Let's ask the question another way. What is the WORST press you've ever owned?

[walnutred]

It seems more people are getting into reloading and obviously there savings in buying used equipment. Very few presses that I've seen look worn out and I've only bought 2 new presses in my life. The two Lee Load-Alls. I've bought single stages, turret and a Dillon 450 and still use them all for various tasks. The only reloading presses I've sold in my 38 years of reloading have been the two Lee Load-Alls which I upgraded with used MEC 650 Jr.s when I had the chance.

So what would you advise someone new who is looking for a bargain in a used press to avoid? What did you buy in reloading equipment that simply did NOT work out as hoped?

 

[David Sinko]

Years ago I bought a new Lee Pro 1000 and after a short while I had nothing but problems with it. The priming setup was always failing to feed properly and the auto indexing would not work properly either. It was a real headache and not worth the time, effort and money. I'm definitely not anti Lee; they do make some outstanding products. But it seems the more sophisticated they try to make something, the higher the disaster factor.

Other then that, I can't recall buying any other inferior reloading equipment. Oh, I still have that Ponsness-Warren 375 Duomatic that defies logical operation. I still can't figure out how to get that thing to work.

Dave Sinko

 

[Snowbandit]

I had an old Lyman C-press many years ago that worked fine for general reloading. It wasn't up the the task when I got into some wild-cats though. The Lyman finally went away when I ran onto a heavy duty Pacific press. No one will ever load enough to wear out the Pacific.

 

[ken158]

Worst was Lee and best is Forrester Co Ax

 

[fredj338]

I can't say I have ever owned a bad press, then again, I don't buy Lee gear much either. I bought a Lee LoadAll for 12ga just to try my hand at it, it works, slow, but I found loading sg shells not really cost effective. My ss presses have always been RCBS, my progressives Dillon, still have my 1st ss press from 37rs ago.

 

[venomballistics]

the worst I have is a lee hand press. I knew it would suck when I got it but it fills a role when I must develop loads away from the usual bench.

 

[NKJ nut]

So what would you advise someone new who is looking for a bargain in a used press to avoid? What did you buy in reloading equipment that simply did NOT work out as hoped?

The Lee Pro 1000

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Lee pro 1000. Had one given to me by a frustrated friend. It was one agrivating piece of ****. I threatened to take a ball peen hammer to it but my BIL wanted it. So it went home with him. I think he finally threw it in the trash.During that episode we both used RCBS and Dillon's. Still do.

 

[sjmjax]

Worst - Lee turret press. Even though I still use it and it's made a lot of ammo for me.

The index mechanism is weak. It's easy to over or under shoot postion depending on how fast/slow you operate the lever. And when the little plastic "nut" that is the heart of the system starts to wear, it gets real erratic.

Quickly wore out the aluminum links and undersize pivot pins in the toggle mechanism. Had to redrill all the holes and made new oversize pins. Works better now and stronger but it to soon wear out again.

On the other hand, my RCBS "Rockchucker" is well over 30+ years old and has made as much or more ammo. Other than finish wear, it's still as good and tight as new.

But, the Lee was cheap, it does work [most of the time] and has made lots of ammo. One day I'll upgrade to a Dillion.

 

[papajohn428]

Lee Pro 1000. Tried to love it, I (***) really tried! But it sucked. It was a refurbed unit in 45ACP, and I dinked around with it for a month before I finally gave up on it. Nothing would stay in adjustment, and I crushed so many pieces of brass it made me sick to think about it.

I called Lee, told them I wanted a divorce, and they said to send it back for full credit minus shipping.

I went back to my (neutered) Lee 3-hole Turret, and I'm still there.

 

[dickttx]

I have never had a bad one. Started with Lee and a mallet in 38/357 and 20 gauge. Went to a Lyman turret, then a C-H Champion, MEC 650, and now a Lee Classic Turret. They all did the job they were designed for very well.
Sold the Lyman because it was not sturdy enough to form cases. Still have the rest.

 

[Jellybean]

Another vote for the Lee Pro 1000, and another case of "threw it in the trash".

 

[snake charmer]

Lee presses and related equipment.

 

[epj]

Worst I ever had was a Lyman turret. Spartan T I think was the model. Finally locked the turret down and it made a half decrnt single stage C press. Also had a Lyman nutcracker press that wasn't too hot. Better than a Lee hand tool, I guess. BTW, not all Lee equipment is junk. Some is pretty decent, and some is downright excellent. No, I load on a Dillon, but it uses Lee dies.

