Zero press
- Thread starter Terry of illinois
- Start date
Overall I like it but no way would I buy it again for the price. I am not seeing any substantial benefits to justify the price. The only thing I don’t like about it is a new problem with the primers. Recently about 25% of the primers would stop going down the channel into the tray. This happens with both a dedicated decapping die as well as a full length sizing die. Doesn’t matter how long I set the pin on either. I have cleaned out the channel and that didn’t seem to help. I finally removed the o-ring under the shell holder and sized 100 pieces over the weekend and didn’t have a single issue with the primers.
Had same problems. Called area 419 they said to use might armory flicker spring decap per die it help . And also to retorque bolt on linkage to 25lbs . My thoughts were $1200 and I have to assemble it not hot on my high list.
I had the same issue with the primers. I got the flicker spring decapper die and it fixed it. No other issues with mine. I love mine.
My problem is I didn’t take the plunge earlier. I really do enjoy it. But same with the primer issue.
I hate doing a dedicated decapper, it’s just another step in the single stage life. If I can’t decap, FL size, then I am kind of out. Too much time for me personally.
So hopefully 419 will offer a solution beyond what’s currently the course of action.
For 200pcs I resized I had 8 primers not make it down to the tray. With some 223 I was doing it was probably 20 out 200. Just to offer the perspective of how often it occurs for me.
I hate doing a dedicated decapper, it’s just another step in the single stage life. If I can’t decap, FL size, then I am kind of out. Too much time for me personally.
So hopefully 419 will offer a solution beyond what’s currently the course of action.
For 200pcs I resized I had 8 primers not make it down to the tray. With some 223 I was doing it was probably 20 out 200. Just to offer the perspective of how often it occurs for me.
Dillon Dillon Dillon you will thank me later
Exactly my experience, tossed the o ring and no more runaway primers.
Last edited:
I quite like mine and it's an improvement over my old T-7. It's just pricey and the spare turrets are pricey as well, enough so that it's really something you have to consider: is it worth that much of an investment over my existing turret press? The most noticeable improvement for me has been reduced runout across the board and more consistent shoulder bump, but part of that is also improved technique. I load for 6 different precision cartridges and have broken things out into several steps (not just FL size and seat), so having a solid large turret is super helpful.
Do you lose anything with the o ring removed? I got the 419 shellholders and I haven’t really looked if that o ring is actually pivotal to anything.
It appears to me the o-ring is there just to keep the shell holder from freely rotating around. I saw no difference other than that, I have only loaded a few hundred rounds on mine so far. 6.5cm,308,300wm,300prc,300nm and 338lm. I am impressed with the rigidity the press.
I literally just got my zero press in yesterday morning. I was upgrading from an RCBS RC Supreme I've used for the past 20 years. That RC press has given me a lot of success in F-Class, but I felt like it was time to upgrade.
Overall I'm a little underwhelmed with the Zero. I had put my hands on one a few months ago, and thought it would be the greatest thing ever (the complete lack of slop, and overall smoothness is impressive) but now having it on the bench for 2 days I'm kinda left with a 'meh' feeling.
I sized and mandrel expanded ~200 since receiving the press, and the bumps were within ~.0005 except for like 2 outlier cases. Probably a little more accurate than my RC Supreme was. Concentricity is similar too. Regardless though, it's still just a reloading press at the end of the day.
It's a work of art from a machining perspective, and it provides a nicer 'experience' but I don't think it's going to do anything major in terms of ammo quality.
Overall I'm a little underwhelmed with the Zero. I had put my hands on one a few months ago, and thought it would be the greatest thing ever (the complete lack of slop, and overall smoothness is impressive) but now having it on the bench for 2 days I'm kinda left with a 'meh' feeling.
I sized and mandrel expanded ~200 since receiving the press, and the bumps were within ~.0005 except for like 2 outlier cases. Probably a little more accurate than my RC Supreme was. Concentricity is similar too. Regardless though, it's still just a reloading press at the end of the day.
It's a work of art from a machining perspective, and it provides a nicer 'experience' but I don't think it's going to do anything major in terms of ammo quality.
