Smart Reloader press

oldscot3 · June 10, 2012, 08:04 PM

I saw a Smart Reloader press, I believe it was called an Omega 800, advertised in a flyer for about $28.00 recently.

Anybody here have one?

I am curious about quality... it looks pretty good but that price has me wondering if it's the deal of the century or something else.

jag2 · June 10, 2012, 08:25 PM

Don't know about their presses but I've read a few reviews on their priming tool and they weren't very good. Don't remember anything positive about them. Looked at their website and that press is listed at 59.99 so I'm wondering if the ad you saw was for a used one. A good press will last a life time if you buy a good one to begin with.

oldscot3 · June 10, 2012, 09:01 PM

No, it's a new one from the May/June 2012 Natchez flyer for $27.49.

I have a good RCBS press, but I was thinking for that price I could set it up for an operation like case mouth belling, etc.

BUT, if the quality is poor then perhaps the ram might not be true to the dies or some such other problem. It wouldn't be a bargain at any price if quality of construction is poor.

BDS-THR · June 10, 2012, 09:19 PM

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=460584

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=420239

oldscot3 · June 10, 2012, 09:43 PM

ok... thats sort of what I figured. I'll pass.

Old 454 · June 11, 2012, 06:06 PM

Remember the Chinese directly rip off american manufacturing.They violate copy write laws, steal technology, pirate video and just about any thing else they can get away with. Remeber the poison toothpaste ? also I remember something about some kinda chemicals that were put in paint that were used on toys and shiped here.

They dont float there currency on the world market so they can manipulate it to there advantage. They pay slave labor wages something in the area of 12-18 cents an hour work 12 hour plus days and in some cases 18 hours a day and people live in horrible company apartments with as many as 8-10 people living in a single apartment.

Its just not labor costs that drive there economy, they also have super lax pollution laws.

So the next time you look at a manufacturing tag and see the made in China on it and buy it, this is what you support. I know that it is very hard to avoid, but if We try it can be greatly reduced and maybe it will bring back the American companies that ran over there to make cheap goods.

Don't let the commies have our shooting industry to. BUY AMERICAN!!!

Vance · June 11, 2012, 07:23 PM

It's also bad when American companies contract with a Chinese factory to produce their product. The Chinese factory has no problem running off a few hundred thousand extra, putting their own label on it and selling them for less than the American company will sell theirs.

Jammer Six · June 11, 2012, 08:10 PM

I prefer equipment made overseas, but I prefer good equipment made overseas.

mikld · June 11, 2012, 08:17 PM

Politics aside, any money spent on any SmartReloader product is a total waste. I saw their "C" press advertised and thought that mebbe I could use one for odd jobs. Defineately not a copy of the Lee Reloader press. I got it set up and tried to size some .38 Special brass. Aside from the gritty/rough operation, the press didn't have enough leverage to run the brass into the carbide die; very difficult, even when cases lubed. Almost felt like the ram might be binding at some point in the travel. There is so much slop in the ram/frame fit every case had to be guided into the die, every time. About 1/8" off at the top of ram travel. Didn't check, but frame could be mis-drilled also; die threads and ram don't line up. Decided to try and prime some brass, .38 Special, with a ram prime. Again each primer had to be guided in or it would hit the case head. But, I was able to run some .44 cast bullets through a Lee sizing die to attach some gas checks, but with some difficulty. I hope no new reloaders wind up with one of these presses because the operation would be so difficult/frustrating they would prolly give up on reloading forever.

Two good things about this press. One, it has a nice wooden knob/ball on the handle. And two I keep it where I can see it each time I open my reloading cabinet to remind me NEVER buy Smartreloader again...

mikld · June 11, 2012, 08:19 PM

Politics aside, any money spent on any SmartReloader product is a total waste. I saw their "C" press advertised and thought that mebbe I could use one for odd jobs. Defineately not a copy of the Lee Reloader press. I got it set up and tried to size some .38 Special brass. Aside from the gritty/rough operation, the press didn't have enough leverage to run the brass into the carbide die; very difficult, even when cases lubed. Almost felt like the ram might be binding at some point in the travel. There is so much slop in the ram/frame fit every case had to be guided into the die, every time. About 1/8" off at the top of ram travel. Didn't check, but frame could be mis-drilled also; die threads and ram don't line up. Decided to try and prime some brass, .38 Special, with a ram prime. Again each primer had to be guided in or it would hit the case head. But, I was able to run some .44 cast bullets through a Lee sizing die to attach some gas checks, but with some difficulty. I hope no new reloaders wind up with one of these presses because the operation would be so difficult/frustrating they would prolly give up on reloading forever.

