Getting a new RELOADING press need help from casters

[RyanJames170]

So I am looking at getting a reloading press to partialy replace my old RCBS RS3, my plan is to put my RS3 over by my Lyman No 45 to take on bullet sizing with lee type bullet sizers. and powder charging with my Dillion powder mesure.

what i am looking at are

Lyman Victory press

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme

Redding Big Boss II

i am curious what you casters think on this matter, i like aspects of all 3 presses and dont like parts of them as well.

i will also add turret presses are out as i plan to get a dillion down the road for bulk reloading as i can barrow stuff from my cousin and have acess to his Dillion any time i need to use it.

[sigep1764]

I like my Lyman BrassSmith C press which is pretty close to the Victory in terms of capability, minus the on press priming ability of the Victory. It has served admirably sizing 9mm through 270 and 30-30 brass with no problems. I would however like more leverage for making gas checks with a PatMarlins check maker. The longer handle of the RCBS would help this.

[Lloyd Smale]

hard to beat a rock chucker. Ive got a rock chucker, a lyman orange crush and Hornady lock and load for single stage presses and when real work needs to be done its the rock chucker I use 99 percent of the time.

[JimB..]

Haven’t used any of those, but love my coax and wonder why you excluded it from consideration.

[sharps4590]

+1 what Lloyd said. I was in precisely the same boat as you a couple years ago, looking to augment my Reloader #3. I went with the Rock Chucker....absolutely no regrets.

With what Jim said, I'd still like very much to have a Forster Coaxial.

[charlie b]

I am a bit cheap when it comes to this kind of stuff. When I needed a new single station press I went to the gun shop we had in Albuquerque and bought a used one. It happened to be a Lee that I got for $20. Despite being aluminum it has done everything I have asked, including some 'heavy' sizing operations. My regular reloading press is a Lee Loadmaster.

If I wanted serious, put all my weight on it, take all kinds of abuse press, then I would get a Rockchucker.

If I had the money then it would be a coax.

[ioon44]

The nice thing about a Dillon 550 you can use it as a single stage press, very versitle.

[kmw1954]

For a single stage press I think it all comes down to local availability, price value and basic features. There is not much in the way of difference in any you've mentioned as to functionality or basic construction. Any one of them should last your lifetime.

I am only really familiar with the RCBS as that is what I was taught on long ago. Then there is also the Lee Classic Cast O Press which also gets high marks and much of it is because of the way it deals with spent primers.

It is not on you preferred list but if I were to be looking at a new single stage press this one would be on my list. One reason being is I like the open access to the front of the press. My very first press was a Bonanza "68" that was open this way. https://www.hornady.com/reloading/pr...-iron-press#!/

Best of luck in your quest for the perfect press, half the fun is shopping and researching the new stuff.

[mdi]

Reloading presses are very simple machines, especially single stage. You will be OK with any press from the major reloading equipment dealers and it will last many years and hundreds of thousands rounds. Where a choice comes into play are cost, name, and minor differences, and personal preference. Cost? The Redding Big Boss is probably the most expensive in your list but a very good press (I owned one for several years). Name? RCBS is probably the most popular name in reloading presses today with probably millions out there still making ammo. Minor differences? Some reloaders insist on their used primers dropping in a container. Some insist on specific priming accessories. Some even need a specific handle shape and length. But mainly it boils down to what flips your switch. I used a Lee Challenger for many years because I didn't pay much attention to the old guys at the gun shop opinions and did my own research, and it was purchased way pre web so I didn't have all the internet wisdom telling me I couldn't make good ammo on the Lee.. I presently use a Forster Co-Ax mainly because it's precision, quality and ease of use. And the only bad, I mean really bad press I bought was a Smart Reloader (I bought it out of curiosity and it is so rough I couldn't reload a box of 38 Specials").

So, do our research, read up on the features of each press and take forum replies for what they are; personal opinion...

[Alstep]

I started out in the late '50's with a new Pacific. That was "the" press back then and I'm still using it. Picked up a bunch of presses since then, Pacific, Lyman, C-H, RCBS, single stage & turrents, at gun shows & garage sales, some were even given to me as outdated. A little cleanup and lub and they're making ammo again. Never paid over $40 for any of them.

