Having a second single stage press

[Mauser48]

I was at a friend's house yesterday and scored an rcbs rock chucker supreme with roller handle and an rcbs power trimmer/case prep station for free! Now that I have a second rock chucker, what should I set it up for? Those of you that have multiple single stage presses, what do you like to use them for? Thanks!

[toallmy]

Never hurts to have a lee universal decaping die at the ready .

[Ickisrulz]

I have a dedicated Rock Chucker I use to size bullets on using Lee Sizer Dies. It is in another building apart from where I reload.

[dverna]

I decap military cases with a Lee Universal die in a RC in case a berdan case in encountered. I have a case kicker on it so it is faster than the Co-Ax.

I plan the press to process .40 brass to remove bulges from Glock chambers.

The Co-Ax is used for load development and to produce hunting and varmint ammunition.

[Paul_R]

I do boolit sizing and decapping on a Hornady classic and everything else on a Redding Big Boss II. Usually. I also have a Hornady L&L AP in the mix.

[RogerDat]

Decapping, Lee EZ-Trim die holder, swage die for crimp removal in primer pocket of military brass, Lee bullet sizing. Gas Check maker.

Note each of these can be spun in quickly, because all the way down or stop ring controls depth well. Biggest use for me is bullet sizing and case trimming, but set up right now for prime pocket swaging as I work through a batch of .223 / 5.56 brass.

[Littlewolf]

i have 4 single stage presses bolted to the bench spartan 1 is for the size de-prime die, spartan 2 m-die and re-prime, spartan 3 seating, lee classic for boolit sizing

[OS OK]

Why worry about it being 'dedicated'...just let the two of them work together however it best suits your needs...a single stage press has to do it all.

[GhostHawk]

Flexible is good. A small cheap Lee classic cast mounted upside down is IMO handy.

Universal flaring tool is handy to have in a press at times.

Some Lee dies no longer seat and crimp in one operation, but take 2.
A second press is a wham bam thank you ma'am over and done operation.

Let time be your guide, heck live a little, see how many things you can find to do with it.

[Kevin Rohrer]

I use one for decapping and small job priming, as well as bullet-pulling.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I do case prep on my Rockchucker and assembly on my C&H 444 where it is charge, seat bullet and crimp by moving the cartridge across the three front stations.

You could do the same thing with 2 or 3 of the Small Lee C presses that are like $25 each, by lining them up on a 1x4 to clamp to your bench when you need to. Those presses aren't strong enough to do F/L sizing IMO, but are fine for seating bullets and crimping. It's a simple and inexpensive way to speed up production.

Randy

[JeffG]

If I'm preparing to load something that I traditionally do on single stage, I'll put the sizing die in one press and the expander in the other. I typically buy 2 shell holders and the presses are next to earth other so it saves time. Beyond that, I generally keep a universal decapper on one and a gas check seating or expanding setup on the other.

[Shawlerbrook]

I load for a lot of leverguns and use a Lee FCD in one press while I seat the bullet in another. Also, the universal decapper is another use for the second press.

[mdi]

I have three presses I use "regularly" with a Rock Dock mounting system. I have a heavy duty CH "O" press I use for heavy work (sizing jacketed bullets, heavy case sizing, etc.) and some decapping. I also have a Pacific "C" press I use for priming and bullet sizing (Lee dies), and my go to, all around press is my Co-Ax...

[Bookworm]

I used a single stage for years. Then I traded into a second single-stage press.
I mounted them next to each other - I put sized and primed cases in the first, to flare and charge, then moved the case to the second press to seat and crimp.

Man, I was in tall cotton !

Then I got the turret press.....

[Wayne Smith]

I'm like Randy, but instead of his 444 I have a Brown Bair three station press. However, I find that, since I decap and expand in one stage, then polish, prime off station, and use my B&M powder measure, I then seat and crimp on the Bair. That means I usually use two of the three stations most of the time. The exception is when I load 44-40 and have the powder compression die in a station. Then I use all three. When I seat and crimp I keep the expand die (Usually an M die) in one station just in case I missed one (it has happened!) or come across a shorter case (45ACP sometimes happens) and need to turn the stem down a touch to get enough expansion.

While the throw of the RCBS units may be a little extreme for pistol loading you could do the same thing with two of them mounted side by side. With a powder measure between them you could decap and resize rifle shells on one, put them in the cleaner, reprime with a hand primer, then mount your M die in one an your seat die in the other.

[jsizemore]

When working up rifle loads, 1 to size and the other to seat. For handgun, 1 to seat and the other to crimp.

