What is the best single stage press?

I have a Lee Classic Cast and have loaded some good rounds with it. I believe it to be great for the price.

I also believe an expensive press might have tighter tolerances. Therefore more repeatability. But I do not have the machine shop skills to measure this

I have used a Lee, RCBS Rockchucker and Forster. Of the three I prefer my Forster. I like not having to have a shell holder for every cartridge head size. Its primmer system is a bit slow, but very consistant. I also like the ease of changing out dies. So far I can't say one produces more accuracy then the other.

Redding T7

Redding Big Boss II.

I don't care much for turret presses and love the spent primer system. After years of spent primers bouncing out of my Rockchucker primer tray, this system is appreciated.

And, the Big Boss seems to have more clearance than the Rockchucker for longer rounds.

DF

I want to try the rcbs summit.

Made in china, like the current rock chucker?

I dunno, probably. Isn't everything?

Nothing Redding is.

"Best"? Redding's Ultramag. But ammo is made in the dies. All a press can do is push cases in and pull them out of the dies. If the users skills aren't high no press or dies ever made can correct for that!

With good dies - and most are - plus good components and good load development, a skilled reloader can make precision ammo with any normal press; without good skills none of the rest matters very much.

I've got a RCBS rockchucker and a forster co-ax. The rockchucker is indestructible, but the forster is more precise and easier to load straight ammo with. I use them both, but the co-ax gets more use.

I've got a RCBS Rockchucker and wish I'd of gotten the Forster Co-ax. For all the reasons listed above.

I've used several different presses. I bought a Lee "just to see". It seems the folks that bash Lee presses are merely talking through their wallets. The Lee turns out as good ammo as the two RCBS I also use at this time.
You don't have to have a lot of shop skills to make good ammo but you do need a pretty good bench (shooting) technique to determine that it is good.

I have owned a Rockchucker since 1973, only press I have ever owned and probably ever own.

You have as good as you will ever need

There is no best and many good enough. NO machinists skills needed - do your loads perform to your satisfaction?

If so you're good to go if not then look for areas of improvement.

One area of improvement is technique. One test is run out another is consistency of length. Some folks will use a rubber o-ring under the lock ring to give a floating effect much like the Coax. I've got a Coax and it's everything it's cracked up to be but it's a luxury for many people or maybe for people who handload as a hobby rather than a chore. I've got a T-7 as well which I use for leaving Redding Instant Indicators setup while I may load with dies in another press. The press I use the most in the sense of spend more time cranking the handle is a Harrell's 4 station turret as shown on the cover of one of Zediker's books all of which I recommend. The Harrell's is NOT the most versatile and won't do .50 Browning or the various oversize British or Blackpowder cartridges - I've got a Hollywood Universal Turret for big cartridges and bigger than 7/8-14 dies but I can't suggest that's an ideal press for general use.

Once again trying to buy quality without an understanding of the process and quality control is not the best value.

stay with what you have no need to upgrade shell do more than fine

Have had RCBS JR & Rockchucker with which I was satisfied. Also owned a Coax for a while. I now load all my ammo on Ponsness Warren P200 and Metal-matic II, great presses precision made and a joy to use.

+1

I load my ammo on a very old RCBS A-2 press. No complaints here!

Another vote for the Forster Coax...

John

I have a 46 year old Rockchucker and a 5 year old Co-Ax. There is little to no difference in the concnetricity of loaded ammo. Both are as good as the dies and components allow.

I do like the Co-Ax more, but would be happy with just the Rockchucker.

I've used the same RCBS RS-3 press for over 25 years and have no complaints. I've thought about looking for a new press, but there's nothing wrong with the one I have. Buy more components and shoot.

Been using a RCBS RockChucker since 1978, it has been a great press, still tight and in alignment. My only limitation was when I owned a .375 H&H - had too little vertical window opening to easily seat the bullets. If I was buying a new one it would be the Redding Big Boss - still made in the USA and with a higher opening for fitting tall shell/bullet combinations.

Man, not much love for the Redding T7

That might be why...

The Redding T7 is a single stage press. Having a turret head don't change that. There ain't more than one operation going on at the pull of the handle.

Apparently lots of folks don't know what a single stage press is.

There is no best press. Every reloading manufacturer has it's champions that think it's the best. I've used RCBS Jr, RCBS Rockchucker, Pacific C frame, Lyman C frame Herter and maybe a couple other's. Every one of them did what I wanted to do and did it right. I've had a Rockchucker for 20+ yrs now. Got it used, works fine.

Semantics. Having a turret makes it a turret press for me, but I get what you're saying.

Not really, single stage is single stage. Meaning only one stage, one operation happening at the roll of the lever. Turret tells you what type of single stage it is, but it's still a single stage press.

Yep! That's what I meant by, "I get what you're saying".

I really need to get me a T7 or two. Did you bother with any of the replaceable turrets for yours?

If I were to get a turret, a T7 it would be.

I won't buy a Redding T-7! But only because I will never wear out my Redding model 25 turret press - built like a CAT-9 bulldozer - it is a single stage press, it just has six dies already adjusted for use. I keep mine set up with 45 Colt and 44 Mag dies - ready anytime I need it. I prefer the RockChucker for bottleneck cases and the turret for straight wall cases.

I've always been amused at experts who slime "C" presses and tout the T-7, which is a C press with the added slop of a revolving turret. ??

Another Co-Ax man here.
Bought mine about ten years ago and haven't used my 40 year old RockChucker since.
About a year ago I finally realized it was just taking up space and getting in the way on my bench so it's now in full retirement on a bottom shelf behind a bunch of other crap I don't use any more but refuse to let go of.

I am NOT a hoarder though:)

Bought mine in 1974 and figure I'll never buy another.

Co-ax, co-ax

Still using the RCBS Rockchucker I bought 28 years ago. I will buy turret press if it ever wears out.

Your bright red Lee cast iron press is all you need. If you're hankerin' to spend money on a new press look at a turret or a progressive for pistol....and that's a whole 'nother discussion.

Dan

Not me