I'm thinking about picking one up. Does anyone have any comments or suggestions?

Thanks,

Dan

I bought the Bald Eagle press from Midway and it works, but the the action is very rough and the bolt securing the post to the base required an impact wrench to get it tight.

I use the Redding comp seaters and standard shell holders to seat bullets at the range, it works perfect for this.

What is your intended use ????? for just bullet seating with a Wilson type seater or do you plan on using it for sizing also ?

The press I use at the range is a Hood's combo press so you can size with a threaded die then has an Arbor press on the side for bullet seating.

If you want just a straight arbor press then either the Harrell or Sinclair work great.

I'm thinking just seating, but it would be nice to be able to at least neck size. The Sinclair press gets terrible reviews.

I have the 21st century press 85$...very smooth,well machined & user friendly. I use it for seating only on my 6br, .284win and 6x47 lap. Bruce makes superb rests and tooling over there at 21st century and you get alot for your dollar IMO.

www.21stcenturyshooting.com/

You ever tried any neck sizing or full length resizing with it?

No, and the only reason for that is because I own a forster co-ax press that does all my heavy lifting. To be honest the Forster co ax is all I need..it loads rounds just as concentric as the arbor press and wilson dies..however the one advantage of the arbor press is that you can feel the seating pressure needed for each round alot easier than the Co-ax.

Like it was said earlier, the arbor press is also nice too bc its mobile so you can take it to the range and test seating depths at the bench so you can save yourself some reloading time.

Ive heard simialr stories with the sinclair...cant go wrong with harrels or 21st Cent.

I have used this one for years. Got tired of pounding the Lee Loaders with a hammer. It was custom made by a machinist/BR competitor. Neck sizing and bullet seating.

Extra fond of it for working up loads at the range.

Where are your reviews coming from ???? At the match's I go to the Sinclair is the most popular and several friends of mine own one, never heard a complaint from any of them.......at least on that topic

Their own website under reviews.

A small sampling with a couple malcontents, the biggest reason is people want to size with it and sizing is not the strong suit of an arbor press. that is why I use the Hood's combo press.

An Arbor press is at it's best using a seating die only with a tight neck chambering......asking it to do more ?? there are better options

Gotcha. Thanks!

IF you don't need portable and want versatile go with an industrial from Harbor Freight.

IF you do want portable then the usual trade-offs of price, ruggedness and portability apply.

IF it's bullet seating for 1000 yard matches then maybe K&M with an optional force gage but giving up sizing.

IF for full length sizing then find a maker who thinks it's a good idea. I can't think of any this side of Harbor Freight.

I have used the Sinclair for years to neck size and seat with Wilson dies. I find it to be a quality piece of equipment. I am sure there other nice arbor presses out there, but I have never had an issue with the Sinclair.

They all should neck size fine, personally, I would not full length size with any arbor press.

I have never used the K&M arbor press but have several other tools they make, absolutely first rate with anything they make.

I have had a Sinclair arbor press for 15 years and it still works as well as the day I bought it. No problems.

Harrell's Precision makes great products, and stand behind their products. They offer an arbor press for $100. Their website: Harrell's Precision

Question from the ignorant.

What is the purpose of an arbor press? From the conversation it appears as if it's used primary for bullet seating. How/why is it superior or preferred over a regular single stage?

I was going to ask the same question!

They're generally used with dies like these which often allow for assembling really straight cartridges.




Very portable for loading at the range, etc.

Wow... is the whole cartridge pressed together in one shot?

Fire formed case, powder, bullet then pressed?


I just went to YouTube and there it was. I had never seen this and I am now enlightened.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXZyaZ2D38s