• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Best Precision Reloader

What's currently the best reloading press for precision reloading? I currently have a RCBS turret press, but the head on it wobbles around and if I turn my micrometer seating dies .001", the bullet doesn't always move .001". I can't imagine it is great for concentricity either.

I've seen a lot of "big name" people using the redding T7 turret press, but I wonder if that has similar issues to the RCBS.

I'm thinking I might be best off going with a normal solid single stage press, like the rock chucker supreme or the Redding big boss. Is there a press out there that is regarded as better than the others for precision reloading?

Thanks!
 
Generally speaking, they're all about the same in terms of the 'quality' of ammo they'll produce. What really separates them are features, orientation, design/construction/materials and mechanical leverage.

You'll probably find this video helpful:

I also wouldn't get too hung up on press-generated concentricity issues. Runout is generally created by dies/die setup.

Personally though, I like a good single stage with as much mechanical leverage possible. Currently use the latest version of the RC Supreme, but I'd be happy with anything from Forster/Redding/Hornady etc.

Edit: Hell, I've actually toyed with the idea of getting a Dillon 650 to speed up case prep. I doubt you'd see any difference in scores if setup correctly.
 
Last edited:
I’m a brand new reloader (started this year) and I’ve been getting single digit velocity SD’s and 5 shot groups at 100 yds averaging in the .2s using a T7 press and Redding type S competition dies, so I don’t think there are any inherent issues with turret presses being wobbly, at least not all of them. The instructions with my T7 gave a torque spec on the turret spindle so I guess if you don’t torque it down properly then it might be wobbly. The seating depth adjustment tracks properly on my Redding dies, but you have to go by the CBTO measurement, because bullet tips vary but your seater die isn’t using the tip, it’s using the ogive.
 
I have several Redding presses, one is the T-7. It's really handy if you load just a couple cartridges, just leave your dies set up. I use mine to set up all my expander dies. I resize on my Big Boss and seat on a Forester Co-Ax, but always have a Rock Chucker available when I need it.
 
Crazy story from about 20 years ago. Dillon had a tech named Darryl, forgot his last name. I went to the Cactus Classic and he was competing. He had a Dillon 550 and was reloading at the match on it.IIRC, he finished Top Ten that weekend. His wife was from MO, and he ended up moving back there, and went to work for Midway.
He had the 550 bolted to a 2x12 about three feet long, and had it clamped to the bench. Yes; moved it from bench to bench on rotation.
 
Forster (Bonanza at the time) Co-Ax press was recommended to me forty years ago. The floating quick die change and.case head clamp jaw design beats them all. The overhead pull down operating handle provides unbelievable leverage. Read up about it, but one, use it, and you’ll become a believer. The bench mounted RCBS priming tool is a necessity for me. I have a Lyman C-press for pulling bullets. My RCBS Rockchucker lays on a shelf. I sold my Redding Ultra Mag to a friend. If you get into benchrest competition you’ll need L.E. Wilson hand dies and an arbor press to go with the Co-Ax.
 
I started with a Rockchucker, went to a 550B to speed up the process for bullseye pistol and saw the quality of my loads decrease (too many things happening at once to keep track of), went back to the 'chucker, then to a RCBS Turret and experienced the same turret plate wobble mentioned earlier. I liked the turret for setting up dies once, but went back to the 'chucker (there's a common theme here) with Hornady die bushings so I could set up dies once and change them quickly (ala a turret, but even better in my opinion). What I like most about the 'chucker, or for that matter any single stage press, is it is robust and solid.
 
What's currently the best reloading press for precision reloading? I currently have a RCBS turret press, but the head on it wobbles around and if I turn my micrometer seating dies .001", the bullet doesn't always move .001". I can't imagine it is great for concentricity either.

I've seen a lot of "big name" people using the redding T7 turret press, but I wonder if that has similar issues to the RCBS.

I'm thinking I might be best off going with a normal solid single stage press, like the rock chucker supreme or the Redding big boss. Is there a press out there that is regarded as better than the others for precision reloading?

Thanks!
I have had similar problems with RCBS dies them selves the micrometer adjustable seater would actually move every time I seated and you could not have a consistent measurement I went with Reading and have had no trouble since. as far as a press I have a Reading ultra mag more than I need for a 6.5x284but handles 338 lapua with ease
 
2 cents I still load the Best Ammo on a 30 year old Rock Chucker .
I also have a Redding Big Boss 2 and a Lyman Brass Smith "C" press.

RC and Boss are as good as it gets . ( My Thoughts ).

Lyman is for SP Removal ( great Buy at $69.00 ).

Good Luck
 
For a big press I like the Lee Classic Cast; it is well made and has a lot of good features. Randy Robinett uses them to make his bullets, so they must be good presses. For small cartridges I am blessed to have one of the original RFD o-frame presses. All the others mentioned are good, too, I've had most of them over the years except the turret presses. Just look carefully at the features and pick the one that suits your personal tastes the best. To me one of the most important features is how the press handles primers. I haven't primed cases on the press for decades, so that isn't important to me, but how it handles spent primers is mucho important.
 
Turret presses were just never on my wish list. Can see potentials flaws in them, but have zero experience with them. Do all of my of my case forming and resizing on my 70's vintage Rockchucker, Jr, and my newer Coax. Use Wilson dies for all my bottle neck bullet seating. Have dedicated tools for primer seating, off the press. Never did much scientific testing of my loading procedures, but my targets ain't complaining.
 
I won't say there isn't a bad o frame press out there, but if there is, I haven't seen it. RCBS (Rockchuckers, old and new, plus the under-appreciated Partner) and Lee (Classic Cast) I've used extensively, with zero problems. A press is a press. Features vary, as does fit/finish, but precision is plenty good on all of them.

There are couple oddballs on the market too - like the RCBS Summit and the Forster Co-ax. If you want to go that direction, make sure you understand how they're different - the ergonomics are not the same, and you may not like them.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
166,237
Messages
2,213,745
Members
79,448
Latest member
tornado-technologies
Back
Top