Another which press should I get thread. Co-AX vs T7 vs Rock vs Boss?

[Quinc]

Been loading for the last couple years on an old RCBS J3 single stage I picked up for 15$ at a yard sale. I was reloading precision .223 ammo with it and was having great results out to 1k. But now I am trying to step up with the big boys and shooting .284 Win. My question is if its worth paying for the Forster Co-Ax or if something like the Big Boss II or Rock Chucker is more than adequate? Also I really like the idea of having a Turret press like the T7 so I can just set up the dies once and be done. But my question is if the Turret press will put out as concentric ammo as a single stage? Shooting will mostly be at 1k but I would like to try out to 1600m as well.

 

[Shynloco]

I won't comment per se on the Turret T7 capabilities because I don't have one. But be aware (if you aren't already) that RCBS recently put out the Rockchucker Supreme model in a single stage press. Info only.

 

[Lazydays]

Been loading for the last couple years on an old RCBS J3 single stage I picked up for 15$ at a yard sale. I was reloading precision .223 ammo with it and was having great results out to 1k. But now I am trying to step up with the big boys and shooting .284 Win. My question is if its worth paying for the Forster Co-Ax or if something like the Big Boss II or Rock Chucker is more than adequate? Also I really like the idea of having a Turret press like the T7 so I can just set up the dies once and be done. But my question is if the Turret press will put out as concentric ammo as a single stage? Shooting will mostly be at 1k but I would like to try out to 1600m as well.

I use a Co-Ax, brother uses a couple big RCBS presses. Under his bench is a couple more worn out ones. But he does a lot of long strait walled cases. He tried doing them on the Co-Ax and said that it was easier and he felt he got a better case. Couldn't prove this by me. I never checked them. I can resize a 30-06 case with little effort. Have not bought conventional shell holders in years and years. But have bought a few Lee autoprime shell holders to be fair with that statement. I never go thru the dies to case alignment issues, and simply snap in the die and goto work. I did make a riser to go under the press to make everything more in front of me and easier to see. The press is very tight and square, and that's for a 1978 built press (actually a Bananza). If the ammo I load shows much more than .0015" TIR, I start looking to see what's wrong. It's very consistent. I would buy the optional handle (shorter one) as well. It's a nice feature.

I never really liked turret presses, but if it floats you boat then go ahead.
gary

 

[nosualc]

I have a Co-Ax, a T7 and a Rockchucker. If I had to choose one, I would keep the Co-Ax, and it's not even close. This is not to say the others are bad (they are not), but for many reasons, the Forster is the top of the heap. I use my Forster for case sizing, and the T7 as a utility press (decapping, expander mandrels, bullet pointing, etc.)

-nosualc

 

[Quinc]

Damn none of these replies are what I am looking for. Please edit your posts to show: "The RCBS and Redding presses are the best out there and 100$ less expensive!" ;D

 

[284driver]

The RCBS and Redding presses are the best out there and 100$ less expensive!
There, I said it. All kidding aside. I've loaded on several presses. I now have a t7. It turns out straight ammo. As most of the other ones did. The turret suits my style just fine. I've turned out good ammo with a Lee hand press for that matter. Pick one you think suits you best. I particularly like the open faced press like the t7 as opposed to a O framed rig myself. To each his own. Good luck.

 

[Lazydays]

The RCBS and Redding presses are the best out there and 100$ less expensive!
There, I said it. All kidding aside. I've loaded on several presses. I now have a t7. It turns out straight ammo. As most of the other ones did. The turret suits my style just fine. I've turned out good ammo with a Lee hand press for that matter. Pick one you think suits you best. I particularly like the open faced press like the t7 as opposed to a O framed rig myself. To each his own. Good luck.

to be honest with you, the only other press I'd like to have is a Hood press, and the cost for one is way over the top for me.
gary

 

[Turbulent Turtle]

Another extremely satisfied T-7 user here. I leave two match cartridges set up all the time and that makes it easy for me to run cases through when I have some spare moments. Very solid, very precise.

 

[LHSmith]

The Redding presses are the best out there and less expensive.
Some points to consider: one must tweak the die settings to obtain optimum performance...esp. if loading for 2 different guns of same cartridge (headspace differential)....and not all brass will have the same springback( IMHO it is NOT from the press "flexing")...even from the same batch w/ the same number of resizings. The current RC's are Chinese junk (IMHO). I have two older RC's and I much prefer to use my Redding Boss (plain old Boss) presses to load for matches (for PPC and 30 BR). If you use a good quality shellholder (like Redding...not Hornady) you will see that they in-fact allow some movement of the case to align itself with the die......even more so if you use o-rings to hold the s/h . The single stage presses are line-bored in one operation.....meaning there should be minimal alignment issues with the ram and the die holder at the top of the press.

