Would like to get an indication of what reloaders are using for large cases? IE 460 Based, BMG Based, Nitro, or larger. Details are good if you're using something unusual.

Question:
What Type or Model Reloading Press are you Using?

Choices:
Single Stage Cast Major brand
Single Stage Fabricated Major Brand
Progressive Major Brand
Obscure Type or Brand
Me and Bubba Made One in the Garage

 

I use a Dillon AT500...basically a 550 without all the bells and whistles. I did add a automatic primer feed, but that is all.
I used it for the following larger calibers:
375 H%H
416 Rigby
460 Wthby
458 Win
and soon, I hope, for 500 A2

Lee Cast Press. Works well and large enough to handle the big boomers.

A4, need I say more...?

Rich
DRSS

Rich,

Can't say I've ever seen an A4 press. Only heard about them. They were long extinct before I ever needed one. How large a die can you safely thread?

My son has my A-4 for use with his .300 RUM. I get by with my RCBS Rockchucker.

I use an RCBS single stage A-2 and wouldn't use anything else..It will load anything including a 50 BMG..I use it for my double rifle calibers.

The Big Lee classic cast press is a great buy, very easy to use and lots of leverage. It's easily worth 3x the price at Midway.
That's what I load my 470 with.
For the 30-378, my Dillon RL550B works great. I do have a 470 conversion kit for the Dillon, but it requires changeing the base plate and it's just easier to use a single stage press for the low volume loading.

Yep, I use a regular old RCBS Rockclunker for my .30-378 and .460.

We have an all steel press to accomodate 2 3/4"- 12 thread dies.

I'm using an AmmoMaster. It's designed for 50BMG & takes everything else w/ ease.

I second the RCBS AmmoMaster. With the proper bushing it will handle large and small ... don't know if a 2-bore will fit though ... it would if you drilled and tapped the top to take a die that big (way fatter than a 50 BMG) and had a proper shellholder that would overhang the ram.

I have ammomaster, extra tops drilled and
threaded for big dies(1.5", 2.0")
It does my 700HE, 12GA FH. 4bore, 2bore, etc.
For 700 I use bmg holder, a 12ga holder I made,
C&H 20mm holder for 4bore, homemade holders
for my 900 and 2bore.Have linkage change in bottom to get more leverage when needed..Ed

I use an old RCBS Rockchucker. I missed the last A-4 in the DC area many years ago and had to be satisfied with the Rockchucker. Since I am retired and the press has done fine for more than 35 years ... I can put up with the minor inconvenience of the press being a little short for the .470 NE.

If I were going to start today, the first press I'd buy would be the larger RCBS Rockchucker available today. (I do own three large progressives for other work, but for rifle cartridges a single stage press is just fine!)

A lot can be done with the Ammomaster as evidenced by Ed's adaptations. It's WAY too small to load our 2-Bore cases. Biggest problem being clearance and changing the top plate still doesn't accomodate 2.75"-12 dies. We decided to manufacture our own press rather than compromise.

Redding Big Boss.
I load the following calibers:
.223
.257 Wby
.444
.45/70
.340 Wby
.378 Wby
and soon to be .500A2

My 2bore die is 2" thread with ammomaster.
Mac are your 2bore cases brass.
I will only size the top 1/4 of my case,
as the cases being steel won't need
sizing on the bottom 3/4. So 2" dies work
for that. My ammomaster has a beam on top braced to my case spinner on same bench, so
I can reef on it-the top of steel cases take a
lot of muscle. I can reform the base of 20mm
to size for 4bore also. I also have a big
Lee Classic and it swages the bmg cases to
my 700 belted very easy, after I start the
step for the belt.Ed

I've used the same RCBS JR press for 30 years for everything from 22 Hornet to long cartridges like 416 Rigby & 510 Wells.

Like the previous poster,I have an RCBS JR press that I've used for many years but I find it to be too cramped for tall cases and long bullets.For that I much prefer the RCBS ammomaster.

Our cases are new never fired brass at about same strength as military steel cases. Only upper 1/4" to 1/2" is annealed, sized, and crimped.

The press makes about 24,000 lbs of peak force during this stroke with no toggles, gears, linkage, hydraulics, electricity, or Madam Laveaus VooDoo. Just some Austro-Saxon Engineering and a lot of CNC time and $$$$$

macifej,

you can load 50BMG and 20mm Lahti (IIRC) on the A4.

