Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Best single stage press

Another vote for the T7. I can't believe I waited so long to buy one.

Buying a $300 T7 over a Dillon 550B strikes me as very short-sighted. For less than a C-note more you can get Dillon's stripped down 550:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=risKd6tknJo

Though, why anyone would not want to use Dillon's priming system baffles me.

Funny you can link youtube but can't post a picture of ANYTHING you've done.

Been running Forster Co-ax and RC but recently removed the RC as it was just taking up space. I prefer the co-ax.

What is funny to me is the fact that that really bothers your gay azz.

IIRC, the Lee Classic Cast has a hole thru the ram and primes drop into a plastic tube. The Redding Big Boss II does the same. I like the Rockchucker, but those presses with the primer catching tube are the cleanest. Primers are always jumping out of those RCBS primer trays.

IMHO,

DF

Rockcucker, I am only saying that because it's the only one that I have owned, had it since 1974.

For the dollar, a Rockchucker used on Ebay can be a bargain. If there's any problem, RCBS will fix it, even overhaul on older, even beat up press.

DF

All, I wore out my old Lyman Spartan about 25 years ago (kept breaking the handle off at the end of the threads and it got too short) and bought an RC. I do a fair amount of case forming and I know I can't bend that one, and if I do I'll call RCBS.-Muddy

The best quality single stage is probably the Forster Co-ax. It is expensive and has some limitations however. I have used most presses; Rock chucker, Boss, Big Boss, Ultra Mag, RCBS Jr, and a Pacific. A couple of years ago I switched to a T7 and never looked back. It is definitely the most useful of all the single stage presses.

Comparing it to a Dillon 550 is meaningless. I have used them and would never want to load my accurate rifle ammo on one. For long range work you need to weigh your powder charges for one thing.

I couldn't agree more, loading a lot of LR ammo on a Dillon 550 is stupid. You should use a Dillon 650, like John Whidden:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHpjkBLiJx0

Awesome pix, TAK!

Agree about the Dillon. I have a 550B set up for a dozen or so pistol rounds, each with its own tool head, dies and powder measure all set and ready to go. And for that use it's great.

I see no reason why someone would want a stripped down 550 to use as a single stage press for full size and magnum rifle rounds.

If I was looking for a single stage press, I'd check out the Lee Classic Cast and the Redding Big Boss II, for their spent primer handling feature. If I was strapped for cash, I'd get a used Rockchucker on Ebay. There are a lot of them out there, enough to be offered on the used market. The Lee and Redding are probably too new to have adequate numbers out there to be seen in the used market. One could occasionally show up on Ebay.

DF

Has anyone used a RCBS Summit yet?

Hows the Lee Classic Turret stack up against the Redding T7?

I'm still a newb when it comes to reloading, but the only things made by Lee that I found worth a chit were the Classic Cast and the Collett dies.

Notice the CoAx is second to none in handling spent primers.

Notice that here as most places capitalism works and more money is a better press but diminishing returns kick in pretty early - the Lee will do folks all their lives (I used a 310 exclusively when I started when that was all I had it was good enough and a Lee is better than that), a used Rockchucker will do people all their lives. My most used press in terms of time pulling the handle is a Harrel's turret because it's set up on my desk next to the computer screen and I can rather mindlessly decap and size especially the smaller cases including pistol I shoot the most - I like to decap early in the process before tumbling/vibrating - I even use a plier Pope style decapper but I'm nervous about lead styphenate.

For further processing a progressive or a CoAx (second series so I give up something in clearance under the handle for the longest cases with micrometer dies) and I have a T7 mostly so I can leave Redding Instant Indicators set up and a Hollywood Universal Turret for really big cases.

In terms of cases loaded of course a progressive and I don't use a turret as anything but a single stage batch processing with the dies already setup for whatever I'm doing right now. The CoAx solves a lot of problems most people will not have. I think it was Peg Bracken who wrote beware of spending money to solve problems you don't have. The Hollywood is for when nothing smaller will do which may not be this year. It's been a long long time since I needed a primer punch for domed primers

I've had a Rockchucker going since 1975. Still going strong. During the years when I was into high volume reloading for pistol bullets, I had added a Piggy Back unit on top. Worked well. Now it is mostly rifle ammo, and it still loads great ammo. Plus I have had good treatment from RCBS in the customer service department. If I was going high volume pistol again, Dillon would get the nod.

Uhh, how 'bout going from 45acp to 308 in under a minute. If you are loading for a bolt gun, you can use a Lee Collet sizer and you don't have to lube. Ball powders drop quite accurately from the Dillon measure. You can us one of those auto powder drops and a funnel at station two and that is no different than any other press then, except a LOT faster.

You can use a Lee Collet die only so much. At some point you need to size the case and bump the shoulder. What if you can't find a ball powder that works for your rifle. A Dillon is not the best press to use for general rifle loading, especially when accuracy is important.

You really need to get in touch with John Whidden and David Tubb and clue them in then, since they both load virtually all of their competition ammo on Dillon blue machines. Maybe they'll win a match one day with your help.

Need to bump the shoulder back? That is what they make body dies for. Having four or five stations on your press, all working simultaneously, opens lots of doors.