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+--- Thread: What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. (/showthread.php?tid=10239)
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - FLshooter - 08-20-2019
I?ve been wanting a Forster Co Ax press for the longest time.Hard to find.Had one on backorder w/Optics Planet for 6 mo.Then cancelled because I thought I could find one elsewhere.Didn?t.
Last 3 mo,I?ve had one on backorder again.Hope it shows up by Christmas.Not holding my breath.
Forster products are awesome.But,always tough to find.I like their ultra micrometer seating dies and their resizing dies.Have a 6.5 grendel set.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - BobinNC - 08-20-2019
Why wait??
https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/4863
Forster Co-Ax also has a direct competitor, that looks very good, and much cheaper:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBZP4uMN_LY&t=1111s
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020652649
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - BobinNC - 08-20-2019
FLshooter Wrote:I?ve been wanting a Forster Co Ax press for the longest time.Hard to find.Had one on backorder w/Optics Planet for 6 mo.Then cancelled because I thought I could find one elsewhere.Didn?t.
Last 3 mo,I?ve had one on backorder again.Hope it shows up by Christmas.Not holding my breath.
Forster products are awesome.But,always tough to find.I like their ultra micrometer seating dies and their resizing dies.Have a 6.5 grendel set.
Why wait??
https://www.grafs.com/catalog/product/productId/4863
Forster Co-Ax also has a direct competitor, that looks very good, and much cheaper:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBZP4uMN_LY&t=1111s
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1020652649
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - FLshooter - 08-20-2019
Don’t care for the frankford arsenal m press.
Optics Planets has sent me a 20% one use coupon.The press will run me $270.
I just called optics planet.They said by mid September.
I’m not in that great a hurry because my rock chucker has been doing a great job for 20 years
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - DDRanch - 08-21-2019
I was lucky enough to find a like new used one earlier this year. Had both short and long handles, all priming parts plus a Inline Fab 9" riser for $400.00. probably paid a little to much but I have one. Can't believe I waited this long to buy one. Works great!
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - Former Cav - 08-21-2019
I've been using a Dillon 550 B for about 20 years now. They GAVE me a new press and about 3 of my old parts back under their no BS warranty.
I've loaded well over 100K rounds. I used to shoot in NRA highpower (200, 300, 600 yds), Palma (800, 900, and 1000 yards), 300 Meter International match, bowling pins with a 45 auto, IPSC with 45 auto, Prairie dogs and deer hunting.
I've never had a problem with my dillon press other then wearing out some stuff.
I just now got into loading the 6.5 Grendel. I am in process of working up a load now. So far, I've loaded various loads with 8028, Varget, BL-C2, and now AR comp powders. Been using the 120 ELD's aand 123 ELD's and SST's. Best group so far is a dissapointing 1 inch group.
I'm used to having groups no larger then 1/2 inch from my prairie dogging days.
We shall see.
After I get the group where it is acceptable, then I will chronograph it and post it here.
Cheers!
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - Mac86951 - 08-27-2019
I began during the last big component scare and I was resizing 762x39 to Grendel on my rcbs rockchucker supreme. I really like 99% of that press, but I've tried the priming system once and found it leaves much to be desired, and it's in the garage because primers when cases are decapped occasionally launch all over. My Redding dies are an early set, so to get the cases to fit my chamber I'm at 1+ turns of the die lower than touching the shellholder.
(Btw fireforming with h335 (29.0gr and the old Sierra 85hp was fun and cases formed well)
I moved to load workups at the range with a portable bench. The Lee challenge press with breechlock was an excellent addition. I like the priming method, priming catch is great, and the press performs well.
If I need volume, I'm using a Hornady lock n load AP. I really like this press. I've acquired a few metering assemblies so I can set charge weights up ahead of time. I've since converted my RCBS to Hornady lnl quick change bushing system and load on that once I have a load work-up complete.
I hand prime just about all the time using a Lee hand primer ergo. I like the Lee Challenger press priming system best; Hornady LNL AP second. Decap with Lee universal isn't successful with lapua small flash hole brass; I tumble clean and decap on resize.
-Mac
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - jdh - 09-06-2019
I have an old Bonanza, a Forster, an old RC, a CH and a few old pacific bear, etc. that I don't use anymore. I take a Hood copy to the range to load with. Truth tell the RC does a great job. The Forster is mostly convenient for die interchangeability but lock rings can be problematic. Wilson inline seaters are good for repeatability. The little partner press is cheap and useable, also portable. The Hood presses are fine for the range but expensive.
