Best Press

Bottledestroyer22 · March 31, 2008, 10:50 PM

What do you think is the best single-stage reloading press made.

Darren007 · March 31, 2008, 11:24 PM

Theyre all good. Any of them will do the job, and do it well. But I use a Redding Big Boss II.

Previously I used a Lee Challenger and then a Lyman Crusher II. But neither were mine and when I finally bought my own I bought the Redding.

snuffy · March 31, 2008, 11:29 PM

The forster co-ax is best by a wide margin. Since it wasn't on the poll I couldn't vote.

Sport45 · March 31, 2008, 11:47 PM

What criteria should we use to determine best?

Life cycle cost per round produced?
Tightest tolerances?
Highest cost?
Lowest cost?
Heaviest?
Pretty color?
Most leverage?

If you read the posts here you will find each of these and more being used to make that determination.

the_right_reverend · April 1, 2008, 03:13 AM

my 30 year old rock chucker has served me well Used and Abused!!! recently gave it a upgrade with the Hornady L-N-L quick change bushings...totally slick setup.....

Just ordered a Redding Big Boss II from midway of course it was on back order!!!
would have considered a rock chucker but rumor has it that they are now make in China

FM12 · April 1, 2008, 10:41 AM

Forester Co-Ax, the finest single stage ever made. Period. Amen.

freakshow10mm · April 1, 2008, 11:02 AM

The Rockchucker. I use mine for bullet swaging.

The best SS for the money is the Lee Cast. The best overall is the RC.

Smokey Joe · April 1, 2008, 11:13 AM

Bottle Destroyer--The RCBS Rock Chucker is "The Gold Standard" by which all other single-stage presses are measured. It is the original and genuine. And built like a brick pizzeria.

Now, that said, ANY decent single-stage press with a cast-iron frame will outlast you and your progeny and grand-progeny. O-frame is more solid than C-frame, but by so little as to be hardly worth considering. So it's not a question of "this is good, all the others are junk," it's more a question of "which of these magnificent machines could I pick above the others?"

BTW, why didn't you include the old Herter's C-frame press in your poll? You see one at almost every gun show, and it is made of more iron than any other press I've ever seen--What a monster!

Bottledestroyer22 · April 1, 2008, 02:02 PM

I didn't know about that one.

BigJakeJ1s · April 1, 2008, 10:08 PM

Forster Co-Ax is the best designed, best built single stage press on the market, and it isn't even in your poll?

Among the presses that did make it into your poll, the Redding UltraMag (a C-press!) is the best, and if you need to reload unusually long cartridges (longer than standard magnums), it is better than the co-ax.

Andy

ldv444 · April 3, 2008, 08:56 AM

Forester Co-Ax! I love mine!

WIL TERRY · April 3, 2008, 10:28 AM

RCBS A2.
All the rest made since by everyone are copies of the A2 with quality from silly/stupid/preposterous/GMAFB to pretty-danged-good.

zxcvbob · April 3, 2008, 10:47 AM

Forster Co-Ax.
C&H Magnum.

CPTMurdoc30 · April 3, 2008, 12:02 PM

Have to go with ZX Forester is right at the top. Wth the Redding Ultramag comming in second for me.

This also does not account for many of the super accurate almost custom arbor presses out there as well.

DaveInGA · April 3, 2008, 01:18 PM

I disagree the Rock Chucker is the Gold standard. It used to be, but after having used the Lee Classic Cast press, I sold off my Rock Chucker. The Lee has surpassed the RC design with innovative new features and is still made in the USA, which current Rock Chuckers are not.

Dave

amamnn · April 3, 2008, 04:09 PM

The listed presses don't even include any of the top 3

1--Corbin
2--Forster
3--Harrell

Mikke · April 3, 2008, 05:05 PM

I have a Lee Challanger and a Lee Classic Cast. The Challanger is nowhere near as good as the CC.

For the price it's a decent press, but it's cheap and aluminium, and does get pretty worn after some use, and does flex in a way a CC doesn't.

The Classic Cast on the other hand is really stable, have not seen any flexing at all. In short, a really nice press, at a good price.

I haven't used any of the other listed presses, and I'm sure some of them might be just as good or even better then the CC, but at the price it's really hard to beat.

