What press should I buy for my brother in law?

[MrBrian]

My brother in law's birthday is coming up, and I'm thinking about getting him a press...   All he has now is a cheap Lee handpress, and I know that has to be tiring on his hands, plus a pain in general and not very time effecient.....     I have a Dillon 550B, but I don't have the money to buy him that kind of setup....   So what would you all recommend?
 

I could get a Lee Challenger kit like this
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/785993/lee-classic-4-hole-turret-press-deluxe-kit
 

Or the Lee Turret for a little more money

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/121744/lee-challenger-breech-lock-single-stage-press-kit

 

Or possibly go in with my sister and parents and get a RCBS Rock Chucker kit

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/937051/rcbs-rock-chucker-supreme-master-single-stage-press-kit

 

 He does already have a scale, but he doesn't have any kind of priming tool or powder measurer....   maybe I could talk him into giving me the scale that comes with the kits, seeing that I don't have a manual scale....

I'm sure any of these options will be much better than his current setup, but I just wanted to get some opinions...      Oh yeah, he just loads 45 acp currently, but may possibly get into 8x57mm Mauser soon

[Hozzie]

I know there are a lot of Lee fans here, but I would go for the Rockchucker personally.

On a side note, you are one heck of a BIL! Edited August 12, 2015 by Hozzie

[Jct1911]

What's he loading for? What kind of volume?

The Lee turret is a solid press for doing pistol ammo in volume and can be used to load rifle ammo after brass prep. On the other hand. Every reloader should have one good solid single stage bench mounted press.

[Trekbike]

I'd go for the Rock Chucker but maybe not the kit since you said he already has scales, etc. The press by itself is around $150 so you may be better buying specific pieces. You might come out cheaper that route. Others can buy some pieces if they want or leave those purchases up to him.

In addition, RCBS has a rebate program right now. Edited August 12, 2015 by Trekbike

[Dolomite_supafly]

These are all available at Midway Usa. They normally have coupons online so you can save money as well. But all of this should be under $200.

lee-perfect-powder-measure

RCBS Hand Priming Tool

frankford-arsenal-micro-reloading-electronic-powder-scale-750-grain-capacity

lyman-electronic-scale-powder-funnel-pan

lee-classic-cast-breech-lock-single-stage-press

hornady-lock-n-load-press-and-die-conversion-bushing-kit

hornady-electronic-caliper-6-stainless-steel

This is what it would minimally take to load. You would still need to buy the particular dies you need as well as bullets, primers and powder. I suggest the primers and powder be purchased locally, say from DLM37015. I would also suggest a person new to reloading use jacketed bullets in the begining, they are easier to deal with than cast. Cast bullets add another facet to reloading.

Some people are going to say the Lee stuff is crap but I have used all these items for several years now without a single issue. For the money the Perfect Powder Measure can't be beat but the RCBS is also a great powder measure but a little more expensive than the Lee.

I prefer a electronic over a balance beam. Balance beams take a lot longer to settle than an electronic.

No need to tumble your brass to clean them. Get some Lemishine at Walmart. Add a table spoon to some water and soak your brass for 24 hours. Every time you walk by give them a shake to aggitate them. Rinse them and let dry. Brass will be very clean and useable.
 
I will say that depending on the caliber you might want to get either RCBS or other than Lee dies.
 
If he is going to load rifle calibers, especially bottleneck cartridges, he will also need a way to trim his brass. This is what I used for a very long time and have ZERO complaints about it.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/136199/lee-case-trimmer-cutter-with-ball-grip
He will also need the case length gauge and shell holder for the particular caliber. If all he is reloading is straight wall pistol calibers there is no need to trim.

[jbrownch]

Having used both Lee and RCBS presses, my vote is for the RCBS Rockchucker and RCBS dies.

[Omega]

Since all he has at the moment is a hand press, I would go with the Lee Turret.  While the Rock Chucker is a very good single stage press, its a single stage press.  The turret press will be much more versatile and for the price of the kit it can't be beat.

[TNWNGR]

I've owned and used a lot of different reloading presses and overall have most appreciated RCBS with that companies fantastic customer service and warrantry repair. You break it they fix it. But I've also had excellent results with Lee, specifically the Lee Classic Cast Turret Press and Classic Cast Single Stage Press. The prices are great, customer service is great and warranty is equally great. If you break it they'll fix or replace it.  

[BigK]

I've never had a brother-in-law I liked very much, so I'd get mine a single stage press.

 

Since you seem to like your brother-in-law, I'd recommend a turret press instead.

Edited August 12, 2015 by BigK

[Clod Stomper]

Rock Chucker. Got mine at age 14 and it's still the one I use most.

