 2005 23:14:12 GMT -5
I think the rcbs single stage is the best single stage for the money. Also what I use besides a dillon. I also have a lyman turret. Alot of the Lee equipment is kinda cheap but some tools they make are ok. If you are not in a real big hurry, in a week or two I am having a huge reloading sale, so you may wanna wait and see about that.
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Tools
Jan 2, 2005 7:06:49 GMT -5
Post by MarkKw on Jan 2, 2005 7:06:49 GMT -5
The older "O" style RCBS I've been using, dad's, has been good to us but is a little sloppy when compared to some of the others I've looked at lately. I haven't gotten my paws on a Redding yet and I wish there was somewhere I could go to compare all of them side by side. None of the gun shops locally have anything. Even Cabela's had nothing when I was there except Hornady and they are out of the question.
Two big selling points on the Lee for me is the fully adjustable operating lever and that the spent primers go out through the ram so all the crap falls into the trash can instead of all over the press. That is one of my biggest gripes on the RCBS I'm using now.
Honestly, the only priming system I've seen that got my attention is the Redding slidebar. I like to see the primers before they go into the case and this seems like the only one with good visual inspection capability.
Sorry, I get kinda picky about my stuff and when I'm doing something in the name of fun I don't want it to be aggravating. I know whatever I end up buying I'm going to modify in some manner, never fails as I do this with most everything I own which is why I refuse to buy a new vehicle, well that and I don't want any electronic crap on them but that's a different forum.
With the above in mind, let me re-ask the question in a little different manner:
What things do you like best about your reloading press(es) and what things do you get annoyed with and what things make you want to shove up the designer's .... ?
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Tools
Jan 2, 2005 8:21:38 GMT -5
Post by TKO on Jan 2, 2005 8:21:38 GMT -5
For a single stage press, I would go with RCBS.
For a progressive, Dillon.
And yes, Rifleman and I ARE clones. LOL
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Tools
Jan 2, 2005 9:07:51 GMT -5
Post by Rifleman on Jan 2, 2005 9:07:51 GMT -5
Clones ! oh NO ! I knew I had a brother somewhere. LOL
Anyhow, a newer Rcbs is pretty good, but I will admit I have redding dies in .223/308/30-06 and a benchrest match powder measure. Redding products are the best, no doubt. I have not used a redding press, but I am sure they are quality.
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Tools
Jan 2, 2005 11:49:03 GMT -5
Post by MarkKw on Jan 2, 2005 11:49:03 GMT -5
But what are the things that annoy you about the press you're using and what things stand out as excellent?
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Tools
Jan 2, 2005 12:15:16 GMT -5
Post by scott41069 on Jan 2, 2005 12:15:16 GMT -5
I use a RCBS Rock Chucker also. I havent been dissapointed with it yet.
Rifleman, i have heard others mention they were using Redding dies. What makes them better? All my dies are RCBS.I have been pleased with them thus far but i am open to getting others that may be better.
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Jan 2, 2005 12:28:23 GMT -5
Post by E.T. on Jan 2, 2005 12:28:23 GMT -5
MarkKw
Really can’t say of anything annoying about my equipment. I guess I am more compliant and adapt to the equipments characteristic function. I also only posses simple equipment for this purpose and have not used a lot of other types. The only problem area so to speak is the spent primers sometimes lightly bind in the ram portion of the press just before they exit out the side into a plastic tray. Always check this exit hole with a pipe cleaner before press is stored for next session.
Ed T
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DaveK
Eight Pointer
Posts: 150
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Tools
Jan 2, 2005 13:31:13 GMT -5
Post by DaveK on Jan 2, 2005 13:31:13 GMT -5
I do not use the primer that comes with the Rock Chucker press I use the simple hand held type because I want to feel the primer seat. Personally (again MHO) the Lee presses just are made of inferior metals, They are cheaper for one reason, they are made cheaper. I went to Redding dies because I was getting less runout on my loads. Like I mentioned earlier I reload for accuraccy reasons and I feel I am getting a much better round then I was getting with the RCBS dies. The price in dies is not much over a life time of use. We are talking approx. $4-$5 more I forget exactly. Now your mileage may vary, but when I am aiming for X's I want X's, that is why it is important to have good eguip. to me.
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Jan 2, 2005 15:05:39 GMT -5
Post by Rifleman on Jan 2, 2005 15:05:39 GMT -5
I use the RCBS Rockchucker for single stage loading when not doing enough rounds to warrant the set up time on the Dillon, or just doing a large single step of case prep,prior to loading on the Dillon. I DO NOT prime on the RCBS ever, and rarely on the DIllon. I too use a handtool for this, the LEE is a good tool, and amazingly my first has had 10's of thousands through it , and it still is going strong. I have a new one , but I have not needed it yet except when I had some help and had 2 going at a time. I agree this is the best way to prime as the feel is important. I also agree most LEE stuff is cheap and to be avoided,other then the priming tool and the Taper Crimp dies are good when loading for Semi Autos. I like the Redding dies in military cartidges, for 2 main reasons. One MIl-spec brass is heavier and you sometimes get spring back and the redding die is a little tighter. This also helps for correct sizing for semi autos. I think either the RCBS Rockchucker or the Redding would be a fine choice for a single stage machine. One other thing I use when loading for semis is a Dillon headspace gauge. I have these in .223, .308, 30-06, 9mm, 45 acp. I use these when setting up and my loads just flat work in anything I fire them in. Even Beltfeds.
