Redding 700 Ultramag Press

[richhodg66]

So, at a gun show this morning, I got a Bair 150 Kodiak and this Redding for 175 bucks. Both need some clean up, the Redding less than the Bair.

I was interested in the Bair after reading the lengthy thread we had a while back. I seem to be addicted to buying old reloading presses. That one will get cleaned up and tried out, if I don't really love it, it'll go down the road no problem, they seem rather sought after.

This Redding was almost an after thought, but this sucker is stout, and appears to have a really good compound leverage system. Anybody use one of these? Likes or dislikes?

[Bodean98]

Sorry, I don't have any first hand knowledge of these presses. I do like the way the press is built. It should minimize the press flexing under heavy loads.
I have been trying to purchase one for some time now but they seem to be made of unobtanium. I only have one dislike at the moment and that is I don't have one bolted to my bench! Any chance you would send it down the road? If so, I am extremely interested.

[richhodg66]

I'm gonna set it up and use it. About the only thing I can see faulting it for is it might be a lot of tool for most tasks.

A Rockchucker has done the vast majority of my loading the past 30 years. Not sure this will be any better, but time will tell.

I hate to come across as as nob and I'm not a Lee basher, but I see guys getting into reloading new and getting these crummy entry level Lee presses that appear to be made of pot metal for more than I can get a very high quality press used for at a gun show or similar.

I think I'll like this Redding. And the Bair.

[lotech]

I have an Ultramag and an RCBS Big Max, but for most day-to-day rifle cartridge loading, I use a Co-Ax. I've had all these presses a long time, perhaps thirty years or more. They're all good quality tools.

[sierra1911]

I purchased an Ultramag many years ago because my Dillon XL650 couldn't handle the length of my 30-378 Weatherby rounds. It's a great, strong press but I use it for virtually nothing else because of the length of the stroke - a lot of movement to get the ball on the end of that long handle to the bottom. It does have an incredible amount of leverage and over 4" from the top of the ram to the bottom of the die bushing when the handle is up.

[762sultan]

I have a Redding and seldom use it. I have trouble placing my hands between the two bars to place and remove the round to be processed. My old RCBS A2 gets most of the work. I got a good deal when I bought it so it came home with me. I know I could sell it for more than I paid for it but just hate to let it go.

[jaguarxk120]

The Redding UltraMag press is a newer version of the
Pacific SuperMag press. Super strong because the links attach
to the press head. The SuperMag is massive due to the three rams it has
other wise they are the same press. Oh, the Redding press sets vertical and the
SuperMag tilts back 15 degree's.

[1hole]

I hate to come across as as nob and I'm not a Lee basher, but I see guys getting into reloading new and getting these crummy entry level Lee presses that appear to be made of pot metal for more than I can get a very high quality press used for at a gun show or similar.

Glad you're not just another Lee basher. But, after some 60 years of reloading on a wide variety of tools and knowing what I know about the tools I'm puzzled; truth is, Lee's stuff works. I'm yet to see how so many who say they don't bash Lee will bash Lee for a few "crummy entry level" presses that happily fill the life-time needs of the vast majority of casual reloaders. And Lee's Classic Cast (iron/steel) is as strong as any other press of it's type, probably stronger than most.

Lee's light presses do everything most reloaders are likely to ever need. They are not made of "pot metal" at all, whatever that is, but very high grade aluminum alloy. We really can trust it; it's the same stuff as is used for our scope tubes; the frames for most pistols and many rifles (M-16) and shotguns; outboard motors and propellers and boats; many auto motor blocks and transmission housings; virtually all airplanes and missiles; etc., so it seems to be holding up at least fairly well. (Do the various aluminum presses from RCBS, Dillon, Hornady fit into your "pot metal" press category?)

Your bargain gun show prices differ greatly from mine. Most everything I see for reloading runs 30-50% higher than mail order, sometimes twice that.

I think I'll like this Redding. And the Bair.

I think you'll like' em too, they're both great tools. Massive chunks of cast iron ARE impressive even tho it's not needed very often.


IMHO, a press is a press. At the end of the day, what we each prefer is subjective. Splitting hairs and our strong personal tastes aside, they all work about the same; that's why they have all survived in the market for so long.

Redding's unique UltraMag is perhaps the strongest press ever marketed to the common reloader. It's far more press than almost any reloader will ever need BUT, if anyone truly wants to reform .50 BMG into .222 Rem. that's the press for trying it! ????

