What press to start with (second hand) for a 'Buy once' policy.

marklestrange

Active Member
What Press should I get guys's?
I'm looking to start reloading and need 'all the gear' for .308 and .243
I'd like to get it all together in the next three months so need the advice now :)
 
I still have and still use my first 2nd hand press, RCBS Partner

Really depends on what calibre you're loading. I have a RCBS Rock Chucker supreme, and it will easily deal with all the calibres you are likely to load.

I also have a RCBS Partner press, which I bought pretty much for bullet seating. It's very small, and a PITA loading for the longer ammunition, where there's little room between the top of the case, and the bottom of the die. It's also much more cheaply made, and not nearly as smooth, or easy to use as the Rock Chucker.

So unless you'll only be loading short action rounds, pay a little more, and wait for a full size press, at the very least.
 
RCBS Rock chucker, I got the complete kit for £300/£350. Added to it since but should see me out!
 
I bought one of these 25 years ago second hand. It still serves me and I don't have to change dies for each task.
s-l500.jpg
They cost very little brand new. This is a full kit for $215 on Ebay. Plus post to UK about $265. Whats that in pounds, roughly 200 quid.
 
Lyman T-Mag II for me. I've had mine 20 years and it's still doing good work.
The good thing about it is that if you're loading two calibres, you can either set up the head with both die sets permanently installed and set, or have a separate head set up in each calibre.
 
I bought a Lee Turret Press second hand more than twenty years ago. It has loaded thousands of rounds for rifle and pistol ammunition for myself and my two sons. It is still going strong with absolutely no problems (except operator error). I do not foresee me buying a replacement since it still produces ammunition that is more accurate than me.:oops:

(Oh ! There is a wooden bit, on the end of the handle ... but no plastic other than the Turret Indexing Nut, which is sacrificial in case of any problems)

I just need to change turrets when changing calibre, a matter of seconds to set up.
 
I have a RockChucker Supreme, very nice and very heavy!, this is mainly used for de-priming and FLS as I added an Inline Fabrication case ejection system and PCat2 primer catcher to it and it really improves these operations.

Case ejector system for RCBS Rockchucker single stage. | Inline Fabrication

RCBS Reloading 3D Print Upgrade Primer Catcher Rock Chucker Supreme IV PCAT2 0lb | eBay

For everything else (including bullet seating and crimping) on my rifle loads I use a Lee Breech Lock Classic, nice press, does everything I need, highly recommended or if you want something a bit more substantial there's a cast version available as well, either should out live their owner! :)
 
What Press should I get guys's?
I'm looking to start reloading and need 'all the gear' for .308 and .243
I'd like to get it all together in the next three months so need the advice now :)

I bought a Lee Turret Press second hand more than twenty years ago. It has loaded thousands of rounds for rifle and pistol ammunition for myself and my two sons. It is still going strong with absolutely no problems (except operator error). I do not foresee me buying a replacement since it still produces ammunition that is more accurate than me.:oops:

(Oh ! There is a wooden bit, on the end of the handle ... but no plastic other than the Turret Indexing Nut, which is sacrificial in case of any problems)

I just need to change turrets when changing calibre, a matter of seconds to set up.

Snap.
 
If all you ever load is .243, 7mm-08, .308 the "old" Rockchucker is fine. But if you've a .270, .30-06, 7x64 "itch" (let alone 8x68 or .300 H & H) it suffers from a small window height.

I used a Rockchucker from 1976 until 2010. But when I started reloading .270 realised the Lyman was the more user friendly window size. So the Rockchucker was sold.

The "new" Rockchucker Supreme recognises that and has, too, an increased window height. But I don't like its priming arrangement.
 
I don't use the primer on mine, I have the RCBS hand primer which I think is great.
 
I don't use the primer on mine, I have the RCBS hand primer which I think is great.

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't. I have a Lee autoprime when not priming on the press. I prefer press priming but I don't like the tube sticking out when it is set up, although it is easier on the fingers than the autoprime.
 
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