I've been thinking about buying another press and have been looking at the Redding Ultramag press. It is a big, powerful looking press, but it is awfully expensive. I like the way the straps attach to the top of the press so the more pressure you put on the handle, the harder the straps pull down to keep the frame from distorting. The way the press is set up it appears to give a person good access to put cases in and out of the shell holder, but it looks like you have to put them in and out of the front of the press rather than the side of the press. Does anyone have one of these presses? What do you think of it? Do you think it is enough better than the Rockchucker Supreme to warrent the cost? How does this press handle dead primers? I'd appreciate any information anyone can give me.

I use a redding press and have been throughly impressed by it. And I got mine cause it was cheaper than the rock chucker was. And redding's customer service is amazing.

I've used an Ultramag for close to twenty years. As you assumed, all work is done from the front of the press, but there is plenty of room for this. Spent primers are directed downward through the ram and drop into a clear flexible hose that's capped on the end. When the hose fills, pull the cap and drain the primers. Occasionally, a primer is ejected onto the floor before it can be captured in the hose. The Ultramag is a good, strong, big press that one probably won't outgrow. Whether it's any better than the RCBS, I can't say.

FWIW, I used an ultramag for a few years and sold it. I bought Reddings T-7 turret Press. It is great. With 7 stations I can set up and load for anywhere up to 3 different calibers, without having to screw dies in and out. The press is built like a tank, and has no wobble or play. It is not a lightweight press like the Lyman turrent. It is solid steel and weighs a ton.

The ultra mag is massively strong, but unless you are reloading for the biggest magnums or swagging jacketed bullets you really don't need or use such massive strength. The biggest thing I reload for is a 338-06. The T-7 handles that well. It won't swage jacketed bullets and it won't reload 50 BMG, but than neither do I.