[jaguarxk120]

Over the years I have done very well buying reloading equipment at sportsmans swaps
and estate sales. Some of the tools were just too inexpensive to turn down,
cleaning and fresh paint will turn a grungy press looking like new.
I'm always looking for the older tools that were built like tanks, they last forever.

[gwpercle]

I'm also addicted to old reloading presses ... but like lost puppies and stray cats ...
I keep them . Seems like once in my possession ... they all stay .
Pressman can tell you everything you want to know ...he's a professional press collector and knows everything ... send him a PM
Gary

[jaguarxk120]

The Redding UltraMag press is one of those presses that are classic. It will do anything
asked of it. Not much can out class this press, it is a great find and I hope Rich
enjoys it for a long time.

[richhodg66]

Glad you're not just another Lee basher. But, after some 60 years of reloading on a wide variety of tools and knowing what I know about the tools I'm puzzled; truth is, Lee's stuff works. I'm yet to see how so many who say they don't bash Lee will bash Lee for a few "crummy entry level" presses that happily fill the life-time needs of the vast majority of casual reloaders. And Lee's Classic Cast (iron/steel) is as strong as any other press of it's type, probably stronger than most.

Lee's light presses do everything most reloaders are likely to ever need. They are not made of "pot metal" at all, whatever that is, but very high grade aluminum alloy. We really can trust it; it's the same stuff as is used for our scope tubes; the frames for most pistols and many rifles (M-16) and shotguns; outboard motors and propellers and boats; many auto motor blocks and transmission housings; virtually all airplanes and missiles; etc., so it seems to be holding up at least fairly well. (Do the various aluminum presses from RCBS, Dillon, Hornady fit into your "pot metal" press category?)

Your bargain gun show prices differ greatly from mine. Most everything I see for reloading runs 30-50% higher than mail order, sometimes twice that.



I think you'll like' em too, they're both great tools. Massive chunks of cast iron ARE impressive even tho it's not needed very often.


IMHO, a press is a press. At the end of the day, what we each prefer is subjective. Splitting hairs and our strong personal tastes aside, they all work about the same; that's why they have all survived in the market for so long.

Redding's unique UltraMag is perhaps the strongest press ever marketed to the common reloader. It's far more press than almost any reloader will ever need BUT, if anyone truly wants to reform .50 BMG into .222 Rem. that's the press for trying it! ????

Been on several reloading sites the past 20 years or so. Seen quite a few breakages of those Lee presses (notthe big cast iron one which will handle .50 BMG). Bottom line, I don't recall anybody breaking the frame of a RCBS, Redding, Lyman, etc. Guess if all you load is .32 ACP one would be OK, personally, I like over built.

[onelight]

Different strokes , my Orange crusher sits in the closet 95% my other iron press is in a cabinet in the garage but I kept them both I may need them again I use 3 Lee's . If I had to size a bunch of machine gun brass I would get the Lyman out . The longest case I load is 30-06 mostly .32 to 45 colt.
But a little 223 ,7-08 , 308 , 30-06 , 356 Winchester , 358 and 45-70.

[1hole]

Been on several reloading sites the past 20 years or so. Seen quite a few breakages of those Lee presses (notthe big cast iron one which will handle .50 BMG). Bottom line, I don't recall anybody breaking the frame of a RCBS, Redding, Lyman, etc. Guess if all you load is .32 ACP one would be OK, personally, I like over built.

Certainly some of Lee's alum presses have been broken by mechanical clods with no idea of what's rational to expect from his tools. Ditto photos of broken RCBS alum presses. (And I have seen photos of broken top straps in a few Rock Chuckers!) All that proves is some folks can destroy an anvil with a spoon.

If you're serious about choosing expensive "overbuilt" tools, I wonder: do you only use Redding's UltraMag press and dies to reload for your own .32 ACP so you don't have to worry about it breaking no matter what you do wrong? If not, may we fairly believe your smug "overbuilt" idealism isn't as serious as you seem to want us to believe?

Tools of any kind should be chosen for what is needed, not what others may need - or think they need.

I've been doing this since 1965; I now have a wide variety of reloading tools, and some were quite expensive. But I didn't start out that way and I haven't forgotten what it's like to be a young family man strapped for cash.

When you, like a lot of other web experts, use your own costly big iron choices as justification to publically sneer at Lee's many happy users that attitude bothers me. Bottom line, what YOU (or I or anyone else) may "like" is hardly a qualifier for what other people should purchase without fear of being publicly belittled is it?

Think about it. ???