I am starting up in the great world of reloading and wondering what to get. I will be loading 45acp, 9mm, 300 rum, 223, 22-250, 30-06, 270, etc. I was settled on the rcbs rock chucker kit, but have been looking more at the turrets and hornady's single stage kit. On the hornady I like the angled press, and quick change capability, the turret sounds good for quick loading, but how accurate is the powder on a turret? Any help and recommendations would be great!
I would stick with the RCBS single stage over the turret presses...I have a turret that I got on a trade but do all my loading on a couple of RCBS single stage presses except for big batchs of pistol ammo that I use a Dillon progressive and old CPM progressive....Hornady makes good equipment but RCBS is so supportaive that I use most of their stuff...but have hornady die sets along with 5 other brands....you never outgrow a good single stage press....imo...good luck and good shooting-loading!!
bigdaddytacp
Posts: 687 | Location: Jackson/Tenn/Madison | Registered: 07 March 2001
Ok thanks for your opinion. I think (from what I've read) that people favor their trusty rock chucker. Would you add the lock n load conversion? That would make changing dies alot easier seems like.
What about the kit? Is it the best way? Is the scale good or a digital alot better? What about case trimmers?
Originally posted by kpk: I was settled on the rcbs rock chucker kit, but have been looking more at the turrets and hornady's single stage kit. On the hornady I like the angled press, and quick change capability, the turret sounds good for quick loading, but how accurate is the powder on a turret? Any help and recommendations would be great!
I believe you are referring to a progressive rather than a turret.
If you like the angle design, look at Redding. The Big Boss can be adapted to use the Hornady LNL bushings if you like. The Redding T-7 is a turret press. You probably want to start with some form of single-stage set-up rather than a progressive, like the Dillons or Hornady progresssive. Redding makes first class equipment. Make comparisons and decide for yourself.
I used an RCBS Rock Chucker for years and, in fact still use it.
I finally broke down and got a Redding T-7 turret press and love it. When I'm loading for multiple firearms, I can have it set up for multiple cartridges during load work-up.
Welcome to the forum kpk... I ordered the RCBS supreme kit that included the Rockchucker Supreme and the Chargemaster 1500... I also ordered a Forster Co-Ax press... The Forster is simply a phenomenal product... Now I have two excellent presses so there are no worries if ones goes down on me for some unknown reason (I haven't heard of that happening yet)... The Co-Ax is pretty much quick change everything.. You might want to check out the Forster site for more info...
Ken....
"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn't so. " - Ronald Reagan
I've never used anything but single stage presses. I have four now. I've never felt handicapped by them. And, after 45 years of reloading, when somesone comes in here and asked "how many rounds can you reload in an evening?" I have to answer, "I don't know."
I have both an RCBS Rock Chucker and a Redding T-7 . I think a new reloader should start with a heavy duty single stage press made of iron and not aluminun. This would include the Lyman Orange Cusher ,the Lee Classic , the Redding Boss series and the RCBS Rock Chucker .I don't think you could go wrong with any of these .You need to load a while to determine what your real needs are . For example when loading pistol rounds you could attach a Lee "Disc Powder Measure" To the flairing die and do two operations at once .This greatly increases speed but does not require a special press and is not expensive . Good Luck .
I've used a variety of single stage presses, and had a Lyman turret press for awhile. Then I got a Forster co-ax, and it's pretty much all I use. You can change dies just as fast as with a turret press, but never have turret heads to change, and get the best single stage press made.
__________________________________________________ The AR series of rounds, ridding the world of 7mm rem mags, one gun at a time.