For the Grendel I'll likely just load in the shop and take to the range or to hunt. I do like to do load workup at the range but I shouldn't have to do much for the Grendel. If you pay attention to detail and do everything in batches just about any press will do fine. It is nice to have one press set up to resize and one set up to seat but you don't have to do that. I didn't when I started out. You can use a small cheap arbor press, or a small cheap drill press, to seat with the Wilson inline seating dies. Those dies will seat every bullet to the same depth.
Things just get out of hand over the years.
I use mostly a K&M hand held priming tool. I also have and use Lee and RCBS tools. I keep one set up for small primers for Lapua cases.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - cwmoss - 09-16-2019
Wilson hand dies for me. Shooting a bolt gun so just neck sizing.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - Cheapshot - 11-16-2019
I've got Dad's old Pacific press that I learned on. I've been tempted by something newer but it's hard to change. Dies are all over the place. RCBS, Hornady, Pacific, ... Not usually in a hurry to get done.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - GREYBUFF - 11-17-2019
Turned 66 today and am still using the RCBS JR. that I bought when I was about 14/15. Redding powder measure and trickle charge with a PACT electronic scale. Also have a Rockchucker w/a RCBS piggyback progressive for processing pistol and plinking brass. I was taught back when I started by an old gunsmith friend and to this day I still weigh every charge.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - FLshooter - 11-17-2019
I’ve had my Forster CoAx for almost 2 mo now.Still have my Rockchucker.Its a workhouse and I will always keep it bolted on the other side of the bench.But,I really like the CoAx.Made me get excited about reloading again!So much,that I have reloaded a couple thousand rounds since I got it.I also got the inline fabrication roller lever,increased access linkage and led light.The way the dies float in the press reduced my bullet runout.Used to get some around .007 with the Rockchucker.Haven’t found anything yet over .003 w/the CoAx.I can also much faster because of the universal shell holder jaws.And my groups at 600yrds have gotten more consistent.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - Plainsman - 01-07-2020
I have three presses on the bench: a ?55 vintage CH-Magnum H-press; an RCBS Rockchucker; and a Dillon 550B. I use an RCBS Chargemaster for long guns and the Little Dandy (mostly) for handgun. The hottest handgun ammo is done on the Chargemaster. Dies are all over the place, Hornady, Forster, Dillon, Redding, Lee, etc. B/c I like to SEE the charges in cases I use the Dillon as a ?semi-progressive,? removing cases after sizing,priming, belling and charging them in a block. The I re-insert for seating and crimping (if necessary) in two separate and final steps. Works for me.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - GREYBUFF - 01-09-2020
As stated earlier I process & load rifle brass on an RCBS junior that I've had 50+ years. Recently read on this site (I think) about the Quinetics universal shell holder so I ordered one and so far really like it. You need to readjust your dies to the new shell holder, but once that is done you don't need to change shell holders when you change calibers, dies etc. It's a minor thing but definitely a bit of a time saver. All in all for about $20, i like it.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - DVDVC - 09-04-2020
I have three primary presses that I use. Dillon 550 with a mixture of dies, eight complete tool heads with Dillon powder measures, aftermarket adjustment knobs on the powder measures. I use this mostly for high volume pistol and rifle plinking ammo. For precision rifle ammo, I use a Redding T7 turret or my Forster/Bonanza Co-Ax. I tend to de-prime my brass prior to cleaning and resizing. The Co-AX is the best de-priming device with it's primer collection system known to man. I prefer Redding dies but have used and have dies from all the common manufacturers.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - Enrico Togni - 12-25-2020
I seems, but i might be wrong, that our friend asked for opinions about GRENDEL equipment. Most of comments involve general stuffs, pistol reloading included.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - centerfire - 12-30-2020
The time has come to say goodbye to my Forster CoAx press. I've been pretty lukewarm on it for the last year but wasn't sure what I wanted to replace it with. In the end, for my use, every feature that I thought would be a benefit to me ended up being a detriment. The press has a lot going for it but the endless work arounds finally wore on me enough to just go back to the other presses I already have. Oh well, onward and upward.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - nodakjohns - 01-04-2021
I run a coax with redding national match dies for my soon to be completed 6.5 upper.
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - Constitutionalist - 02-26-2021
I'm using a 40 year old RCBS Rockchucker and a 10 year old Lee Classic Cast. Hornady dies
What presses and dies are you using and general equipment recommendations. - Cal - 01-21-2022
I find the Lee Classic Turret to work pretty darn well. When using the Lee Auto Drum powder measure on top, the charges are consistent to maybe 0.1grns light.
I've read alot about the quality of Lee dies, or lack there of. The best I can say is that my Savage Model 16 really likes the 62grn BTHP's I mix up for it...I know, I gotta post pics.
(I'm a workin on it, life does get in the way of our favorite pass time.)
So now I'm getting ready to start mixing up some meds for my Gren.