[maroonandwhite]

For handgun I would guess a single stage would be brutally slow. I'd go for the Lee Classic cast turret press. I'm partial though because that's what I bought. :cool:

[tmauto769]

While I never used the lee turret press, I did have the lee loadmaster progressive, and it was pure junk. I had nothing but headaches with that thing. I picked up a Hornady LNL, and haven't looked back. Of your choices I would go with the rock crusher. I have one I use for certain rifle loads, and you just can't beat that press for durability.

[maroonandwhite]

I have heard the same about the load master. You just can't get those features without paying for them. I will also caution/inform that there is a cheaper version of the lee turret press. It's the same basic design but the frame is aluminum and the kit comes with a few downgraded items I believe such as the powder measure. The Lee part number for the cast kit is 90304. The cheaper kit is 90928. You can also buy either press individually without the extras.

Edited August 12, 2015 by maroonandwhite

[Dolomite_supafly]

A good single stage is a good place for a beginner to start. That way they can learn how to set each die and learn what problems to watch out for. Not saying everybody should start out with a single stage but there is nothing wrong with starting there.

[Jonnin]

the lee turret is awesome for making a good quantity of ammo but its not the best for making high precision.   The rock chucker is a great single stage for precision but its slower.   Sorta depends on what kind of ammo you think he will make most... I mostly make buckets of "goes bang" pistol ammo and the turret suits me.   Throw the lee disk powder thingy on it ....  if you are spooning the powder in, you might as well be using a single stage, that is a major part of it being a fast system.    The press has all the priming tool you need built into it.  ITs fine for rifle I make 308, 765 arg, 223, 30-30 and such on mine.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Jonnin

[Dirtshooter]

Depends on what he shoots or wants to load. Because it is a "big" gift I would tell him I was thinking of spending X amount and if he wanted a different press he could kick in the difference. Say he wanted a Dillon 650 or whatever and you were going to spend $150 he would be $150 closer to his press, as we all have different ideas. My first press was a rockchucker and I still load on it, however I have a Dillon SDB and can do about 300 rounds of pistol ammo per hour. Just my $0.02.

[Trekbike]

For handgun I would guess a single stage would be brutally slow. I'd go for the Lee Classic cast turret press. I'm partial though because that's what I bought. :cool:

I disagree that a single stage press is really slower than a turret press.

The die changes are the only difference unless I'm missing something. I can change dies on a single stage in around 30 secs since my dies are preset with locking collars. So when you batch load, that's less than 2 mins for the entire reloaded lot.

[Omega]

I disagree that a single stage press is really slower than a turret press.

The die changes are the only difference unless I'm missing something. I can change dies on a single stage in around 30 secs since my dies are preset with locking collars. So when you batch load, that's less than 2 mins for the entire reloaded lot.

Used as designed with a powder dropper it is faster, once you get the first round through all the stages its a round per pull. Changing calibers is about a 30 second exercise, much like the collar type single stage presses, but its all the dies.

Of course I use mine as a single stage press anyway, but I have had my three hole turret for almost 30 years and it would take a lot of $ to redo everything to either 4 hole, or collar type single stage press. I use my single stage presses for universal deprimer, and a sizer.

[Trekbike]

Yep, you're right. I was forgetting about being able to drop the powder in the press.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[Hershmeister]

I like this trimming tool from lee to hold the brass on your drill


http://www.midwayusa.com/product/352653/lee-zip-trim-case-trimmer-universal-3-jaw-chuck-case-holder

[Omega]

I like this trimming tool from lee to hold the brass on your drill


http://www.midwayusa.com/product/352653/lee-zip-trim-case-trimmer-universal-3-jaw-chuck-case-holder

Yes, I used it to trim my converted 300BLK cases.  Much better than the one that comes with the trim gauges.

[MrBrian]

So I just threw out an offer on a NIB RCBS Rock Chucker on ebay and it was accepted!   Yay for saving money and getting no tax and free shipping!  Now I'll just get a few things like the Hornady bushings and he'll be set pretty nicely

[tnhawk]

My first press was a RCBS Rock Chucker in 1978.  I'm still using it now.

[Trekbike]

My first press was a RCBS Rock Chucker in 1978. I'm still using it now.

Cool. I'm just a few years younger with mine. Best I remember, I got mine around 1985 and it's still going strong.

[Jonnin]

I disagree that a single stage press is really slower than a turret press.

The die changes are the only difference unless I'm missing something. I can change dies on a single stage in around 30 secs since my dies are preset with locking collars. So when you batch load, that's less than 2 mins for the entire reloaded lot.

 

its more than that.  Its the constant on/off.  if all other things were equal, you pull the case on and off 2, 3 times as often, each time costs you a second or so -- adds about 1 min/ box of ammo you make.  All other things are probably NOT equal though, because the turret supports a nice powder drop device right there on the press while the single stage has to handle the powder some other way that is most likely slower than pulling the press handle one time.   Someone else mentioned the powder but the on/off is also significant.

Edited August 16, 2015 by Jonnin