50 bmg press

[cinch]

What is the best 50 bmg press to get? I have heard the Hornady is better than the RCBS? What does everyone else think?

[CatShooter]

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What is the best 50 bmg press to get? I have heard the Hornady is better than the RCBS? What does everyone else think?

[/ QUOTE ]

My friend and I both shoot the 50 BMG.

I have a Hornady, and he had a RCBS - they are similar (RCBS makes the frame, but Hornady makes their own rams and L&L stuff)

He got rid of his, and bought a Hornady - they are that much better. Plus the Hornady dies are true Match quality dies. The RCBS dies are just a large version of the $30 dies for smaller calibers - sloppy fit.

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[GunsmokeNC]

Don't overlook the LEE 50bmg kit. I use it and it does just fine. It has gotten allot of good comments on the 50 forums.

I wish lee would come out with a collet die in 50bmg.

[Fiftydriver]

Cinch,

Are you on a buget?

The RCBS and Hornady presses and dies will work fine for general loading but if you want real precision ammo, you would be much better off to look into the big arbor press from CH-4D. THey also make a set of match loading dies that have a bushing FL sizing die and a match inline seating die.

They are not cheap but they are extremely good quality. Compared to either the RCBS or Hornady, there is no real comparision in press or dies.

If you have the money to spend, the Corbin hand press is about the best 50 cal press out there. It can also be used to make any bullets you want if you wanted to get into that as well.

The RCBS and Hornady presses are economy presses. If your looking to load plinking ammo, they work great. If your looking for precision match grade ammo, it can be loaded on these two presses but you will need to do a couple things to improve your consistancy with these presses.

Kirby Allen(50)

[Fiftydriver]

GunsmokeNC,

I am not sure you could make a collet die for a BMG, that is some heavy brass and to get it to move with a collet die may be a trick!!!

The LEE kit is on the same lines as the RCBS and Hornady, all will work fine if your on a budget but there are much better systems out there if your serious about precision 50 BMG ammo.

Kirby Allen(50)

[CatShooter]

Kirby...

CH doesn't make that press anymore, and they don't have a 50BMG press in their lineup.

I had one of those presses for a while, and sold it - it didn't have enough leverage to FL size cases unless you were 300 pounds, and all of that was arms.

There is the Hollywood, but that's a 70 year old design with almost no service, and it uses simple knee levers - so FL sizing is still a big problem, since most shooters get their brass as Mil-surp.

Of what's available, the Hornady is the choice. It looks like the RCBS, but the lock & load feature means that everything clicks in and out... the RCBS needs to tools to take it apart to change functions. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

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[Fiftydriver]

I was not aware that CH-4D dropped that press. The one I tested was not hard at all to FL length size with but I was using new match cases that had turned necks for a BR rifle I was testing for an article review. The thinner necks and very min spec chamber may have been the reason for the easy FL sizing.

The Hollywood is a quality press but like you said, old design and not made for heavy sizing either.

Have you played with the Single stage Corbin presses? Richard Graves has been trying to sell me one for a couple years not. I will have one soon as they are about the best thing I have seen for loading rounds like the 50 cal. An amazing press with more leverage then anyone would ever need for any case sizing, hell they are made to swage 50 cal bullets for crying out loud, sizing a 50 cal case would be nothing at all.

Kirby Allen(50)