For many years I have been loading with my old RCBS Junior press in calibers like 6.5 X 55, 30-'06, 7mm RM, etc.

Now I am stepping up to a .404 Jeff and may also want to size cast lead bullets and I am thinking I would like to get a press designed for larger calibers and heavier jobs.

What do you use/recommend?

Thanks,

AT

I bought the Redding Big Boss press a few years ago. I like it! It's the only one that I have any experience with. I load 577NE and 50-110 with it.

+1 for Redding Big Boss. A great & strong press.
Biggest I load is .375 H&H

I bought an RCBS Ammomaster. Covers all the big stuff that I load.

I gave both a Redding Big Boss 2 and a Redding UltraMag press.

When resizing something like Weatherby rounds that tend to grow somewhat I go the UltraMag. The Big Boss is capable but the Ultra gets it done with no sweat. Of course it is open in the front too with no O frame style to it. It's a hunk of iron.

I had the machine shop guys check the UltraMags ram alignment once just to see how close it is versus inducing runout and they said it almost dead nut center. I like it.

Hell, I've got 4 set-up all Redding. a Big Boss, the one without the bushing that I only use for de-capping, the bigger Big Boss the one with the bushing that I use Hornady quick release bushings on... a T-7 for most all the rest, with an Ultra Mag for long stuff. Throw a sheet over the whole bench when not using, which is most of the time anymore.

Phil

Used the ultra mag for the last dozen years. If you don’t mind manually feeding primers, it’s great. I use it for 470, 416 Rigby and others.

If you want the caddilac of presses, look at the Corbin presses. He makes them to swage bullets [cf. RCBS = Rock Chucker Bullet Swage], and any reloading is "child's play" for this press(es). Roller bearings, not sleeves. I started with a Jr but resizing .44 Mag was more work than I liked and I ended up getting a Rockchucker long before production moved to China. Bear is gone. Pacific is ?? I have no experience with Redding presses but suspect they are good. So it comes down to how much you wish to invest. With the Corbin system you can make swaged lead bullets and save sweating over a hot pot... Check out base guard too. Luck. Happy Trails.

I have loaded for 416 Rigby & now for 470 NE.

I have had my old Lee anniversary kit press for 25 years. I got my Redding press about 15 years ago.

The Lee actually has a bigger clearance. I use the Redding as my main sizing press and sometimes use the Lee for bullet seating. I also size 474 cal 400 gr cast bullets in the Redding press. I do not need any other press.

what about the CH CHAMPION press? don't have one but look sturdy as hell.

RCBS single stage Ammo Master, You can load 50 cal. machine gun ammo in it..Its the best by far IMO..I also have an old old Hollywood press that's awesome but a .375 lenth case all but maxis it out, but its strong enough to swage bullets on..

Lee Classic Cast Press. Loaded 450/400 3 inch, 404 Jeffery, 475 #2 Jeffery, and 500 NE!
Spend your money on Components!
Lee Press

I load for jacketed and cast 404 on my older model Pacific C press, could do with a bigger opening but easy enough to load, not exactly loading thousands of rounds at a time for the 404.
As for sizing cast bullets and for that matter 44cal gas checks down to .423'-.425" on the base of the cast bullets, this is an easy job accomplished on my Lyman 450 lube/sizer, a rather flimsy piece of equipment compared with the strength and leverage a reloading press has. Any reloading press will size cast bullets, doesn't need to be a herculean model.

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty:
Lee Classic Cast Press. Loaded 450/400 3 inch, 404 Jeffery, 475 #2 Jeffery, and 500 NE!
Spend your money on Components!
Lee Press

+1

thanks for your recommendations. I will go with the Lee or Redding press.

Before you spend the money, I would suggest that you measure the clearance of your RCBS press.

As I said earlier, the lee is about 0.25 inch bigger than the Redding and both work for the 470NE.

quote:

Originally posted by Alec Torres:
thanks for your recommendations. I will go with the Lee or Redding press.

quote:

Originally posted by Nakihunter:
Before you spend the money, I would suggest that you measure the clearance of your RCBS press.

