I am looking for a press that will be able to handle the NE cartridges with ease and no hick ups.
I do have a Lyman single stage cast iron reloading press, it has served me well over the years and it is still in an excellent shape. It has an opening of 3.75" from the top of the stroke to the underside of the top part of the press opening.
Are there any presses out there that have bigger openings and what are the preferences?

Malek
Good hunting/shooting and God's best

I use the Lee Classic cast iron press. I reload 450/400 3 inch NE and 500 NE on the press. I have also loaded 475 #2 Jeffery on the press.
An excellent press. You can add the Lee safety primer kit to it.

Corbin sells one or two, Dillon sells one, and the later Hollywood Senior with the tie bar and Hollywood Senior Turret w/ the 1 1/2 x 12 opening will do the job. There are undoubtedly others.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
I use the Lee Classic cast iron press. I reload 450/400 3 inch NE and 500 NE on the press. I have also loaded 475 #2 Jeffery on the press.
An excellent press. You can add the Lee safety primer kit to it.

+1

RCBS AmmoMaster or (a bit smaller) Redding Big Boss - perhaps?
- mike

I have only loaded up to the 470NE but I have done that with my old RCBS press. I did have to slightly modify the shellholder (took less than 5 minutes with a hand grinder without any loss in strength) to be able to seat bullets. Otherwise it works perfectly. Did have to buy a Forster collet style trimmer to handle the big cases.

I am looking at the CH4D no 444. Adamhunter, who posts here just got himself a new one. It looks plenty big enough for anything short of 50BMG. Check down a few threads to "New Press" for a picture.

I am on the Redding side of the fence.

The Redding UltraMag can handle any of the big cartridges with ease including the N E and the 45-90's, all the Mag calibers. While I dont load any 50's, it can do it as the top is threaded to accept that too.

I am sure all the others are good too but the UltraMag will do what you want on big brass for a long time. When I was poking around looking at Shaprs stuff on the Shiloh site I think they were $260 or something there vs more at Midway. You might just check the normal places like Grafs, and Sinclair, etc. If you have not bought from Sinclair those guys have great service too. Just my 0,02.

rcbs supreme, i've loaded 577NE on it as well as 45/120 nitro

I have used the RCBS A-3 press for .577, .470, .450 and other Nitro Expresses. Has worked fine for me for about 43 years and still counting....

And with it I have not had to modify any of my shell holders.

Thanks guys for your input, I started to read the reviews on some of the presses mentioned, and all of them look great especially the Lee Classic cast,
I have not made up my mind yet for it is too soon in the game, but I do really appreciate all the info provided.

Rusty:
you mentioned that you did reload the 475 #2 and that is a 3.5 long cartridge, one of the longest if I am not mistaken, did it fit in the press with ease? I do have the Lee Progressive with the automatic priming tray attachment is it the same as the Lee safety primer kit and would it work with the Lee Classic cast?

Malek
Good hunting/shooting and God's best

Malek,

I had no problems loading the 475 #2 Jeffery. When seating the bullet I did place the bullet on top the case and sliding the bullet/case into the die and shell holder at the same time.

I presume your same kit would work on the classic.

Now both the Challenger and the Classic come in breech lock versions. Talk about just set and forget! I think both are worth looking at!

quote:

I am looking at the CH4D no 444. Adamhunter, who posts here just got himself a new one. It looks plenty big enough for anything short of 50BMG. Check down a few threads to "New Press" for a picture.

I have one. The die holes are the standard size, so unless you order it w/ a custom die plate that has 1 1/2x12 holes, you won't be able to load those BIG cartridges.

Also, the linkage doesn't exert that much power and the handle isn't very long. It is designed more for pistol cartridges, although it will FL re-size most rifle cartridges that aren't too oversize.

I made the shellholder mod to just make it EASIER to seat the bullets. With part of the lips ground away you can place the bullet on top of the brass as normal and place it in the press normally. Without the cut you have to play with the bullet more, but it WILL work that way. I'm just lazy.

Thanks for every body’s in put.

From all the reports that I have read and the comparisons between most the presses out there, the Lee breech lock classic cast was the winner. It has every thing that I needed and then some for two thirds of the cost and it is built in the USA.

Midway shipped it in no time and it is here sitting in my living room ready to be mounted and put through the paces.

Malek
Good shooting/hunting and God's best

You will like it! Congratulations!

You will find it very useful. I have loaded 600Nitro's on mine. No worries.

Have fun

Cheers, Chris

It looks and feels very sturdy, sure I will have grand time using it. Alas though Started to set it up and found out that I needed the priming tool trigger to be able to prime the resized empties at the same oppreation, bummer.

I went on line did not see it on Midway’s site. They should have stated that you need to have that trigger to be able to reload, and offer it with the press or as an accessory at the same time, so reloader's precious time is not wasted.

Best regards

Malek
Good shooting/hunting and God's best

Bring that rascal down here to Texas and lets have us press shoot out .

Of course I am just kidding. Congrats on and enjoy your new press and make up some whopper stopper NE's .


Here is a pic of my Redding Ultra Mag and Big Boss II mounted up on the bench and ready for their next work. It does give an idea of how massive strong and big that the Ultra Mag is compared to the standard BB II.

Thanks Tex:

I will try my best and the fun will start after I find the trigger mechanism somewhere on line and have it shipped then start reloading some of my favorite NE calibers.

Incidentally that is a massive looking press indeed; I must say I was impressed with your reloading bench/set up.

Best regards

Malek
Good shooting/hunting and God's best

It does not seem by the picture that the frame opening difference is as great as it actually is. But the spine and frame of that UltraMag is some big strong.

On the BBII I have to hold the bullet in and get it to the die on a mag or the 45-70 etc. Not even close to that on the Ultra.

That bench is so strong my buddies said they can put a Chevy big block up here without it bowing. I said no - you could set the whole car up here without it flexing.

Thanks and enjoy your press.

thanks for all the great info