Morning - I want to purchase a new single stage press for loading handgun and some rifle (223 - 6mm Creedmoor - 6.5mm Creedmoor) just wondering if anyone has had great or not so good experience with any of the major brands - TY in advance for your thoughts and experiences - Bob
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Input on Buying a new Single Stage Press
- Thread starter Roadster
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Broccoli Iglesias
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I would skip the single stage and go LEE Classic. You can turn it into a single stage.
I use one for the calibers I dont need to reload thousands of rounds.
My single stage press was relegated as a sizing press.
With a Lee Clasic in single stage, once you are set up, you can probably reload 200 rounds per hour.
I use one for the calibers I dont need to reload thousands of rounds.
My single stage press was relegated as a sizing press.
With a Lee Clasic in single stage, once you are set up, you can probably reload 200 rounds per hour.
1903Collector
NES Member
Redding BOSS Here, had it for a long time and use it a lot but I think any of the cast Iron SS presses will be good
i went over all that earlier this year, with same idea to go with a single stage and then decided to go with a dillon xl750. overall now i am quite glad i did that, as to be able to get 200-300 .223 rounds done in a 30min or hour time i have during the evening is exactly what i need. it took some effort to sort out certain things and sort out the required improvements for powder drop bar, etc., but, now it just works and i am quite happy. one press, 3 calibers - .223, .308, 6.5CM. 6 tool heads - with depriming/full size die on one head and powder drop/seating die setup on the other head. works fine.
My suggestion is a Redding T7 turret press. Much faster than a single stage press but just as accurate. Not as fast as a Dillon 650, but reliable and less expensive.
I'll second this. The Lee Classic cast turret press is an auto indexing turret press with 4 stations. You simply remove the auto indexing rod by lifting it out of the machine and BOOM, you got a single stage. As a 4 station, it of course uses 4 hole turrets which are very affordable at $15ish a piece. Most calibers you'll have a deprime/resizing die, and a bullet seating die. So, I'll put a sizing die and seating die opposite one another in two of the holes, and another sizing and seating die in the other two holes, so I have two calibers in one turret.
I'f you ever want to produce handgun ammo at higher rate, install the auto indexing rod to speed things up.
Its a solid steel press, excellent quality and very affordable.
Not trying to be a dick but the OP is asking for guidance on a single stage press and is being told to get a 750 with all the bells and whistles.
I still use my original single stage press just as much as I use my 550, if not more. Mine's a Lee Classic Cast, but others work great as well. Get one with the "O" vs the "C" frame.
I still use my original single stage press just as much as I use my 550, if not more. Mine's a Lee Classic Cast, but others work great as well. Get one with the "O" vs the "C" frame.
andrew1220
NES Member
This is NES....are you surprised?
andrew1220
NES Member
I've got the Lee classic cast single stage for resizing rifle brass - works well so far. No experience with Turret presses but others here seem to like them. Once rifle brass is prepped it gets loaded on the Hornady LNL progressive.
EMTDAD
NES Member
OP.. depends.. is this your first go at reloading?.. do you expect to load 1000s of rounds?
I got into it primarily for M1 Garand loads as those can be tough to find, but use it for my 30-06 hunting rifle, as well as for 9mm in times of scarce supply. I don't shoot a ton of rounds so doing 50-100 at a time doesn't bother me.
I have the Hornady LnL classic kit which will have most stuff to get you started for reasonable money... https://www.hornady.com/reloading/presses/lock-n-load-classic#!/#additional
then you can replace/add things you think you want/need. Tumbler, calipers, accessories, etc.
I got into it primarily for M1 Garand loads as those can be tough to find, but use it for my 30-06 hunting rifle, as well as for 9mm in times of scarce supply. I don't shoot a ton of rounds so doing 50-100 at a time doesn't bother me.
I have the Hornady LnL classic kit which will have most stuff to get you started for reasonable money... https://www.hornady.com/reloading/presses/lock-n-load-classic#!/#additional
then you can replace/add things you think you want/need. Tumbler, calipers, accessories, etc.
I bought the hornady classic single stage wad actually call the 007 when I bought it.