I knew that, just testing… alright I didn’t know that because I didn’t look at the instructions. Thanks
It undoubtedly is nice. I'll probably never upgrade presses for the rest of my life.
I must be missing something . I did not see any instructions in my shell holder box . Idid not see any instructions in the press box . Now I can’t sell my press to someone because it would not be proper to sell something that has no instructions. Again I’m confused about The Whole thing . If I could dump it and all the extra stuff I bought just let me know.
As far as the press...if you can't figure that out you probably don't need to be reloading. Bolt it to the table using the supplied mount/hardware. Install dies per mfg instructions, and setup to your desired bump.
If you ordered the Area 419 shell holders, maybe this will help?
If you ordered the Area 419 shell holders, maybe this will help?
There's nothing really about the zero press that will conceptually (and in reality) make ammo any "better".
It's a luxury piece of reloading equipment that's finely made, no doubt. But its not a "better mousetrap" that will make your ammo any better than any of the current offerings at a lesser price.
I'm kind of surprised that people bought the Zero press with the intent of it making "better" ammo.
Cut an angle on the tip of the decapping pin. The pin gets stuck in the primer and pulls it back up until the primer makes contact with the primer pocket and knocks the primer off the decapping pin.
I don't know what my expectations were to be honest; I wanted one, so I got one. I'm not disappointed.
I do think it will produce better ammo than my old RC supreme, but the differences are very very minor, and so small you'll never see anything "definitive" on target.
What I did notice immediately was consistency in seating was improved over my old press. Previously I'd see an ES of about .002-.003 across a batch of 100 rounds no matter how careful I was; I haven't used a threaded seating die in ~1.5 - 2 years because of how much you could vary it by how you applied force to that RCBS handle. There are ways of setting your die up to mitigate that, but it's still not 'zero defect'.
That probably doesn't matter in 99.9% of use cases, but for 1K F-Class it's critical that everything be as consistent as possible.
I happened to have shot a PRS match this weekend, so had some empty brass laying around. I seated qty 30 105 Scenar-Ls (sorted) into some 6GT brass last night on the press using a Whidden Micrometer die (one I don't think I'd ever used before) and I saw a .0005 ES across those 30; that obviously within the margin of error on a set of good calipers, but still....it was good. About as good as I can do with my arbor press and in-line die I had cut with my chamber reamer.
I think it'll hold tighter tolerances, but it's not like I wasn't competitive at a high level before.... just trying to further reduce variables.
Edit: After thinking on it, I suspect you're right. It might not produce anything better than what I could do before (with exception to bump consistency, which I need to test way more). It might just mean I don't have to seat everything on my arbor.
Last edited:
I did think about that possibility as well because a few of the primers seemed to stop the brass from pulling out of the shell holder and what felt like the primer was still barely in the pocket. But I was certain the pin was well long enough to clear the pocket. So I removed the decapping rod and placed it on an old primer and tapped on the rod with a hammer to see if I could get the pin stuck in the primer anvil. Never could get the pin stuck in the primer. If removing the o-ring doesn’t work, I will try messing with the angle of the pin.
Smaller decapping pins have less of an issue as well. This is a very common problem with progressive presses.
I've been using mine now for a few months. I had a RC, then a Co-ax, and now the Zero. I've since sold the Coax. The Zero just seems to do everything just a little better. I fought with consistent shoulder bump on the coax and never could find a good solution. The Zero with the new shell holders was a eureka moment for me.
For me I wasn't looking for better ammo so much a a better way to make it. Loading 2 different calibers with single stage precision is a major hassle. You can switch operations in under a minute and the turret locks so tight it's like a part of the body. I NEVER touch my dies once set up. Need to pull a bullet? Rotate to the collet puller and go right back to the seater without losing your setting. The primer thing is hard to even rate as a minor annoyance. Having loaded multiple calibers single stage for years, I freakin love this thing. Less time at the bench means more time for goon shit.
Well said. It seems like your average Zero owner is priming on a CPS and seating with an AMP
I have a zero press. I have been using a hand me down RC for the last 20yrs. It was my grandpa's. So no idea how old it is. Anyways I wanted to get another press since I started loading some lapua sized cases and the RC was the small window and was a PITA.