As I said earlier, the lee is about 0.25 inch bigger than the Redding and both work for the 470NE.

quote:

Originally posted by Alec Torres:
thanks for your recommendations. I will go with the Lee or Redding press.

Certainly. I have been wanting to replace/augment the RCBS with another press and looking for something with more flexibility.

The Lee Classic Cast has an opening designed to accommodate a 50 BMG

I bought 2 Redding UltraMags for me and my friend.

We are happy with them so far. Primary use is for .585 Hubel Express. For smaller rounds, I use Forster Co-Ax - up to .375 H&H. Friend uses UltraMag for .30-06. It is overkill, but no problems ;-)

Small corner, but it works:


Jiri

I struggled with an older RCBS press when I got my first 375 H&H . Just too short in the throat. About that time Lyman came out with their orange chrusher and the O-mag presses. I have one of each set up on my loading bench. All resizing/ case forming is done on the crusher and all bullet seating is done on the O mag. Loading up to 416 Rigby with zero issues.

Still an RCBS A2 FS in the classified. If it has all the bits and goodies with it a fantastic press.

And the A2 single stage RCBS has all the room in the world and is strong enough to swage bullets in..It has a lot of room to work in and can take any cartridge up to and including the 50 BMG. I bought mine specifically to load the Nitro express cartridges.

I am also a fan of the Lyman Orange Crusher.

Although I have several presses including a Dillon 650 + bought a RCBS (mod unknown) massive that works for the 470 Nitro,etc.I can do EVERYTHING I want on this one press.(No I'm not getting rid of anything.)

Redding Ultra-Mag for a single-stage. Bought mine in 2002. Dillon 550b, bought in 2007, will work fine with large rifle magnum cases. I use the U-M for sizing, forming and depriming mil crimped cases.

Ultra-Mag was fine for .30-378 & .300rem ultra mag loading. Those are the 2 biggest cases I've worked with.

I like turret presses. Keep all my regular loadings in turrets. I use this lee classic turret exclusively now albeit I have 2 single stages on either side of it. Loaded for and shot my .500 NE this afternoon.

Rusty and Ted beat me to it. The Lee Classic Cast has plenty of room for most if not all of the larger calibers. I really like the feel of the Lee Classic especially when sizing cases and seating bullets.

Liking the looks of this. So you can set up the turrets and change them out without recalibrating everything? Like that on my Dillon 650. I got s rcbs single stage but loading multiple calibers this seem the way to go.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I like turret presses. Keep all my regular loadings in turrets. I use this lee classic turret exclusively now albeit I have 2 single stages on either side of it. Loaded for and shot my .500 NE this afternoon.

I too just love my Lee classic cast. I use it to load all my rounds from my 30/378 Weatherby mag to my 222 Rem with no problems. Also uses one of the best spent primer catchers in the industry.

quote:

Originally posted by gunslinger55:
Liking the looks of this. So you can set up the turrets and change them out without recalibrating everything? Like that on my Dillon 650. I got s rcbs single stage but loading multiple calibers this seem the way to go.

quote:

Originally posted by ledvm:
I like turret presses. Keep all my regular loadings in turrets. I use this lee classic turret exclusively now albeit I have 2 single stages on either side of it. Loaded for and shot my .500 NE this afternoon.

100%! Load a turret with dies already set, change the shellholder, and begin loading.

quote:

Originally posted by john c.:
what about the CH CHAMPION press? don't have one but look sturdy as hell.

Those things are beasts. Ive thought about getting one for swaging for a long time. But Im still using the old RCBS.

The Lee classic cast is a nice bang for the buck.

What about the old Aussie Simplex press - a real heavy weight. Some old ones still on the market.

I have one of the Simplex Master presses. It is a knock off of the Lyman press of the identical appearance. Hope it helps. What is does not have is the removable bushing for 1 1 /4" dies as does the RCBS Rockchucker.

Here's a link as the image is very big.

http://static.wpe.au.syrahost....%20frame%20press.jpg

FWIW here's a tip. All the Brit Nitro-Express cartridges are/were actually fairly low pressure. Thus actually you don't need massive leverage to re-size them as unless you gun is out of tolerance they don't expand much.

