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What brand of press do you prefer and use?

  • Dillon

    Votes: 8 47.1%
  • Lee

    Votes: 5 29.4%
  • RCBS

    Votes: 6 35.3%
  • Hornady

    Votes: 3 17.6%
  • Frankford Arsenal

    Votes: 1 5.9%
  • Lyman

    Votes: 2 11.8%
  • Forster

    Votes: 1 5.9%
  • Other (please specify)

    Votes: 3 17.6%

  • Total voters
    17
Messages
25
Reactions
56
What is your favorite brand of press?

Not to get into much squawking about rumors and things you heard on the internet about a different brand; I want to know what your preferred press brand is and why.

You can select multiple options and give reasons for each if you would like.


----------------------

I'll start>
I have preference to Lee. I have a Breechlock, a Classic Cast Turret and a Loadmaster. I run complete turret heads for every caliber I load for. My Loadmaster does maybe 5% of the workload while the Turret Press is the workhorse pulling around 75% of the load.

I really prefer the ability to change over calibers on the turret so quick and the low cost of the press and complete head assemblies ensures that I spend more money on reloading and less on equipment.

Yet to have anything fail on me, though I may upgrade from the Breechlock I currently run to the Cast version for longevity. The aluminum one still works just fine, I just like to make sure I run overkill on everything for strength.
 
I just got started in reloading so my vote was the Horandy. Main reason for that is, it is the only thing I have ever used. Mine is the turret press and I got a screaming deal on it and everything I needed to get started for $500. Was to good of a deal to pass up so I was off and running with the help of some good friends.

I have also heard good things about the Dillon presses and Lee.
 
I have both Dillon and RCBS presses. My RCBS is a single stage Rock Chucker that I use for all my rifle loads. I have (2) Dillon 550's that I use for pistol ammo, one set up for large primers and one for small primers.
 
When I started reloading (more than just a few years ago ;^), I was operating on a paper-thin budget, so I bought a Lee hand press. Remember those? I don't think they even sell 'em anymore, or the Lee 'Speed Dies' I used, but it worked fine for me, and I still have it. When I finally decided to get a bench-mounted press, I asked a friend for advice: he shot competitively, and went through 500+ rounds of .38 Special reloads every week, so I figured he had a workable solution. He recommended a Lee turret press, so that's what I bought, and what I still use (along with a Lee C-press for decapping, bullet sizing, etc.). I'm sure there are better presses available, and everyone obviously has their own priorities & opinions, but for me, Lee works, and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"...
 
I have and use at least one tool from each company listed above [ including "Other"].
My most used are the Lee alloy single stage press, and a RCBS Rock Chucker.
The Lee Single Stage has a very short throw and I have a decapping die set in it. it does not need to use a lot of force so that shorter throw comes in handy.
The RCBS Rock Chucker is the only hand press made strong enough to swage bullets from soft lead. But to get that strength it uses a very long throw. That long throw gives a mechanical advantage for heavy work. But I would have a sore arm if I had to cycle it as much as it takes to decap cases.
For standard dies that I lock down and don't move , I use Lee dies [ for the lower cost]. For ammo that I do alot of experimenting, I buy dies with a Micrometer seating die. Once I record the setting I can move it to try a different bullet and go right back to the previous setting.
I also have progressive presses, mostly for making pistol ammo in bulk. Hands down once you get it set the Dillion turns out more trouble free ammo! But my old machine is not easy to switch calibers with. So I dedicated it to make 9mm ammo only. I load bullets, primed cases, and powder into it and just pull the handle!
I have a Lee Loadmaster setup to load 45 Colt ammo, it is easier to change calibers , but it has its quirks too.

Pick a tool that is best for the job you want done! DR
 
The RCBS Rockcrusher. I like the "heft" of it. I can feel the "mass" in it when I operate the handle. I had a Lee set-up, but went to the RCBS when I began forming my mildcat brass from .375 Ruger Basic brass.
 
Having used all the listed brands and others, I'm pretty partial to Dillion, I find them a little more accurate when running high volumes through the press, but you cannot beat Hornady or RCBS for shear value and durability! All seem to have very good warranties and customer support, so it's really down to what you place value in! For me, a lot of tools and accessories are from Hornady, and Redding, with Sinclair for the precision load prepping! And, there are the old Lyman hand presses, I carry at least one in my possables bag when hunting, you never know when you might need something specific and don't have the correct load with you!
 
When I started reloading (more than just a few years ago ;^), I was operating on a paper-thin budget, so I bought a Lee hand press. Remember those? I don't think they even sell 'em anymore, or the Lee 'Speed Dies' I used, but it worked fine for me, and I still have it. When I finally decided to get a bench-mounted press, I asked a friend for advice: he shot competitively, and went through 500+ rounds of .38 Special reloads every week, so I figured he had a workable solution. He recommended a Lee turret press, so that's what I bought, and what I still use (along with a Lee C-press for decapping, bullet sizing, etc.). I'm sure there are better presses available, and everyone obviously has their own priorities & opinions, but for me, Lee works, and "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"...
I have a Dillon 650 and a Rock Chucker. They also still sell Lee hand presses…. Bought this off Amazon, been doing .308 brass sitting on the couch while watching TV.

41605D22-ACEB-430C-80BD-228541CF8E9E.jpeg 61F9E7A8-800B-4026-BF62-9942846014EE.jpeg
 
My reloading bench started 25 years ago with a used Redding T25, a 6 hole slanted Turret style press mounted to a wooden desk.

Along the way I picked up a used Rock Chucker which made sizing magnum brass much easier. When I found a Lee O frame press at a garage sale for $10, it became my depriming station. The Lee depriming die was cheaper than replacement pins for other dies. Extra step? sure but separating depriming from resizing saved me time by making depriming fast and mindless vs resizing which needed more awareness and feel for changes in handle pressure

A few years ago I got hooked on F-class style shooting and fell into the accuracy rabbit hole. This led me to a Forster Coax and a K&M Arbor inline style press. The Forster press makes swapping dies fast and your settings don't change, The K&M press measures force which is important for seating pressure and maintaining consistent neck tension.

Before I started using the Forster Coax, I was using the Hornady lock and load bushings with the Rock Chucker. These bushings let you set your dies and quickly change from sizing to seating or switch to another caliber. This goes a long way to minimize head space changes when switching dies. The only caveat to using the bushings is the press has to support 1x12 full size dies. Majority of dies are 7/8x14

Since most of my reloading has been rifle, that steered me away from progressive presses. I never bit the bullet so to speak and invested in Dillon.
Maybe it is time?
 

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