So aside from the price it seems like a very nice press and very well made.
So aside from the price it seems like a very nice press and very well made.
I think with a combination of things like zero press, premium dies, facing your die rings, etc etc you could fairly easily quantify the ammo is “better.”
As in more concentric and such.
However the real question would be if that “better” can be exploited by the average (or any for that matter) shooter.
I personally use a zero, cps, amp press, etc. But mainly for the other reasons (speed, comfort, data) with the “better” being a bonus.
Of course there will be people that can show they get the same concentric results with cheaper equipment. Those may or may not be the norm, as there are always exceptions.
As in more concentric and such.
However the real question would be if that “better” can be exploited by the average (or any for that matter) shooter.
I personally use a zero, cps, amp press, etc. But mainly for the other reasons (speed, comfort, data) with the “better” being a bonus.
Of course there will be people that can show they get the same concentric results with cheaper equipment. Those may or may not be the norm, as there are always exceptions.
In all fairness, I have both a CPS and an AMP.
Admittedly both luxury reloading equipment items, and both not necessary to produce quality ammo.
I have the AMP as it makes the annealing process easy. I don't have to setup a torch and get the right angles, distance from brass and torch intensity. I don't have to worry about inconsistencies as the fuel level drops. I also don't have to worry about an open flame in the house.
The CPS I got for a really good deal. It's a quality piece of equipment. It makes priming SO much easier and less fatiguing than a hand primer. Can I shoot the difference between a CPS and hand primed ammo? No. But it makes the process much more enjoyable.
The AMP and CPS are quality reloading equipment, though perhaps they don't necessarily make ammo that you can shoot better. The Zero is in a similar category. Luxury reloading equipment - not necessary to produce excellent ammo, but makes parts of the process more enjoyable and/or easier.
The greatest American Skeet shooter ever was Wayne Mayes with a life time record of 200 each 100-straights in competition with the .410. This is a feat that, IMO, will never be matched. Nobody has gotten even close. Wayne loaded his 410 ammo on a MEC Jr single stage. Wayne was frugal! haha
I have owned a Spolar with hydro drive for about 25 years. Its the shotshell press version of a Zero. Its is incredibly rigid, has three crimp stages that result in factory looking hulls with a chamfer at the mouth, uses heavy steel sizing dies that work far better than any collet type set up on lesser presses, and has a primer feed system that actually works well. It is beautiful, repeatable, resiliant (don't need to constantly adjust and fiddle with stuff), reliable, and just a pleasure to own and operate.
I will never get within the same universe as Wayne as to shooting no matter how good of ammo I load.
That's how I view the Zero....much like a Spolar. It will not make me shoot like (fill in the name ______of the top rifle shooter of the discipline of your choice) but it could definitely increase my pleasure and reduce my frustration with reloading metallic. My friend has one and the build quality radiates off of it. Its a work of art...much like a Spolar.
P.S. - this is a Spolar...the Zero equiv for shotshell and I think the reasons to buy either are very similar. No, not for everybody but also...no, derision toward people who do buy one is not justified IMO.
I have owned a Spolar with hydro drive for about 25 years. Its the shotshell press version of a Zero. Its is incredibly rigid, has three crimp stages that result in factory looking hulls with a chamfer at the mouth, uses heavy steel sizing dies that work far better than any collet type set up on lesser presses, and has a primer feed system that actually works well. It is beautiful, repeatable, resiliant (don't need to constantly adjust and fiddle with stuff), reliable, and just a pleasure to own and operate.
I will never get within the same universe as Wayne as to shooting no matter how good of ammo I load.
That's how I view the Zero....much like a Spolar. It will not make me shoot like (fill in the name ______of the top rifle shooter of the discipline of your choice) but it could definitely increase my pleasure and reduce my frustration with reloading metallic. My friend has one and the build quality radiates off of it. Its a work of art...much like a Spolar.
P.S. - this is a Spolar...the Zero equiv for shotshell and I think the reasons to buy either are very similar. No, not for everybody but also...no, derision toward people who do buy one is not justified IMO.
Last edited:
Just started looking at Dillon's, still haven't figured out all the details. Why did you get the 1100 over the 1050?
