I have an old reloading press that has worked great for me over the years. The problem is there is no way to change the shell holder on it and the one that is on there fits my .280 and .270 cases but wont fit .300 WBY. So I am going to buy a new press which would you guys recomend? I don't want aprogressive press, was leaning towards the rock chucker unless there is something better in that style of press.

The Rock chucker is good and will last a lifetime.

But the one which consistantly produces the most concentric loads is the Co-Ax

Faced with the same decision of not wanting the progressive press but wanting something extra, I opted for the new Redding T-7 turret press. Love it. This press is most beneficial if you have several calibers to load as the turret head will hold 7 dies and you do not have to remove the dies when loading different calibers. This press is built better than a "brick outhouse". The unit weighs 25 pounds and is very, very sturdy.
Ron

Firedog,
Pardon my curiosity, but what press do you have that prevents changing shellholders? Holders, adaptors and new rams are available for most of the older presses. Vega Tool Company in Boulder Colorado specializes it obsolete shellholders.
Cheers from Grayest California,
Ross

I like the co-ax, mostly use my redding boss now.

[ 07-08-2003, 01:04: Message edited by: Ross ]

The Redding T-7!

Get a co-ax, you won't regret it. I used to have a turret press, and find that the co-ax is as fast to change dies as a turret, and also has the benefits of the co-ax design.

ditto, get the co-ax

Dillon AT 500. Not a progressive but can be upgraded to the RL550B in stages if you ever change your mind. It does have interchangeable toolheads which hold your dies and an indexable shellplate. However, even though it is capable of loading 40 different calibers straight out of the box, 300WBY is not one of them. You'll need to buy an extra shellplate for that magnum case, about $21.

Thanks guys for the great ideas, I will look at the Co-Ax and also the Redding stuff. Is the CO-AX the forster? I am looking in the new Midway master catalog.

Ross the Press I have says Pacific on the side of it, it was my dad's years ago and when I started reloading about 15 years ago he gave it to me since he doesn't reload anymore. Even if I could find something that would work as a shell holder for it the opening isnt wide enough really to acomodate the longer cases. Beside it gives me a reason to buy more stuff

[ 07-09-2003, 00:47: Message edited by: firedog ]

firedog:

Hornady acquired Pacific some time ago. You should contact them to see if they can assist you.

I'm still puzzled, though, as to why you can't change shellholders. Please, elaborate.

RSY

[ 07-09-2003, 18:03: Message edited by: RSY ]

I load the 6.5-300 Wby and my old RCBS Rockchucker is too short to easily load this ammo. Too much fishing and sliding. Great press otherwise.

The big Redding is MUCH more easily accessed and has a LOT of leverage. Further, "Precision Shooting" magazine (Internation Benchrest Shooters publication) did an extensive comparison test on several popular presses a couple years ago and the Redding showed the least amount of distortion and mis-alignment under load by a good margin.

RCBS has changed the Rock Chucker press. I have been shopping for a new press myself and was looking at the Rock Chucker. The "O" part of the frame has been enlarged to more easily accept the longer magnum rounds. It's funny when I posted a very similar thread the other day everyone said to go with RCBS. I guess it just depends of what day and who is on. Thanks for the ingo about Redding though I have been looking at them also.

I had heard they enlarged the opening, but never followed up on it, thanks. What does it for me is the long cases. If everything I loaded was '06 length and shorter, I'd still be happy with the rockchucker.
That Redding press shore is purty though . . .

The Forster Co-Ax gets my vote.

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I have an old Redding Turret press (6 station). I had formerly though of turret presses as handgun presses. Not true. The head turns on a ball bearing. This allows a tiny bit of give to the head and allows it to self center itself. It actually produces reloads that are more concentric than those from my RCBS Rockchuker. I've had that old Redding for over 35 years.
Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

RSY, the part of the press that hold the shell is one piece going to the handle. So I would need ot replace most of the handle. Not really looked at any other presses before since this one has served me well for a long time. This may be standard set up.
The other reason I would prefer a new press would be that the openeing from the bottom of the dies to the top of the press when it is open is so short it would be a pain in the butt with the longer .300 cases.

I still have my old rockchucher and have no plans to replace it.I load the ultramags and stw's with no problems at all.

Oops,
Posted twice again; deleted again.
Ross

[ 07-13-2003, 07:27: Message edited by: Ross ]

Just to fill in for the younger members, The detachable shellholder is newer than that press. In those days the entire ram was the shellholder and you changed the ram to change calibers. It is still possible to find rhe old solid shellholders at gunshows, but nearly everyone simply changed to the two-piece ram - shellholder head. You can too. The majority of C presses used a standard ram.
The advantage of the old fixed shellholder was that it was removed and the primer residue wiped off once in a while. I can't remember when I pulled a ram to clean and oil it, more than a year ago.
Cheers from Grayest California,
Ross

Thanks Ross, that is exactlly what it is. Like I said before if the openening was bigger I would look into replacing the ram but since it isn't that wide. I am going to replace the press.