Best single stage press for big cases

[adcoch1]

Hello all,

Another thread about abandoning the single stage after purchasing a progressive got me thinking. I am presently running a lee turret press as a single stage (without the ratchet, and priming off press) for a lot of different stuff up to 30-06. I am very quickly going to be setting up for some belted mags, and I've been shopping around for a single stage for general decapping duty as well.

So my question is, what would be the best single stage for big belted mags and case resizing and possibly reforming? A rockchucker is what I've been thinking about, but i may do better to get a press with a longer ram for the big guys. Not planning on going up to 50BMG, but i am looking at some big weatherby sized cases, and my lee seems a little flimsy...

So what are good, reasonable priced, heavy duty presses?

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[ReloaderFred]

You mean something like this? They don't make the Hollywood presses anymore, but this one is what I use to load my .45-120 Sharps on.

That's my Rockchucker on the left to give you a size comparison...........

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Bang!]

I use the Lee Classic Cast Single Stage Breechlock on 7mm Rem Mag with no problem. Easy enough.

 

[GarySTL]

I've just bought a Hornady Iron Press. It's a single stage cast iron. Seems pretty strong.

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[adcoch1]

You mean something like this? They don't make the Hollywood presses anymore, but this one is what I use to load my .45-120 Sharps on.

That's my Rockchucker on the left to give you a size comparison...........

Hope this helps.

Fred

Yeah that Hollywood press is awesome, i tried to find one one time and they are NOT cheap! I also have been looking at the big boss as well. How long is the stroke on that Hollywood press? Looks like a 3' handle on it...

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[Rule3]

Redding Big Boss or Big Boss II come to mind. Or a Foster Co Ax.

I have no experience with either but they are SOLID press's

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/271710/redding-big-boss-ii-single-stage-reloading-press

 

[ReloaderFred]

adcoch1,

It has an 18" handle on it, but I've added a pool ball to the end of it for better grip. The "window" is 7", so there's plenty of room for the big ones. My smaller Senior only has a 14" handle, and the "window" is only about 4". For the 3 1/4" long case of the .45-120, the smaller Senior was just able to handle it, but I still had to put the bullet up into the seating die and then raise the shell holder. With the larger Senior, I've got plenty of room to set the bullet on the case and make sure it's straight before raising the shell holder. With these presses, you lose about an inch due to the shell holder.

In the picture, my press is set up for swaging bullets, but I've since bought a Corbin CSP-1 for that chore, so the Senior is back to reloading duty now.

Good luck in your quest. I did talk to the Hornady reps at the SHOT Show about their new iron press, and they said the largest caliber they had loaded on it was the .338 Lapua.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[rg1]

Best heavy duty press at present has to be the Redding Big Boss II. It has a 4 1/2" opening. The extra opening space is nice with long belted magnum cases. However presses like the Rock Chucker Supreme with a 4" opening is plenty heavy enough. Redding's 700 Ultra mag press is the heaviest duty press in their lineup. 4 3/4" opening.

 

[Chuck R.]

Best heavy duty press at present has to be the Redding Big Boss II. It has a 4 1/2" opening. The extra opening space is nice with long belted magnum cases. However presses like the Rock Chucker Supreme with a 4" opening is plenty heavy enough. Redding's 700 Ultra mag press is the heaviest duty press in their lineup. 4 3/4" opening.

I've got an Ultra Mag that I use for .45-100 (2.6") and reforming .45-2.4" into .40-70 2.4". The 4 3/4" opening and the completely open face of the press comes in handy.



Chuck

 

[Cheesemaker]

Looking into the same too---
I have a Redding Big Boss II - works fine for me (up to 308). Looking to get into 338 Lapua (and have a Barrett M82 50 BMG). Not sure where I will go.
I would look into the Redding Ultra Mag (for no 50) - Redding stuff is top notch.

 

[adcoch1]

adcoch1,

It has an 18" handle on it, but I've added a pool ball to the end of it for better grip. The "window" is 7", so there's plenty of room for the big ones. My smaller Senior only has a 14" handle, and the "window" is only about 4". For the 3 1/4" long case of the .45-120, the smaller Senior was just able to handle it, but I still had to put the bullet up into the seating die and then raise the shell holder. With the larger Senior, I've got plenty of room to set the bullet on the case and make sure it's straight before raising the shell holder. With these presses, you lose about an inch due to the shell holder.

In the picture, my press is set up for swaging bullets, but I've since bought a Corbin CSP-1 for that chore, so the Senior is back to reloading duty now.

Good luck in your quest. I did talk to the Hornady reps at the SHOT Show about their new iron press, and they said the largest caliber they had loaded on it was the .338 Lapua.

Hope this helps.

Fred

Fred, thats some good info on the press openings, been looking for info like that. 45-120 is about the size cartridges i am looking at in my near future, so the comparison helps a bunch. Everyone seems to normally talk about little old 223 or 308, and they don't think about the difficulty of setting a big bullet on top of a 3" long case...

