shell holder?

shootsafe · July 9, 2008, 08:41 PM

Do all shell holders work inter-changable in any single stage press.

ie;Lee shell holder in an RCBS press?

Shootsafe

Darren007 · July 9, 2008, 08:50 PM

Yep..they do. At least all the ones I've encountered do.

SL1 · July 9, 2008, 09:04 PM

Shell holders from most, if not all manufacturers work the same way on single stage presses (Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Lyman, Redding, Forster). Things get very different on multi-stage presses from different manufacturers.

On thing to recognize is that, with the die set the same in the press, two shell holders, even for the same cartridge from the same manufacturer, may differ by several thousandths of an inch in the critical dimensions they produce for the overall cartridge length and the position of a bottleneck case shoulder. Not a big deal UNLESS you have two for the same caliber and swap them without checking.

SL1

BigJakeJ1s · July 9, 2008, 10:54 PM

The Forster Co-Ax press comes with universal shell holder jaws that fit most cartridges. They offer a different set of jaws that covers most of the rest. They also offer an adapter plate that lets you use standard shell holders from other manufacturers. Only with that adapter plate will a standard shell holder from Lee, RCBS, et al work on a co-ax. Most every other single stage press made today takes any standard shell holder.

Andy

Sevens · July 10, 2008, 09:30 AM

One quick tip that is old news to veterans, but can get a bit confusing to new reloaders is the existence of hand priming tool shell holders.

Lee and RCBS both make a hand-held priming tool that uses a shell holder that can't be used with any reloading press, but is made specifically for a priming tool. They are identified with numbers in the same way that regular shell holders are numbered by caliber, but you can't use them for anything other than a hand held priming tool.

Lee sells a set of regular shell holders, includes 11 different covering more than 90% of every cartridge out there and it costs like $15. I highly recommend this set to anyone who reloads. With it, you'll almost always be ready if you need a shell holder in almost any caliber, and it's so cheap, I wouldn't be without it. When you have the set, you can pick up a die set in almost any caliber, even a used set from a gun show that may or may not have an included shell holder, and you are ready to run immediately without trying to track down the proper shell holder.

Hawg · July 10, 2008, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Lee and RCBS both make a hand-held priming tool that uses a shell holder that can't be used with any reloading press, but is made specifically for a priming tool. They are identified with numbers in the same way that regular shell holders are numbered by caliber, but you can't use them for anything other than a hand held priming tool.

Not unless somethings changed in the last ten years or so. I have an RCBS hand priming tool and a Lee press and I swap shell holders all the time.

wncchester · July 10, 2008, 04:39 PM

Hawg, you are right, as you state it. But you won't use conventional shell holders in a Lee hand held primer tool.

T- Bone · July 10, 2008, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Lee and RCBS both make a hand-held priming tool that uses a shell holder that can't be used with any reloading press, but is made specifically for a priming tool. They are identified with numbers in the same way that regular shell holders are numbered by caliber, but you can't use them for anything other than a hand held priming tool.

I have the Rcbs hand prime tool and use the same shell holders in the press as the hand prime tool, no problems.

Hawg · July 10, 2008, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Hawg, you are right, as you state it. But you won't use conventional shell holders in a Lee hand held primer tool.

Maybe so but that's not what you said.
This is what you said.

Quote:

Lee and RCBS both make a hand-held priming tool that uses a shell holder that can't be used with any reloading press

Sevens · July 10, 2008, 06:18 PM

No, he didn't screw it up-- I did!

It's the Lee hand priming tool that uses specific priming-only shell holders.

Hawg · July 10, 2008, 07:31 PM

Quote:

No, he didn't screw it up-- I did!

OOPS, you're right. Sorry about that wncchester.

July 9, 2008, 08:41 PM	#1
shootsafe Member Join Date: March 2, 2008 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 86	shell holder? Do all shell holders work inter-changable in any single stage press. ie;Lee shell holder in an RCBS press? Shootsafe

July 10, 2008, 09:30 AM	#5
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	One quick tip that is old news to veterans, but can get a bit confusing to new reloaders is the existence of hand priming tool shell holders. Lee and RCBS both make a hand-held priming tool that uses a shell holder that can't be used with any reloading press, but is made specifically for a priming tool. They are identified with numbers in the same way that regular shell holders are numbered by caliber, but you can't use them for anything other than a hand held priming tool. Lee sells a set of regular shell holders, includes 11 different covering more than 90% of every cartridge out there and it costs like $15. I highly recommend this set to anyone who reloads. With it, you'll almost always be ready if you need a shell holder in almost any caliber, and it's so cheap, I wouldn't be without it. When you have the set, you can pick up a die set in almost any caliber, even a used set from a gun show that may or may not have an included shell holder, and you are ready to run immediately without trying to track down the proper shell holder. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

July 10, 2008, 06:18 PM	#10
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	No, he didn't screw it up-- I did! It's the Lee hand priming tool that uses specific priming-only shell holders. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

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July 9, 2008, 08:50 PM	#2
Darren007 Senior Member Join Date: November 18, 2007 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,053	Yep..they do. At least all the ones I've encountered do.

July 9, 2008, 09:04 PM	#3
SL1 Senior Member Join Date: November 8, 2007 Posts: 2,001	Shell holders from most, if not all manufacturers work the same way on single stage presses (Lee, Hornady, RCBS, Lyman, Redding, Forster). Things get very different on multi-stage presses from different manufacturers. On thing to recognize is that, with the die set the same in the press, two shell holders, even for the same cartridge from the same manufacturer, may differ by several thousandths of an inch in the critical dimensions they produce for the overall cartridge length and the position of a bottleneck case shoulder. Not a big deal UNLESS you have two for the same caliber and swap them without checking. SL1

July 9, 2008, 10:54 PM	#4
BigJakeJ1s Senior Member Join Date: August 8, 2005 Location: Arlington TX Posts: 663	The Forster Co-Ax press comes with universal shell holder jaws that fit most cartridges. They offer a different set of jaws that covers most of the rest. They also offer an adapter plate that lets you use standard shell holders from other manufacturers. Only with that adapter plate will a standard shell holder from Lee, RCBS, et al work on a co-ax. Most every other single stage press made today takes any standard shell holder. Andy

July 10, 2008, 04:39 PM	#7
wncchester Senior Member Join Date: December 1, 2002 Posts: 2,832	Hawg, you are right, as you state it. But you won't use conventional shell holders in a Lee hand held primer tool.