Bought it right around Christmas years ago on sale
Kits are not always “good” they have a lot in the box but sometimes the stuff just is not that good.
Example I hated the Hornady Hand primer that came with my kit. The scale sucked to but the price was still cheaper thsn buying the book , press and powder measure separately.
I think this kit is pretty good and gets you off to a good start. Shop around for the best price
Hornady Lock N Load Classic Deluxe Kit Mfg# 85010
I've never been real impressed with LEE stuff. I had a LEE Pro 1000 (I think). I got it used in a box of stuff. That thing was the biggest piece of junk I've ever seen. Maybe the LEE single-stage presses are OK, but the pot-metal they used to build that progressive press did not inspire confidence. I did like their handheld priming tool, but they don't make them anymore. I snapped off 2 of the handles on them and they replaced them, until they didn't. Great customer service, but I'd have been happier if they just didn't make it out of crappy metal that I was able to snap off with thumb pressure.
Last I knew, presses of any sort were in short supply. It might be a matter of buying what's available. You really can't go wrong with RCBS, Hornady, Redding, etc.
Last I knew, presses of any sort were in short supply. It might be a matter of buying what's available. You really can't go wrong with RCBS, Hornady, Redding, etc.
I bought the cheap Lee kit, alluminum with the quick change steel die inserts. At the time I bought it, I didn't know if I would get serious into reloading, and dabbled.
Thousands of rounds later of all calibers.......its still good to go. Its durability has surprised me.
That said if your sure your gonna use the thing a hell of a lot.....go with a steel model.....quick change dies are nice to have on a single stage, cause you set them once and then forget them.
Even better the Turret....
Dont ever buy a Lee progressive.......its Dillion or Hornady in that order. I have a Hornady LNL for handgun calibers and its OK for my volume.
1903Collector
NES Member
I have a Lee classic cast press, I use it to decap brass and that's all its good for IMHO. I have bought so many Lee products over the years that have turned out to be junk.
Thank You all for your reply's - EMTDAD it is not my first go at reloading but I lost my dad whom I used to shoot with on a regular basis and I reloaded and cast my own bullet heads but since he passed I really don't shoot enough but I enjoy coming up with different loads for my different pieces - and I hope to start being active again in both areas (loading & shooting) - I have a Lyman T-Mag ll but I want to have a SS press on the table as well - this is a new reloading station as I am bringing out all my previously purchased stuff that has been in mothballs can't tell you all how much I appreciate you taking the time to give me your input - Thank's Again and please keep the responses coming I like to hear from you -Bob
Caveman
NES Member
I loved my fathers RCBS Rockchucker so much for the past 25 years that I bought myself 2 Rockchucker supremes for my own bench. I’m a big fan of their tools and a huge fan of their customer support.
Broccoli Iglesias
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LEE CLASSIC. the turret costs $15.
Broccoli Iglesias
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What is so junk about it?
Broccoli Iglesias
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Sorry, no experience with other LEE, but just because a few are not great, doesn't mean they all aren't. The classic is very simple, not much that can go wrong.
Hornady, from what I hear, is pure sh*t. I heard so many people talk sh*t about their press, I was going to buy the LNL instead of the 750, I decided the Dillon price was worth it and I am glad I listened to people, both on this forum as well as other forums and the range.
For a single stage, if you dont want to consider the Lee Classic, I would only go RCBS.
1903Collector
NES Member
I had a Turret press years ago with that abortion auto disk powder measure, the thing broke all the time. More recently I have had two sets of dies that were f***ed up out of the package and another that was missing a piece plus, some of there products are just stupid to me, the Zip trim comes to mind. It's probably me but their stuff just seems cheap and flimsy but I see the attraction if your on a budget.
Broccoli Iglesias
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Ok, so dies missing pieces or being broken does not equal sh*t press. Half my dies are Lee, about 2 or 3 dies are Hornady, 2 Dillon and the rest are Redding. I never had an issue with any die.
The auto disk, I can't speak to that, I only have the auto drum. But anyway, does not necessarily mean the press is sh*t.
So, your problem is with the company, not necessarily their press.
