Hey all,

Im still fairly new at reloading and I have a really old and decrepid lee that I am retiring.

I was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions for a good single stage press that will be used for accuracy loading. Nothing overly accurate just some non bench target and possibly long range hunting.

Thanks for the help,

Forster Co-Ax. Pay once and never wonder if you have the best...

Thanks I was eyeing the coax.

Now as a second less expensive choice would most of you go rcbs?

agree that coax is an excellent choice.

for an alternative you might consider redding

Co-Ax

Sure, second choice would be a Rock Chucker. I'd regret it though. I love my Coax.

Have you ever heard a Forster owner complain about anything on their press? I haven't.

Redding T7

I have a Redding T-7 and a rock chucker. I haven't had the t-7 very long but the RC has not seen any action since I got it. I am thinking of selling the RC and buying two more heads for the T-7. It is very easy to use and built like a tank. I don't think you could go wrong with the T-7.

FWIW, I don't own a Co-Ax, but, have heard nothing but great things about them. I may have to get one to try at some point.

Reno

The newer RCBS Summit press might be worth looking into if looking into something more affordable than the Coax--just can't prime on it. Another suggestion would be a press from Harrell's Precisions.

+11

Save your money up and start here.

No bull!

Lee Classic Cast

Ya know I bought a CH tool and die press from a member adjust as an extra press to punch primers and found I think I like it better than my old rock checker.
If I had to start over and setu all new I think I would take a close look at the lyman stuff. Looks to be pretty beefy. And they are a great company..

I had a Rock Chucker and then got a COAX. I sold the Rock Chucker after using the COAX for a while.

I've had my R/C for like, I don't know, 18 years? I've loaded thousands of rounds, including forming 300/221, necking up and down various belted magnums to 7mm, etc. She's still kicking.
Quality and longevity are definitely there.

That being said, my buddy has a Redding Press. It's a beast. I'm not sure of the model or if they still make it, but he's had it for quite a while, no complaints.

ok so what I am getting is

Co-AX is the bomb

then we are looking at
RCBS Rock Chucker
Redding
Lymann

in no particular order.

Then a Lee Classic Cast.

Wait isnt the T7 a turrent. Wont that reduce accuracy over a single?

The Redding does have a turret, that doesn't mean it's not a SINGLE STAGE press.

Define a single stage press. Only one operation happens when you pull the handle. Guess what, only one operation happens when you pull the handle on a T7

The T7 IS a single stage press, period.

When I add another press (only because both of my daughters love helping reload their own ammo) it will be a Redding T7 for the convenience of having multiple dies mounted. T7 is an excellent press, if Mule Deer chimes in I'm sure he'll talk about the straightness/concentricity of the ammo he loads on the T7, including his 6PPC BR ammo, if I'm not mistaken.

Thanks for all the information guys.

Someone just posted a Lyman turret press in my area with all the reloading tools including bullet casts. He even has a separate press for shaping his casings all for $500

anyone think its a good deal. I don't have much experience with Lyman products. Its a silverish press with an orange turret.

I finally got a T7 Redding about three years ago. One of the best moves I have ever made! Not accurate? ? It is solid as a rock. I'll never change to anything else.

by the way the Lyman press is an old Spar-T... anyone have any experience or suggestions on this one

I've got 2 Lymans, one's a Crusher II from about 7 years ago and an older Lyman that I bought as part of a kit in 1979, it's a 'C' press (no turret and an open front like the letter C). Both presses have been good, the C press doesn't have the leverage or length that the crusher has but works fine for reloading standard stuff like 270 Win or 358 Win.

I think the Spar T was a turret press of the same vintage as my C, I don't know that I would try to load the big magnums or case forming with it but it'll do 98% of all reloading chores.

Silverish/orange may be newer than my old one. My C is like a charcoal gray, the Crusher is silverish

Dale

Wait isnt the T7 a turrent. Wont that reduce accuracy over a single?

[/quote]

What is a turrent? Over the years I have repeated seen people call turret presses "turrents," am I missing something???

You're missing a torrent of turrets that are called turrents, just pray it doesn't cause tourettes.

I started with a Spar-T in '65 because a turret just had to be more versatile and 'quick', right? Wrong. IF you only have one or two sets of dies and never do anything else you can save a few seconds in a loading session by having the dies stored in the head but it won't save much time at best and none at all if you do change calibers. The Spar-T is a nice small turret press but it's not massive and it's a simple toggle lever design; I still use mine for some tasks but, with a bit of welding and machine work, I converted it to a compound toggle linkage; I would NOT recommend it to anyone. Case forming dies are great to have IF you actually need to form those specific cases, otherwise they're useless.

A skilled reloader can make quality ammo with any press but it's easier with a more rigid press. They ALL flex a tad under pressure and turrets flex more than any single stage. After all, there has to be some slack in the head mounting or it couldn't possibly rotate! And the tighter the head mounting is, the less likely it will accurately index when it's turned.

I'm not an equipment brand or price snob, I like whatever works, but I finally drank the green kool-aid in '87 and bought an RC 2; it's an okay press but it's nothing special. IF Lee's Classic Cast had been avaiable at that time I would have gotten it; the CC is equal in every way and much better in some ways.

The Coax is a good, functional press. Spent primer handling is great. I'm indifferent to it's "semi-universal" shell holder and die mounting system, they have some small advantages that are off-set by some matching disadvantages. And that straight-out operating handle is too awkward for me and a LOT of others. I don't like it BUT those who do like it usually love it.

Bottom line, I've been reloading a long time and with a lot of different brands and models of tools. They all work but if I had to replace my kit tomorrow I'd have a Lee Classic Cast main press. It handles spent primers as well as the Coax and it's properly off-set handle is fully adjustable to match user taste and bench height. (My dies would be Forster for my most accurate rifles and Lee's Delux dies for everything else.)

IF I really wanted a turret press it would be Lee's Classic turret. It's very strong and, with it's unique auto-index feature it's indeed much faster than any other turret press. The easy and tool free quick-change heads are sufficently inexpensive to make having enough of them set up for my most used calibers practical!

But, a loading room full of Lee stuff will hardly impress anyone. Not that I care ...