Posts: 7213 | Location: Alaska | Registered: 27 February 2001
I have two RCBS presses, a Rock Chucker and a turret. The turret gets used for my handgun loads and works fine for that purpose since I'm loading a hundred or more rounds in one sitting. I set the sizing die in the first hole followed by the expander, then the powder measure, and finally the seater die. I just rotate the head and perform each step start to finish without removing the shell. It works quite well but in my opinion there is far too much slop in the head for doing precision rifle loads. I've never measured the bullet runout on a turret load but given the amount the head flexes I can't believe it would be perfectly true. Thats why I bought the Rock Chucker, I wanted something more solid for doing my rifle loads.
I use a 6 hole Redding turret for all my rifle ammo. I get .0005" Yes, 5tenths, or less on run out. I had to get a .005" per rev range dial inidcator for the runout gage because the .1 per rev was far too course to get a meaningfull measurement. I use redding and RCBS dies.
Nothing wrong with a single stage, I just like my turret better. I've gotten rid of my single stage presses.
Originally posted by Bigdaddytacp: I would stick with the RCBS single stage over the turret presses...I have a turret that I got on a trade but do all my loading on a couple of RCBS single stage presses except for big batchs of pistol ammo that I use a Dillon progressive and old CPM progressive....Hornady makes good equipment but RCBS is so supportaive that I use most of their stuff...but have hornady die sets along with 5 other brands....you never outgrow a good single stage press....imo...good luck and good shooting-loading!!
Ditto
I have a rockchuker supreme and couldn't be even more satisfied with it
Now I know everyone has had great luck with the rock chucker and I hate to even ask, with all the good reviews, but how is the Forster co-ax? I am just weighing all my choices and will pick the best for my needs.
Originally posted by kpk: Thanks for all the great info!
Now I know everyone has had great luck with the rock chucker and I hate to even ask, with all the good reviews, but how is the Forster co-ax? I am just weighing all my choices and will pick the best for my needs.
Will the Forster handle the larger 300rum?
Yes it will handle 300rum. The RCBS rock chucker is a fine press with a splendid reputation, but some other presses have a few features that improve upon it, like better spent-primer handling (Lee CC, Redding BigBoss & Ultramag), and a handle adjustable for position and leverage (Lee CC).
The Forster has spent primer handling, but also has snap in/out die retention, automatic universal shell holder, a very fine on-press priming system (though I recommend a hand primer such as the RCBS universal one with the square tray instead on any single stage press's priming system). Its design and execution are second to none. The linkage and "ram" are designed to provide the utmost in accuracy and leverage. I find the high-mounted, over-the-top lever more ergonomic, but that's just me; YMMV.
The Co-Ax is the press that I ordered and the Rockchucker Supreme is the one that came with the kit...
I would highly recommend the Co-Ax and it will indeed handle the larger cartridges.. I am currently loading for the 338-378 Weatherby mag and it handles it with ease, both in dimensions and the leverage required to FL resize that cartridge... You can't go wrong with the Co-Ax...
Ken....
"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn't so. " - Ronald Reagan
kpk....I love my RCBS rockchucker....BUT...I have lusted after a Co-Ax for the extra leverage and quick die change......If I found a deal on one I would add one to my bench and except for some of the TALL speciality seater dies that the Co-ax handle won't clear it seems to be a great press with lots of strength and all my Forster equipment has been very precise and durable......good luck and good shooting=loading!!
bigdaddytacp
Posts: 687 | Location: Jackson/Tenn/Madison | Registered: 07 March 2001
I think the co-ax is the way I will go. I have just read a few places that the handle has trouble clearing the tall dies for the magnum calibers, but I guess it's just close. What about powder scale, measure, and trimmer? What would be the best of those? All equipment actually.
Hey kpk, the Co-Ax will clear just about anything other then the 50BMG... As I said, I'm reloading for the 338-378 Wby with no clearance issue of any kind... The micrometer seater dies CAN be too tall however... You might look at what comes in the RCBS supreme kit and buy all the parts seperately... I was going to do that but just bought the whole kit which gave me another excellent press in the Rockchucker supreme... If I find the need to use a micrometer seater die and if it won't clear the Co-Ax handle then it will work with the Rockchucker....
