What brand/model of loading press?

F

fishbone

Guest
For serious accuracy, what are BR shooters using? I was looking at the Forester Bonanza press.
What do you fellows use?
Thanks
 
OK, I'ma get crucified for this but here goes..... ANY decent quality press will work equally well as far as making good ammo goes. I have 8 reloading presses, all different. If I were limited to only ONE for loading stuff from .308 sized cases down I'd keep my Hood press because it has both threaded and arbor press in one unit. Plus it's compact, well thought out and smooth. Actually, the Hood can be hard to get, another option would be the Harrell http://www.harrellsprec.com/

Be careful who you listen to...... when guys start talking about "ram alignment" and how one press is "straighter" than another my eyes glaze over. Stiffness can be important, especially with the larger cases. Buy a solid press, full wrap support not a 'C' shape.

Now, on the subject of "serious accuracy..."

Serious accuracy is about DIES. The DIES are what form the case. The press only rams the round into the die and back out. Spend some money on your dies, the fit thereof, and don't worry too much about the press used to drive them.

opinionsby


al
 
Although the Bonanza press is a bit much to take traveling to matches, it is to my mind the best press I've ever used (I've had a few since starting loading in 1955). The mechanical action is smooth and requires a lot less effort than the normal 'C' or 'O' type presses. Handy too is the spent primer catcher. Once your dies are set up in the presses 'push in' system, die change is a snap.

For traveling, the Wilson tools with an Arbor press, or a couple of RCBS Partner presses are just fine. But for reloading or preloading a lot of brass, the Bonanza rules.

virg
 
Crawford/Hood with JLC insert great for getting headspace right.
 
most of the benchrest shooters use a rcbs partner press, because of the size, light weight. with redding custom dies. call redding they will tell you what and how to order your dies. it's like send 3 fired cases ,and they will make your dies.
 
LOL!!!

Don't know as though "most of the benchresters" are using Partners but a FEW are.... and there's nothing wrong with them. And I just WISH it was as easy as "ordering some custom dies from Redding."

looks like Jackie Schmidt has started a nationwide trend! Maybe he'd better come on and clarify his record-setting methods ;)

al
 
alinwa said:
OK, I'ma get crucified for this but here goes..... ANY decent quality press will work equally well as far as making good ammo goes. http://www.harrellsprec.com/

Be careful who you listen to......
Now, on the subject of "serious accuracy..."

Serious accuracy is about DIES. The DIES are what form the case. The press only rams the round into the die and back out. Spend some money on your dies, the fit thereof, and don't worry too much about the press used to drive them.
Click to expand...

This is exactly right. Think it through. If the shell holder hits the die, fully, the press is taken out of the equation -- the shell holder is a "cap" and a "stop"; all the alignment issues are in the die. Some very successful shooters have used things like a Lee turret press -- but they take the time to make sure their dies are properly made (actually, make their own dies . . .)

The only flak I'll give Al is on "Jackie starting a National trend" with the PCBS Partner -- whatthehell do you think people used before the Harrells came out with their cute little press? I'll allow big, strong men like James Messer carried around a rusty old Rockchucker . . .
 
Only things I will add: 1) The co-Ax is a really good press, but doesn't lend itself to the use of die shims. In my experience, you need to be able to use shims to precisely bump shoulders. 2) The Sinclair press seems to be a sorta hidden secret. I put it a close second to my RFD. If you are going to compete in BR, and load at the range, you can't beat the Hood/Crawford or the RCBS Partner (for something less expensive). 3) As said above, the Lee Classic Cast is a great press for stationary bench use, in fact that is what Randy Robinett uses making his wonderful bullets. There are a lot of ways to skin this cat, but like was said above, it really does come down to the dies. And one more small thing that can be a big thing: Always use the same shell hoder with any given die. They vary quite a bit in thickness sometimes, which can create a big headspace problem.
 
BR Press

Go with the Crawford/Hood press and forever be happy you did. This is the dominant press in the SE Region of NBRSA. You can't beat it IMHO. It is advertised on this website at $575, but there are versions with fewer whistles that are less expensive.
 
Just thought I'd ask if anyone out there has an RCBS Big Macks, A-4 sitting around collecting dust I would really like another one. Oh what I like about the co-ax press is that it seats primers very nice.

Joe Salt
 
Charles E said:
The only flak I'll give Al is on "Jackie starting a National trend" with the PCBS Partner -- whatthehell do you think people used before the Harrells came out with their cute little press? I'll allow big, strong men like James Messer carried around a rusty old Rockchucker . . .
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LOL

ummmmm, Dunrud's, Jones, Hart mods..... shucks, there WERE no threaded presses until the 90's, everybody used hand dies. The only guy pushing "Pardners" was that goofball ("that'll never work!") over at Allied with his customized multi-Partner setups. Seems like Charlie jumped in pretty early, within 3yrs of when FL sizing became common. Plus Harrell's had their old model press.

al
 
Joe Entrekin said:
Only things I will add: 1) The co-Ax is a really good press, but doesn't lend itself to the use of die shims. In my experience, you need to be able to use shims to precisely bump shoulders. 2) The Sinclair press seems to be a sorta hidden secret. I put it a close second to my RFD. If you are going to compete in BR, and load at the range, you can't beat the Hood/Crawford or the RCBS Partner (for something less expensive). 3) As said above, the Lee Classic Cast is a great press for stationary bench use, in fact that is what Randy Robinett uses making his wonderful bullets. There are a lot of ways to skin this cat, but like was said above, it really does come down to the dies. And one more small thing that can be a big thing: Always use the same shell hoder with any given die. They vary quite a bit in thickness sometimes, which can create a big headspace problem.
Click to expand...

die shims friggin' ROCK!!! Buy 3-4 sets

al
 
I was using a rockchuker for a few years. Finally bought a couple of used partner presses and have not seen any degradation in the quality of my rounds or my shooting. Yes Jackie does or did use a partner setup. Not sure if he still is or not.
I size and seat with a press for 6ppc so I need 2 presses and I dont want to pay the high prices of the small light weight ones soooooo, I did the partner thing and have not looked back.
 
Joe Salt said:
Just thought I'd ask if anyone out there has an RCBS Big Macks, A-4 sitting around collecting dust I would really like another one. Oh what I like about the co-ax press is that it seats primers very nice.

Joe Salt
Click to expand...

I saw one laying under my brother's work bench about a year ago (actually two or three different presses). If it's still there I'll ask him if he wants to get rid of it. I know he's not using it as he has some oddball RCBS that they just made a few of.

as for what's the best? That's easy; buy a Co-Ax and be done with it for the next couple lifetimes. Another poster commented about the die striking the shell holder. That's not always a square surface, and is often just parted off a piece of bar stock. Also you can use shims with a Forster. Been doing it for years. One of these days when I hit PowerBall, I'm going to buy a Hood press or something similar to use at the range. But alas I'm sorta stuck with my little bitty arbor press. Been using this setup for about ten years now, and it's far better than I am.
gary
 
that was fun to "stir the pot" to see what would come to the top ! The thing is, we all have different ways of doing the same thing differently, but it all comes down to "WHAT WORKS FOR YOU" "think inside the "TEN RING" or "SMALL" and you are NEVER Wrong !!! if it works.
 
The lee turret presses are crap, the die holder cants when the shell goes in the shell holder. I have one someone gave me, I had to use washers to hold the shell holder down and use it as a single stage.
Much depends on where you will be using the press. At home, at the range etc. Weight can be a factor in those cases.
John and size
 
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