I started with an RCBS Junior back in high school about 1969. Had probably a dozen since then -- Rockchuckers, Dillon Square Deal, Redding T-7 (a very nice press) and currently a Lee Classic Turret and a metallic gray Lyman single-stage. The Lyman is OK, but not as solid as the Rockchucker. Back when I was working and had disposable income, I was very fortunate to have not only one of Dave Corbin's beautiful S presses with a half-dozen swaging die sets, but also one of Dave's brother Richard's Walnut Hill swaging presses. These do in fact put "mere reloading presses" to shame.

I really like the Lee Classic Press.I also added the Lee safety Prime that attaches to the Press.I see they changed the design a little.Here is a link for that.It loads the primer on the upstroke and you seat the primer on the down stroke. https://leeprecision.com/safet...small-and-large.html

Good Morning Alec Torres,

I'll venture what won't be much of a guess: you're not in it to mass produce .404 Jeffery rounds.

Like fishing tackle, I've invested (squandered?) a lotta $$$ in reloading equipment and components. If a 50 dollar press will produce the same results as a press costing many times that, my advice is to save money.

Regular RCBS dies (not expensive target dies) have produced big game ammo that'll shoot <.25 @ a hundred.

The best education I've received has been practical knowledge based upon especially scientific knowledge that I didn't have to fork over $$$ to learn. Knowing now what I wish I knew when I was much closer to genius status, I'd check the preowned market.

If a Lee press will do what you need doing and will produce accurate loads, why spend God knows how much more on an expensive press that'll produce identical loads?

I'm a huge RCBS fan. It's customer service is excellent. While I'm brand loyal, especially if it has produced excellent results, I cannot write that high end equipment is superior to stuff that costs less. And costing less does not always imply lesser quality.

Save money: buy big game game tags.

That's my story & I"m sticking to it.

I hope you have a whole lotta fun with your Big Five Legend.

I have an RCBS Jr. that I use for loading now - 7mm RM, .257 Roberts, 30-'06 and soon .338-'06. I'd like a press that allows me to load full length .404 Jeffery and also swage lead practice bullets in .423". Maybe the Lee is the right one for these jobs? I dunno.

For my shotguns I have MEC Sizemasters in 12, 16, and 20 gauge. It is convenient not to have to fool around whan changing between gauges.

The Rolls Royces of presses are available thru the Corbins: Dave, swage.com or corbins.com or ???; and his brother Rich rceco.com. These are a longer stroke for reloading and a shorter stroke adjustment for swaging bullets, lead or jacketed. They also make the dies for this work. Absolutely nothing wrong with the machines mentioned, these are just bigger, stronger, and with roller bearings... to the max. (Yes, they also offer electric power machines.) Costly? Yes, you get what you pay for. If you look about, often used comes up. Any care at all and they will be as good as ever. While I loved my RCBS Jr. it got a bit much resizing .44 Magnums and I got a Rockchucker, earlier series. Get acquainted with the Corbins while you can, before they retire and if what they got suits you... Luck Happy Trails.

Thanks, EMP3 and ilranger

quote:

Originally posted by iiranger:
The Rolls Royces of presses are available thru the Corbins: Dave, swage.com or corbins.com or ???; and his brother Rich rceco.com. These are a longer stroke for reloading and a shorter stroke adjustment for swaging bullets, lead or jacketed. They also make the dies for this work. Absolutely nothing wrong with the machines mentioned, these are just bigger, stronger, and with roller bearings... to the max. (Yes, they also offer electric power machines.) Costly? Yes, you get what you pay for. If you look about, often used comes up. Any care at all and they will be as good as ever. While I loved my RCBS Jr. it got a bit much resizing .44 Magnums and I got a Rockchucker, earlier series. Get acquainted with the Corbins while you can, before they retire and if what they got suits you... Luck Happy Trails.

i agree 100%. but i've been looking in all the wrong places i guess cause i've yet to find a used one and would love to have one.