Advice for a new press

[Bora72]

Hi, I'm having a problem with a Redding press and I'm thinking of replacing it.
I'm torn between these three presses:
Forster Co-Ax
RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme
MEC Marksman
I only have Forster dies.
I currently only reload one caliber.
Can you give me your opinions on these presses based on actual use?

Regards

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Ive had and tried most of the presses available off the shelves and for the simplicity and repeatability id always go for the Co-Ax. Smooth as butter and hits all my numbers with quality DIEs

 

[Mark M.]

Coax or Mec, but you can't go wrong with any of the three

 

[SeabeeKen]

What is the problem with the Redding press, if I may ask.
Used a Forster for years. Its a nice press however, it doesnt load better quality ammo than other presses in my tests. Its on press priming can be problematic because it grabs the case at 3 points and lacks the rim coverage of a shell holder. I have bent a few rims while using some tight fitting primers. It is best to buy their lock rings also. I gave mine to a friend and kept my Redding big boss 2. The Redding BB2 and the RCBS rock chucker are as tough as they come. My son is still using the rock chucker I bought in 1974 and its as tight as ever

 

[Bora72]

Thanks everyone for the replies.
I want to point out that my rifle's chamber is quite narrow, and I can't resize the case simply by making firm contact between the shell holder and the die;
I have to screw the die in quite tightly.

The problem I'm having with the press is that when I press firmly on the lever, the piston flexes.
I measured this with a dial gauge.

 

[47WillysGuy]

Rock Chucker here for 40 plus years.

By the way, what is a narrow chamber. Streets are narrow.

And What is the piston you reference, the press ram?

Press model ?? Turret or single? Redding website shows both.

Sound like you’re trying for more squeeze on press to brass case and your standing on the press handle casing ram to deflect.

Maybe you have a problem with the shell holder or the die being to thick or to long. You should have some clearance between the ram and shell holder for the case squeeze that you want.

My press has 0.068” of space(air gap) between the ram and the sizing die for my headspace setting.

Help us out with a little more information, maybe we can save you some $$$$.$$ and you then become a paying member for all great information these guys have put, and they do putout.

Hope you finger it out. Reddings presses are good. Best of luck to you.

 

[J.d. Popkes]

Thanks everyone for the replies.
I want to point out that my rifle's chamber is quite narrow, and I can't resize the case simply by making firm contact between the shell holder and the die;
I have to screw the die in quite tightly.

The problem I'm having with the press is that when I press firmly on the lever, the piston flexes.
I measured this with a dial gauge.

The piston flexes?!?!? All presses flex, I know the frames do. There’s always some slack in linkages.

 

[nwmnbowhunter]

Which Redding press you using?

Comparing
Rock chucker
T7
Big boss ii
Mec
Zero

All were equal in terms of concentricity and shoulder bump.

 

[kenhwind]

I used a Lyman Spar-T press for years and managed to get a Remington 300 Ultra Mag case stuck and it took too S-K combination wrenches to get it out. That older type of press was fine.

The presses we now use are over-built compared to the Lyman Spartan presses, yet those Spartan presses and Spar-T were indestructible.

Somehow, I do not think this is a press issue.

 

[gambleone]

Rock Chucker here for 40 plus years.

By the way, what is a narrow chamber. Streets are narrow.

And What is the piston you reference, the press ram?

Press model ?? Turret or single? Redding website shows both.

Sound like you’re trying for more squeeze on press to brass case and your standing on the press handle casing ram to deflect.

Maybe you have a problem with the shell holder or the die being to thick or to long. You should have some clearance between the ram and shell holder for the case squeeze that you want.

My press has 0.068” of space(air gap) between the ram and the sizing die for my headspace setting.

Help us out with a little more information, maybe we can save you some $$$$.$$ and you then become a paying member for all great information these guys have put, and they do putout.

Hope you finger it out. Reddings presses are good. Best of luck to you.

Agree, 47WillysGuy is spot on.

 

[linebaugh]

Save some money and grind/sand or lathe the top of the shell holder back. I believe you can order shell holders with less height as well. Can also trim the face of the die in same manner with same results.
If your chamber is short this will require more setback than you are currently capable of causing either cam over or to much press contact between the die and shell plate.

If your chamber is tight and you are binding on the actual chamber its possibly at the base which will require a small base die.