[LAKEMASTER]

I have a lee O frame i abuse for sizing lead and rifle cases.

Its mounted to a 4x4 that's drilled to the wall. I made it sturdy cause i pc before sizing. So certain calibers Are tough to size.

[Walter Laich]

my second is for upside down sizing using the Lee sizing dies.

two nice things about this:
1. bullets drop into a large container so I don't have to worry about the Lee red one getting pushed open by the sized bullets
2. very easy to place unsized bullets in the sizing die, no 'careful placement on shaft' or spring around shaft to keep the bullets from falling off.

did take a few minutes to get used to pushing up to size them vs. normal push down--but not a big deal

[HangFireW8]

I have 3 single stages in a row on a 2x6, and a fourth on a short piece of 2x6.

I use the first three for assembly line rifle. For cast, it is usually Redding neck S bushing sizing die, Lee/NOE expander, and seating. For jacketed, it is usually body die, Redding S FL bushing die, and seater.

The fourth press is a Forster that usually has a decap die mounted.

I also have a progressive for handgun.

-HF

[psweigle]

I use my single stages to deprime with a universal die, size boolits, prime with the auto prime 2, or load rifle cartridges. Almost everything else gets the turret press.

[David2011]

Mauser48,

This is in the category of "If you build it they will come." The second press doesn't need to be for anything specific. Its usefulness will change with what you're doing. I have all of my single stage tools- presses, swager, powder measures, trimmers, etc. on plates that all have a matching bolt pattern and corresponding threaded inserts in the top of my bench. I've had up to 3 single stage presses mounted at one time. Other times there's a different type tool at each position. Enjoy your good fortune!

[Recluse]

Mauser48,

This is in the category of "If you build it they will come." The second press doesn't need to be for anything specific. Its usefulness will change with what you're doing. I have all of my single stage tools- presses, swager, powder measures, trimmers, etc. on plates that all have a matching bolt pattern and corresponding threaded inserts in the top of my bench. I've had up to 3 single stage presses mounted at one time. Other times there's a different type tool at each position. Enjoy your good fortune!

^^THIS^^

One cannot have too many reloading presses on the bench.

:coffee:

[tunnug]

I have two mounted rock chuckers, one I set up with the LNL quick change conversion kit, once I have the die set adjusted it's just a matter of popping the die in and start pulling the lever.

[Jack Stanley]

Ain't it great not being limited to just ONE? While I don't de-cap with either my Spartan or the Pacific 007 , they each get called on to work from time to time .

Jack

[Kevin Rohrer]

I keep a collet-style bullet puller in my lone single-stage. It always seems to be needed--like this morning, when I pulled 50-bullets to even-out the charges. <sigh>

[robg]

Use a wamadet press for most stuff ,use Lee reloader c press for sizing lead and for fcd for my 223 and 308.fancy a turret but I'm a bit set in my ways and have always used a single stage press.

[Big Tom]

Most of the time, I am set up to loading multiple calibers, so 500 S&W on the one single stage and 45-70 one the other. Don't have one dedicated for priming or depriming, they are being used for whatever is needed.

[ulav8r]

Have 3, my original Rockchucker bought about 1973, a Texan c press inherited from my brother, and a green Reloader Special made in 1980 acquired at a yard sale. Would like to have at least one more to modify to a short stroke. I made a ram extension to use on the Texan but converting to a short stroke would suit my needs better and I do not want to do it to the Texan.

[higgins]

I use my Rockchucker to FL resize rifle cases, and occasionally for large pistol cases. I use the old Spartan for everything else; it's lack of leverage gives better feel when seating bullets. I prime with hand tools.

[Markopolo]

I use a lee progressive for most things cuz the die disk's are fast and easy to change out, and use one for most calibers I load for... but right next to it sits a rockchucker... and it is loaded up with...

199134

The RCBS cowboy 12g brass shell loader. The die is larger then standard dies, and I just love the control it gives you when working with vintage brass 12g BP loading... I load with it using the old style 11g wads from Alcan and such, and it is just plain fun.. I highly recommend it if you can find vintage or mag tech 12g brass shells.

[Rich/WIS]

I have an older Lyman turret dedicated to 45 ACP with a Lee universal depriming die filling an extra hole. A RCBC RC for reloading rifle ammo and the small Lee C press for priming with an auto Prime II. In case of dire emergency still have my original Lyman Spartan in a box ready to bolt down. My weakness is lubrisizers, have dedicated ones for 45ACP, 243 and 30 and one floater for 357, 40 S&W and 45 Colt. Naturally, to feed all that, I have a Lee 20 pounder and two Lyman 10 pounders as backup.