Reloading Press ?'s

[TCKev]

What press are you guy's using for your magnum cartridges? I've outgrown my Redding Boss and need a press with a larger opening to reload for my 300 Dakota.

Thanks
Kevin

 

[Winchester 69]

Big Boss

 

[boomtube]

Or the Ultra Mag.

 

[jmatson]

I got an RCBS Ammo Master when I sharted loading for my 500 Nitro 3 1/4", you can load anyting from 22 Hornet to 50 BMG.

 

[AJ Peacock]

I use an RCBS Ammo Master. But if I was doing it again, I'd get the Ultra Mag from Redding.

AJ

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

300 Dakota is negligibly longer (.010") than 7mm rem mag. This length is easily handled by the Forster co-ax, one of the finest single stage reloading presses available. Forster has recently upgraded the co-ax handle yoke for an additional 1.5" of die clearance, but even the previous model would handle 7mmRM dies just fine.

For a great press at a budget price, the Lee Classic Cast (iron) press is an excellent choice, with plenty of capacity and strength.

Andy

 

[zoeper]

300 Dakota is negligibly longer (.010") than 7mm rem mag. This length is easily handled by the Forster co-ax, one of the finest single stage reloading presses available. Forster has recently upgraded the co-ax handle yoke for an additional 1.5" of die clearance, but even the previous model would handle 7mmRM dies just fine.

For a great press at a budget price, the Lee Classic Cast (iron) press is an excellent choice, with plenty of capacity and strength.

Andy

I am using the classic cast press and hope to replace it soon. The tolerance on the ram is poor to say the least and you can wiggle it from side to side. Also the shell holder does not sit flat on top of the ram.
It served me well to get started, but it's time to get a real press!

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

Zoeper,

You've been using this one?

I know a couple of guys that have this press, and have seen them myself. Theirs were very well made of cast iron, and tight, not like Lee's older, aluminum presses.

Andy

 

[Winchester 69]

The tolerance on the ram is poor to say the least and you can wiggle it from side to side. Also the shell holder does not sit flat on top of the ram.

Would I be correct that the conditions you describe are due to production variance?
.

 

[boomtube]

"The tolerance on the ram is poor to say the least and you can wiggle it from side to side. Also the shell holder does not sit flat on top of the ram."

Your present Classic Cast press is as good as they come for a single stage. Actually, it's cast steel, not iron.

A little side play in a press ram is actually an asset to accurate ammo; we can't force a case into a die straight but we can sure push it in out of line if it's tight and the die has any concentricity problem. That's part of why bench resters use unthreaded hand dies and arbor presses, they don't want any side pressure at all during loading.

Your shell holder problem is more serious. Have you checked to see how and where the misalignment is, are you sure it's not the shell holder itself? Perhaps a call to Lee is in order, I suspect they would replace the ram if that's the problem.

 

[zoeper]

The side slop is due to oversize hole in press or undersize ram. The rocking of the shell holder is due to mating surfaces being convex and not flat.
I will quantify and report back.
Other than that the press is solid.
Pieter