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[ReloaderFred]

I don't know what the window size is on the Forster Coax press, but I know a guy in Phoenix who has a new one in the box for sale. If that would work, I can put you in touch with him, but we'll be gone for the next week to shoot in the State Match in Idaho. Leaving early Tuesday morning and back the following Tuesday.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[ArchAngelCD]

If you are willing to come off the "reasonable price" part I would buy a Fosters Co-Ax press. It is an outstanding tool. Sounds like you can get a deal from Fred;s friend.

If you want to stay around the $100 mark the Lee Classic Cast single stage press it heavy and will serve you well.

 

[adcoch1]

Fred, pm me his info and i can ask him some questions.

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[adcoch1]

Affordable is a relative term when talking quality. I rarely buy a name unless the name's reputation is earned...

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[ReloaderFred]

adcoch1,

I sent you his contact information through the other forum. I purchased a Star Lube-sizer from him and he bent over backwards to make the deal good.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[dragon813gt]

Affordable is a relative term when talking quality. I rarely buy a name unless the name's reputation is earned...

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Well if you really want the most powerful single stage then look at a Rock Crusher: https://www.ch4d.com/products/equipment/presses/RC000

It needs a few adapters but you can make it work

In reality a Lee Classic Cast is more then enough press. I load 375 H&H on mine w/ no issues. I also use it for case forming which puts a lot more stress on it than standard reloading. And it's strong enough to handle swaging duties. The window is large enough for the large magnums which seems to be what the question is.

 

[adcoch1]

Leverage, durability, and a large window are my parameters, I am looking at some big wildcats, or a 45-120 to satisfy my need for something more ostentatious than a slug gun. Truthfully, my 30-06 probably will do all i will ever need for hunting, but i am going to build a loudenboommer, and i want to feed it easily.

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[WestKentucky]

I would go lee classic cast...I did and would gladly do it again. It supposedly has the ability to handle .50bmg, but I sadly haven't had the opportunity or hardware to necessitate that experiment. I have had a bunch of presses...green, red, orange, even old green with silvery looking stuff in it, but my classic cast is hands down my numero uno. I know I'm not running it as quickly as I ran the jr3 or the rockchucker, and it's certainly not as easily ran as the lyman turret, but it's certainly strong enough to take a beating and keep working. One important thing about the classic cast is that it is designed with primer control in mind. The primer drops through the hollow ram and exits the press through a spot in the bottom where a rubber tube conveniently catches them or directs them to a container of your choice. I like an old glass jug, it's also big enough for me to pitch my junk brass into.

 

[flashhole]

I sold my CoAx in favor of the Ultramag for loading magnum cases. Got really, really, really tired of blood blisters from pinching my fingers when trying to fit a bullet into the die to seat it. I liked the Ultramag so much I bought a second one and have both mounted to the bench along with a Lee Classic Cast single stage and Lee Classic Turret.

Some people love the CoAx. I didn't hate it but I did not like the ergonomics. Don't miss it one bit since I sold it.

 

[RavenTai]

I sold my CoAx in favor of the Ultramag for loading magnum cases. Got really, really, really tired of blood blisters from pinching my fingers when trying to fit a bullet into the die to seat it. I liked the Ultramag so much I bought a second one and have both mounted to the bench along with a Lee Classic Cast single stage and Lee Classic Turret.

Some people love the CoAx. I didn't hate it but I did not like the ergonomics. Don't miss it one bit since I sold it.

Were your problems only with magnum length cases? I have been lusting after a co-ax for years.

Longest case I load is 30-06, as it is all the power I need for any critter in Florida.

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[Paddy]

For ~$120 you can't find a better press than the lee classic cast. Heck, at ANY price it's tough to beat! Plus, add one of these handy little doo-dads and you can get pretty fast work flow with it.

http://r.ebay.com/YZWwo5

 

[rg1]

sorry, duplicate post.

 

[rg1]

I love my Forster Co-Ax press and would never give it up. However it's not a heavy duty press that I would recommend for large, long, belted magnum cases. It's said to have good leverage and it is adequate but nowhere near the leverage of my Big Max RCBS or my AmmoMaster RCBS. The opening to insert long cases and long bullets isn't enough. I think heavy use of the Co-Ax will overwork the linkage?? I would say it's ok for up to 30-06 cases. Need a magnum press buy a magnum press. A loading bench with a heavy Redding press sitting beside the Forster Co-Ax and you have the best set-up. You couldn't buy my RCBS Big Max press (no longer made) for any price. It's sensitive enough to load .380 acp and strong enough for the heaviest longest cases. I'd say the Redding Ultra Mag is comparable to my RCBS Big Max.

 

[Blue68f100]

Looking into the same too---
I have a Redding Big Boss II - works fine for me (up to 308). Looking to get into 338 Lapua (and have a Barrett M82 50 BMG). Not sure where I will go.
I would look into the Redding Ultra Mag (for no 50) - Redding stuff is top notch.

I've used mine up to Rem 7mm Mag with no problem. What you use for lube has a large influence on how much force is needed. I use the Imperial Wax, and Lanolin on occasions. When dealing with large cases start out using a liberal amount ( body and base only) to get a base line then see how far you can stretch it.