 

[JRS]

The new RCBS Rockchucker is actually a better press than the old ones. Though the casting is of Chinese origin, the press is drilled and assembled here in the USA. They are now drilled through in one shot, rather than the top and bottom separately, as the old ones were. The best press at any price, IMO, is the LEE Classic Cast. The through and lateral dimensions on the LEE put everyone else to shame. Ask the good RG Robinett why he chose the LEE presses to make his extremely accurate bullets He could have used any presses on the planet

 

[Quinc]

Damn none of these replies are what I am looking for. Please edit your posts to show: "The RCBS and Redding presses are the best out there and 100$ less expensive!" ;D

OK..."The RCBS and Redding Presses are the best out there and $100 less expensive?" Ya Happy? BTW, I happen to have and use the RCBS Rockchucker sitting right next to my Redding Big Boss and they are less expensive than the Co-Ax and have worked just fine for me. Bet the Co-Ax guys will say theirs is the best as well. (Sorry..couldn't resist)

Which one do you like more the RCBS or the Big Boss?

 

[Erik Cortina]

Sorry, but here it goes.

DO NOT GET THE REDDING T7! I hope I made myself clear.

Get the Co-Ax, after using a Redding T7 for many years, I went to the Co-Ax and I wish I could have bought the Co-Ax sooner.

Don't forget that with the Co-Ax, you have quick change dies and no shell holders to worry about. It's actually more convenient that the T7.

 

[Shynloco]

Personally I use both of them for different functions during the reloading process. I like the Big Boss better for the full sizing process as the approach to the shellholder is more open and at a more comfortable angle to place the casing into the shellholder. Other than that, it's all a matter of convenience and they work the best for me. Hope that is helpful.

P.S. Just saw Erik's post. He's right....I wouldn't receommend the T7 either, but then I'm no fan of progressive presses anyway.

 

[hogan]

Probably don't need a new press at all....

A Dillon 550b will do more for you than any other tool, IF you want to load a bunch of ammunition.

If loading Big magnums, or forming Wildcat Brass beyond necking up/down; maybe a HD single stage will be your best bet. I chose a Redding Ultra Mag and never regretted doing so. Still have the Lyman All-American turret press I bought long ago, and an RCBS RS3. Turret press is handy for doing pistol rounds. Probably the Redding with 6 stations is the one to buy.

Good luck finding gear. For about what you'll spend on a Redding Turret and powder measure, you could be in Dillon 550b territory. Easy to load match quality ammo on a Dillon machine, long as you aren't expecting benchrest anal-retentive results. Plenty fine for Service Rifle or HighPower; not so much for rest or of the bags shooting.

Might look at Wilson dies if want THE BEST, or other more custom Arbor Die makers.

If shoot a lot, and have components already, find a Dillon and get the dies and conversion kits you need. Dies don't need to be Dillon, but NOW Is The Time to buy; if you ever expect to get gear. Probably smarter if funds are limited to buy die sets and components. Can't load if you got no bullets, powder, or primers.

Might also think about casting your own bullets.


Got lotsa money? Want to be self-sufficient in the ammunition dept? Time to spend some dough to get all you need while can still obtain it...


Good luck!

 

[Quinc]

Probably don't need a new press at all....

A Dillon 550b will do more for you than any other tool, IF you want to load a bunch of ammunition.

If loading Big magnums, or forming Wildcat Brass beyond necking up/down; maybe a HD single stage will be your best bet. I chose a Redding Ultra Mag and never regretted doing so. Still have the Lyman All-American turret press I bought long ago, and an RCBS RS3. Turret press is handy for doing pistol rounds. Probably the Redding with 6 stations is the one to buy.

Good luck finding gear. For about what you'll spend on a Redding Turret and powder measure, you could be in Dillon 550b territory. Easy to load match quality ammo on a Dillon machine, long as you aren't expecting benchrest anal-retentive results. Plenty fine for Service Rifle or HighPower; not so much for rest or of the bags shooting.

Might look at Wilson dies if want THE BEST, or other more custom Arbor Die makers.

