Need Some Press Wisdom

Wasalmonslayer

Well-Known Member
Hello guys
Looking to replace an old single stage press with either a new o frame or a cast iron turret.
Tasks will be making accurate rifle ammo, cast bullet sizing, and possible gas check making.
Lots of options hoping to stay under $300 and really like the idea of a turret for setting up a run and leaving the dies set for that run.
I had a lee classic cast and it worked well I was just on the fence about the wobble of the turret.
I have two 550’s for all my non hunting ammo.
Just looking for some honest experience on these press’s.

Thanks guys!!
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Just stay away from, Lyman. Bad experience with Lyman Orange (mine is hammered grey) Crusher, single stage. Too much ram slop and on the second set of toggles. I just keep it for simple tasks, like pulling an occasional bullet or decapping.

Started in the 70's with a RCBS JR, still use it for all my handgun/carbine reloading. I even use it for full length sizing of all rifle brass.

Have a Hollywood Senior Turret. However, I use it as a single stage. Have most of my rifle dies set up in the eight hole turret.

Have no need for a progressive.............I enjoy handloading. As opposed to, cranking out usable ammo.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
Well I have Lyman and Pacific C presses, Pacific/Hornady, RCBS 0 frames from the RS to the Big Max and a Partner . If you just want a "cheap" 150,000 stroke design life press , I've run that little RCBS Partner to death .

I just can't in spite of all the neat features of the Lee turrets , both the 3-4 and LM , I just can't get into them.....I ran 1000 45 ACP size and flare on a 4 holer and 2-300 45 Colts on a 3 holer w/measure installed . So it's not like I didn't give them a chance .

The rest of the turrets I don't have any experience with.
I don't see how you can go wrong with the RC . They're overkill for bullet sizing and most pistol use , I wouldn't want to swage 1000 pieces of 06' down to 6.5×50 SR Japanese in one setting but that's why have a Big Max and lighter presses to run the small pistols on .

I think I might send the slopped out Partner in just to have it for an ACP length press available.
 

Ian

Notorious member
You've seen all the rifle groups I've posted, all loaded on the same Lee Classic Turret press. It isn't perfectly aligned and I have to do things like turn the shell holder 90⁰ to the left when expanding necks or the necks get crooked and I do use in-line dies whenever possible, but it makes good ammunition.

If you want to take a deep dive down this rabbit hole, check out some of Ultimate Reloader's press videos on utoob.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
For a current production, single stage press, within the OP's requirements - I must vote for the RCBS Rebel

 

fiver

Well-Known Member
i have the Rebel, it's great for bullet seating.

i've sized with it,, but i'd rather use the RCBS 2 steps to the right, or the black Lyman i run the size trim die on only a slight lean over from the Rebel.
if your gonna size with it use the long handle, and be prepared to use your big boy muscles.
if your gonna seat use the short handle and adjust the top nuts so you don't have to put it all the way up every time.
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
I like the LEE Classic Cast turret press. I also use two Redding Big Boss 2. Like the off set for easy access to the shell holder. Probably no better then any other quality single stage presses.
 

Spindrift

Well-Known Member
The RCBS Rockchucker supreme is my main press these days. It works well. This is not a "cam-over" press; the ram reaches it's highest point when the handle is at it's lowest. Which is what I prefer. It works well with Pat Marlin checkmaker dies, and for all general reloading tasks.
Two flies in the ointment:
- the design of the primer catcher could be better
- only two slots for attachment bolts; should be three, in a triangular arrangement.

The Lyman Crusher II has worked quite well. This is a cam-over press, which I found annoying for general use. This is now relegated to gas check production, for which it works great.

The Lee reloader C-press with the breech lock system is my side-kick press, for bullet sizing and other low- force jobs.

The Lee hand press sees a lot of use. I use it for collet neck sizing, and the factory crimp dies.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
I have a bunch of single stage presses, I seem to have become a collector. Kind of hoping to get them all mounted up and play with each one in retirement. The Rock Chucker I've used 30+ years still gets used most.

I haven't messed with one, but if I were going to buy a new single stage press, I'd look real long and hard at that big one Lee makes that will handle .50 BMG. It really looks like a good press with some innovative features.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I have & have used most common presses. I like the LEE 4 hole turret. BUT... Its a LEE. Its NOT cam over & best used for small straight wall pistol calibers. Thats all I use mine for & its been good for that.

I also have owned & sold the Lyman turrets only keeping the Spar-T for sentimental reasons. The other two are gone & good riddance! I wanted a Redding but not its price... I found a Lyman American 8 129$ & jumped on it.

It was good, but developed some, more than I liked slop in its turret. I switched back to my Ammo Master. In a short time I realized why I pulled the Ammo master also slop but in its huge bore. RCBS says its fine... I do not agree.
So, I put the American 8 back & investigated the slop. I was able to almost completely remove movement from turrett by stoning spacer. Now this press is awesome. Much tighter than both Reddings I have been able to use.

I made a video on how I "fixed" it.

Probably same could be done to Redding as designs are quite similar.

One single stage thats impressed me is the MEC. Very tight & solid. But not a turret.

Another a buddy is trying to convince me to buy is the ultra pricy Zero press.


