Which press and why?

[carbine86]

I am looking at getting a new single stage press. I am currently torn between the lee classic cast breech lock and the hornady lock n load presses. I am looking for answers from people that have had one or both of these presses. Thanks.

Nick

Also sorry if this question has been asked already.

[jmort]

My next press is going to be the Classic Cast Breech Lock to compliment my Breech Lock Hand presses. Quick change bushings are the same. Most all the single stage presses work just fine.

Never hurts to read owner/user reviews on Midway USA. Classic Cast Breech 4.7 out of 5 stars based on 23 reviews.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/824144/lee-classic-cast-breech-lock-single-stage-press

Hornady Lock-N-Load 4.3 stars out of 5 stars based on 26 reviews. On clearance sale now.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/197894/hornady-lock-n-load-classic-single-stage-press

[VHoward]

I went with the Lee classic cast instead of the classic cast breechlock because I like my primers exiting the bottom of the ram into the collection tube instead of out the side of the ram onto the floor. I have the Lee anniversary breech lock single stage and the primers exit the side of the ram and about 50 % of the primers ended up on the floor instead of the collection tube. I bought the Hornady Lock n Load bushing conversion kit to put on my classic cast, so now I have an awesome press with quick change dies and the primers don't go all over the floor.

[1hole]

Your question is virtually meaningless other than as personal preference and my needs and personal preference may not be close to yours. Tell us what level of experience you have, what cartridges will you be loading and about how much volume per month would you expect to load on your new press?

[brtelec]

It does not matter really. Unless you are a total precision nut, or a benchrest shooter any decent quality single stage will do what you need it to do. I have a Lee Classic cast, an RCBS Rockchucker, a Lee cast 4 hole turret and a Forster co-ax. They all have their uses and they all perform flawlessly. If I were reloading and not handloading, there is a difference, I would buy the Lee and pocket the difference.

[carbine86]

It does not matter really. Unless you are a total precision nut, or a benchrest shooter any decent quality single stage will do what you need it to do. I have a Lee Classic cast, an RCBS Rockchucker, a Lee cast 4 hole turret and a Forster co-ax. They all have their uses and they all perform flawlessly. If I were reloading and not handloading, there is a difference, I would buy the Lee and pocket the difference.

As far as pocketing the difference right not the hornady is about 4 bucks cheaper as it is $40 on sale but i already have 4 breech locks for the lee. Thanks you guys have already helped make up my at the time almost made up mine. The lee it is.

[seaboltm]

Nothing wrong with the Lee single stage cast iron versions. I use one for heavy duty needs.

[Petrol & Powder]

Just about any of the "O" framed presses from the major suppliers will work for decades., some a lifetime or more. It's the little features that separate them and for me - they don't separate them very much.
I have owned a RCBS for a long time and will never part with it but in all honesty, the Lee does the same thing. I have friends that use Lee presses and they work just fine. As for Lee vs. Hornady - pick the one you like best. The aluminum vs. iron thing is probably not an issue for most reloaders.
I wished I could have afforded a Redding press or Forster co-ax when I was getting started but I didn't have the money then. I can't justify one now because the RCBS does the job just fine.
I use a RCBS for rifle and a Dillon 550B for handgun and I'm very satisfied with that set-up.

[Garyshome]

Whatever you get the best deal on! If you don't like it you can sell it and get something else later.

[geargnasher]

Precision benchrest nuts don't load with presses anyway. Just sayin'..

Gear

[brtelec]

Precision benchrest nuts don't load with presses anyway. Just sayin'..

Gear

I beg to differ. I am incredibly anal retentive about my rifle ammo and I do all my loading for my precision rifles on my Forster Co-Ax. I bought my Co-Ax at the recommendation of a couple of bench rest shooters whose opinions I respect. Plus I said precision nut OR benchrest shooter, not precision benchrest shooter.

[btroj]

I like my redding T7. No messing around taking dies out all the time. It makes good ammo, well enough to go Distinguished.

[brtelec]

Yeah the T7 is a tank. If I were going to buy a turret that would be a no brainer. It is amazing how rigid the T7 is. Decades ago I had a Lyman T-Mag and was very happy with it, but it was no match for the Redding.

[Bayou52]

I am currently torn between the lee classic cast breech lock and the hornady lock n load presses. I am looking for answers from people that have had one or both of these presses.

Sorry - I've been a RCBS RockChucker devotee for about 40 years now..........!

Bayou52

[Frank Savage]

Depends on what and how are you going to reload. If any one or more from list below:
-Feeding your cases with Holy black (esp. if depriming on the press by universal decapper before wash)
-Long cartridges, like 7x64 (and long, heavy bullets); 9,3x72; 38-72; 458 WinMag or 375 HH etc or longer
-experimenting with long bullets seated far fruther

I recomend go with Classic cast. The extra space availible is a blessing for long cases and bullets, when you don´t have to watch closely not to tip the bullet and distort neck roundness on the way under the seater and saves time and nerves. I bought the LCC in small country in Europe (Europe is mostly second class market for most of the imported gun related stuff-and even here the alignement is pretty damn good, no wobble (well, the very first digit in thousandts). The Hornady is the same in this department, but the spent primer handling and lot of space under top bar of the frame gives edge to Lee if abovementioned is to be considered.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

One thing to be aware of when you're using a breechlock or LnL system. Different presses, due to tolerances, may not handle the dies the same, so you end up have to adjust dies you use in both presses. Having used the LnL bushings in a Lee Classic Cast and seeing the Lee Breechlock set up at a friend's house, I would lean toward the Lee Classic Cast. Not because of bushing capability, but because of the spent primer capability of the Classic Cast.

Why is this so important? Cleanliness. When the spent/dirty primers go down the ram, into a tube and into a coffee can or other receptacle, they stay off your press, off your floor and none of the dirt/filth gets into your reloading process or into the mechanics of your press. So as the years pass, your press lasts longer, because the filth of the spent primers isn't wearing away at the metal parts of your ram.

[77ruger]

Hornady..I have the Case Prep and it works great!

[Lloyd Smale]

hard to be a good old rock chucker. Convert it to snap in dies with the hornady conversion and you to me woudl have the best all around single stage press. Ive got a rock chucker and a hornady. I like the quick change of the hornady but the rockchuker is a bit more beefy.