 

[Paul5388]

I have nevr owned a bad press, but I do use some more than others. The Lee cast iron turret get's the call most of the time and then the Rock Chucker. If I want to get some less than good ammunition, I use a Hornady L-N-L AP. Maybe I just need to try a different powder in the Hornady, but it isn't 231 or Titegroup!

 

[Photog]

Don't remember the model, but it was one of the first Hornady "progressive" presses that came out, I think around 1983 or so. Adjusted and fiddled with it for several months, never could get more than a couple of hundred round loaded without a problem. Hard to change calibers. Finally stored it under the bench and bought a Dillon 550B. Never looked back. Took the Hornady to a gunshow and I think someone bought it for a boat anchor. In all fairness, it was their first try at that type of press, but it was a really bad try....

 

[2152hq]

Lee 'Load Fast',,a 12ga progressive that didn't last long on the market.

I couldn't complain as I only paid $5 for the thing at the time. Cast aside by another frustrated user, I found it at, where else,,a gunshow, in a card board box marked 'Take Me, Please!'.

I did, as I needed something to load quicker than a Lee single stage shotshell loader I was using for my new hobby at the time of skeet.

It was a typicle Lee mix of aluminum and 'space age' plastic they seem to be noted for. But I got it going and when it worked, it work well, loading 250rds/hr for me. But then every so often something would happen and things slammed to a halt.
Dismantleing the thing was a puzzle but I got pretty good at it. Shot and powder spillage was almost a certain thing w/a lockup problem unless you were very careful taking things apart.
Space age plastic parts started to wear after a while.
Round holes in aluminum parts became oval holes in aluminum parts. I fixed and refixed, but after what I guessed at about 25K rounds reloaded, it bit the big one.

It's been retired to the 'It'll be good for somethin' even if I never use it' pile now.
A Mec9000 has taken it's place.

Not counting my time to repair and keep it going, I guess $5 was a good deal.
Adding that in, I probably should own an automated Spolar Reloading Press.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I would avoid loading on any type of C press. But that being said, the Lee aluminum C press is great for a compact station devoted to either a Lee (or other brand) Universal Depriming die for popping primers out and dropping cases into the tumbler so the primer pockets get cleaned. Or I guess you could use them for a Lee Push through sizing die if you tumble lube. But I wouldn't load on them for strength reasons. I don't know if it's the three hole Lee turret that's getting bashed but my four hole Lee Classic Turret is still going strong after scads of 9mm and .38 specials have been loaded in it with an assortment of other. So I just wanted to defend the Lee Classic Turret some.

 

[Revolver-time]

Gosh, if anyone else wants to sent those horrible Lee Pro 1000s to the trash please send them to me! I love mine and I would love to set up a few more so I have one press for one caliber.
The worst I every used was a Mec Jr. set up for 12 gauge. But to be fair I think it was defective when I got it. The charge bar was not sized correctly.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Lee load all in 12ga...but it was because it was mistreated before I got it.

 

[lboehlke]

I'll second that. I'll take any of those junk Pro-1000's as well. Mine has work great. Never tried a Dillon (to exspensive for me)

 

[ChuckS1]

Wow, this is tough for me. I've only owned two presses since I started reloading back in 1981. I have an RCBS Rock Chucker and a Dillon Square Deal. Both are great presses.

 

[Frank237]

Worst was Lee and best is Forrester Co Ax

My experience as well.



Have a pair of Dillon 550B's and have had very few issues with either press. Despite loading probably 50K + rds between the two.

For shotshells the worse press I had was a circa 1980's Ponsness Warren ....talk about jam-O-matic! The best has to be my SPOLAR. Expect to see "Made in Switzerland" engraved on the frame. What a piece of well engineered precision.

 

[dla]

It seems more people are getting into reloading and obviously there savings in buying used equipment. Very few presses that I've seen look worn out and I've only bought 2 new presses in my life. The two Lee Load-Alls. I've bought single stages, turret and a Dillon 450 and still use them all for various tasks. The only reloading presses I've sold in my 38 years of reloading have been the two Lee Load-Alls which I upgraded with used MEC 650 Jr.s when I had the chance.

So what would you advise someone new who is looking for a bargain in a used press to avoid? What did you buy in reloading equipment that simply did NOT work out as hoped?

Rockchucker - the worst. But I didn't know any better when I got it. It is terrible.