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DaveK
Eight Pointer
Posts: 150
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Tools
Jan 2, 2005 15:20:07 GMT -5
Post by DaveK on Jan 2, 2005 15:20:07 GMT -5
You don't know how many people I have heard that really like the Lee hand primer over any other brand. Personally I am using the RCBS hand primer, simply because I have them. Actually I have two of them. One for small rifle primer and one for large rifle primer.
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Tools
Jan 2, 2005 20:06:22 GMT -5
Post by MarkKw on Jan 2, 2005 20:06:22 GMT -5
I actually have a couple sets of Lee dies and like them just as much as Lyman, Ideal and RCBS, one set is 7.62x25 and the other is 7.62x54R. While I have not loaded a lot on either of these sets, the ones I did seemed just as good as if they were done on any of the other dies I have.
My hands hurt too much to allow me to use the Lee hand primer so I've got an idea. I'm thinking of getting the Redding primer feeder and installing it on the little Lee C type press using the Lee top auto prime. I think this will be in my best interest as I can then use this for both prime and de-prime keeping the crud off the real press. I definitely have to get to a gun show or something to see what each brand has to offer before I buy anything.
Thank you all very much for the input on this!
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Jan 3, 2005 18:16:13 GMT -5
Post by charger on Jan 3, 2005 18:16:13 GMT -5
Try to get into the habit of a bach weather you need them or not.Like making and freezing spagetti sauce.Get yourself a turret press. Lock the dies in for the cal your loading. Chronograph, group,sight in, etc.When youve adjusted gun,die depth and everything is just hunky, sit down to that press and turn out the box you need plus 3 or 4 more. You know they work. You know the gun likes em, so why not. Now picture yourself doing that with a single. Not going to happen.
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Jan 3, 2005 18:40:17 GMT -5
Post by Rifleman on Jan 3, 2005 18:40:17 GMT -5
The only problem I have with a Turret press is that when resizing big cases sometimes it seems like there is a little flex in the press,which plays havoc with getting correct headspace. There may be a turret press out there that does not have this problem, but my lyman does. But on smaller cases it does just fine.
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DaveK
Eight Pointer
Posts: 150
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Tools
Jan 3, 2005 20:51:25 GMT -5
Post by DaveK on Jan 3, 2005 20:51:25 GMT -5
Rifleman you are right. I have 2 friends with the Redding turret press and they reassembled the top with shims to snug it up. I agree, though I see no way that you can keep a turret press from getting that flex in it.
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Tools
Jan 4, 2005 7:26:26 GMT -5
Post by MarkKw on Jan 4, 2005 7:26:26 GMT -5
That's the only thing that turns me off on the turrett presses too, no matter how well they are made, they must have clearance somewhere which means some slop is not going to be avoided.
What's you're thoughts on the separate de-prime/prime station?
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DaveK
Eight Pointer
Posts: 150
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Tools
Jan 4, 2005 8:34:29 GMT -5
Post by DaveK on Jan 4, 2005 8:34:29 GMT -5
I use a deprime die that is seperate of course from the die set of the cal. I am loading. I deprime all my brass and then put it in the tumbler so that it is clean to inspect and also for the dies I am sizing with.
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Jan 4, 2005 15:40:56 GMT -5
Post by JeffinNZ on Jan 4, 2005 15:40:56 GMT -5
Hi I use a Lyman T-Mag turret press that I picked up in a deal a few years back. I like having the 6 dies in there at my disposal. Used a Lee hand press for many years to begin with though. For priming I have a Lee autoprime which is great.
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Jan 4, 2005 19:12:25 GMT -5
Post by MarkKw on Jan 4, 2005 19:12:25 GMT -5
Jeff, is that the one that goes on top of the press and if so how well does it work?
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Tools
Jan 4, 2005 20:12:30 GMT -5
Post by JeffinNZ on Jan 4, 2005 20:12:30 GMT -5
Mark: the autoprime or press?
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Tools
Jan 5, 2005 5:57:53 GMT -5
Post by MarkKw on Jan 5, 2005 5:57:53 GMT -5
Auto-prime II that goes on top of the press?
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Jan 5, 2005 14:35:07 GMT -5
Post by JeffinNZ on Jan 5, 2005 14:35:07 GMT -5
MARK: No, mine is the manual, sit in front of TV, hand press type of auto prime.
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