Redding Big Boss press - opinions?

[dBA]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to these fourms and am looking forward to learning from everyone here.

I'm looking for my first press and have decided that I'm going to get a single stage to learn on, and I'd like to know what people think of the Redding Big Boss press. I've decided against the RockChucker press simply because its made in China, and the Big Boss looks like a great alternative.

Anyone have experience with Redding products?

Thanks,

Curtis

[Mtn Hawk]

Welcome! There's a lot of very knowledgeable and helpful people who post here and I've learned much from them.

Redding makes quality products but I wouldn't buy a bigger and heavier press unless I really needed one.

I avoid presses with primer catchers. The ones I've used get spent primer debris all over the place and are messy. I choose presses that drop decapped primers through the ram.

I have a Lee Classic Cast press that I'm happy with, and they usually get very good reviews.

[flashhole]

What cartridges are you loading? The Big Boss will do anything out there short of the 50 BMG but if you are doing short pistol cartridges you might be better off with the Boss with the shorter throw. I have two Ultramags on the bench but I only load rifle cartridges. It works equally well for the 221 Fireball as it does for the 300 Win Mag. I really like the open front of the C-type press and this is the best one out there. It's absolutely rigid with very tight tolerances. If you go the Big Boss route get the Big Boss II that has the spent primers drop down through the center of the ram. The T-7 turret press woud be an excellent choice as it is used as a single stage press at each station, you just have the benefit of having the dies already set up on the turret.

[UGH]

I own a Redding T-7 turret press. The thing is like a tank. I use it for all types of pistol and rifle calibers and it does them all with ease.

[BigJakeJ1s]

I have no experience with Redding presses, but the Big Boss II has an excellent reputation. I the Redding Boss, however, has the standard die threads cut in the frame, whereas the Big Boss (and II) has a bushing that can be removed and replaced with the Hornady LNL quick-change system. Makes changing dies much easier with a short 1/8 turn.

Another couple of presses worth considering are the Lee Classic Cast press, and the Forster Co-Ax. The Classic Cast has an adjustable throw on the handle, and also dumps spent primers down through the ample ram. It also accepts the Hornady LNL quick change bushing system. It is made in USA, and heck for stout.

The Forster Co-Ax is a whole different animal. I have one and really like it. Dies snap in and out with ease, spent primers are cleanly collected in a container, the automatic shell holder system is very nice, and I like the over-the-top handle movement. The linkage and "ram" system provide for extremely accurate movement.

Andy

[TEDDY]

get the Lee clasic cast turret.you can diable the center rod to use press as batch loader.and with aditional turrets change die sets in seconds.and if you get Lee powder measure you can mount it on expander die if pistol or rifle drop die if rifle.

[TEDDY]

get the Lee clasic cast turret.you can disable the center rod to use press as batch loader.and with aditional turrets change die sets in seconds.and if you get Lee powder measure you can mount it on expander die if pistol or rifle drop die if rifle.

[ldv444]

JMO- You can't do much better than a Redding BigBoss 2 for a single stage. I have an old rc and a forester co-ax. I love the co-ax....it's a great press. My good shooting buddy has a Redding BB2 and I've used it-great press! Good luck!

[ernierod]

I have a Redding Big Boss and use it for swaging. The press is top quality,strong and is entirely adequate for swaging 45 LSWC and core making.

[Woolecox]

Oh yeah. The Big Boss II is strong, accurate, and smooth. I use it for my 243AI, 308 Win, and 7mm Rem Mag. I love the angle it mounts at. Makes it easy to move the cases in and out while working the ram with my right hand. I use it in these calibers with Redding's excellent Competition dies.

I have a Forster Coax that I also use a lot. Mostly for FL sizing new brass before turning necks. I have found nothing that beats it for concentricity and low runout using Forster's Bench Rest sizer. I bought the Redding because Forster would not make me a set of dies for my 243AI (pi$$ed me off!). Yes, I know I can use the Redding dies in the Coax and sometimes do. Already have the Redding set in my hands. I have also had a Bump Neck die on order from Forster for months for my 308. They have yet to deliver.

The Forster Coax is awesome but the ergonomics are not as good as the Redding. Straight in straight out. Kind of awkward but extremely accurate ammo produced with this set up...

[flashhole]

Wow - you must have done some digging to resurect this thread. My post was in 2007!

I agree with your assessment of the ergonomics on the Forster. Fine press but I just didn't care for it. Too restrictive and I kept pinching my fingers when seating bullets in long cartridges. I like Redding equipment and since my last post I have added both a Lee Classic Cast and Lee Classic Turret to the bench. I like the ergonomics on both of those better than the Forster too.

[Woolecox]

Ha! Yeah, just purchased the Big Boss and did a search to see what everyone else thought.

Thought about another RCBS but rumor has it that they have exported their jobs to China. Reviews are not good. I have seen videos of visible slop in an RCBS ram.

Shame

[jrdavidson]

I love my Redding T-7 turret. Its built to last several lifetimes. You can swap out dies when changing calibers, but I'd buy extra heads instead as they're easy to swap out. The add-on primer bar tube system works really well, and spent primers drop into a clear tube for easy cleanup.

The turret is the best way to do single-stage reloading. I like to visually inspect every action and a progressive just has too many things going on all at the same time for me.

YMMV

[mikld]

I had a Redding Boss in the late 80s ( it was sold during a messy divorce). It was an excellent machine; smoothe as butter, very tight/precise (ram had less than .005" slop, fully extended), and was built like a tank...

[wncchester]

All of our makers do good work. That said, any press that looks virtually identical to any other of it's type will work as well as any other press of its type. Lee's Classic Cast is as well built as the more costly ones and it has excellant user features including a spent primer catcher system that actually works.

[Crankylove]

I have no experience with the Big Boss, but do have the smaller Boss press on my bench. I load .32 S&W up to .30-06, and it does fine, but if you will be loading a lot of magnum length cartridges, the Big Boss may be better suited.

I have no complaints about my press, with the exception of the primer catch system Redding uses. The primers do not want to go into that little plastic box they provide, and I usually end up with as many on the floor as I do in the box.

My brothers Rock Chucker, and my dads Lyman Crusher press seem to have a little better fit and finish than my Redding, but functionality is the same.