Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: curlewkiller on December 26, 2014, 10:54:13 PM

Title: Rifle Press
Post by: curlewkiller on December 26, 2014, 10:54:13 PM: My brother and I want to start reloading for hunting and stock piling ammo. Speed is not what we are focused on. We want the best press for the money. What $ are we looking at to start reloading .306 and .270? Everything you need...
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: TheHunt on December 26, 2014, 11:14:07 PM: I think most will be saying RCBS Rock Crusher. But there is a new kid on the block..

It is called a Forester Co-Ax

http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/265719/forster-co-ax-single-stage-press?cm_vc=ProductFinding (http://ads.midwayusa.com/product/265719/forster-co-ax-single-stage-press?cm_vc=ProductFinding)
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: bobcat on December 26, 2014, 11:24:33 PM: You can get the RCBS kit with everything needed, except dies, for $280:

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=RC9361&src=tpMfg (http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=RC9361&src=tpMfg)
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: Crunchy on December 26, 2014, 11:32:25 PM: Depends if you want to reload for accuracy or just mass production.
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: motg9_6 on December 27, 2014, 06:32:16 AM: once you go FORSTER CO-AX youll never go back!!! i just bought one last month and I love it!! i have used many different single stage presses and i like this one the most. more expensive than a rcbs or hornady but smoother operation and the priming feature may be slower than a hand primer but every primer is seated the exact same depth every time. make sure you get the locking rings from forster best deal on them is from midway in a ten pack i believe.
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: Blacklab on December 27, 2014, 07:47:27 AM: Wow! 110 reviews with 5 star rating impressive :twocents:
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: LEN on December 27, 2014, 09:01:07 AM: The Rockchucker kit is about as good as it gets for the $$$. Gives you all except a case trimmer, a tumbler and a primer pocket tool. Two die sets and case holder for the press(06 and 270 take the same one) and the components and your ready to rock and roll. You might put an add in the formum what you are looking for and save a bit going used, plus get a good BS session with a few guys.

LEN
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: fastdam on December 27, 2014, 09:16:15 AM: Just dont settle on plactic parts if metal are available. RCBS,Hornady, Lyman,....all very similar. Just pick one and go. You'll be pcking up little extra tools, odds and ends as you learn and your skill level increases. Might as well pick a color and go for it. You wont regret t
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: jasnt on December 27, 2014, 09:23:14 AM: Rcbs rockchucker!
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: dreamunelk on December 27, 2014, 09:40:00 AM: I have had my Rock Chucker for 30 years I think. Don't think you could go wrong with one.
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: elkaholic123 on December 27, 2014, 09:48:35 AM: Quote from: jasnt on December 27, 2014, 09:23:14 AM
Rcbs rockchucker!
:yeah:
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: b23 on December 27, 2014, 10:12:06 AM: We all have our favorite/s but just about any of the reloading presses on the market will produce good ammo. It's like anything else, how much you want to spend and what features or options you want your reloading press to have, will have the biggest impact on which one you choose.

I'm of the belief, it's much more important that you truly know how to use everything you have, than it is to have "the best" equipment available. Top notch stuff is great but it won't produce any better results than the cheap stuff, if your not using it correctly or it isn't setup properly.

If you're just getting into reloading, I highly recommend buying Defensive Edge's reloading video. Shawn Carlock does a great job of going through all the different steps of setting your stuff up and he does it in a very easy to understand way. It'll be the best $25 you ever spent.
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: AWS on December 27, 2014, 10:52:55 AM: +1 b23

I've had just about every colour press on my bench over the years, red, blue, green, orange, brown, grey and black. In addition they were C, H, O and turret presses and they all have loaded good ammo. Convenience is the key, I load for about twenty different cartridges and do some serious case forming. I have a red turret press with interchangeable heads so I can just pop in a different head and the dies are all locks down and adjusted, it takes me longer to get cases and bullets out than to change dies. I keep a grey HD O frame press on the bench for case forming and resizing jacketed bullets.

No matter what the brand pick one of their top shelf presses and you can't go wrong.

I don't care for kits because you have to compromise on some things but it a might be the way to go if your just beginning and you can always upgrade in the future. If your kit only comes with an e-scale pick up a beam scale to verifiy. Powder measures need to be micro adjustable and get a decent set of callipers, if digital lay in a supply of batteries.
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: HawkCreek on December 27, 2014, 09:35:00 PM: $269 for a starter kit here:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/RCBS-reg-Rock-Chucker-Supreme-Master-Reloading-Kit/1324071.uts (http://www.cabelas.com/product/RCBS-reg-Rock-Chucker-Supreme-Master-Reloading-Kit/1324071.uts)

Add in a set of dies and a case trimmer and you'll qualify for the RCBS mail in rebate worth $50. All you really need to add to get started other than components is a tumbler. Yes much of the stuff in the kit can be upgraded to faster fancier equipment but this kit will produce sub-MOA ammo. And being a single state it'll force you to watch what you're doing at each stage (important when learning IMO).
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: jasnt on December 28, 2014, 12:00:36 AM: Quote from: HawkCreek on December 27, 2014, 09:35:00 PM
$269 for a starter kit here:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/RCBS-reg-Rock-Chucker-Supreme-Master-Reloading-Kit/1324071.uts (http://www.cabelas.com/product/RCBS-reg-Rock-Chucker-Supreme-Master-Reloading-Kit/1324071.uts)

Add in a set of dies and a case trimmer and you'll qualify for the RCBS mail in rebate worth $50. All you really need to add to get started other than components is a tumbler. Yes much of the stuff in the kit can be upgraded to faster fancier equipment but this kit will produce sub-MOA ammo. And being a single state it'll force you to watch what you're doing at each stage (important when learning IMO).

dont forget shell holders. When I first started I did, got home and everything setup and no shell holders. Back to the town I went
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: curlewkiller on December 28, 2014, 11:07:32 AM: Wow thanks for the replies. I think I will go with the rock chucker...We just want to reload to hunt and stockpile. We dont shoot a ton. Just want the capability to create in case SHTF...
Title: Re: Rifle Press
Post by: h20hunter on December 28, 2014, 11:13:46 AM: Curlew....lots of good replies and I'll throw this out there as well. I use a Dillon 550 for everything. I use it to knock out mass production .45, .40, .223 etc. However, I can also use it as a "single stage" for precision loading. What I'm saying is as components get easier/harder to find don't overlook the chance to pick up a progressive. You can do both and may want it later on. Either way, you will enjoy it. Cheers.