Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

For those who like to roll their own.

Moderators: carlson1, Charles L. Cotton

User avatar

tk1700
Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 116
Joined: Mon Apr 07, 2014 8:24 pm
Location: Granbury

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#16

Post by tk1700 »

I have a Lee that is 25 years old and still works great. It came as a kit but over the years I have upgraded most items except the press. The cast arms that hold the handle on broke about 6 months ago. I contacted Lee and the parts were out of production. They sent me parts to upgrade to the current arms along with all the hardware to get it back working, no charge. Lee has also replaced decapping pins and auto prime parts under warranty. If anything goes wrong with their stuff they do take care of you.

jocat54
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 412
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 8:56 pm
Location: Lindale

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#17

Post by jocat54 »

I also have a lee turret press and like it, have had no problems getting anything I needed or wanted for it from Lee Precision. I use the auto disk powder dispenser with it and has been accurate to about a gn as advertised in their chart.
"All it takes for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing"

Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.

Topic author
cyphur
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 1334
Joined: Fri Jun 23, 2006 10:02 am
Location: DFW, Tx

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#18

Post by cyphur »

warnmar10 wrote:The correct answer is: Big Boss 2

The extra credit answer is: T7 Turret

With the Redding Turret is there any sacrifice in repeatability or precision over a single stage?

I'll wind up buying a turret or progressive for 5.56/.308/45acp down the road where the precision is not the end all/be all concern.

LeonCarr
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 483
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2007 6:42 pm
Location: DFW

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#19

Post by LeonCarr »

Another vote for the Big Boss 2 as the best single stage press.

I run two Redding T-7 Turret Presses. I have loaded 1/2 MOA ammunition on the T-7s. IME the T-7 is the best combination of speed, precision, and virtually indestructible construction.

You will not have any loss of repeatability or precision with the T-7, and neither will your kids or grandkids :).

Just my .02,
LeonCarr
"Whitetail Deer are extinct because of rifles with telescopes mounted on them." - My 11th Grade English Teacher
User avatar

Beiruty
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 9655
Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 9:22 pm
Location: Allen, Texas

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#20

Post by Beiruty »

Amazon has the Supereme Chucker for $99.
Beiruty,
United we stand, dispersed we falter
2014: NRA Endowment lifetime member
User avatar

warnmar10
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 616
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#21

Post by warnmar10 »

cyphur wrote:
warnmar10 wrote:The correct answer is: Big Boss 2

The extra credit answer is: T7 Turret

With the Redding Turret is there any sacrifice in repeatability or precision over a single stage?

I'll wind up buying a turret or progressive for 5.56/.308/45acp down the road where the precision is not the end all/be all concern.
You will find the T7 makes very consistent rounds.

There is no reason to give up mechanical precision with an auto-progressive press either. And if you're willing to give up the case activated powder drop for a powder funnel you can get loaded rounds from your AP that will rival your best single-stage hand loads.
User avatar

warnmar10
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 3
Posts: 616
Joined: Sun Jan 03, 2016 11:57 am

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#22

Post by warnmar10 »

Beiruty wrote:Amazon has the Supereme Chucker for $99.
They have the Lee Breech Lock for $62

K-Texas
Banned
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 341
Joined: Wed Dec 20, 2017 2:34 pm
Location: Heart of Texas

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#23

Post by K-Texas »

Howdy Y'all! New member, long time handloader.

To the OP, are you considering the Hornady vs RCBS because of the complete kits?

As far as precision handloading I will make a suggestion that doesn't often get mentioned: that of Top-Dead-Center. This is a mechanical means of stopping the rams up-stroke at the same point every time. It is a very worthwhile feature witnessed by the presses that don't have it where the handloader ends up buying a Competition or Micrometer seating die to control Over-All Cartridge Length which I generally type as OACL.

REDDING includes this feature and I have an Excellent Boss press that's 20 or so years old. Get a good set of dies (I use REDDING here as well) and you can maintain OACL tolerances tight enough that you may never need a competition seating die.

