Press recommdations

[Wooly]

In my lifetime, I have owned the following presses. These are my experiences and opinions. Yours may vary:

Single Stage
1. RCBS Rock Chucker (USA made) Great press. Used it for a couple of decades and then passed it down to my son. He uses it still to this day. Not a fan of RCBS dies.
2. Redding Big Boss II. I load the absolute most accurate match grade rifle ammo with this press and Redding Competition dies and their Comp Shell Holder kits. Also, best for other operations like bullet pulling and RX die operations.
3. Forster Co-Ax Another excellent press. I get best results with this press and Forster Bushing Bump dies loading for my semi auto rifles. I also like it for my bullet pointing dies.

Progressive (pistol only)
1. Lee Classic Turret. Fiddle some and hard to use. Sprayed primers all over the floor. Easy to load squibs. Dangerous. Gave it away in the end.
2. Dillon RL550B. Excellent piece of equipment. One of the best machines of any kind I have ever put my hands on. I can crank out over 300 rounds per hour of match quality pistol ammo. Fast and easy to change calibers with their quick set up tools. Almost fool proof. I broke a de-capping rod once. My fault but Dillon replaced it free of charge.

 

[PopCharlie]

I started way back in 1985 with a Lee Pro 100 progressive. I loaded 45 acp only. I later added dies for 357 and 44 mag. It worked well enough. When I got into rifle reloading in the early 90s, I bought a Redding Boss single stage press.
I retired the Lee press in 2014, replaced by a Dillon SDB. It is a great progressive for handguns ammo. If I was thinking more clearly, I would have gotten a 550. I load higher volumes of .223 for my AR, and .30-06 for my M-1 Garand. You can load just about anything on the 550. I retired the Redding in favor of a Coax about a month ago.
The Redding had developed too much wobble in the ram. I still use it for decapping and "pre-sizing" handgun brass before running it through the Dillon (I trim the brass before it gets run through the Dillon as well).

I really like the Coax used in conjunction with Forster dies. They work best for me. I have Whidden and Redding die sets for my bolt guns as well. I've tried them all in the Coax. The Forster dies produce the straightest, most consistent rounds.

PopCharlie

 

[mtang45]

Started reloading on a RCBS Rock Chucker back in the last century, and acquired a Lyman Orange Crush as a second single stage a few years later. Switched all that out for a Forster COAX about 8 years ago and wish I would have discovered it years earlier. Best single stage press out there IMHO. Also picked up the Hornady Lock'n Load Progressive about the same time as the Forster for volume handgun reloading and its a very fine piece of equipment.

I'm sure there are other presses that work fine, but you can't go wrong with the two that you inquired about.

 

[blundby]

Have had coax, dillon550 and now prazipress. Very happy with German engineering. I do not float dies and get less runout and shoulder bump.

 

[danny]

I just started reloading. I'm looking for a new press and am caught between progressive and single stage. Right now I have a basic lee press. There's so much info out there and it can get so confusing. What do you think about the Hornady lock and load? For single stage I'm looking at the Forster co ax. Any help is much appreciated.

Thanks
Mike

What are you loading; pistol only, rifle only, or both? You should probably get a progressive only if you are loading pistol ammunition in quantity. If you are loading both rifle and pistol ammunition (in quantity), maybe a progressive can be added to the single stage you already have, later on upgrading your single stage; if needed. On the other hand, if you reload both rifle, and pistol (but not in extreme quantity), a good turret press (some can be automated) could be your one "go to" press.

I know that some will disagree with me, but I can't recommend a progressive for rifle ammunition in quantity for self loaders. I have loaded A LOT of ammunition for semi autos over the years with a single stage, all of which has been run through a case gage. I could never resize cases on a single stage and have ALL of them pass gage inspection the first time. What are you going to do after loading on a progressive; check them with a gage when fully loaded, then disassemble and reload them when they don't pass a case gaging? On top of that, you had better be sure your primers are seated properly.

Danny

 

[Wooly]

What are you loading; pistol only, rifle only, or both? You should probably get a progressive only if you are loading pistol ammunition in quantity. If you are loading both rifle and pistol ammunition (in quantity), maybe a progressive can be added to the single stage you already have, later on upgrading your single stage; if needed. On the other hand, if you reload both rifle, and pistol (but not in extreme quantity), a good turret press (some can be automated) could be your one "go to" press.

I know that some will disagree with me, but I can't recommend a progressive for rifle ammunition in quantity for self loaders. I have loaded A LOT of ammunition for semi autos over the years with a single stage, all of which has been run through a case gage. I could never resize cases on a single stage and have ALL of them pass gage inspection the first time. What are you going to do after loading on a progressive; check them with a gage when fully loaded, then disassemble and reload them when they don't pass a case gaging? On top of that, you had better be sure your primers are seated properly.

Danny

I agree with Danny that loading for rifle on a progressive is less than optimum. I did load a batch of 5.56 on my Dillon 550 for a short range 25 yard IDPA carbine match. accuracy was not a concern.

Still a PIA. If you "work up" rifle brass before you reload then you still have to do that. Rifle brass has to be sufficiently lubed. Powder tends to dam up in the neck, just like it does when you pour your powder through a funnel.

Since the cases are lubed, powder sticks to the inside of the neck. The 650 or the new 750 would work better. They have a powder check station. Still, I will stick with single stage for my rifles.

 

[Dub]

I am pretty close to ordering a CO-AX. I have a RC supreme and a Sinclair now along with a Dillon 55B

 

[Papa Charlie]

Reading some of these posts, it sounds as though loading presses are like Lays potato chips. Can't have just one, and before you know it the bag is empty.

 

[Fire Dog]

Like you I started out with a Lee (turret) press, then over the next 15 years, went to a Lee single-stage, then a RCBS Rock Chucker. About 25 years ago, when I was shooting a lot of High-Power I bought a Forster COAX and have never looked back. I like many COAX owners believe that most who find fault with the COAX, have likely never owned one. I did purchase a used Lyman Turret press a few years ago, as a utility press. There are somethings that the COAX won't work for, like pulling pullets with a "collet-style" bullet puller and I leave my Lee Decapping and Brownells Mandrell dies mounted in it permanently.

If you go to Foster's site and look for the Co-Ax puller you will find one that works. It is a special model just for that press... Slightly modified over their regular one and will work in a regular press too.
I have an original Bonanza Co-Ax and all I have done over the years is add some curved side links... Foster bought out Bonanza years ago but it is still the same press and after about 500,000 rounds it is still going strong. Clean and lube stress points and it is a lifetime friend! Here is the place for the links:
https://inlinefabrication.com/products/precision-machined-increased-access-side-linkages-for-co-ax

 

[jonbearman]

Here is one question: How many rounds do you intend to load all at once? #2 A progressive is a bit of work to understand and the investment is kinda expensive,do you really need one to learn reloading ,My answer is no. Get used to a single stage first to master reloading technique and down the road maybe you will require a progressive. No need to confuse yourself which makes many just give up. Learn all the safety rules and technique. read at least 2 books like the Berger manual, Hornady or Lyman book to get it right and safe the first time. No need to complicate things until you have been reloading for a year or two. Get a rockchucker or equivalent to start out.