Which Seating Pressure Arbor Press?

[wkdickinson]

I am want to purchase a "pressure sensing" arbor press for seating bullets. I am not going to spend $1,400 for an AMP, so it kind of comes down to the K&M or the 21st Century - spring pressure vs hydraulic. What are you using? Why? Your experience?

 

[SeabeeKen]

Ive had both the 21st Cent and K&M. I much prefer the K&M. Gave the 21st cent away.

 

[6BRA]

Not needed imo...

 

[MikeRu]

I like the K&M I keep an eye on the guage while I’m seating

 

[bozo699]

I like them both but if I could only have one…. The K&M
Wayne

 

[Ringostar]

I bought the K&M with light force pack. Total waste of money, unless you run light neck tension. Gauge bottoms out with every bullet that I seat. I’m not cutting down the product, it just doesn’t work for my needs. So a little advance warning. I can actually feel pressure differences with out watching the gauge.

 

[bozo699]

I bought the K&M with light force pack. Total waste of money, unless you run light neck tension. Gauge bottoms out with every bullet that I seat. I’m not cutting down the product, it just doesn’t work for my needs. So a little advance warning.

It works great on my benchrest cartridges. If your running that high of neck tension they make a standard force seat pack that should work great for you
Wayne

 

[Rwfish]

I bought the K&M with light force pack. Total waste of money, unless you run light neck tension. Gauge bottoms out with every bullet that I seat. I’m not cutting down the product, it just doesn’t work for my needs. So a little advance warning. I can actually feel pressure differences with out watching the gauge.

Sounds like the standard force pack would correct your issue.?

Standard Force Pack	Max Force: 150lbs | Force/Deflection: 1lb/.001”
Low Force Pack	Max Force: 50lbs | Force/Deflection: 1lb/.002”

 

[Ringostar]

It works great on my benchrest cartridges. If your running that high of neck tension they make a standard force seat pack that should work great for you
Wayne

I understand that, but wasn’t in stock anywhere when I was purchasing. So decided to try the light version.

 

[misser]

I am want to purchase a "pressure sensing" arbor press for seating bullets. I am not going to spend $1,400 for an AMP, so it kind of comes down to the K&M or the 21st Century - spring pressure vs hydraulic. What are you using? Why? Your experience?

hydraulic.

 

[Gabe22BR]

I put a 60psi gauge on my 21st century-
Now I have individual marks just like the K&m standard force..

When both are used slowly, the gauge sets at “idle” for a brief second…

Now my K&M & 21Century, are with in 1psi of each other , so no matter which one I use.. they both work…


Depends on how deep your pockets are… as to which yo choose…
I’d get amp if I could afford it…

 

[Gray420]

I bought the K&M and I am not so sure if I would go down that rabbit hole again, how ever I am printing some 1 hole groups. You can be into the in line seating $500 with a press and 2 dies. I ended up securing mine to bench which I like and once you get a rhythm going I feel I can seat bullets just as fast on the arbor press as I can with my single stage. The K&M is fine product, I just don’t know if it was a game changer or not.

 

[jghoghunter]

I have the 21st century I like it very much. I'm not saying it's a game changer either but it will tell you that all your other processes are correct. The biggest one being your annealing process.

 

[RabbitSlayer]

Oh come on man, go amp or go home. It's just a little more top ramen and PBR....just took me couple cases of Costco top ramen and a few hundred PBR to get my amp annealer! #priorities

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I have had the K&M for over 15 years. I eventually removed the force pack and just use it as a standard press.

 

[urbanrifleman]

Not needed imo...

Fingers and a Harrell's is all that is needed.

 

[Larry Koch]

The standard K&M press without the pressure pack is the way to go. It just has a better down force than the Harrell. However the Harrell is used as a backup just encase press. If you get the pressure pack you will remove it as some point. Just a pain in the rear.

Neck tension is where its at. And the target is the final test.

 

[DHuffman]

I had the 21st Century hydraulic for a couple years.
I noticed at one point I wasn't watching the gauge but was feeling the resistance in the handle still.
Sold it and went back to my Harrels

 

[JMayo]

K&m here . I use the gage when going through figuring out neck tension. Once that's done the gage goes in the drawer until my ocd curiosity comes out.
All of my used calibers seat about the same.
Bullet starts in around 10 and completes around 30-35.
6bra, 30br, 6ppc, 6.5x47

 

[wkdickinson]

Thanks for all of the responses!

Wayne