Press for sizing?

[BW64]

I bought the Foster Coaxial for full length sizing. Like their priming arrangement too though I use a K&M Dial Priming Tool.

Bob

Love my Forster too. Plenty of torque for resizing magnums. Yes the priming arrangement sucks a little. Just have to keep it adjusted.

BW

 

[JRS]

Jackie Schmidt with 3 Partner presses:

 

[fguffey]

]

RCBS® Partner™ Press

An affordable single-stage press that’s easy to use, ruggedly built and able to load most standard centerfire calibers. Sturdy cast-aluminum, O-frame construction. Center handle position makes it suitable for right- and left-handed use. Features a compound leverage system, durable steel links and a priming arm that eliminates the need for a separate priming tool. Spent primer collection system. Accepts RCBS Ram Prime Unit (sold separately). Dies and shell holder not included

I have two partner presses, and have never seen any aluminum anywhere on them.
I also have a rockchucker and a cheap Lee c press. None have any aluminum except for the Lee

I also have the Partner, my Partner is aluminum; I do not use it but I have it JIC (just in case). And then there are other presses I have not been able to ware out. I was running my RCBS press through its paces when suddenly and without warning; well anyhow, it reminded me of the poem "The Wonderful One Horse Shay" better know as the "Deacons Masterpiece".

http://www.eldritchpress.org/owh/shay.html

First the handle went forward and then the toggle and suddenly without warning the ram slid out and hit the floor, it was about this time I ask the wife if she had been messing with the press that was mounted on a stand.

I called RCBS, it was a busy day for them so I got tired of waiting and hung up the phone. In about two hours they called me, I was impressed. The technical department ask me about the press, I explained to them how suddenly and without warning one of my Rock Chuckers seems to fall apart in a heap on the floor. It was about this time RCBS said they would send me another one and I wondered another 'what?' because I did not want to swap my old press for a new one. He said he would sent me another ram and instillation kit.

The wife swept the floor and found the missing link pin.

F. Guffey

 

[/VH]

http://www.eldritchpress.org/owh/shay.html

That's just what I was thinking!

 

[SheepDog]

The big blue presses are aluminum bases... I have seen only one crack and it was very old. Aluminum, and all its alloys, will fatigue and break. No matter how much stress you place on it, it will begin to fatigue from the first use. There is simply no way to prevent it. That is why the aluminum parts of aircraft have a replacement schedule. That schedule is in cycles - one take of and one landing is a cycle for the landing gear. One start and shut down is one cycle for a jet engine. With a press one cycle would be raising the ram and lowering it whether you are sizing a case or priming one. Its one cycle. How many cycles until it fails? Don't know... but I do know it will fail.
I use cast iron presses and will in the future. I have used one aluminum press and will never own another. I don't even give them to anyone I like - and I like most everyone.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

 

[SheepDog]

It would probably be too expensive milled out of C2 steel...
But it would never break!

 

[Medic505]

I size on a Bonanza/Forster. Yeah it's old, but still works like a champ.

For whatever it's worth, I've been told many times that I don't know Jack Schmidt. After seeing his picture I now understand those remarks. Yep, never met the man.....

 

[JRS]

The big blue presses are aluminum bases... I have seen only one crack and it was very old. Aluminum, and all its alloys, will fatigue and break. No matter how much stress you place on it, it will begin to fatigue from the first use. There is simply no way to prevent it. That is why the aluminum parts of aircraft have a replacement schedule. That schedule is in cycles - one take of and one landing is a cycle for the landing gear. One start and shut down is one cycle for a jet engine. With a press one cycle would be raising the ram and lowering it whether you are sizing a case or priming one. Its one cycle. How many cycles until it fails? Don't know... but I do know it will fail.
I use cast iron presses and will in the future. I have used one aluminum press and will never own another. I don't even give them to anyone I like - and I like most everyone.

I'll ask Jackie how many thousands of cycles his presses have been subjected to.

 

[TimP]

View attachment 995471

Alex, is the press you have pictured still available. I know Bullet Central sells a similar Hood style combo press but it doesn't look as beefy as yours.

