Favorite features on single stage press?

[birdiemc]

If all the various single stage presses you've used, what are the features that you liked the most? Don't want a discussion of which one is the best, just the features you like.
Cuz after all, surely we all know that the lee hand held is the greatest right...

 

[cape cove]

Well I have a Lee classic cast and I just love the system it has for capturing spent primers. My last press had them coming out the side of the ram into a tray and often on the floor. The floor was not the big problem, what bothered me was the hard carbon crud left on the ram which in turn lead to ram wear. Now they fall through the ram into a tube. Just great.

 

[Deputy819]

Yep....what Cape Cove said for the same reason!

 

[Jud96]

I have loaded thousands of rounds on my Dad's old RCBS JR2 and I recently got myself an RCBS JR3. I love the feel they have when seating bullets. A lot of other bigger presses don't have the feel and sensitivity that these smaller presses have. So that's one of the big reasons I like a single stage press that is small/medium sized.

 

[birdiemc]

Well I have a Lee classic cast and I just love the system it has for capturing spent primers. My last press had them coming out the side of the ram into a tray and often on the floor. The floor was not the big problem, what bothered me was the hard carbon crud left on the ram which in turn lead to ram wear. Now they fall through the ram into a tube. Just great.

I didn't know lee had a press that drops the primers through the ram, mine spits them out the side of the ram and really annoys me. I remember reading complaints before buying and wondering how big a baby you gotta be to complain about spent primers on the floor, but now a few years into it I get it. Its annoying for sure. And the junk all over the ram makes for a rough throw

 

[Aldon]

I like the moveable case jaws at the base and the ability for the die to self center to cause.

 

[JJMoody]

My first couple presses were gifts, so my favorite feature on those were that they were free!! Seriously though, until I picked up a co-ax, I had no idea any of them were different.

 

[birdiemc]

I like the moveable case jaws at the base and the ability for the die to self center to cause.

Assume you're speaking of the Co-Ax? I dont have a lot of knowledge on lots of presses like most here, but that sounds like your describing the coax, and I would have to agree the die self aligning is pretty slick.

 

[aushunter1]

Is this another thread where we are wasting our time to humour yourself?

If you are happy with what you are using then why ask the question??

 

[birdiemc]

Is this another thread where we are wasting our time to humour yourself?

If you are happy with what you are using then why ask the question??

No I dont have a coax, I just been watching videos on it to try and figure out why everybody is in love with it. I asked the question because I just got a milling machine and want to build my own press from scratch as a project to get acquainted with my new machine...I didnt bother to mention that cuz everybody will probably tell me dont waste your time, you cant do it, it will suck, the world might fall into a black hole if you try to do something on your own instead of buying it....the usual responses I get around here when trying something others are uncomfortable with.

 

[Deputy819]

 

[Deviant]

If all the various single stage presses you've used, what are the features that you liked the most? Don't want a discussion of which one is the best, just the features you like.
Cuz after all, surely we all know that the lee hand held is the greatest right...

Not having to use shell holders and torque dies with the Forster Coax has been nice.

 

[Ckgworks]

Below are a list of presses I have and what I like about them......

Co-ax: Preset dies make for quick painless die swap, and the lack of shell holders are the big pluses for me. I did a couple mods as well, extended tube so primers fall all the way down to a bucket on the floor, and an adjustable jaw opening shaft to shorten stroke for small cases.

RCBS Ammo master: Large Ram, Lots of leverage makes forming Brass a piece of cake, plus lots of room for your hands......Down side, Long stroke. Primer dispenser is center of ram, but exists out the side at the bottom and can get jammed up....I wish it went all the way down and out the bottom.

RCBS RC Supreme:Better spent primer containment.....But not perfect. I removed the press primers arm, and filled the slot in the ram with a split rubber tube so the primers don't fall out the front and it works well. This is just a good handy press, and will probably always have a place on my bench even if there isn't any "Favorite features".

IF I could build my own press: It would probably be a hybrid of the above.....
Primer dispense out center of shaft at bottom, a Co-Ax shell holder and die slot and a different style handle/location than the CoAx, more like the RCBS for more leverage on resizing large cases.......

I wish you luck on your endeavor! It sounds like a fun project, and even if it flops you are sure to learn a lot in the process! There are people who live in their comfort zone, and those that like to stretch theirs, Don't let someone on the internet, that you don't know, tell you you can't do something.....(Unless it's something that could kill you....You might than at least look at where they are coming from)

 

[arch408]

Every feature I liked on my Rocker Chucker can be duplicated or bettered on my Dillon 550s. I can use my 550 like a single stage if I want and don't have to change dies. For that reason, if I had to stay with a single stage I would buy the conversion kit to convert my RCBS to use the Hornady Lock and Load die quick change system, but you would have to buy a lot of bushings. Give me the Dillon.