[dragon813gt]

None of them. They’re all single stage presses and there’s no need to spend more than what a Less Classic Cast costs. It will do everything the others do. People even modify it for swaging bullets and holds up to that.

Don’t get me wrong, I have a bunch of presses. But the first thing I look for in any of them, outside of a progressive, is primer disposal. If it doesn’t have a hollow ram for disposal I’m not interested. Catch trays and the like just lead to picking primers up off the floor and primer grit all over the press.

A single stage is a simple design. You will pay more for a brand name and paint job. If you’re serious about loading the most accurate ammo possible you aren’t going to use a reloading press.

[RyanJames170]

The redding has threw ram primer disposal, the lyman has partial threw ram primer disposal, and the RCBS dose not. the new RCBS rebel has threw ram primer disposal but there still not out, bit over due actually why i left that one from the list.

[Petrol & Powder]

I voted for the Redding although the RCBS is a close second.

Redding equipment is top notch. As others have stated, a single stage press is a simple machine and just about any press from a reputable manufacturer will fill the role.
Honestly, a well cared for press of even average quality will probably out last you. If you keep them clean and lubricated, there's just not much to go wrong.
The Redding Big Boss II is a high quality press but I think the new RCBS Rebel will be in the same class. The Rebel has a hollow ram which allows spent primers to fall out the bottom, which is a nice feature. Both of those models will set you back about $250 and that's really getting pricy for a single stage press.

[Conditor22]

rock chucker, the most accurate press < $500

[1bluehorse]

I have two SS presses. A Lee Classic Cast and a Forster Co-Ax. If I were looking today for a new one I'd take a hard look at the MEC Marksman. I think that one would be hard to beat. In fact I'm thinking of "moving" the Lee to a new home and buying one. It's not much more than the RCBS (which is a great press IMO) with some really good features that "better" the Rock Chucker.

[RyanJames170]

I voted for the Redding although the RCBS is a close second.

Redding equipment is top notch. As others have stated, a single stage press is a simple machine and just about any press from a reputable manufacturer will fill the role.
Honestly, a well cared for press of even average quality will probably out last you. If you keep them clean and lubricated, there's just not much to go wrong.
The Redding Big Boss II is a high quality press but I think the new RCBS Rebel will be in the same class. The Rebel has a hollow ram which allows spent primers to fall out the bottom, which is a nice feature. Both of those models will set you back about $250 and that's really getting pricy for a single stage press.

what i have found for the prices on these is
redding big boss II is $195
RCBS RC II $180.00
RCBS Rebel $220.00
Lyman victory $172.00

[dverna]

Personal preference plays into it.

I have both a Rock Checker and Co-Ax. Totally different machines. If I had to decide on one it would be the Co-Ax. I use the RC to size/deprime military cases the first time. Machine gun brass seem to need more force, at least the brass I have.

The Co-Ax was my first press about 50 years ago. Best $68 I spent. I like not having to reset dies except for the seating stem if I change bullets, and the lack of shell holders.

[Lloyd Smale]

yup if I could have only one press it would be a 550. Nothing is more versatile.

The nice thing about a Dillon 550 you can use it as a single stage press, very versitle.

[DHDeal]

An open front design press sure makes it easy. I'd glanced at the Hornady sometime back and thought it was a great idea, but has a lot of gimmicks on it.

I have many presses and have plates on each so I can change them out on an Inline Fabrication mount. If I could only have one of the presses mentioned, it would be the RockChucker. I also have a Co-Ax and will not be without one, but you can't easily use it to size bullets and if you reload lots of different cartridges you will get good at flipping the jaws on the shellholder plate.

Keep in mind that primer catching is important.

As dragon813gt states, save some cash and get the iron Lee if money is a crunch.

[brass410]

I only have SS presses they do evrything I need as to manufacturer they're all pretty good. try to buy the biggest press you can afford , because sooner or later you'll want to use it for "other" operations like forming ,swaging,gas checks etc. Get it with the biggest opening, my hands are like catchers mitts, there's nothing more frustrating than having to use forceps to place cases in shell holder or bullets in the case mouth trust me try it some time. Get one that you can put/make a longer handle to make life easy and more enjoyable its nice to make the press fit you, not all do. Dont get hung up on colour, you can soon change that, and it has little to do with functionality. My next press will be from Corbins not because I need something that HD but I'm tired of pinched fingers .