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Single Stage Press vs Arbor Press

ballisticdaddy

Silver $$ Contributor
I am getting ready to purchase a new press and not sure whether a standard single stage press with standard Redding competition dies is the way to go versus an arbor press with inline hand dies? Or maybe the combo press from Harrell's is the best of both worlds? Looking for a little input so I can try to just buy once and cry once!
 
I've got both. I use my Single Stage Harrell with all my Redding Dies to resize or Neck Size. But I use my Sinclair Arbor press to seat all my bullets. I've found I get better runout seating with the Wilson/ARbor combo. I'd get both if I were you.

Alex
 
In my opinion, there is little reason to go with an arbor press beyond portability. You might be able to squeeze a slight hair more "straightness" (whatever that means) out of an arbor, but you can load very good, very accurate ammo on a standard press. In other words, don't get an arbor press until you know why you want it. You will always have a use for a standard bench mounted press, and by the time you want an arbor, you'll have spent so many thousands of dollars on other stuff that the arbor press's cost will be an afterthought.
 
I also have both. What I like best and produces the straightest for me is an RCBS Summit with Redding dies. If you like an arbor press and Wilson (type) dies the Summit can also be an arbor press. RCBS sells the attachments to make it so BUT with one die that is NG and a shell holder you can make your own which is what I did. However the Summit with the short handle option has the best 'feel' for seating bullets I have run across. I just don't care for the Wilson dies. No reason. The Summit gives the option of either should you have to have an arbor.
The above is strictly what I have found and what works for me.
 
I have a Harrells and a 21st Century Hydro seating press and use RCBS Rock chucker and a Harrells for case forming and neck / FL Sizing operations.....

I guess i have a few options too..........:confused:
 
Besides portability, the main advantage of an arbor press is sensitivity. It is much easier to feel differences in the force required to seat bullets with an arbor press than it is with a reloading press. I have a Rockchucker, Harrell's turret, and a Harrell's Combo, as well as a Neil Jones arbor press. While I love the Combo, make sure that it will work with the tallest seater that you plan on using. Since most of my ammo is 6ppc, loaded at the range, the Combo has been my choice for this work for a long time. It seats near the bottom of the ram stroke where there is less leverage, giving greater sensitivity than would be possible with a threaded seater that seats with the ram near the top of its stroke.
 
I just read then reread damoncali reply- I said boy there is a guy with a lot of wisdom, he has been there-done that, he is right on. Carl in Yakima
 
I have three only two get used I do all my sizeing with a coax and seat my competition loads with a arbor press . The coax has all my dies set up just for sizeing and seating small primers . Snap the dies in and size . Larry
 
ballisticdaddy said:
I am getting ready to purchase a new press and not sure whether a standard single stage press with standard Redding competition dies is the way to go versus an arbor press with inline hand dies? Or maybe the combo press from Harrell's is the best of both worlds? Looking for a little input so I can try to just buy once and cry once!
Click to expand...
With an arbor press you are limited to using neck sizing dies. Also I don't see competition dies as "mandatory" when using a threaded press. I much prefer to try various brands of FLS dies to see which best fits my chamber.......or have Whidden make a custom sizer die. A well fitted FL die is the most important reloading tool one can have. I prefer to seat bullets with in-line dies which requires an arbor press-one specifically made for reloading. You need to develop a "feel" for seating if accuracy is your #1 goal in reloading.
However, if for some reason (frugality?) you find yourself always using reloading manual "starting" loads then neck sizing only with an arbor press will work just fine for you.
 
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I've used them all. In general Wilson type dies and an arbor press consistently provide the best bullet seating "feel" and concentricity(what some refer to as straightness). However, I have at times been able to achieve the same "measured" levels of concentricity using my Coax press with a high quality seating die.

Quote from above:
"You might be able to squeeze a slight hair more "straightness" (whatever that means) out of an arbor, but you can load very good, very accurate ammo on a standard press."

Many of us are not looking for very good. We are looking to achieve the most consistent and accurate ammo possible. Concentricity is just one factor in achieving that goal, but it is an important one. If you're not sure what concentricity(or straightness) means you're probably not one of us.
 
The reason I said "whatever that means" is because I don't get the sense that people discussing these things are always on the same page. I was not thinking of concentricity, but rather the ability to exert a force that is in perfect axial alignment with the cartridge. That is also sort of hard to define/measure, but the simpler interface of an arbor, combined with *very careful die construction* ought to provide a slight edge there.

If you aren't thinking in those terms, then an arbor press is just going to gather dust. The bottom line is that the difference between the two is very small and debatable, except that you can't FL size on an arbor. It's not high on my list of things to care about. The accuracy difference is well into tea leaves territory if you ask me.
 
Arbor Presses just raise my confidence level in my ammunition. So does a concentricity gauge.

I also do not believe you can produce match grade ammunition with 7/8ths-14" screw-in dies on a single stage or turret press.

Mass produced presses are built to a price point. Arbor presses, ie K&M or Neil Jones are built for precision repeatable quality. They produce them, then figure out what the price will be.
 
IdahoSharpshooter said:
Arbor Presses just raise my confidence level in my ammunition. So does a concentricity gauge.

I also do not believe you can produce match grade ammunition with 7/8ths-14" screw-in dies on a single stage or turret press.

Mass produced presses are built to a price point. Arbor presses, ie K&M or Neil Jones are built for precision repeatable quality. They produce them, then figure out what the price will be.
Click to expand...
Tell that to those using them, Rich
 
ballisticdaddy said:
I am getting ready to purchase a new press and not sure whether a standard single stage press with standard Redding competition dies is the way to go versus an arbor press with inline hand dies? Or maybe the combo press from Harrell's is the best of both worlds? Looking for a little input so I can try to just buy once and cry once!
Click to expand...
I have a rockchucker for only resizing. I have the harrels compact magnum for seating
Now if rockchucker was all aluminum(it would allow greater sensitivity to the hand if aluminum) I would only use the rockchucker and maybe one of those endexing heads for the seating dies.
 
IdahoSharpshooter said:
Arbor Presses just raise my confidence level in my ammunition. So does a concentricity gauge.

I also do not believe you can produce match grade ammunition with 7/8ths-14" screw-in dies on a single stage or turret press.

Mass produced presses are built to a price point. Arbor presses, ie K&M or Neil Jones are built for precision repeatable quality. They produce them, then figure out what the price will be.
Click to expand...

Right now we are using an RCBS Rock Chucker with Redding Comp dies and are able to achieve no more than .001 bullet runout with both .284 Win & 6.5 CM. What is the runout you are finding when seating with the inline dies and arbor press? I would like to base this on hard facts with actual numbers which I am having a difficult time in finding. From what I have read it appears the arbor press with inline dies are more concentric but how much more is my question.
 
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