Ken....
"The trouble with our liberal friends is not that they are ignorant, but that they know so much that isn't so. " - Ronald Reagan
The RCBS rock chucker kit comes with the original RCBS hand priming tool (round tray), and the original Uniflow. They now have upgraded versions of both: the universal hand primer (square tray), and the uniflow quick change powder measure. I would get those instead of what's in the kit.
Many Hornady seating dies with the optional micrometer adjustment screw will not fit under the handle yoke on the co-ax. All of Forster's dies will fit, including their micrometer seating dies.
Will the regular hornady dies work with the coax in the 300 ultra? I just saw the bullet off and thought it would be a good deal. Buy 2-3 sets of hornady dies and and get some bullets.
Yes, without the optional micrometer stem on the seater, any Hornady die will work on the co-ax, as long as the cartridge itself is not too long. Their lock rings will also work well on the co-ax. You need to use forster or hornady lock rings on a coax (not sure about the Lyman clamp-style rings).
Any forster die will work in a co-ax, so compare cartridge lengths with the longest cartridge for which Forster makes dies, and that will confirm if your cartridge can be reloaded on a Forster.
There's two kinds of hand loaders, those that own and use an RBCS and those that will! For the turret/progressive press, buy a Dillon when you are ready to move up to production mode.
LLS
Posts: 996 | Location: Texas | Registered: 14 October 2004
Originally posted by kpk: Thanks for the quick reply bigjake. What kind of quality would you rank them? Would the lees be as good?
Hey we are dang near neighbors. I'm up in OK, about 50 miles west of OKC
I would rank Hornady dies in between Lee and Redding/Forster in general. I've not liked the Lee seating dies I've tried (too much play/sloppy fitting seating plug mostly, and aluminum on steel adjuster threads are not my favorite either). The Hornady seating die is more like the Forsters and the Redding Competition series, but their sliding sleeve does not align on as much of the cartridge as those two do. Still, it works very well, is standard for every cartridge they make a die for, and costs less. If you use lead (cast) bullets, you'll absolutely love the Hornady's ability to disassemble for cleaning without affecting the setup. Lead bullets tend to build up gunk/lube inside the seating die after a while.
I like Lee's collet-style crimp dies, but not their carbide factory crimp dies. I'd like to try their collet neck-sizing dies too.
I've tried RCBS, and like them better than Lee, but less than Hornady for standard dies. I'd like to try their X-die (rifle).
Oh yeah, Hornady dies come with the best lock rings on the planet. I can't stand Lee lockless rings!
I HAVE HAD SINGLES FOR YEARS AND THEY ARE EXCELLENT FOR STARTING OUT BUT IF YOU CAN AFFORD IT I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE REDDING TURRET PRESS. IT HAS ALL THE QUALITY AND STRENGTH THAT MOST SINGLES HAVE, BUT WITH THE ADVANTAGE OF NOT HAVING TO CHANGE DIES ALL THE TIME. I ABSOLUTLY LOVE MY REDDING.
Posts: 81 | Location: whidbey island | Registered: 15 March 2007
Originally posted by kpk: Do you know if they have changed the collet to threaded? What would you choose between the hornady nd and the base redding dies?
There is still a collet, but it has shallow threads down the middle of it, that engage similarly shallow threads on the spindle. When the collet is loose enough, the spindle will slide in/out with a zip noise, but when tightened, the threads keep it from sliding, and provide for finer depth control.
Any recent stock at retailers should have the new zip spindle. I'd complain like heck if I ordered a new one and it wasn't. They also sell upgrade kits.
I assume you are asking about Redding's regular, non-competition dies? I would take the Hornady seater over Redding's non-comp seater. I would probably take Reddings titanium carbide handgun sizers over Hornady titanium nitride. Rifle sizing dies, dunno, prolly Redding just on reputation, but I'd take Forster dies over either for rifle.