If shoot a lot, and have components already, find a Dillon and get the dies and conversion kits you need. Dies don't need to be Dillon, but NOW Is The Time to buy; if you ever expect to get gear. Probably smarter if funds are limited to buy die sets and components. Can't load if you got no bullets, powder, or primers.

Might also think about casting your own bullets.


Got lotsa money? Want to be self-sufficient in the ammunition dept? Time to spend some dough to get all you need while can still obtain it...


Good luck!

Appreciate the long post and I agree that the 550B loads great ammo. I have one and load .223 and pistol rounds with it. I also have a small single stage RCBS press that works well. However, I guess you could say I am looking for the benchrest anal-retentive results and single digit SD.

 

[BoydAllen]

I have another option for you to consider. Any good cast iron O type press (RCBS or Redding) with a Hornady Lock-n-Load conversion bushing. I have several presses, and do the majority of my loading at the range with my Harrell's Combo press, but for what I do at home, my old Rockchucker, configured as mentioned above is really great. Dies are locked to their setting in the bayonet lock inserts, and all it takes is a twelfth of a turn to unlock and remove a die. This gives die changes that are fast, and with all of the precision of a good single stage press. I have several concentricity gauges, and I am quite picky in that area. As good as RCBS is on customer service, I wouldn't hesitate to pick up any of their equipment off of Ebay, second hand, as long as it was rust free, and in good shape.

I have used the Forster press on many occasions, and while I agree that it is a fine tool, there are a couple of things that I do not like about them. One is adjusting bump to a thousandth, which I find more time consuming than with a conventional press, and I find them inferior for using an expander die and mandrel to open up .220 Russian brass to 6mm, when making 6PPC cases. I have checked the results with a concentricity gauge and after doing so came to the conclusion that the floating features that are good for sizing cases are just the opposite for this operation, where my Harrell press produces the best results, a little better than my Rockchucker. I think that the reason is that it is the tightest and best aligned press that I own, and while it is better to let things float when sizing, the opposite is true for expanding up to a different caliber with a die and mandrel.

 

[Steve Blair]

I have used the Forster press on many occasions, and while I agree that it is a fine tool, there are a couple of things that I do not like about them. One is adjusting bump to a thousandth, which I find more time consuming than with a conventional press, and I find them inferior for using an expander die and mandrel to open up .220 Russian brass to 6mm, when making 6PPC cases. I have checked the results with a concentricity gauge and after doing so came to the conclusion that the floating features that are good for sizing cases are just the opposite for this operation, where my Harrell press produces the best results, a little better than my Rockchucker. I think that the reason is that it is the tightest and best aligned press that I own, and while it is better to let things float when sizing, the opposite is true for expanding up to a different caliber with a die and mandrel.

[br]
I understand your point, Boyd. But, aren't you fire forming after expanding and turning? So, just in this particular example, is it relevant? If not fire forming and then loading new cases for accuracy, I agree with the concern. [br]
When I make .284 Shehane brass from Lapua 6.5-284, I use my Co-Ax to expand and don't care about case to neck concentricity. The cases are turned on a mini lathe using a 21st Century turning tool and shell holder. The neck wall variation is ±.0001" and concentricity after fire forming is under .0005". After sizing in a WTC die, neck TIR is ~.0005". So, at least in my case, if some runout is induced by the Co-Ax, it does not seem to adversely affect subsequent operations.

 

[BoydAllen]

I would not think that making one 6.5 from another, that is so close, would present the problems that necking up something designed for bullets slightly smaller than .224 to .243 does. Also, the reason that I like to work with necks that are as straight on the body as possible is that I want an even cut on the shoulder, which I need to make to have the bolt close properly before fire forming. If a fellow is not dealing with the same situations that I described, then those issues would not need to be considered. I was just putting the information out there in case it might apply.

 

[Erik Cortina]

I would not think that making one 6.5 from another, that is so close, would present the problems that necking up something designed for bullets slightly smaller than .224 to .243 does. Also, the reason that I like to work with necks that are as straight on the body as possible is that I want an even cut on the shoulder, which I need to make to have the bolt close properly before fire forming. If a fellow is not dealing with the same situations that I described, then those issues would not need to be considered. I was just putting the information out there in case it might apply.

Boyd, Steve is making a .284 from 6.5-284 brass. So he is necking up from .264" to .284"

 

[BoydAllen]

Thanks Eric,
Good catch. As usual, I was "reading" too fast. ;D
Boyd