Arbor Press set up vs. Rock Chucker type

[JCardenas]

I was wondering if there was an advantage to using an arbor press and Wilson micrometer seater type dies over a rock chucker type set up with a match seating micrometer type die.

Is one more precise, less run out?
Is one set up faster than another?
Which do you guys prefer for LR BR Comp?

 

[dkhunt14]

You can feel the bullet seating with an arbor press and you can't with the big press. If you buy a blank or smaller die of the same caliber and have it reamed with your reamer it is a perfect chamber fit. Matt

 

[JCardenas]

Thanks Matt,

I was thinking of moving up to and arbor and Wilson seater. Are they simple to operate?

 

[DeltaBravo]

I went from the Rockchucker to the Harrells and to a 21st Century Arbor Press, with a K&M Force Measuring Arbor Press on the side. I would never seat bullets in the RCBS; the Harrell's is quite adequate for FL sizing my 6BR brass.

HTH

Dennis

 

[artbosco]

I've always used my K&M Arbor with the Wilson seater and its micrometer top when reloading for the 6PPC and 30BR.

If I was seating for a 50 BMG I might use my Rock Chucker Supreme.

 

[Judd]

I found the Wilson Die w/ arbor press to provide a much more consistent OAL than traditional seating dies in a conventional press.

FWIW, I use a 21st Century hydro arbor press and I can really group like neck tensions together.

 

[JCardenas]

Thanks guys, I think I will be looking at the KM with the pressure indicator. It looks fairly easy to use.

 

[DeltaBravo]

One improvement I made to my K&M was to use a .0001 gage instead of the .001 gage. With my light neck tension, I was only getting about 2-thou indication on the .001 gage and just couldn't see much difference from one to the next. With the .0001 gage, I now see 25 to 30 or so and can see the needle out of the corner of my eye while watching the Wilson seater get close to bottom.

Dennis

 

[JRS]

Then, there is the best of both worlds. The Hood/Crawford press Single or double ram 8)

With the JLC insert, of course. No need for micrometer tops

 

[nosualc]

Besides the aforementioned "feel" during bullet seating, the other advantage the arbor press has is portability. You can use it at the range. Size and prime your brass at home in bulk, charge and seat at the range to do load workups.

Also, it might just be my imagination, but with the arbor press I feel I can seat a bunch of bullets faster than I can with a full size press.

-nosualc

 

[Phil]

I have, and use, both.

The Rock chucker i use for the heavy work....ie neck sizing / full length sizing / de-priming and the Arbor for seating chores.


Phil.

 

[Terry Altom]

I laughed at the first Wilson and arbor press setup I saw at the range. Got it myself now and will never go back. I still use my Rock Chucker for case prep, but use the Wilson seater dies for loading.

Just got my new Dasher build back yesterday and the Wilson micro-top seater will be at the range with me doing load development.

 

[Sniper338]

I'm in the process of getting wilson seating dies and an arbor press now... I plan to use the rock chucker for depriming and sizing only now...

 

[escopeta]

I use a Janesville Tool & Mfg. ILP-500 small cast iron press with the latest Wilson Micrometer top from Sinclair for my 6 Dasher and .308Win. Much better press than standard stuff out there now. Not cheap but rock solid. Found mine used. Seating feel is great. May adapt a digital force gauge later to play with.
Use Forster Coax for sizing.

 

[dkhunt14]

I had a guy tell me one time at a match that he could feel a bullet seat with his RCBS press. I knew Eddie was up in his camper loading shells. I also knew Eddie used an arbor press to seat bullets. I told him lets go up to Eddies camper and see if Eddie will let you seat a bullet. All the way up to the camper the guy told me how good he could feel the bullet go in with an RCBS press. I knocked on the door and asked Ed if he would let Mike seat a bullet. Ed said I just got done putting the powder in and he would let him seat one. Mike went in the camper and Ed set a bullet in the case and sat the die down over the case. He said pull down on the handle and seat the bullet. I was standing in the doorway of the camper and watched his face when he pulled the handle. His eyes told the story. They got as big as quarters. On the way back down from the camper he told me he had no idea and was wrong. Next week he had an arbor press and dies. Matt

 

[michaelnel]

I switched over. I use the Wilson seater dies with a 21st Century arbor press for seating bullets, and I use the Forster Co-Ax for everything else. I love the ease of feeling the effort required to seat bullets. If one doesn't feel the same as the others, I know something is wrong and set that one aside to be used as a fouler.