Re- beggining reloading , looking for advise

[savgebolt]

i am interested in getting back into reloading after a 40 year break,,,, gonna reload 204 ruger and 22-250, for punching paper and hunting , in small volumes , currently using a friends forster press , i have a beam scale but thought i would use a powder measure to get close, is the hornady press good ? any advice is appreciated,,, thank you

[Robinhood]

The Hornady is fine. I like the presses that drop the spent primer down through the middle of the ram like the Lee Classic Cast. Also, i am ambidextrous when using a press and the Lee accommodates that.

[tlf65]

I use a Hornady press, the lock & load bushings make changing dies very easy and you don't have to readjust them all the time. The lee Perfect powder measure works great with all types of powder for getting close enough. And it only costs about twenty dollars.

[Haiku_Rodney]

I don't know if this is helpful, but, I reload on a budget - mostly for hunting. As such, I am pretty happy with anything that will group an inch at 100 yds. I use an old RCBS single stage press (not the rockchucker) with Lee dies. I also use the Lee case length gauge to trim the brass to length and I seat primers with the Lee hand held primer, I think its called the auto prime. I measure powder with a RCBS 505 beam scale. I have a powder measure but prefer to weigh each charge so I dump an approximate charge in the pan and use a Redding trickler to "finish" the powder charge. I use a Hornady lock & load bullet comparator that I use in conjunction with a dummy load to check how far off the lands I am seating the bullet.

I am currently reloading for my 30-06, 7mm-08 and 30-30. The 30-06 and 7mm-08 are neck sized and the 30-30 is full length resized.

[savgebolt]

thanx to all , helps me decide, happy shooting

[LongRange]

Buy once cry once....which means buy the best tools you can afford....it does make a difference.

[Jamie]

If your friends press is a Forster Co-Ax then you have spoiled already and will not like other presses as much. AS LR stated above, buy it and be done. The Forster is awesome, the only thing I didn't like when I bought mine was that I didn't buy it sooner. Yep, I have three other presses, including a Hornady, none are as smooth or as quick to change as the Forster. I use Lee, RCBS (not much though), Hornady, Lyman, Redding and Forster dies, all will work, some are smoother and more consistent.

[savgebolt]

hmmm, interesting info,,,,:confused:,,,, thanx guys

[DrThunder88]

If I were starting over, I'd probably go with a Lee Classic Cast press but not the Breech Lock version. If I were interested in covering it to a quick-detach system later, I could always use the Hornady L-N-L conversion kit. Lee must have seen some demand for the Challenger-style spent primer recovery when they made the Breech Lock Classic, but I prefer the "straight throuth the ram" drop of the original.

I recently tried upgrading my Lee dies for Redding Premium Series dies and was not impressed. Even on clearance they were more than three times as expensive, more complicated, no better at sizing, and far less smooth than my Lee dies. I do like the micrometer seating stem on the Reddings, but even that may not be worth totally "upgrading" for. The only other brand I've used is Hornady for a straight-wall case, so I don't know how it would compare to the bottleneck .243 Winchester dies mentioned earlier.

Though I also recently upgraded my powder measure to a RCBS Chargemaster, I had used a slightly modified Lee scale and dippers to throw my charges with some cheap trickler to get the weight right.

[barrel-nut]

I would suggest that if you are even contemplating "upgrading" to the Forster, or any other press, at a later date, go ahead and get it first. Here's my reasoning- it has to do with resistance to change, and a good dose of laziness. I currently have the Hornady press, with the LNL system. I like it, and it has served me well going on ten years. Once a die is set up in the LNL bushing, changing dies in the press could not be any simpler. Just a twist of the wrist and it's swapped.
Here's my dilemma- I've been plagued by runout issues ever since I've been able to measure for it. Probably half of my loaded rounds measure 3-5 thousandths TIR, with the other half below 3, regardless of the brand or quality of dies used. I'd like to see all below three, with most below two. I've come to suspect that my press may be at fault.
In fairness to Hornady, I may have sprung my press slightly when I first started reloading and had a few stuck cases due to Hornady one-shot spray lube, and since I didn't have a stuck case remover kit yet, I tried unsuccessfully to free the cases by really, really bearing hard on the press lever. Not smart. Get the stuck case remover.
Anyhow, I'd like to "upgrade(?") to the Forster press, but doing so would necessitate re-setting up the dozens of dies I've accumulated over the years, and also buying dozens of lock rings that are compatible with the Forster press. This is just daunting enough to make me stick with the system I have, especially since I no longer have time to shoot or reload much anymore, much less overhaul my entire system.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Hornady press if that's what you think you want. It is a very well made and sturdy press. But if your experience with other presses like the Forster leads you to ultimately want that one, save yourself the trouble and get it first.

[BillPa]

Here's my dilemma- I've been plagued by runout issues ever since I've been able to measure for it. Probably half of my loaded rounds measure 3-5 thousandths TIR, with the other half below 3, regardless of the brand or quality of dies used. I'd like to see all below three, with most below two.

I've come to suspect that my press may be at fault.