GP100man · April 3, 2008, 08:00 PM

presses are like bullets ,different bullets for different situations, sssooooo i own presses from the little c lee press to the mity RC , a lyman crusher & a couple of turrets just for giggles.
the lyman has a 4.5 " openin so rifle sizin & seatin is easy
the RCs have a different throw to the handle ,qwiker than the lyman so they get the nood to pistol sizin.
the turrets are set up to do flarin powder droppin & pistol boolit seatin, i cant get the dies to stay still enuff for me on the turrets to size on em .
the little lee has a deprimin die loctited in it .
oh yeah a rcbs partener press has a lead hardness tester in it .

thats rite I`M A SINGLE STAGER

GP100man

WSM MAGNUM · April 4, 2008, 03:33 PM

RCBS Rockchucker PERIOD.

115scott · April 5, 2008, 09:52 PM

Rock Chucker. I also have a Rock Chucker supreme but I don't like the primer catcher. To many primers end up on the floor.

View Poll Results: Which is the best press?
Lee Challenger	1	1.54%
Lee Classic Cast	17	26.15%
Lyman Crusher II	2	3.08%
RCBS Rock Chucker	21	32.31%
RCBS RC Supreme	8	12.31%
Redding Boss/Big Boss	6	9.23%
Redding Ultramag	7	10.77%
Hornady L-N-L Classic	8	12.31%
RCBS Reloader Special	0	0%
RCBS Partner	0	0%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 65. You may not vote on this poll

March 31, 2008, 10:50 PM	#1
Bottledestroyer22 Member Join Date: March 8, 2008 Location: South Dakota Posts: 87	Best Press What do you think is the best single-stage reloading press made. __________________ .22 forever

March 31, 2008, 11:24 PM	#2
Darren007 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,053	Theyre all good. Any of them will do the job, and do it well. But I use a Redding Big Boss II. Previously I used a Lee Challenger and then a Lyman Crusher II. But neither were mine and when I finally bought my own I bought the Redding. Last edited by Darren007; April 1, 2008 at 11:07 AM.

March 31, 2008, 11:29 PM	#3
snuffy Senior Member Join Date: May 20, 2001 Location: Oshkosh wi. Posts: 3,055	None of the above The forster co-ax is best by a wide margin. Since it wasn't on the poll I couldn't vote. __________________ The more people I meet, the more I love my dog They're going to get their butts kicked over there this election. How come people can't spell and use words correctly?

March 31, 2008, 11:47 PM	#4
Sport45 Senior Member Join Date: May 25, 1999 Location: Too close to Houston Posts: 4,196	What criteria should we use to determine best? Life cycle cost per round produced? Tightest tolerances? Highest cost? Lowest cost? Heaviest? Pretty color? Most leverage? If you read the posts here you will find each of these and more being used to make that determination. __________________ Proud member of the NRA and Texas State Rifle Association. Registered and active voter.

April 1, 2008, 03:13 AM	#5
the_right_reverend Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2008 Location: Sneads Ferry, Nc Posts: 232	my 30 year old rock chucker has served me well Used and Abused!!! recently gave it a upgrade with the Hornady L-N-L quick change bushings...totally slick setup..... Just ordered a Redding Big Boss II from midway of course it was on back order!!! would have considered a rock chucker but rumor has it that they are now make in China

April 1, 2008, 10:41 AM	#6
FM12 Senior Member Join Date: February 5, 2007 Location: Monroeville, Alabama Posts: 1,683	Forester Co-Ax, the finest single stage ever made. Period. Amen.

April 1, 2008, 11:02 AM	#7
freakshow10mm Junior member Join Date: January 23, 2008 Location: MI Posts: 1,398	The Rockchucker. I use mine for bullet swaging. The best SS for the money is the Lee Cast. The best overall is the RC.

April 1, 2008, 11:13 AM	#8
Smokey Joe Senior Member Join Date: July 14, 2001 Location: State of Confusion Posts: 2,106	The OH-riginal... Bottle Destroyer--The RCBS Rock Chucker is "The Gold Standard" by which all other single-stage presses are measured. It is the original and genuine. And built like a brick pizzeria. Now, that said, ANY decent single-stage press with a cast-iron frame will outlast you and your progeny and grand-progeny. O-frame is more solid than C-frame, but by so little as to be hardly worth considering. So it's not a question of "this is good, all the others are junk," it's more a question of "which of these magnificent machines could I pick above the others?" BTW, why didn't you include the old Herter's C-frame press in your poll? You see one at almost every gun show, and it is made of more iron than any other press I've ever seen--What a monster! __________________ God Bless America --Smokey Joe Last edited by Smokey Joe; April 1, 2008 at 11:17 AM. Reason: The usual--had another thought.

