which press

[akajiggs]

I am looking to purchase a new press as my old press has started to get a little slop in the ram area.Been looking at the Redding Big Boss and the Forester co ax.What is your preferences on one or the other.
I have not used either,but like most of the Redding equipment.
Your thoughts on the two would be appreciated.


Jim

 

[Dgd6mm]

I do not own one, but usually when this question is asked the majority will answer, Forster Co-Ax.

 

[Barlow]

A little play in the ram may be helpful. Barlow

 

[bigedp51]

What type/brand press do you have now, my Rockchucker is 42 years old and has wear and a little slop. And I'm still resizing cases with very little neck runout.

That being said I will defer new press choices to people who have the newer presses and the best bang for your buck.

 

[amlevin]

I looked at buying a Co-Ax, mostly because everyone else seemed to have them. Instead I opted for an RCBS Summit and have never looked back. 2/3rds or less than the price of the Co-Ax, I prefer the handle location, no protruding objects below the bench, and since I only load two different case types (.223 family and ..308 family) the universal shell holder issue is a non-issue.

This little press produces F/L sized cases with less than .001" TIR and not having the shell holder move each time you pull the handle makes it nice and easy handle brass. A totally open front design means you can see everything without having to peek around a pillar.

Having the handle (two lengths, long one for sizing/forming and short for seating) angled to the side is nice. No need to stand to the side because the handle (like on the co-ax) is top center mounted. Ergonomics much nicer as well as the "economics" 8)

 

[loneranger04]

I've had many presses over the years and all have worked well but I started having trouble screwing dies into my old Pacific and some of my dies cost over a hundred bucks so opted to get a new press. Bought a Big Boss and found it worked great. I had nearly zero runout in loaded ammo however had read wonderful things about the Co-ax so used my Cabelas bucks and bought one of those to see if I liked it better. I though I'd sell the one I didn't like but now I have both. I use the Redding with a Forster micrometer seating die left in it so I don't have to screw and unscrew it and the coax is the press I use for sizing and bumping shoulders. Certainly either press would do a great job of all necessary steps in reloading but I've got room and like them both. I hate the primer catching system on the BB. The Coax primer catcher works wonderfully. I like the quick change die system of the Coax and for sizing the Coax has more leverage. I'd keep the Coax if I could only have one.
Oh, also I have a Dillon 550B that I use for .223 and pistol ammo and it would probably work ok for precision rifle but I'm only priming rifle cases with it right now. It has a great priming system. Best I've ever used.

 

[zipollini]

Rock Chucker Supreme press for decapping and FL sizing and a 21st Century hydro press and Wilson dies for seating.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/513567/rcbs-rock-chucker-supreme-single-stage-press

http://www.21stcenturyshooting.com/Hydro_Bullet_Seater.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ2QFq6Dfx4

http://www.sinclairintl.com/reloading-equipment/reloading-dies/rifle-dies/micro-adjust-bullet-seaters-prod65610.aspx

 

[OIF/OEF]

Barlow I have heard/read the same. A little slop isn't a bad thing as it helps alignment...I have been known to be wrong about 60% of the time all the time

 

[chkunz]

I have several; Co-Ax, RCBS, Redding and Redding T-7. They all have their advantages and disadvantages. I still like to have a heavy single station press dedicated just for full length sizing and that is what I use the single station RCBS and Redding for. The Redding T-7 is great to set up all the dies for one caliber and leave them set so you do not have to screw dies in and out all the time and reset the adjustments. I only use the Co-Ax for depriming and it does a great job at that. You will find that folks either love or hate the Co-Ax and this subject has been exhausted in other threads on this forum, like the old Ford vs Chevy wars. If you are considering the Co-Ax search this forum and you will find all you ever wanted to know on this press.

 

[chkunz]

I failed to mention the Lee press. I have a couple of them that I use from time to time and they are typical Lee, they work and they are less expensive. If you are on a budget they may have a place in your loading plan.

 

['Freak]

A universal de-cap die stays on a Lee Reloader which does nothing but. Full length sizing happens on a Big Boss. One RCBS Partner is used for seating and another Partner usually has an expander mandrel die but occasionally it’ll get a neck only sizing die. I like being able to load a round from fresh out the chamber to back inside without having to mess with die setups beyond maybe adding a few clicks to the seater.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

A little play in the ram may be helpful. Barlow

+1.

Some folks purposely make for slop in the ram.

Like a good pair of boots. Way better once worn in. No sense in replacing that press unless its broke.

 

[tjtjwdad]

When my Pacific/Hornady 007 press wore out I bought the Redding BOSS and I couldn't be happier. IMC, the TIR were abysmal and it wasn't the dies that was the problem. But it serves me well and I loaded thousands upon thousands of rounds through her. IMC, the parts I needed were no longer available so I had to get another single stage. My other press is a Dillon 650.

I've known people who have had RCBS Rock Chuckers for years and they're still going strong and I've always had good customer service with Dillon, Hornady, RCBS and Redding.

As others have suggested, before shelling out $$$ make check your current press out. Even with slop, if the TIR's are good stay with it.

HTH

 

[akajiggs]

thanks guys for all your wisdom.just saved myself a couple hundred.
thanks again
Jim

 

[tenring]

If you are not doing any heavy case forming, most any light weight press ill do.

I have a Lee, a Rockchucker and RCBS Partner. The RC is more than 50 yrs old and still does a good job. I love the little Partner. I have it mounted on a 1/2" block and take it to the range to reload. At home it is used for seating only. IMO, best deal on the planet.

 

[amlevin]

If you are not doing any heavy case forming, most any light weight press ill do.

You'd be amazed at how well many of those "Light Weight" presses will handle heavy case forming if you use the proper lube.

 

[Shrek]

I love my Co-Ax press. Dropped over a thousandth runout off most loads when I swiched to it from a RCBS Rockchucker. I hear you can put an O ring under the dies in a RC to let them float but that's covered with a Co-Ax. If I was going to buy an O press it would be a Lee Classic Cast. I've used one and it was every bit as good if not better than my RC and less expensive. I haven't personally measured the alignment of the rams of the O presses but those that do report that Lee is tops. I alsoknow that RCBS was getting their castings from china at one point and aagain recently I noticed the made in USA label has disappeared from most of their boxes. I buy Forster , Redding , Whidden , and Lee mostly and a few tools here and there but RCBS isn't something I would buy anymore. I don't think the RCBS presses and dies made today have any relation to the stuff made thirty years ago under that brand name.

 

[TRG300WM]

I have a single stage o frame press it's 35 years old, has some slop in the linkage and ram and has made thousand of rounds. I use redding comp dies in it, and the ammo has a micronofabeesdick runout ..keep the old one, and buy something you don't have yet.

 

[amlevin]

I don't think the RCBS presses and dies made today have any relation to the stuff made thirty years ago under that brand name.

Same goes for just about everything sold today by the "good old companies".

As costs rise the "bean counters" force the design/engineering departments to cut costs. In doing so many parts of what made the product great are now replaced by more plastic, polymers, "pot-metal", etc.

Items that used to be built with SOLID castings may well have hollow castings today. What used to be cast iron is now aluminum. Ever notice the liberal use of the term "Hi-Tech Space Age Materials" in today's products? That's just a code phrase for "More Plastic".

Cars, Trucks, TV's , Kitchen Appliances, and on and so-forth are all victims of "the bean counters".

 

[DBLNUT]

Look at the design of a summit closely before buying one, I had a summit for 4 weeks and I would not recommend that to my enemy I sent it back to Midway and got a Co-Ax.....there is so much play in them with the poor design that there is no way to accurately resize a case or bump the shoulder back.