Which is the better single stage press?

[country gent]

I have both the lyman oarnge crusher and RCBS Rockchucker, both are solid presses built well and will last a life time under heavy use with a little care. My rockchucker is early enough to not have the thread insert. Both have lasted for years with no real wear showing. I currently have the rockchucker mounted horizontal for sizing lubing bullets with my mecham sizer. The Oarnge crusher I use for heavy case forming operations. Both work great and are solid machines. But my favorite is the Co Ax.

[Tailhunter]

The best single stag ever made is the Forster co-ax.

[Lead Fred]

I have two JRs, never had a problem. The new Rock chuckers have a handle problem, so Ive stayed away.
Besides the JRs do everything I need them to do. Paid $40 for one, and $45 for the other

[Ola]

I voted RCBS.

I have only used 1 Lyman press. When the handle was pulled down, it went "over" until the case holder started moving down again! Are all Lyman presses like that?

[seagiant]

The best single stag ever made is the Forster co-ax.

Hi,
Wow! I mean.....WOW!

[zuke]

I have an Orange Crusher with a removable insert that I use to reload the LEE Large series dies for my 577-450 and 577 Snider

[zuke]

Usually Lee products are working but may be not pair, as craftmanships and accuarcy, to the other best named factory. But when it comes to signle stage presses I think the Classic Cast, Iron, is a very good press, and the best regarding price/features IMHO. Not to be confused wuith the Challenger wich has the same look but is pot aluminium. The CC is all steel, hasea bified linkage, I thrust it for quite any tasks. I ended up having two CC uon my bench http://www.handloadersbench.com/attachment.php?id=9922
one is the new BreechLock Tipe, the other is the Clssic wit a separable Ram insert like the 50BMG. If I woud buy them again I would'nt bother withe the BL system.

If a LEE was available I would have jumped on it. To me it's a superior press with the 100 % primer catcher

[r1kk1]

Zuke,

I just noticed the Orange Crusher II does not have a removable bushing insert. Did they do away with this from the original Orange Crusher? I have heard that Lyman will convert a II if the threads are screwed up.

100% primer disposal is not a new idea. I have three presses that have this and predate the CC by at least 2 decades if not more.

Take care

r1kk1

[375supermag]

Hi...

I voted for the RCBS RockChucker. I have used one pretty much exclusively for many years with no issues whatsoever. Loaded many tens of thousands of rounds of various handgun calibers and a few rifle rounds.

I prime off press so that is not an issue for me.

[noylj]

Co-Ax, then the Hornady Classic L-N-L, and then the Lee Challenger.
RockChucker is just a big heavy press that does nothing better than many other presses.

[Dom]

I have owned an RCBS Rock Chucker press since the first year it came out. 1966 I believe. I have loaded 10's of thousands of rounds along with countless case forming & it still works great. This is dependability. The Orange Crusher may also be a quality press but only time will tell for sure.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

I owned an RCBS Rock Chucker for a while. It was the better, American made one. Then I got a Lee Classic Cast single stage and put the two side by side on the bench. After a month or so, I sold the Rock Chucker. I still have the Lee Classic Cast single stage. About the only modern single stage I might buy over the Lee is a Forster Coax and I'm not even sure I'd do that. The Lee is that good of an O-frame single stage. The best reloading press Lee has ever put out and better than most single stages for general purpose reloading. You can find a bigger reloading single stage, but not a better one and you'll have to spend a of money to get mostly less.

That's my .02,

Dave

[paul h]

Hi,
Wow! I mean.....WOW!

I think those who have used a co-ax will agree.

[Harter66]

My Dad has an Orange Crusher . My 2nd press was a 2nd hand RC .

The RC just felt better . I have it and an RCII and a Partner and a Load Master . The Partner leaves a little to be desired when sizing above 308 . The Load Master has some bugs and is great for the pistols but that's it. The RCs do all the forming I ask of them, smoothly and will w/o too much effort pull 270 degrees of rim right off an 06' case.

I find that there's not much difference in clearance between the OC and RC . I only have a direct comparison for 120 flat base in 25-06 .

[jetinteriorguy]

I have been using my OC for well over 25 years and thousands of rounds with absolutely no problems at all. Can't compare to the RCBS since I've never had one. I got this press used for a great price so never needed another. The primer catcher works fairly good, I'd say it catches 99% of the primers, every once in a while a primer will just pop and go flying on the floor.

[Motard]

I owned an RCBS Rock Chucker for a while. It was the better, American made one. Then I got a Lee Classic Cast single stage and put the two side by side on the bench. After a month or so, I sold the Rock Chucker. I still have the Lee Classic Cast single stage. About the only modern single stage I might buy over the Lee is a Forster Coax and I'm not even sure I'd do that. The Lee is that good of an O-frame single stage. The best reloading press Lee has ever put out and better than most single stages for general purpose reloading. You can find a bigger reloading single stage, but not a better one and you'll have to spend a of money to get mostly less.

That's my .02,

Dave

Yes, I know Co-ax have some innovative featuers with self centering shell-older and so. But, at least here overseas, it costs three times the LCC. The gap may be due to the mass production capacity of the Wisconsin Factory, and that make them cheaper to export. But the CCLee Press seems meup to a lot of tasks and, once you develop the right habit, the O-Ringed stop bolts on dies are fast on swap and self centering too.

[JeffG]

I'm in the Other category.

Personally, I'm using the Lee Classic Cast iron model and it catches the spent primers in the attached tube. Make it really easy to empty the primers when the tube starts getting full. I've had zero issues with it.

[MT Chambers]

Another vote for the Co-ax here, wish I had another.

[TNsailorman]

I bought a RCBS Rockchuck II several years ago and I have been well pleased with it. Before I bought it, I also owned a C-H 204, a 205, and a 333(not really a single stage press) and I liked all of them. I never worried about de priming or priming as I never do these on a press, I de prime with a Lee set before sizing and prime by hand afterwards. I never owned a Lee or Lyman so I can't comment on them. I always wanted a Redding Co-Ax but I could not justify that much money for a single stage press. But then, I am an old dinosaur and set in my ways.

[Blanco]

I have a RCBS JR and a Lee Classic Cast that I use for rifle only. I have used both and would say the JR is very precision and heavy duty, but I mostly just use it for deprime and resize. The classic cast would be my choice if I just had to have one. Smart design and I love that I can buy extra turrets and leave all the dies set.