Hood Press

[TimP]

I have decided to purchase a "combo" press to use at the range and at home. I have looked at Harrells and the Hood press. They look very similar in design but the Hood press has an optional die adjustment guide which makes minor bump adjustments "both easy and repeatable".
www.benchrest.com/hoodpress/hood_press.html
I would like to hear from someone that has used the Hood press with the optional die adjustment guide. Does it require specific dies. Pros and cons please.
Thanks

 

[ReedG]

Tim, you will be extremely pleased with the Hood press. I've used one for ten years and it is as good as it gets. The shoulder bump adjuster is brilliant and works with any 7/8x14 threaded die and can replace the factory lock ring. It allows you to easily and quickly add/subtract .001" to the shoulder bump.

Just for the record, the Harrell's is a good press and, if the Hood wasn't available, I would get by with the Harrell's. But just for my own preferences the mounting system and fit-and-finish of the Hood is much better. And now Seb has produced a prototype that looks to be a beauty, too. Lots of choices and I like that.

Enjoy ...

 

[GSPV]

I have a Harrell's. For the price, I like it better than the Hood. I use Skip Otto die shims. I just leave the shims that work with the individual die. It's a tad crude, but it works for me.

One oddity is that my 21st Century case holders work fine in my Rockchucker, but will not work in my Harrell's. RCBS, Redding and Lee all work great in both. The 21st not so. That's a shame because the 21st PPC holder is shorter on top than some others and gives me room to get the shoulder bump right in my Redding 30 Major die.

 

[TimP]

Reed, thanks for your reply. Sounds like its the way I am going to go. I saw Seb's press and with his reputation I am sure it will be top notch. Just don't want to wait what I would expect to be a year or more for them to become available.

GSPV, thanks as well. I have a couple of Redding's competition dies and at times I still find it easier to use shims under the lock ring when I am testing multiple seating depths.

 

[ReedG]

Yes, Greg, the shims work fine and Redding still offers a set of shellholders of different heights that work, also. But the adjustable Hood attachment is just sweet and easy. It probably will work on a Harrell's, too.

 

[CatShooter]

Yes, Greg, the shims work fine and Redding still offers a set of shellholders of different heights that work, also. But the adjustable Hood attachment is just sweet and easy. It probably will work on a Harrell's, too.

The Redding shell holders only give you longer case headspace (+2, +4, +6, +8, +10), not shorter - if you want shorter, you have to lap them down yourself.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

I don't think the Hood is in production anymore. Mine is machined like a piece of jewelery. It is the best made, tightest tolerance press I have handled. I think the Harrell's will do the same exact think cheaper, but if you want the best...

 

[ReedG]

CatShooter, I thought the +.002, etc., indicated that shellholder would allow the case to go .002 deeper into the die and thereby push the shoulder back .002 more. Is that not correct? I no longer have a set, but I thought the .002+ was the "thickest" and the .010+ was the "thinnest".

 

[Alex Wheeler]

A standard shellholder is .125'' thick. The Comp shellholders add to that dimension. The .010'' is .135 thick, meaning the case is going into the die .010'' less than it would if you used a standard shellholder. This assumes you set the die to contact the shellholder.

 

[CatShooter]

CatShooter, I thought the +.002, etc., indicated that shellholder would allow the case to go .002 deeper into the die and thereby push the shoulder back .002 more. Is that not correct? I no longer have a set, but I thought the .002+ was the "thickest" and the .010+ was the "thinnest".

Nope... not correct. No maker of loading equipment will make short shell holders for liability reasons.

I make my own short shell holders, engrave the size witth a carbide engraver, and then mark them with a red sharpie marker.

 

[GSPV]

The Redding shell holders only give you longer case headspace (+2, +4, +6, +8, +10), not shorter - if you want shorter, you have to lap them down yourself.

Exactly. And, is the crux of my delimma. The 21st Century gave me a -. Now, before spring, I've got to resolve the issue. Might just replace the Redding with a custom.

If I had two shell holders that were shaved down to -0.0005 and -0.001, combined with my die shims, it would be totally pimp.