One other brand uses T-D-C also, but limited to 2 of their presses. The LEE Classic Cast single-stage and the LEE Classic Turret that was recommended on page 1. I bought the Classic Turret for handgun loads, and being something of a control freak I do not use a progressive. I can't recommend very many LEE products, but the Safety Prime system, Large & Small, is very worthwhile. I would not buy any LEE press in kit form. Dies are okay but if you plan to load cast or poly-coated handgun bullets later, I would avoid the Factory Crimp Die, or FCD.

While the Classic Turret allows the dies to rotate manually or by auto-index, the T-D-C feature makes sure that the play necessary for easy rotation is removed when the case is in the die. After getting extremely tight tolerances with my handgun loads, I started loading 5.56mm NATO with the Classic Turret. I was so pleased with the results that I started loading Hunting/Target rifle cartridges on it as well.

For handgun loads, I no longer use the Auto-Index feature. I've found that it's actually faster to rotate the turrets manually. That way you're not required to lower the handle all the way down to index to the next station. Then there's the matter of powder charging. I bought the Pro Auto Disk with mine, didn't like it, or it leaking fine grained powders and sold it. RCBS and Hornady have case activated systems that will work so long as you have their powder measure and I have the RCBS Uniflow. There has to be a case entered into the charging/expanding die for it to drop powder. This also lessens the likelihood of failing to charge a case when you're loading a good quantity of handgun loads. But, because of the additional weight of either brand, the cheap plastic parts that LEE insists on using will wear out much more rapidly, and what got me started manually indexing. Production is close enough for me to progressive while you still maintain the control of working with a single case and die station. You'll get to know things like brands of cases by feel when resizing and expanding.

I know the subject was about loading the 6.5 CM, but since you're on this forum, it's very likely or probable that you will get into loading for handguns eventually. But as far as rifle cartridge reloading, a Turret press has the advantage of being able to set-up your dies and leave each set into their own dedicated 4-hole turret. You can load one station at a time without rotating the turret, or you can rotate a single case through each die station. Their are other brands of turret presses but most of them allow for 7 dies and are harder to rotate. And while you have some play between the press and the turret, Top-Dead-Center causes everything to flex to a single point for precision. I get OACL variations as low as guys using competition seating dies.

But if your heart is set on a good Single-Stage press, I'd recommend a REDDING because of T-D-C. The Classic cast should work very well also but I do not use one and can't make a recommendation.

Starting off with a lot of wind here, but expect to see a lot of me in the future. I'm kind of used to writing in detail and have wrote several articles for blog.westernpowders.com

I'm also proud to say that I'm a fan and friend of Charles Schwartz. Some of you may be familiar with his techniques and book titled: Quantitative Ammunition Selection. We like to bounce ideas from one to another, and currently I'm developing some pretty effective 147 gr. JHP defense loads around 1050 - 1150 FPS. I'll post pics and such as I become more acclimated to the forum. ;-)
Anything that can be corrupted by man; will be corrupted.

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want . . .
User avatar

03Lightningrocks
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 11451
Joined: Tue Apr 08, 2008 5:15 pm
Location: Plano

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#24

Post by 03Lightningrocks »

I have an RCBS Rock Chucker single stage I bought in 1982 or so and it still works and functions like the day I purchased it. I always liked the single stage for the reasons the OP mentions. I am more concerned with loading custom for my hunting rifles than anything else.

Richbirdhunter
Senior Member
Posts in topic: 1
Posts: 1109
Joined: Mon May 18, 2015 7:45 pm
Location: DFW Denton County

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#25

Post by Richbirdhunter »

I have a RCBS rock chucker single stage and a Hornady AP progressive press, both are fantastic but it seems that RCBS warranty isn’t as great as it once was. It’s harder to get them on the phone. I’ve never had a warranty issue with my rock chucker but some of my other RCBS stuff.
Disclaimer: Anything I state can not be applied to 100% of all situations. Sometimes it's ok to speak in general terms.

WTR
Banned
Posts in topic: 2
Posts: 1931
Joined: Mon Nov 16, 2015 10:41 pm

Re: Single Stage Press: Hornady vs RCBS?

#26

Post by WTR »

I have two Rockchuckers and a slew of other RCBS equipment. Never have needed CS. They have been flawless. I also have a Champion which is a beast.
Post Reply

Return to “Reloading Forum”