Two good things about this press. One, it has a nice wooden knob/ball on the handle. And two I keep it where I can see it each time I open my reloading cabinet to remind me NEVER buy Smartreloader again...

BTW; I've read reviews on other SmartReloader products in other forums and regardless of item reviewed, results were the same; P.O.S.

Jammer Six · June 11, 2012, 08:25 PM

I agree with that.

Politics annoy me, mainly because I don't agree with anyone on anything political.

I find most political comments regarding "buy American" racist, xenophobic, hypocritical and plain foolish.

It's rude to bring politics into a non-political discussion, one of the reasons being that fools like me can't resist responding with our politics.

overkill0084 · June 11, 2012, 08:40 PM

I can't recall ever seeing a truly positive review of a Smart Reloader product. Most I've seen were the "Damning with Faint Praise" & "False Economy" variety. Most of there products seem to be bad knockoffs of someone else's quality product. Politics aside, I would recommend you don't go any cheaper than Lee.

Clark · June 12, 2012, 03:03 AM

Everything I design for big corporations gets eventually built in China.

Everything my wife designs for big corporations eventually gets built in China.

But press manufacture is not a large corporation market.

And pound for pound, Lee is a lean and mean competitor.

The artificially low yuan will change when the US goes into reset over the retirement obligations it cannot afford.

So I predict the Chinese presence, in the thin American press market, will fade out.

oneoldsap · June 12, 2012, 05:54 AM

Okay , politics aside , Smart Reloader products are junk made from inferior materials and shoddy workmanship !!! Anyone that buys that crap does it because of price , and then cries because it's junk . DUH , any one with enough intelligence to reload , wouldn't buy it !

greentick · June 13, 2012, 08:48 PM

how the saying go?

"the bitterness of a poor product outlasts the sweetness of a good deal"

sumthin like that.

June 10, 2012, 08:04 PM	#1
oldscot3 Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2007 Location: texas Posts: 997	Smart Reloader press I saw a Smart Reloader press, I believe it was called an Omega 800, advertised in a flyer for about $28.00 recently. Anybody here have one? I am curious about quality... it looks pretty good but that price has me wondering if it's the deal of the century or something else.

June 11, 2012, 08:10 PM	#8
Jammer Six Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 827	I prefer equipment made overseas, but I prefer good equipment made overseas. __________________ "Huh?" --Jammer Six, 1998

June 11, 2012, 08:17 PM	#9
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Politics aside, any money spent on any SmartReloader product is a total waste. I saw their "C" press advertised and thought that mebbe I could use one for odd jobs. Defineately not a copy of the Lee Reloader press. I got it set up and tried to size some .38 Special brass. Aside from the gritty/rough operation, the press didn't have enough leverage to run the brass into the carbide die; very difficult, even when cases lubed. Almost felt like the ram might be binding at some point in the travel. There is so much slop in the ram/frame fit every case had to be guided into the die, every time. About 1/8" off at the top of ram travel. Didn't check, but frame could be mis-drilled also; die threads and ram don't line up. Decided to try and prime some brass, .38 Special, with a ram prime. Again each primer had to be guided in or it would hit the case head. But, I was able to run some .44 cast bullets through a Lee sizing die to attach some gas checks, but with some difficulty. I hope no new reloaders wind up with one of these presses because the operation would be so difficult/frustrating they would prolly give up on reloading forever. Two good things about this press. One, it has a nice wooden knob/ball on the handle. And two I keep it where I can see it each time I open my reloading cabinet to remind me NEVER buy Smartreloader again... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

June 11, 2012, 08:19 PM	#10
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Politics aside, any money spent on any SmartReloader product is a total waste. I saw their "C" press advertised and thought that mebbe I could use one for odd jobs. Defineately not a copy of the Lee Reloader press. I got it set up and tried to size some .38 Special brass. Aside from the gritty/rough operation, the press didn't have enough leverage to run the brass into the carbide die; very difficult, even when cases lubed. Almost felt like the ram might be binding at some point in the travel. There is so much slop in the ram/frame fit every case had to be guided into the die, every time. About 1/8" off at the top of ram travel. Didn't check, but frame could be mis-drilled also; die threads and ram don't line up. Decided to try and prime some brass, .38 Special, with a ram prime. Again each primer had to be guided in or it would hit the case head. But, I was able to run some .44 cast bullets through a Lee sizing die to attach some gas checks, but with some difficulty. I hope no new reloaders wind up with one of these presses because the operation would be so difficult/frustrating they would prolly give up on reloading forever. Two good things about this press. One, it has a nice wooden knob/ball on the handle. And two I keep it where I can see it each time I open my reloading cabinet to remind me NEVER buy Smartreloader again... BTW; I've read reviews on other SmartReloader products in other forums and regardless of item reviewed, results were the same; P.O.S. __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...

