Single Stage Press Recommendations- Hornady LNL or Lee Classic, or others??

[quikcolin]

Hey guys,

I'm about to embark on the obsession surrounding reloading . I understand it to be quite the journey!

I'm in Canada, and I'm looking at purchasing the Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Press Kit. It comes with everything I can think of (excluding dies, trimmer). My local shop has a promotion on the go where you get the M1 Hornady Tumber for free, a billet loading block, plus the 500 free bullets through Hornady's promotion. http://www.bullseyelondon.com/hornady-lnl-classic-press-kit-with-tumbler-hor-085017.html

I'm also looking at the Lee 50th Anniversary Reloader Kit. It's more than half the price of the Hornady... https://www.cabelas.ca/product/3534/lee-50th-anniversary-reloader-kit

I've read about the RCBS Rock Chucker as well....

Anyone have first hand experience with either of these options. I don't know why, but I keep going back to the Hornady... the free tumber is $150 CDN value... and maybe because it's more expensive I feel like it should be better?

Any advise, input or help is greatly appreciated.

 

[DrainTheSwamp]

I have a lee classic cast single stage that is a solid press, much more solid than the challenger press.

Wish I would have just got a 550 to begin with though, but I keep the lee as a back up.

 

[ruebarb]

Everyone is going to have an opinion on this, this was a 14 press side by side comparison, just done a few months ago. Let this help your decision, but please stay away from Lee, you get what you pay for. I'm sure someone will chime in and tell you how their 30 year old press is amazing, and I'm sure it is, but almost anything new Lee produced is suboptimal quality.

Fourteen Reloading Presses Compared: Single-Stage Shootout – Ultimate Reloader

ultimatereloader.com

 

[spife7980]

Your canadian prices make me want to poop my pants. 500 (canadian) bucks for that hornady kit, yikes. Its 300 every day down south.

The problem with the kit is most things will get replaced soon. The press, primer tool and tumbler are all that I would keep from that kit so that 120 for a press, 50 for the primer tool and 60 for the tumbler making that a 500 dollar kit with only a 230 dollar value. And it still needs a trimmer...


I would get a rcbs or hornady press for 120 on sale somewhere, not an unheard of price and much better than the 180 msrp.
I would get forster dies for 35 for the sizer and 90 for a micrometer seater.
I would get the franford arsenal hand primer for 50
I would get a lyman 1200 tumbler for 60
I would get a giraud triway or trimit2 for 100 bucks in the caliber you want, combines trimming chamfering and deburring all in one cutting your trimming time in 1/3.
I wold get a chargemaster/lite for 200 or so, they often are on sale combined with a rebate if youre lucky.
I gauging calipers for 50 plus the horandy bullet comparator and headspace comparator bushings.


Basically my list given here yesterday lol

https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/brand-new-kinda-and-would-appreciate-advice.6948217/

 

[Steel head]

Lee Classic is a good press for the money.
Same bottom end as the classic turret.

Forster co ax is really big you have the coin.

 

[Ryridesmotox]

My Lee challenger breach lock is fine. I load good ammo with it that is sufficient for half moa or a bit more all day, in a howa 308. Granted, 308 is pretty forgiving to load for. I got it off Amazon for like 60 bux. It's not top of the line compared to a rockchucker or summit, or that gnarly German press that costs $1k USD. But I'm not a bench rest shooter so as long as I can get better than 1 moa, I can hit a steel plate at a PRS match. My skill needs to improve before my press at this point.

If I had to do it all over again, I would get one of the coax presses. I know they weren't on your list, and they are expensive compared to the hornady or Lee you are looking at. But the benefits are enough to justify looking at either the forester or frankford... or the RCBS summit. I really like how the summit is set up.

The other stuff in some of the kits are not really that good for loading imho. Get a better scale, get good dies, a good tumbler, and a good hand primer system. As long as you take your time and are consistent, you can load accurate ammo with most modern presses.

 

[427Cobra]

Förster Co-Ax

 

[frost1235]

Either a CoAx or a T7. Honestly you're going to end up getting one sooner or later, or just constantly wanting one.

Buy once and cry once.

 

[Rlandry]

There are cheaper trotline weights than Lee.

 

[army11b1980]

Ruebarb is right. Everyone is going to have an opinion. Here is mine LOL. The Lee Classic Cast Iron is pretty good single stage. I use it ONLY for my precision rounds.
The link he gave for the 14 press comparison is really a good one. I think the press, combined with excellent dies, and diligent case prep, produces very good ammo.
I think it's pretty much worthless for any other loading just because I don't want to spend the time making other ammo. I have a progressive press for that stuff. But my .308 ammo, I spend A LOT of time on that. Mostly careful and precise case/projo prep and selection.

Here is a picture of the case measurements from that 14 press comparison. Green being the best and yellow being the worst.
The Lee has the most ram slop, but for me, it hasn't been an issue down range.

Again, just my opinion, I think the Lee Classic Cast Iron does a pretty good job. Especially for the money! It works great for me and my long range shooting. For extended long range.. who knows. Maybe a different press would be better. I haven't made it to ELR yet.

I hope this helped. Also watch the 14 press comparison and read the resulting data.

 

[quikcolin]

Thanks so much for all the input. I think the group here is right. It makes most sense to purchase the items needed separately. I’m 99% sure I’m going with a Rock Crusher

 

[Mark Coffey]

I used the Rock Chucker for years, zero complaints. I did buy the kit and still use most of it. I did replace it with a RCBS AmmoMaster 2 so I can reload .375 CT and .50BMG. My AmmoMaster is not as smooth as the RockChucker was. But, I’m still happy with it.

 

[garandman]

I been pleased with my RCBS "Rockchucker."

I ended up adding Wilson "In-line" chamber type bullet seater dies. I don't think there's anything BETTER (good as perhaps , better no) for concentricity and consistent OAL / length to ogive.

Stainless Steel Bullet Seater with Micrometer Adjustment-MBS