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Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. #5880685 08/16/15 01:03 PM
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Mike Honcho Offline OP
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I have several presses, and the longer i load, going on 18 yrs, the more i think its the dies and not really the press. I have a lee "o", forester co-ax, handed down lyman 5 hole turret, older model rock chucker, and have used a dillon 550 and 650. Until recently all match grade loads were done on the forester. Lately been using the good ol lee press and buddy's dillon with match dies a lot and have gotten same accuracy?


“Two things that define an individual what you do when you have everything, and what you do when you have nothing."


Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5880698 08/16/15 01:20 PM
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I agree as long as the press is strudy enough to handle the the particular job not much difference in end result with quality dies.
I use my presses by cartridge just for convenience. The Forster gets 6.8 size cases and down when doing smaller quantities and the Hornady progressive gets the larger numbers.
I still use my Rockchucker from 1973 for larger cartridges except .308 which I leave those dies set-up in an C-H Press that holds 4 dies if needed.
Pistol stuff gets the Dillon 650.


"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."

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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5880739 08/16/15 01:56 PM
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I don't think the type of press really matters. As long is it holds the die straight and true. I want a co ax because I never have to deal with shell holders and I like the quick change set up.

I use an old rcbs chucker for rifle and Hornady lnl ap for pistol and brass processing.
if I had my way I would have 1050s for 45, 223, and 308 always set up clap

Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5880754 08/16/15 02:08 PM
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The Co-Ax is the best press for rifle rounds in the history of the world.

All make straight ammo, but the ability to swap dies at will and none of then lose the thousandths specific setting they had.


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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: J.G.] #5880988 08/16/15 04:43 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
The Co-Ax is the best press for rifle rounds in the history of the world.

All make straight ammo, but the ability to swap dies at will and none of then lose the thousandths specific setting they had.


+1 on the Co-Ax. If you load for several cartridges, the fast die swap is very nice. And I believe that the die's ability to slightly "float" in the press results in a bit straighter ammo. I don't particularly care for the primer seating station on the Co-Ax, so I use hand primers from Lee and RCBS.

And of course, the Co-Ax isn't a progressive press, so it wouldn't be the first choice for high volume loading of pistol rounds.


"For every complex problem there is an answer that is clear, simple.....and wrong." H. L. Mencken
Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5881071 08/16/15 06:07 PM
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I've seen the Co-Ax in stock at several places...tempting


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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5881113 08/16/15 06:35 PM
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After researching for a while I received my co-ax last week as my first press for precision loading.

Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5881142 08/16/15 07:01 PM
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I completely the co-ax is a precision piece of equipment far tighter than the tolerances than the others mentioned. I just cant explain why the ol lee "o" press is giving a run for its money. I got that press back when i first wanted to do my "own" loading, not using the old mans rock chucker.

Last edited by jorge; 08/16/15 07:02 PM.

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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5881244 08/16/15 08:25 PM
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When I first recieved my Forster I played around with some Match brass and custom made bullets to see if I could discern a difference in one press vs another and my Forster runout gauge said no difference all other things being equal.


"Anyone taking up handloading necessarily plays with unknown factors and takes chances. But so does anyone who drives a car,goes to a cocktail party,eats in a restaurant,or gets married."

Jack O'Connor 1963
Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5881380 08/16/15 10:18 PM
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Y'all are missing the best part about the co-ax, no primer mess. You can get the swapping dies ease with the Hornady lock n load but the primers make a huge mess.


Originally Posted by Phil Robertson
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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Judd] #5881584 08/17/15 12:34 AM
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You got us twisted homie.

Who gives a chit about spent primers? Yes you can swap dies in the Hornady, and every single die requires you to buy a corresponding collet for it. Silly bench-rester.


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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5881684 08/17/15 01:23 AM
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Haha....you would give a crap if that nasty residue gets on the press ram and starts squeaking and binding the rest, don't ask me how I know wink

Oh and those costs are the cheapest thing I've ever spent in this game smile


Originally Posted by Phil Robertson
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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Judd] #5881790 08/17/15 02:10 AM
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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5881891 08/17/15 02:55 AM
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I've been running a couple Lee Turret Presses for several decades for all my reloading needs.Never had any problems making really accurate ammo with them,and all my dies stay set up and ready to swap out in a couple seconds in their own turret plates.
The Co-Ax is the finest single stage press ever made,I just can't make myself pay that much coin for a single stage press.

Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5881940 08/17/15 03:33 AM
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I'm considering going to an arbor press and hand dies for all my seating needs.

Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5882160 08/17/15 01:25 PM
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reading he reviews on the co-ax, is there a problem with the primer set up? one review states its finicky to set up.


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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: 6.5x47Lapua] #5882225 08/17/15 02:11 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
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Not quite that simple on the Hornady press...you have to disassemble it and clean the sleeve the ram slides in. Regardless, on the co-ax you don't have those issues because they keep that mess separate. smile


Originally Posted By: 6.5x47Lapua
I'm considering going to an arbor press and hand dies for all my seating needs.


I've made the change...you get a much more consistent OAL and if you buy either a 21st Century or K&M press you can measure neck tension and group like neck tensions together. If you're shooting moa targets I'm not so sure you'll see a big difference but as you go smaller you have to tighen up all loading practices and I'm convinced it's made a difference in my shooting.


Originally Posted by Phil Robertson
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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5882243 08/17/15 02:19 PM
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RCBS Rockchucker is all ive ever used. No complaints thus far. Im convinced every issue ive encountered was my own.


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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5882477 08/17/15 04:54 PM
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I run a Redding T-7 as my main precision single stage reloading press. Any good press will load match grade ammo with good dies and checking your ammo for consistency. I ran an old CH Tool and Die press from the 60's for several years when I first got into shooting competitions. It made great ammo. If you tune the load to your rifle, most any press will load good ammo.


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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: ChadTRG42] #5882568 08/17/15 05:45 PM
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Originally Posted By: ChadTRG42
I run a Redding T-7 as my main precision single stage reloading press. Any good press will load match grade ammo with good dies and checking your ammo for consistency. I ran an old CH Tool and Die press from the 60's for several years when I first got into shooting competitions. It made great ammo. If you tune the load to your rifle, most any press will load good ammo.


I like that you can keep the dies locked in on the t-7. Do you have any experience with changing the turret? I know you can buy separate ones. How repeatable is it switching between head?

Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5882738 08/17/15 07:12 PM
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I only use one head, and don't switch between them. If you bought an extra turret head, you could swap them out easily with the main bolt on top. It would be very repeatable. But with 7 stations, it would be easy to just change out the dies faster. I like using the T-7 because I can easily switch between 2 dies with the slide of the head. I often have the sizing die and seating die in place when seating bullets. I often need to clean up the case necks before I chamfer the case mouth, so I run the case up into the sizing die just enough to kiss the expander ball to round out the neck, and them chamfer.


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Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5883581 08/18/15 02:57 AM
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Loaded question, pun intended.


Pass the gravy.


Re: Whats yalls opinions on reloading presses. [Re: Mike Honcho] #5885843 08/19/15 04:08 PM
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I have green ones (RCBS) and blue ones. I'm tempted by the Redding T-7 and the Co-Ax though. Will never give up my 550s and will probably always have a Rockchucker around.


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