CW
 

Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
Very happy with my Redding turret. I like the primer ejection thru the ram. Adding a little chunk of straw based on a recommendation from a member here, creeper I think, has reduced primers on the floor to almost zero.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
CW, when you mention you were dissatisfied with the Lyman turrets, are you speaking of the All Americans? I'm in the process of setting one up now, gathering shell holders, etc. What didn't you like about them?
 

Rick H

Well-Known Member
I still have my old Lyman SparT press. I used it as a single station press set up for multiple calibers. One of the features I like about the SparT is it uses a set screw to contain shell holders. I leave it a bit loose. The float allows the case to self center if there is any misalignment with the die. I was able to produce sub MOA ammunition for a .308, 7mmRemMag, 6mmRem, and .223Rem with that set up.

I now use a Redding Boss single station and a Classic cast iron Lee turret. Both of these presses use the spring loaded snap in shell holder retainer and I get good ammo with them too. The Lee is used mostly for pistol rounds without auto indexing. I would rather index it myself. I am not a high volume loader. I have never liked on press priming and do that with Lee hand, Forstner, or my new RCBS priming tools. My bullet sizing press is an old cheap Lee single station.

All the fuss about presses makes me smile. The most accurate ammunition I ever loaded was done with an old Lee Whack-a-Mole Target kit with the case prep tools and neck reamer in 222Remington. That kit, CCI small rifle primers and 19.6 gr. of IMR 4198 dipped onto an old Herter's scale made this poor boy competitive in local bench rest competition. I used a box stock Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special and 10X Weaver scope and turned the heads of the guys with the 40XB's and Unertls.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
An O frame and a turret press are kind of 2 different things. I have a couple Lyman turrets, a Spar-T and an All American and a few other non turrets. I love my Bonanaza Co-Ax and my old RCBS RS. I've never seen the need to own one of the giant Rock Crusher types. You might want to see if you can play with a few first hand if you have any local friends with presses they'd let you monkey with.

FWIW- I broke a Lee, and I wasn't abusing it. But that was 20 years ago and it was a lightly built one.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
All the fuss about presses makes me smile. The most accurate ammunition I ever loaded was done with an old Lee Whack-a-Mole Target kit with the case prep tools and neck reamer in 222Remington. That kit, CCI small rifle primers and 19.6 gr. of IMR 4198 dipped onto an old Herter's scale made this poor boy competitive in local bench rest competition. I used a box stock Remington 700 BDL Varmint Special and 10X Weaver scope and turned the heads of the guys with the 40XB's and Unertls.
Yup! It's the guy running the tool, not the tool itself that makes things click!
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
An O frame and a turret press are kind of 2 different things. ............
Agreed.
I'm a bit confused by the OP's line: "Looking to replace an old single stage press with either a new o frame or a cast iron turret."

I suggested the RCBS Rebel to fill his request for a new O frame but a turret press is something different.

And even if the turret press can be found for under $300, a collection of turrets for that press will drive the expense up.
 

richhodg66

Well-Known Member
I'm pretty sure all of them can load ammunition more accurate than my shooting abilities.

On the subject of turret presses, not new, but a lot of guys seem to hold the old Herters turret press in very high regard. I kind of want one, but when they show up on auction sites and such, they're either in real bad shape or the owners are real proud of them.
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Agreed.
I'm a bit confused by the OP's line: "Looking to replace an old single stage press with either a new o frame or a cast iron turret."

I suggested the RCBS Rebel to fill his request for a new O frame but a turret press is something different.

And even if the turret press can be found for under $300, a collection of turrets for that press will drive the expense up.
I’ve been happy with the LEE Classic Turret, turrets are $10 to $12 and drop in in seconds and without tools. I’ve loaded 458x2 American, 30-30, 22 Hornet and all of my pistol cartridges with it, and plan on loading 223’s when I get around to it. For $300 I got the turret press and about 16 turrets. I can load 44 or 38 SPL at about 150 per hour which after growing up with single stage presses is lightning fast. And the on press priming system works good, It’s the older version, I understand that the new priming system is not very good.
I load most bottle neck cartridges on the Redding presses, with RCBS bench priming.
I got to look at a Rebel press a while back and it’s a strong looking bugger.
 

Petrol & Powder

Well-Known Member
Just a quick look at new turret presses that are currently available, I see 3 types during a cursory review.

The Lee 4 hole turret press is the least expensive for both the press ($150) and extra turrets ($13/each)

The Lyman All-American runs around $275 for the press and the turrets are about $65 each. Those are 8-hole turrets.

The Redding T-7 turret press is $390 for the press and the 7-hole turrets are $100 each.


The OP mentioned that he has 2 Dillon 550 machines. If one 550 is set up for small primers and the other is set up for large primers, switching calibers within a primer size category becomes very quick & easy. I don’t see the logic in obtaining a turret press to supplement a 550. The 550 is functionally a turret press already.

A good single stage press is hard to beat in terms of durability, value, usefulness, and strength. A good single stage press compliments a progressive press.

A turret press is sort of that step between a single stage press and a progressive press.

Being a 550 owner myself, I can say that I would rather buy caliber conversion kits and tool heads than to add another incompatible system (some turret press) to my set up. A turret press wouldn’t add to my capabilities, and it would require a collection of turrets that would be incompatible with the 550.
 
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