 

[TC260]

Thanks everyone for the replies.
I want to point out that my rifle's chamber is quite narrow, and I can't resize the case simply by making firm contact between the shell holder and the die;
I have to screw the die in quite tightly.

The problem I'm having with the press is that when I press firmly on the lever, the piston flexes.
I measured this with a dial gauge.

As has been stated, the press isn’t the issue. Once the shell holder comes into firm comtact with the die, sizing is done. No amount of smashing, forcing, crushing by the press is going to size it further.

If it were me the next step is determine what part of the case isn’t being sized enough to chamber easily. It may just be a matter of sanding a few thousandths off the top of the shell holder to allow the case to go slightly further into the die. Maybe you need a small base dies. More info and discussion will flush that out but a new press isn’t the solution

 

[K22]

Lots of excellent advice regarding the existing press.

I would look for the root cause / fix of the sizing problem first before shelling a bunch of $ for a new press.

 

[tdogg]

You need a set of these: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101253343

These will let you bump the shoulder more with your existing press.

As mentioned, you can also remove the top of your current shell plate. Or you can have the bottom of your die machined off to give more sizing opportunity (I'd recommend taking it to a machinist if that is what you do).

I'd also examine how you are lubing the cases for resizing. If you don't lube properly, the case can and will stick to the die (especially if the base of the case is blown out) and not size 100%, it will spring back. Finally are you annealing your cases? If they have been fired a bunch, they may need to be annealed to size properly.

Cheers,
Toby

 

[J.d. Popkes]

You need a set of these: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101253343

These will let you bump the shoulder more with your existing press.

As mentioned, you can also remove the top of your current shell plate. Or you can have the bottom of your die machined off to give more sizing opportunity (I'd recommend taking it to a machinist if that is what you do).

I'd also examine how you are lubing the cases for resizing. If you don't lube properly, the case can and will stick to the die (especially if the base of the case is blown out) and not size 100%, it will spring back. Finally are you annealing your cases? If they have been fired a bunch, they may need to be annealed to size properly.

Cheers,
Toby

You’re going the wrong direction here with the comp shell holders. They are + 2-4-6-8-10 thousandths. Not what’s needed here.

Unclear on what’s actually needed here but it’s probably a thing where a small base die is in order or a die/chamber spec thing.

 

[Infrequent Shooter]

inquiring minds want to know what cartridge you load for pls.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I have been runnin the same Rock Chucker since the mid 70's or so. Still my main press.

 

[wkdickinson]

COAX hands down! I bought one 25 or 30 years ago and at the time it was a stretch financially. Up to that point I'd used several models of Lee presses and I had a Rock Chucker. I've never looked back after purchasing the COAX. Smooth, precise, set your dies up once (pop them out and back in with no adjustment needed), no "shell holders" (one thing I don't like is having to change to plates when going from 308 to 223). Also, I put mine on a 10" riser and built a shorter "arm" with a roller handle, both made a big difference.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

You need a set of these: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/101253343

These will let you bump the shoulder more with your existing press.

As mentioned, you can also remove the top of your current shell plate. Or you can have the bottom of your die machined off to give more sizing opportunity (I'd recommend taking it to a machinist if that is what you do).

I'd also examine how you are lubing the cases for resizing. If you don't lube properly, the case can and will stick to the die (especially if the base of the case is blown out) and not size 100%, it will spring back. Finally are you annealing your cases? If they have been fired a bunch, they may need to be annealed to size properly.

Cheers,
Toby

I have a couple sets of those. Also in conjunction with em I use this to determine bump. https://shop.rcbs.com/precision-mic/
Also maybe one of these in the appropriate caliber will help https://ads.midwayusa.com/product/1016392937?pid=452669

 

[Steve Donlon]

Rock Chucker here for 40 plus years.

By the way, what is a narrow chamber. Streets are narrow.

And What is the piston you reference, the press ram?

Press model ?? Turret or single? Redding website shows both.

Sound like you’re trying for more squeeze on press to brass case and your standing on the press handle casing ram to deflect.

Maybe you have a problem with the shell holder or the die being to thick or to long. You should have some clearance between the ram and shell holder for the case squeeze that you want.

My press has 0.068” of space(air gap) between the ram and the sizing die for my headspace setting.

Help us out with a little more information, maybe we can save you some $$$$.$$ and you then become a paying member for all great information these guys have put, and they do putout.

Hope you finger it out. Reddings presses are good. Best of luck to you.

Same here and I bought it used.