RobertSubnet

Hello all. I would like to get started in reloading and have been doing some research on the subject. I was hoping to get some advice on the choice of press.

I will be reloading:
30-06
30-30
223
45
38/357

As mentioned this is my first time doing this. Am I better off keeping it simple and use a single stage while I learn and decide if I really want to get in to this? Go with a turret press, again simple but a little faster (?) than the single stage which should help with cranking out pistol ammo. Or go progressive?

I have decided on RCBS so it would be the Rock Chucker, the RCBS turret or the Pro 2000.

Thank you again for your thoughts and comments.

gregrn43

You cant go wrong with the rockchucker, I have had mine for 24yrs and never had a problem with it. I have never loaded any pistol rounds before, so I am no help there. Reloading is tons of fun and allows me to shoot more often.

RobertSubnet

I am reading mixed reviews on the priming system of the Turret Press. The RockChucker looks like a great piece of equipment was just hoping for something a little faster.

Wayspr

When starting out, a single stage is the only way to go. After you have learned the do's and don'ts of reloading, if you want a progressive......buy one. In the beginning, focus on reading as much as possible and not worrying about speed but producing accurate safe ammo.

RobertSubnet

A good point Wayspr all the speed in the world won't matter if your ammo isn't safe!

Thanks.

Centaur 1

Take a look at the Lyman T-mag turret press. They're the same price as the rockchucker and built extremely sturdy. I don't prime on any of my presses, I have the Hornady hand priming tool. With the hand primer I can do my priming while watching tv with the family.

RobertSubnet

Thanks Centaur I will.

homers brother

I wouldn't put much stock in any priming system that's part of a press. Using a hand priming tool is exponentially faster and allows much greater consistency.

JMO - Turret presses are an unnecessary gimmick. Consistency is truly your friend when it comes to reloading. I've actually watched guys rotate the dies around the ram one round at a time and the results at the range were ... well, let's just say "not terribly impressive."

On the other hand, if you have 100 or more empty .30-06 cases laying around that justify a reloading session and you have a set of .30-30 dies set up in your turret press, you're going to dismount and re-mount exactly as many die bodies as you would if you were using a single-stage press. It's really more a matter of whether you want to do the setup all at once or at the beginning of every operation.

North Texan

I have a rockchucker, but I have recently converted it to the Hornady lock-n-load bushing system, which has seemed promising so far.

Like others have said, don't prime with the press, use a hand primer. Much easier and quicker.

I have an automatic powder dispenser (Hornady). Kind of expensive, but easy to use and much quicker than the scoop and balance beam scales.

rogerstv

I have 30-30 and .38 special brass for sale in the classifieds/guns forum.

rogerstv