April 1, 2008, 02:02 PM	#9
Bottledestroyer22 Member Join Date: March 8, 2008 Location: South Dakota Posts: 87	I didn't know about that one. __________________ .22 forever

April 1, 2008, 10:08 PM	#10
BigJakeJ1s Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2005 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 663	Forster Co-Ax is the best designed, best built single stage press on the market, and it isn't even in your poll? Among the presses that did make it into your poll, the Redding UltraMag (a C-press!) is the best, and if you need to reload unusually long cartridges (longer than standard magnums), it is better than the co-ax. Andy

April 3, 2008, 08:56 AM	#11
ldv444 Member Join Date: January 10, 2008 Posts: 38	Co-AX Forester Co-Ax! I love mine!

April 3, 2008, 10:28 AM	#12
WIL TERRY Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 2000 Location: BLACK HILLS Posts: 1,322	You Did Not List The Best Press Ever Made !!! RCBS A2. All the rest made since by everyone are copies of the A2 with quality from silly/stupid/preposterous/GMAFB to pretty-danged-good.

April 3, 2008, 10:47 AM	#13
zxcvbob Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2007 Location: S.E. Minnesota Posts: 4,720	Forster Co-Ax. C&H Magnum. __________________ "Everything they do is so dramatic and flamboyant. It just makes me want to set myself on fire!" —Lucille Bluth

April 3, 2008, 12:02 PM	#14
CPTMurdoc30 Senior Member Join Date: February 27, 2008 Location: Stafford VA Posts: 969	Have to go with ZX Forester is right at the top. Wth the Redding Ultramag comming in second for me. This also does not account for many of the super accurate almost custom arbor presses out there as well.

April 3, 2008, 01:18 PM	#15
DaveInGA Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2005 Location: Flowery Branch, GA Posts: 132	I disagree the Rock Chucker is the Gold standard. It used to be, but after having used the Lee Classic Cast press, I sold off my Rock Chucker. The Lee has surpassed the RC design with innovative new features and is still made in the USA, which current Rock Chuckers are not. Dave

April 3, 2008, 04:09 PM	#16
amamnn Senior Member Join Date: May 13, 2006 Location: WA, the left armpit of the USA Posts: 1,323	The listed presses don't even include any of the top 3 1--Corbin 2--Forster 3--Harrell __________________ "If the enemy is in range, so are you." - Infantry Journal

April 3, 2008, 05:05 PM	#17
Mikke Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2000 Location: Ume?, Sweden Posts: 154	I have a Lee Challanger and a Lee Classic Cast. The Challanger is nowhere near as good as the CC. For the price it's a decent press, but it's cheap and aluminium, and does get pretty worn after some use, and does flex in a way a CC doesn't. The Classic Cast on the other hand is really stable, have not seen any flexing at all. In short, a really nice press, at a good price. I haven't used any of the other listed presses, and I'm sure some of them might be just as good or even better then the CC, but at the price it's really hard to beat.

April 3, 2008, 08:00 PM	#18
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	presses presses are like bullets ,different bullets for different situations, sssooooo i own presses from the little c lee press to the mity RC , a lyman crusher & a couple of turrets just for giggles. the lyman has a 4.5 " openin so rifle sizin & seatin is easy the RCs have a different throw to the handle ,qwiker than the lyman so they get the nood to pistol sizin. the turrets are set up to do flarin powder droppin & pistol boolit seatin, i cant get the dies to stay still enuff for me on the turrets to size on em . the little lee has a deprimin die loctited in it . oh yeah a rcbs partener press has a lead hardness tester in it . thats rite I`M A SINGLE STAGER GP100man

April 4, 2008, 03:33 PM	#19
WSM MAGNUM Senior Member Join Date: September 30, 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 750	RCBS Rockchucker PERIOD. __________________ Henry - Life NRA Member, USCCA Shield Member If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?

April 5, 2008, 09:52 PM	#20
115scott Senior Member Join Date: March 29, 2008 Location: Montana Posts: 109	RCBS Rock Chucker. I also have a Rock Chucker supreme but I don't like the primer catcher. To many primers end up on the floor.