Reloading Press

Nobleman

Well-Known Member
I know probably the "What Press" thing has been done to death on here over the years and if it has a Thousand Apologies BUT im going to start reloading for the .22 Hornet and 204 Ruger soon and was just wondering if the LEE CLASSIC CAST PRESS would be up to the job for both calibres ?
I have only been looking at Single Stage presses as I wont be doing lots of rounds and want to keep things simple and straight forward, The Lee Classic keeps getting mentioned so thought I would ask before I take the plunge, Will be using Lee dies for the Hornet so probably makes sense to use a Lee Press ??
If you have a better recommendation let me have it.
Thanks.
 
Lee dies ok but do yourself a favour dont buy their presses. Look out on ebay for good secondhand presses, rcbs lyman hornady etc. Lee are probably the cheapest though.
​all depends what you want to spend you can try reloading solutions, or tim hannams
 
+1
I have had an RCBS reloader special 5 since about 1995 and still going strong. I reload from 17 remington to 7mm rem mag with ease. I would like to look at a Forster coax but I'm not sure it's worth changing
 
I have two presses (if thats the right word) One being a progresive dillon, Which is a fantastic bit of engineering. and the other a Lee chalenger press on which I have reloaded thousands of rounds whithout a single issue.

So if money is tight dont be put off a Lee press
 
Nothing wrong with the Classic Cast press, I have 4 Lee presses, 2 progressives, a 4 hole cast turret and the cast Breech Lock which I use for de-priming and full length sizing a range of different calibres as well as producing 308 target loads with better than 1/2 MOA using Lee dies. If you're loading more than one calibre I've found the breech lock system very handy.

Breech Lock Classic Cast - Lee Precision
 
Nothing wrong with the Classic Cast press, I have 4 Lee presses, 2 progressives, a 4 hole cast turret and the cast Breech Lock which I use for de-priming and full length sizing a range of different calibres as well as producing 308 target loads with better than 1/2 MOA using Lee dies. If you're loading more than one calibre I've found the breech lock system very handy.

Breech Lock Classic Cast - Lee Precision
You like Lee 'coz they're cheap (like you???) - let me know when you want to get a proper press! lol
 
I started with a Lee press, managed to break it full length sizing .223rem cases
Next was an RCBS Partner, with care it was fairly good, but I really don't like the cam over at the end of the stroke.
Then a very old Lyman Sparton which I loved, made great ammo and was very consistent, old but good and my first cast iron press.
But last december I put a proper (but very small) loading bench together, and my son bought me a Redding Big Boss 2 press.
I now ask myself why I ever bothered with anything less, great press, as yet never lost a primer while de-priming not something I could
say about any of it's predecessors. I have also noticed that once set a die never needs adjusting, I use Lyman locking rings on all my dies
and once set you just put it in the press and go, again the first press that has managed this.
So as other have said, buy a good press first time round, that way you only cry once.

Neil. :)
 
The forster coax press is self centering precise and quick to change dies Also use a lyman.
Both very good
 
Before buying any press firstly decide what it will be used for.

​There is no point spending hundreds on an all singing and dancing press if your only loading a few rounds. As for breaking presses well I can only assume that abuse is involved.
 
+1
i also have dillons from the 80,90's 550b and 1050's plus lyman my old work horse and older rcbs thats getting on a bit.
got parts of a lee won it new , but due to that slack tool head jumping around i trashed it out its a cheap n' crap it has plastic ice cream tub parts lol and bic pen springs .:popcorn:


The forster coax press is self centering precise and quick to change dies Also use a lyman.
Both very good
 
I guess most who are replying have never used or even seen Lee Classic Cast. It's in a different league compared to lesser Lee models, although newer aluminum presses are a lot better than the original Challenger.

Classic Cast is a good piece of kit, buy with confidence.

Same cannot be said for all the other products mentioned in this thread.
 
Before buying any press firstly decide what it will be used for.

​There is no point spending hundreds on an all singing and dancing press if your only loading a few rounds. As for breaking presses well I can only assume that abuse is involved.

I doubt I will load more than 200/250 rounds a year in either Hornet or 204R, Think I will have to get my head down on this one and do some more homework on what work both of these rounds really need to make them properly.
Idiot question for most of you guys on here but can you chop and change different makes of dies between presses (RCBS dies in Lee press for example) without too much or any hassle ?

Got a feeling Paul 0' is not too keen on the Lee Presses. :D
 
I know probably the "What Press" thing has been done to death on here over the years and if it has a Thousand Apologies BUT im going to start reloading for the .22 Hornet and 204 Ruger soon and was just wondering if the LEE CLASSIC CAST PRESS would be up to the job for both calibres ?
I have only been looking at Single Stage presses as I wont be doing lots of rounds and want to keep things simple and straight forward, The Lee Classic keeps getting mentioned so thought I would ask before I take the plunge, Will be using Lee dies for the Hornet so probably makes sense to use a Lee Press ??
If you have a better recommendation let me have it.
Thanks.

Lee classic cast is a good press, in fact precise and strong enough to swage jacketed bullets, ignore anyone that slates it.
Choose anyone's dies, in fact whatever box colour takes your fancy. No one here would be able to tell you what dies were used to load your ammunition!
 
I guess most who are replying have never used or even seen Lee Classic Cast. It's in a different league compared to lesser Lee models, although newer aluminum presses are a lot better than the original Challenger.

Classic Cast is a good piece of kit, buy with confidence.

Same cannot be said for all the other products mentioned in this thread.

I agree. If you are criticizing a Lee Classic Press you've probebly never handled one. As Joe said, it's one tough SOB of a press. I have Lee, Forster, Lyman, and RCBS. I use them all.

What I would never recommend to a new reloader, is a progressive press of any kind.~Muir
 
On a Google search I found a reviewer who chose the Lee over the rcbs.
He claims the Lee is cast in the USA from recycled railroad tracks and the rcbs is cast in China from...?.

Think I would be going for the Lee, we get enough from China.
 
I find the Lee classic cast is an excellent press. I've had/got presses of various colours but I find the Lee loads some of the most accurate ammunition I've used, often giving 5 shot groups way below .5moa.
 
Think the first press I bought was the challenger press with starter kit. (I say think, becuase it was a costly experience I would rather forget) Tkhe press itself was a slapper the scales were useless, the hand primer tool was a joke the rest of the stuff i dont even want to remember the last time saw it was in the rubbish bin.This compared to any of the major US brands is a no brainer. Lee inmy opinion make great collet dies as far as their other presses are concerned have never used one so cant comment. They may have improved now, but theres a lot of second hand junk out there.
all Ican say is that whatever press you buy make sure its quality even if you only plan to reload a few hundred, missing and wounding your quarry becuase of crap ammo produced shouldnt be an option.
 
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