What press

That's a bit like saying I'm buying a new car what do you recommend. Come on give us a clue, what do you have at the moment and what do you want the new one to do.
 
It'd depend on what space you have, what your budget is & also what your intended use is.

There are decent hand-held presses - I use an old Wamadet sometimes, Lee makes a sort of similar model
You can also by-pass the need for a press altogether if you get one of the Lee Loader kits

A fixed single stage press will turn out very accurate ammunition - as will a semi-progressive or a fully progressive (the latter may not be worth the extra outlay if you only plan to load a few cartridges a year)

An RCBS RockChucker would be worth looking for 2nd-hand - or a similar Lyman single stage.

(I use a lot of Lee kit - but have never personally had a good experience with their presses)

I'm in East Lothian if you ever need to see some presses in use...but you may be miles away!
 
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I have just bought a Redding Big Boss 2, as an upgrade and am very pleased with it :D
Previously I had an RCBS Partner press and an old Lyman Spartan, the Lyman despite being 40 years old was a good press, better than the RCBS which was new when I got it.

Neil. :)
 
cider-press.jpg


these ones are hard work!
 
cider-press.jpg


these ones are hard work!

Damn! I wish had known you had one of those Ed... I'd liked to have asked to borrow it. I had to pass up on a load of apples that would have made good cider, last back-end. So, next year? :)

Oh! and for making ammo, a decent "O" press from any of the top names or a Co-axial Forster ... definitely worth considering
 
I use an older rcbs RS press, it's a single stage press made out of proper steel and not the monkey metal that the newer rockchuckers appear to be made from, it gives good accurate results and feels like it'll last a lifetime. Don't know if he's still got it but BK on this forum had one for sale a little while ago which I was trying to buy as a spare, I just couldn't get him to come low enough for me to put it in the cupboard. Might be worth a try.
dcg
 
Rem284, do you want a go with my rock chucker and T mag? Can let you have them the next time we meet

Al
 
I fancy an Ultimag press (Redding??) really powerful with the toggles fixed to the top of the frame rather than the bottom as is the more usual layout. This means that frame springing is eliminated.
Reason being I fancy swaging some bullets down a few thou & occasionally I have resized some big cases & the strongest press would be good for that too.

Ian
 
I think the very best, technically, is the Forester (Bonanza) Co-Axial press. Expensive but worth it.~Muir


I always think they look really well made and would be nice to use, except for the finicky looking primer seater... Do you use that feature?
If you do, I take it it's not too bad to work with... (comments welcome :D)

I'm afraid I just can't see past my old Lee Auto-prime; for simplicity, cleanliness and shear "feel". Please tell me if I'm missing a trick here.
 
I always think they look really well made and would be nice to use, except for the finicky looking primer seater... Do you use that feature?
If you do, I take it it's not too bad to work with... (comments welcome :D)

I'm afraid I just can't see past my old Lee Auto-prime; for simplicity, cleanliness and shear "feel". Please tell me if I'm missing a trick here.

I always use Auto Prime, regardless of the press I'm using. Press mounted primer seaters are an accessory, to me, secondary to the unit's designated task. I am not saying that on an RCBS or Lee or Lyman or whatever press, that you can't load ammo as good as that loaded with the Forester, but the design is better for accuracy's sake. Lee dies with the flexible "O" ring lock accomplishes this self alignment of case and die, as does not using a "tight" shell holder. Both of these situations allow for the cartridge and die to align themselves. The Forester just builds the unit around that premise.~Muir
 
I've been using a Ponsness Warren Metallic II since about 1986 or so . Also have a CH-4D heavy duty for the 505 Gibbs .
 
Another nod towards the RCBS Rockchucker press. Solid and gives good consistent results with my RCBS dies.
 
Thanks guys. I shall ponder a bit more. I am leaning towards the the Co-Axial but they are a lot of £££££££££s
 
The Forster Co-Ax is superb, I can highly recommend it in terms of both accuracy of ammunition produced and ease of use. I reload from .223 up to .338 and lots in between and wouldn't want to be without it. My rockchucker got relegated to depriming only.

I can't comment on the priming facility on the press, I do that as a separate operation.
 
Another nod towards the RCBS Rockchucker press. Solid and gives good consistent results with my RCBS dies.
+1. I am very satisfied with my RCBS Rockchucker. I load .22 Hornet, .243 and 30-06 for myself and .220 Swift for a friend. No problems experienced with this press.
 
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