 

[jdh47]

Well Jackie would be sort of an expert on the Partner press. I would consider his word law on just about anything in shooting and machining. Butch is pretty much in the same company. They both have vast experience in shooting, machining and reloading. Bench rest is an interesting game and they work their equipment a lot but not particularly hard I think. They are reloading for 6PPC and 30BR and only bumping minimal.

The OP was asking for a press to FL resize short magnum cases and that is why I recommended a cast iron and compound linkage. If I was planning on working a press hard it would be something like my Rockchucker.

I have and use a Bonanza co-ax press and it is fine. It is essentially a sliding C-frame press with single linkage and does not have quite the power of a Rockchucker. It is a good press well designed and a pleasure to use as it allows quick die setups.

I have used a lot of presses over the years. I still have a CH, Bonanza, Bair, Spartan and a small Lee. I gave away my old RCBS Jr. to my brother-in law. It was a good press.

I am sure the Partner would work, just not sure that it would last with the hammering it would take resizing short magnum cases. I guess it would depend on just how much resizing it would be subjected to. With it's compound linkage it is a step up from the single linkage Jr.

Joe

 

[JRS]

Well Jackie would be sort of an expert on the Partner press. I would consider his word law on just about anything in shooting and machining. Butch is pretty much in the same company. They both have vast experience in shooting, machining and reloading. Bench rest is an interesting game and they work their equipment a lot but not particularly hard I think. They are reloading for 6PPC and 30BR and only bumping minimal.

The OP was asking for a press to FL resize short magnum cases and that is why I recommended a cast iron and compound linkage. If I was planning on working a press hard it would be something like my Rockchucker.

I have and use a Bonanza co-ax press and it is fine. It is essentially a sliding C-frame press with single linkage and does not have quite the power of a Rockchucker. It is a good press well designed and a pleasure to use as it allows quick die setups.

I have used a lot of presses over the years. I still have a CH, Bonanza, Bair, Spartan and a small Lee. I gave away my old RCBS Jr. to my brother-in law. It was a good press.

I am sure the Partner would work, just not sure that it would last with the hammering it would take resizing short magnum cases. I guess it would depend on just how much resizing it would be subjected to. With it's compound linkage it is a step up from the single linkage Jr.

Joe

That pretty much says it all, Joe However, the OP is looking for a "smaller" reloading style press. My RC and Lee Classic Cast presses certainly aren't small. The Partner press isn't designed to form wildcats, nor swage bullets, but is more than ample to FL size brass and seat bullets. And if it ever fails, RCBS will gladly replace it, on their dime.

 

[Dubbo]

For the price it sounds like the partner is worth it. If I outgrow the partner I will upgrade but still have a use for it.

 

[jdh47]

Sounds good it is a smaller press and should do ok for your purposes.

Joe

 

[fguffey]

With a press one cycle would be raising the ram and lowering it whether you are sizing a case or priming one. Its one cycle. How many cycles until it fails? Don't know... but I do know it will fail.

reloaders are preoccupied with neck tension, again, I have gages, I have strain gages, deflection gages, none of my gages measure tension measured in tension but when my press is in a bind I know it. I have made house calls, I went to help a smith that had his press in a big bind; how big? He had the die pushed off the shell holder on an A2 RCBS press nu .017"; meaning had that press been flying at the time it would have crashed. The only way to he could lower the ram was to brace one leg against the bench when trying to lower the ram.

F. Guffey

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Alex, is the press you have pictured still available. I know Bullet Central sells a similar Hood style combo press but it doesn't look as beefy as yours.

I made this one, but the Hood is excellent.

 

[Cakes]

Although not as small as a "Partner" press and some of the others, the good ole "RC-II" Rockchuckers are a beast that will outlast most abuse. I look for the ones with the black knob not the green slim plastic handle "grip". A pain to set up but once done properly they produce a very very consistent product with a good die. Find them on E-bay occasionally for a good price. Set them up and don't touch them, that's why I have 5. Several other "beast's" out there that do a good job, just have to find the right price and color! Eric in DL