The new Redding is supposed to be as stout.

Rich
DRSS

Makes sense. Both of those cases are relatively small overall diameter to length.

If someone has a photo of their A4 I would like to see it here. Never spied one that I know of.

Thanks

The handle stroke is way too long for most applications so I never bought one.
It would be good for swaging case heads though.

Beastie looking. Are you using it now or is it just on display?

ease of use --
all the way to 3.65" cases
RCBS 3, 5, or JR... all work great

3.65 to 4.5", NOT bmg based
rcbs supreme is an EXCELLENT single press
for all nitros, all big cases, and for forming cases

BMG based or bigger
ammomaster

want a BIG progressive? get the ammomaster progressive!!

Macifej,
Where do you say you come from? 117w X 32n is a bit west of of baja california, in the middle of the ocean, even at 1.5 meters resolution.


jeffe

RCBS Big Max
Redding Big Boss

Belive it or not, I still have and use the old Hornady press I bought over 30 years ago.
God knows how many thousand rounds have been trough it, but i still works and gives me good service.

Jeffeosso

Not sure what your source is but I'm about five miles east of the ocean and 20 miles north of the border. Within walking distance of MYF.

FAA INFORMATION EFFECTIVE 05 JULY 2007
Location
FAA Identifier: MYF
Lat/Long: 32-48-56.6000N / 117-08-22.5000W
32-48.943333N / 117-08.375000W
32.8157222 / -117.1395833
(estimated)
Elevation: 427 ft. / 130.1 m (surveyed)
Variation: 14E (1980)
From city: 6 miles N of SAN DIEGO, CA
Time zone: UTC -7 (UTC -8 during Standard Time)
Zip code: 92123

For rifles I've been using the same old RCBS Junior since 1979 and it still works great. I do my rifle loads by hand one at a time and prefer it that way.

For handguns it's a Dillon 550 (and for .223 ammo)

Terraserver shows 32x117 as wet
http://www.terraserver.com/view.asp?cx=499212.87212737&...=-1&stac=-1&szxz=tru

.., but 32.48x117.08 as dry http://www.terraserver.com/view.asp?cx=486736.30752822&...=-1&stac=-1&szxz=tru

I just look these things up when I see them, from time to time

The TerraServer site is accurate on the dry location.

I use my Terra Mercedes-Benz and My Terra BMW but the fixed antenna at the airport is probably (slightly) more accurate.

Don't want to be too accurate cause then you guys will be showin' up...drinkin' my beer and watchin' my TV!

I use a dillion 550 for my 338-378 weatherby and my 416 rem mag.I used the mag powder measurer on it.It goes to 120 grains.I have loaded about 4000 rounds of 416 rem mag and about 1000 rounds of 338-378 weatherby on it.I have to load it slower than normal and I have to watch that little pound hopper that empties so fast.

DGR 416

I have Weatherby's also. What kind of dies are you using on the Dillon?

I have a RCBS JR, that I've had for 40 yrs, and I've loaded thousands of rounds of ammo for pistol, and ordenary rifle ammo, and it is still fine! However it is not worth spit for large NE rounds like 475#2 Nitro Express (3.5" long + the bullet length), or the like. even the 375 H&H is getting into finger pinching short opening.

For the big stuff I use a RCBS "BIG MAX" That I bought form a guy who bought it new, and never used it. I don't know why he bought it in the first place, because the largest cartridge he loads is a 22-250!

If I were going to buy new today, I would buy the RCBS Ammo Master!

I have used an old Orange crush press before. I don’t remeber what the larges caliber that we reloaded on it but it seemed to have lots of ram travel. I like the Redding big boss II it has 3.8 inch of ram travel.
I did notice that Redding now list Dies in 470 and the 9.3X 74R Full length die set $111.00 Deluxe Die Set $177.00. I don’t think the Deluxe set would be that great for a double because it adds a neck size die that may and may not work because of the differences in chamber size. If you can load your empties in either chamber with out a problem than the neck size may save working the brass and it will last longer.
Just for grins I looked and you can get a .470 Nitro Conversion Kit for your Dillon RL 550B. Give me a box head start and I can load them faster than you can shoot them lol.
Bill

Need four; Forster/Bonanza Co-Ax, RCBS AmmoMaster2, Sinclair custom press, and Sinclair Arbor press.

Buliwyf,

What's the largest case you load?

Length: .416 Rigby

Diameter: .500 Jeffery