OP, sorry for the thread drift.
If you load multiple calibers it is 100% worth it. I load 6bra up to 375CT and there is never run out between rotating dies. And I can switch out turrets without having to move dies in like 30 seconds.
Plus it gives me peace of mind. I pull out the calipers every once in a while just to check and it is dead on. I would do that with my rock chucker and find run out occasionally.
I made some good ammo with my rock chucker, it just felt like it needed a little more attention with each process of reloading.
Plus it gives me peace of mind. I pull out the calipers every once in a while just to check and it is dead on. I would do that with my rock chucker and find run out occasionally.
I made some good ammo with my rock chucker, it just felt like it needed a little more attention with each process of reloading.
I love the solid lock-up of the Zero Turret. I would buy it again. Previously, I had a XL750 and before that a RC IV. I can't say the ammo is any better or worse than my prior two presses, however, the Dillion took away the hobby for me as it was so quick.
So I’ve had a zero for about 6 months. I got it with a 50% off certificate I picked up at a match. At first I wasn’t all that impressed and told a buddy I thought it was worth it for 50% deal I got but wasn’t sure I’d pay full price. I had been using an rcbs for most of my match ammo but I have used my dillon 650 quite a bit in the past like on 6x47 and 6br but with a funnel for dropping powder from scale for the most part. It’s great for speed but at the cost of consistency in my opinion. Still plenty accurate ammo.
Fast forward 6 months and getting to use the zero more extensively and setup for multiple cartridges. To put it plainly, it’s worth it if you can swing it. Being able to never touch a die once it is set and go between different operations and know it’s a few seconds to get back to seating or sizing and no question if it’s where it was before is really nice. It’s also so smooth you can feel the difference in neck tension seating bullets much better than either of the other two presses. Can I outshoot the difference in ammo from rcbs to zero? Definitely not. Can I get more done not having to always swap shit around and re-measuring and tweaking if something changes? Absolutely.
You don’t buy a zero press because you think ammo on it will outshoot what a cheap rcbs or other press will load, just like you don’t buy a zco or tangent over a NF or vortex, they can all do what we need for the most part at that level. You buy it for quality and features that make it worth it to some, but it’s not for everyone.
Is there a reason there is truth to the comment above that guys with zero press also have CPS primer and AMP sitting there ??? Absolutely! They are all quality tools that are more comfortable to use and consistent at what they do.
Fast forward 6 months and getting to use the zero more extensively and setup for multiple cartridges. To put it plainly, it’s worth it if you can swing it. Being able to never touch a die once it is set and go between different operations and know it’s a few seconds to get back to seating or sizing and no question if it’s where it was before is really nice. It’s also so smooth you can feel the difference in neck tension seating bullets much better than either of the other two presses. Can I outshoot the difference in ammo from rcbs to zero? Definitely not. Can I get more done not having to always swap shit around and re-measuring and tweaking if something changes? Absolutely.
You don’t buy a zero press because you think ammo on it will outshoot what a cheap rcbs or other press will load, just like you don’t buy a zco or tangent over a NF or vortex, they can all do what we need for the most part at that level. You buy it for quality and features that make it worth it to some, but it’s not for everyone.
Is there a reason there is truth to the comment above that guys with zero press also have CPS primer and AMP sitting there ??? Absolutely! They are all quality tools that are more comfortable to use and consistent at what they do.
And it's beefy enough to still see what you're doing under NV. How could you not love it?
I need to amend my original statement...
It seems like your average Zero owner ispriming on a CPS and seating with an AMP loading with NODs
It seems like your average Zero owner is
You also forgot using an Orange vice for maintenance!
Attachments
I heard they won't open the box to ship an ARCA rail that you order at the same time.
Hi!
What kind/brand of Dies you use for the 375 Cheytac reloading?
Do you need to scoop the bullets into the seating die?
Cheers and thank you in advance.
I load a lot (for me) of .223 and that Mighty Armory decapping die is awesome for that stuff
Had a Lee universal decapping die that bent the pin on the tough primers. Bent a couple pins on an RCBS die. Grr
M
Similar threads
