Should I get another Single Stage Press?

C&RTactical · Nov 24, 2015

I got to thinking about this after seeing the video for the new Hornady Iron Press. I loaned out my aluminum Lee Breechlock press to a friend because I never use it now. I basically do all my reloading on my Lee Cast Turret Press. I reload 9mm, .38, .308, 30-06, 7.62x54R, 6.5 Arisaka, 7.7 Arisaka, and .303 British on it. I like just having to set all the dies and just being able to keep the brass on the press until it is a completed round.

I find my eye wondering to see if something like the Iron Press would offer any practical gains to my reloading tools, but right now I just do not see anything I cannot do with my turret press. Any of you guys find yourself in the same position? Once getting a turret or progressive, never using your single stage?

Jmorrismetal · Nov 25, 2015

I have a bunch of progressives (one or more of all the Dillon's), as well as single stage and turret presses.

The last press I bought was a Lee breech lock single stage.

I do use it unconventionally though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01zbImsdkbg

I find my eye wondering to see if something like the Iron Press would offer any practical gains to my reloading tools,

I doubt it, what feature does it have that you think gives it an advantage over what you have?

C&RTactical · Nov 25, 2015

Just the conventional wisdom of it being steadier, better leverage, and more precise from what I remember. So I am looking for good practical reasons people have found to use a single stage for reloading that they cannot use with a turret.

DaemonAssassin · Nov 25, 2015

C&RTactical said:
Just the conventional wisdom of it being steadier, better leverage, and more precise from what I remember. So I am looking for good practical reasons people have found to use a single stage for reloading that they cannot use with a turret.

Loading in small batches would be the real reason to go with a single stage.

jimbobborg · Nov 25, 2015

I could not get my Lee Turret Press to work right with 300 WinMag and 30-06 brass. The bullet seating step was too much of a hassle. And full-length resizing of either is easier on the Lyman Crusher I have.

wgttgw · Nov 25, 2015

jimbobborg said:
I could not get my Lee Turret Press to work right with 300 WinMag and 30-06 brass. The bullet seating step was too much of a hassle. And full-length resizing of either is easier on the Lyman Crusher I have.

I don't know what version of the lee turret press you have but the cast version of the press has more travel and can load longer length calibers vs the aluminum version. I have the Lee 4 hole cast press and 30-06 or 300 win are no problems for me.

outrider58 · Nov 25, 2015

Single stages are great for loading ladders.

Pinecone · Nov 26, 2015

I load all my precision rifle rounds on a single stage. I weight every charge with an RCBS ChargeMaster.

But when I got my single stage, most of the turrets were such that there was some wobble in the turret. So I wanted a press that was more precise.

As for the dies, that is what the lock rings are for. Set, tighten lock ring, lock the lock ring, and you can remove and replace the die without resetting.

jimbobborg · Nov 26, 2015

wgttgw said:
I don't know what version of the lee turret press you have but the cast version of the press has more travel and can load longer length calibers vs the aluminum version. I have the Lee 4 hole cast press and 30-06 or 300 win are no problems for me.

I have the 4-hole aluminum version of the turret press. It was fine for the amount of shooting I was doing before, but once I got into monthly USPSA and Steel Challenge matches I needed more output, so I broke down and got a Dillon 550. I use the Lyman Crusher for the bigger cartridges as I need to full length resize all of the brass I have and it's just a beast doing that.

Biff_N · Nov 26, 2015

Pinecone said:
I load all my precision rifle rounds on a single stage.

Are you using a Co-Ax?

Pinecone · Nov 27, 2015

No, a Lyman Orange Crush press. Like an RCBS, but with a slightly longer stroke.

When I got it, most turrets were a center pivot, and with rifle brass sizing, you could see the plate tilt a bit.

C&RTactical · Dec 6, 2015

Never had that plate tilt ever be an issue. Also I can load ladders with my turret press. I have the Hornady Auto Dispense so I can just put the funnel in the rifle through expanding die and just pour powder through there into the case.

Pinecone · Dec 7, 2015

Ladders are so old school.

OCW baby!

Rockzilla · Dec 7, 2015

Pinecone said:
Ladders are so old school.

OCW baby!

Okay thought he was talking about sum thin you climb up :cool:

OCW ..yep Dan Newberry...have a few spreadsheets for OCW

Got Rockchuckers, Dillons (for bulk), when using single stage I do "batch" work
deprime in one, use other to size with CH4D TiN coated dies. In the Rockchuckers
I use the Hornady LnL bushings, also they make a conversion kit. The RC's also do my bigger
stuff...

-Rock

byf43 · Dec 7, 2015

I started out with a RCBS RockCrusher, and progressed (no pun intended) to a Dillon RL-550B progressive press.

I still load .45-70, .300 SAUM*, 7mm Magnum* (*just got dies for these) .243 on the RockChucker, and do all of my load development (no matter which caliber) on the RockChucker, still.

What I'm contemplating, is getting another RL-550B, and leave one set-up for small primers, and one set-up for large primers.

Decisions. Decisions.

Pinecone · Dec 8, 2015

byf43 said:
I started out with a RCBS RockCrusher, and progressed (no pun intended) to a Dillon RL-550B progressive press.

I still load .45-70, .300 SAUM*, 7mm Magnum* (*just got dies for these) .243 on the RockChucker, and do all of my load development (no matter which caliber) on the RockChucker, still.

What I'm contemplating, is getting another RL-550B, and leave one set-up for small primers, and one set-up for large primers.

Decisions. Decisions.

Not sure about the 550, but the trick on the 650 is to get another primer assembly. That way, two bolts and the punch to change from small to large or back again. A couple of minutes max.

byf43 · Dec 10, 2015

Pinecone said:
Not sure about the 550, but the trick on the 650 is to get another primer assembly. That way, two bolts and the punch to change from small to large or back again. A couple of minutes max.

I've got the 550B, and to me, it's becoming a PITA to change, especially since I'm getting older and my eyesight is not what it used to be.

Also, with all of this 'stuff' in my neck (from surgery) I don't have a lot of mobility, any longer.

The $$$ isn't the issue. Pulling it out of my wallet, is!

Tracker · Dec 22, 2015

I still use my Lee single stage to decap and size brass. It is good for working up new or small loads too. My turret press will do all that too but sometimes it's just nice to take it slow and easy. JMO

Should I get another Single Stage Press?

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