June 11, 2012, 08:25 PM	#11
Jammer Six Senior Member Join Date: April 3, 2005 Location: Seattle Posts: 827	I agree with that. Politics annoy me, mainly because I don't agree with anyone on anything political. I find most political comments regarding "buy American" racist, xenophobic, hypocritical and plain foolish. It's rude to bring politics into a non-political discussion, one of the reasons being that fools like me can't resist responding with our politics. __________________ "Huh?" --Jammer Six, 1998

June 10, 2012, 08:25 PM	#2
jag2 Senior Member Join Date: June 30, 2009 Location: dallas Posts: 773	Don't know about their presses but I've read a few reviews on their priming tool and they weren't very good. Don't remember anything positive about them. Looked at their website and that press is listed at 59.99 so I'm wondering if the ad you saw was for a used one. A good press will last a life time if you buy a good one to begin with.

June 10, 2012, 09:01 PM	#3
oldscot3 Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2007 Location: texas Posts: 997	No, it's a new one from the May/June 2012 Natchez flyer for $27.49. I have a good RCBS press, but I was thinking for that price I could set it up for an operation like case mouth belling, etc. BUT, if the quality is poor then perhaps the ram might not be true to the dies or some such other problem. It wouldn't be a bargain at any price if quality of construction is poor.

June 10, 2012, 09:19 PM	#4
BDS-THR Senior Member Join Date: June 12, 2010 Posts: 479	http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=460584 http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=420239

June 10, 2012, 09:43 PM	#5
oldscot3 Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2007 Location: texas Posts: 997	ok... thats sort of what I figured. I'll pass.

June 11, 2012, 06:06 PM	#6
Old 454 Senior Member Join Date: August 15, 2011 Location: Chesterton Ind. Posts: 822	Remember the Chinese directly rip off american manufacturing.They violate copy write laws, steal technology, pirate video and just about any thing else they can get away with. Remeber the poison toothpaste ? also I remember something about some kinda chemicals that were put in paint that were used on toys and shiped here. They dont float there currency on the world market so they can manipulate it to there advantage. They pay slave labor wages something in the area of 12-18 cents an hour work 12 hour plus days and in some cases 18 hours a day and people live in horrible company apartments with as many as 8-10 people living in a single apartment. Its just not labor costs that drive there economy, they also have super lax pollution laws. So the next time you look at a manufacturing tag and see the made in China on it and buy it, this is what you support. I know that it is very hard to avoid, but if We try it can be greatly reduced and maybe it will bring back the American companies that ran over there to make cheap goods. Don't let the commies have our shooting industry to. BUY AMERICAN!!!

June 11, 2012, 07:23 PM	#7
Vance Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2011 Location: North Bend, OR Posts: 743	It's also bad when American companies contract with a Chinese factory to produce their product. The Chinese factory has no problem running off a few hundred thousand extra, putting their own label on it and selling them for less than the American company will sell theirs.

June 11, 2012, 08:40 PM	#12
overkill0084 Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2010 Location: Northern, UT Posts: 1,162	I can't recall ever seeing a truly positive review of a Smart Reloader product. Most I've seen were the "Damning with Faint Praise" & "False Economy" variety. Most of there products seem to be bad knockoffs of someone else's quality product. Politics aside, I would recommend you don't go any cheaper than Lee. __________________ Cheers, Greg “At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child – miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats.” — P.J. O’Rourke

June 12, 2012, 03:03 AM	#13
Clark Senior Member Join Date: December 4, 1999 Location: WA, the ever blue state Posts: 4,678	Everything I design for big corporations gets eventually built in China. Everything my wife designs for big corporations eventually gets built in China. But press manufacture is not a large corporation market. And pound for pound, Lee is a lean and mean competitor. The artificially low yuan will change when the US goes into reset over the retirement obligations it cannot afford. So I predict the Chinese presence, in the thin American press market, will fade out. __________________ The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books." "Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist. Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?

June 12, 2012, 05:54 AM	#14
oneoldsap Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2009 Location: I live in the foot of the Green Mountains of Vermont Posts: 1,602	Okay , politics aside , Smart Reloader products are junk made from inferior materials and shoddy workmanship !!! Anyone that buys that crap does it because of price , and then cries because it's junk . DUH , any one with enough intelligence to reload , wouldn't buy it !

June 13, 2012, 08:48 PM	#15
greentick Senior Member Join Date: January 15, 2011 Location: Deep South Posts: 261	how the saying go? "the bitterness of a poor product outlasts the sweetness of a good deal" sumthin like that.