Lee makes much better reloading equipment.

 

[Skip Sackett]

All major players produce equipment that works as designed.

You may have to be smarter than the average bear though. If you see a piece of "fixture chain" as part of the design ....... Yeah, smarter than the average bear!

Me, I want a solid design. Rods and such over the chain.



I have never bought a piece of bad equipment mostly because I just left it on the shelf, so to speak!

 

[38-44HD45]

Just be sensible. When it comes to reloading equipment, you really do get what you pay for. Those who think Dillon presses and dies are too expensive are not considering longevity and amortizing the initial cost out over the life of the machine. When a piece of a Dillon machine wears out or breaks, replacement parts are free, no questions asked. And, their dies have some features that make them worth the cost, too.

My first Dillon was a Square Deal B, and I initially got it set up for .45 ACP. Before that, I'd been reloading, slowly, on an RCBS Rockchucker. I was shooting lots of IPSC back then, so I transitioned to .38 Super and bought the necessary conversion parts and dies. Then, I got a 9x19 conversion. When the crank handle broke, I called Dillon, and the nice fellow told me that they'd had a bad run of castings, apologized, and I had a new one in two days. I asked him if he wanted me to send them the broken one. He said, "S*** no. It's broke. Throw it away." The replacement handle also broke after about 1000 rounds, and the process was repeated; seems they pulled it out of the wrong box.

After I'd loaded about 15,000 rounds on the SDB, it needed rebuilt with all the "wear parts." When I called Dillon, the fellow there laughed. He asked how many rounds I'd loaded, I told him, and he said they'd never really intended the SDB for someone who loads as much as I do, and that I should buy a 550B. I rebuilt the SDB, set it up for 9x19 and left it that way permanently, and bought a 550B. I load about 11 handgun calibers and 4 rifle calibers on the 550, and have loaded somewhere north of 60,000 rounds on it, maybe 75,000. Parts do occasionally wear out, and replacements are sent free, no questions asked. I expect the press to outlive me so my boys can fight over who gets it when I've gone to the great reloading bench in the sky (or elsewhere.)

My brother has a Lee Pro 1000, and has had some problems with it, but is mostly satisfied, despite several broken parts. However, he is not a volume loader. His machine looks to me like it's going to break, even when it's working, but maybe that's just me.

Sorry, I just read the original question. I've never owned a bad reloading press.

 

[BE Mike]

I bought a Smart Reloader hand primer once. It was improperly designed and manufactured. If their presses are anything like it, I definitely would pass on Smart Reloader.

 

[lebomm]

Years ago somebody gave me an old Herter's single stage C-press - all heavy cast iron, including the lever - musta weighed 60 or 70 lbs! And the shellholder was machined into the end of the ram - if you wanted to change calibers, you had to replace the ram. I loaded one box of .30-06 and knew it wasn't the one for me. Subsequently bought an RCBS JR, used it several years, then upgraded to a Rockchucker, and will likely stick with that until I quit shooting.
Don't want to start a flame, dla, but you're the first I've ever heard say anything bad about the Rockchucker.

Larry

 

[Bat Guano]

Bought my first press in 1962, a massive basic C press from R.F. Wells, as part of a package deal; press, dies, scale, and powder measure for about $42 total. Price of the press alone was $12.65. The designer also designed all of Herter's reloading equipment.

I still have the press and still use it because it will never, ever wear out. So next year I wil have fifty years out of it! Only trouble is that the shell holders are unique to it. Fortunately I pretty well have what I need.

In addition I have a Rock Chucker which is getting on to 35 years old now. It's typical for RCBS; it works fine, no issues. That's the way it should be.

For a while in the late 70s I had a CH Mark IV progressive in .45 ACP which I bought used. I refurbed it myself and spent way too much time trying to get it to work. I was able to unload it for what I paid for it, and good riddance.

As of now I have a Dillon RL 450B in the box, where it has been serving as a doorstop for about three years now. I got it as a gift, and between a profound distrust of "progressive" loaders (like "progressive" politicians) and no real need for speed, it's still NIB. I might set it up for .38 Spl. some day.

Have messed with other stuff like the old Lee Loaders (hey, they work); Lyman 310; Lee's very small C press for priming and light chores; Lee's hand press (which I like).

I'm a creature of habit and favor the KISS approach.

 

[rewster]

The worst press I ever owned was a Lee. However, it's also the best press I've ever owned !!!