Don't jump off the nearest bridge just yet BN, life ain't as bad as you think. :p Most RO gauges indicate TIR. 'Total Indicated Runout'. Actual off center is 1/2 of TIR , so your 5s out are really only .0025" off center the 3s, .0015" and etc.

Feel'n better already ain'tcha?:p

Presses? There are two schools of thought, and nice tight well made press hoping that all the parts involved are square to each other or one that allows the brass to find it's own alignment to the die(s). The COAX is the latter, by design or dumb luck I can't say. Of course a standard press with it's ram turned down .005" or so for some longitudinal slop does a pretty darn good job too.

Bill

[barrel-nut]

Thanks for the reminder Bill. I'll keep both feet on the bridge, just lookin over the rail, imagining the big splash that press would make lol.
The Hornady with the LNL system definitely fits into the sloppy/brass finds its own alignment to the dies category, as the die bushings move around visibly when under stress. I understand the theory, but I still wonder if it's causing me issues. Anyway, I hope this is somehow useful to the OP.

[savgebolt]

good reading, good thoughts, i appreciate all your input , thanx again

[LongRange]

I would suggest that if you are even contemplating "upgrading" to the Forster, or any other press, at a later date, go ahead and get it first. Here's my reasoning- it has to do with resistance to change, and a good dose of laziness. I currently have the Hornady press, with the LNL system. I like it, and it has served me well going on ten years. Once a die is set up in the LNL bushing, changing dies in the press could not be any simpler. Just a twist of the wrist and it's swapped.
Here's my dilemma- I've been plagued by runout issues ever since I've been able to measure for it. Probably half of my loaded rounds measure 3-5 thousandths TIR, with the other half below 3, regardless of the brand or quality of dies used. I'd like to see all below three, with most below two. I've come to suspect that my press may be at fault.
In fairness to Hornady, I may have sprung my press slightly when I first started reloading and had a few stuck cases due to Hornady one-shot spray lube, and since I didn't have a stuck case remover kit yet, I tried unsuccessfully to free the cases by really, really bearing hard on the press lever. Not smart. Get the stuck case remover.
Anyhow, I'd like to "upgrade(?") to the Forster press, but doing so would necessitate re-setting up the dozens of dies I've accumulated over the years, and also buying dozens of lock rings that are compatible with the Forster press. This is just daunting enough to make me stick with the system I have, especially since I no longer have time to shoot or reload much anymore, much less overhaul my entire system.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Hornady press if that's what you think you want. It is a very well made and sturdy press. But if your experience with other presses like the Forster leads you to ultimately want that one, save yourself the trouble and get it first.

i had issues with run out and with seating depth not being consistent when using the LNL bushings...since ive quit using the bushings my seating depths are exact and i sold my run out gauge...set up one of your die sets with a lock ring and load a few rounds and check your loads and i bet their better.

[barrel-nut]

I would've already done this, but my press is not threaded. It only accepts the LNL bushings. Can't get around that.
Strangely I guess, I've never had issues with inconsistent seating depth, only a little more runout than I'd like to see. My seater die can be adjusted as little as .001, and it responds consistently.

[LongRange]

I would've already done this, but my press is not threaded. It only accepts the LNL bushings. Can't get around that.
Strangely I guess, I've never had issues with inconsistent seating depth, only a little more runout than I'd like to see. My seater die can be adjusted as little as .001, and it responds consistently.

so your female LNL bushing dont tread into your press?
i too have micro top dies and at one point thought it was the die(redding)and bought a forester micro top and had the same issues.

[barrel-nut]

There is no female LNL bushing on my press. The male LNL bushing that the die fits into, engages into a female cut-out that is milled into the actual top of the press. It will only accept the LNL bushings that go on the dies. I wish I could still attach pics. Do you have a Hornady press with the adaptor bushing? Maybe it's from before their "LNL era"?
To try to keep this relevant to the OP, your new Hornady press, if it's like mine, will only accept LNL bushings. There is no choice to screw dies directly into the press. If I understand correctly, Hornady sells conversion bushings to use in older presses or other brands of presses, that will convert any press to accept their bushings. So you could, say, buy a RCBS press and have the option to use the Hornady system, or leave the RCBS bushing in place and thread your dies directly into the press. This is slower but arguably more precise.

[LongRange]

There is no female LNL bushing on my press. The male LNL bushing that the die fits into, engages into a female cut-out that is milled into the actual top of the press. It will only accept the LNL bushings that go on the dies. I wish I could still attach pics. Do you have a Hornady press with the adaptor bushing? Maybe it's from before their "LNL era"?
To try to keep this relevant to the OP, your new Hornady press, if it's like mine, will only accept LNL bushings. There is no choice to screw dies directly into the press. If I understand correctly, Hornady sells conversion bushings to use in older presses or other brands of presses, that will convert any press to accept their bushings. So you could, say, buy a RCBS press and have the option to use the Hornady system, or leave the RCBS bushing in place and thread your dies directly into the press. This is slower but arguably more precise.

i gotcha...i didnt know the press was machined for the bushing and not threaded....and yes i was using the threaded female bushing/adapter in a redding big boss 2.

to the OP...id buy a press thats threaded for the dies that way you can try the LNL bushings and if you have problems with them you can just pull the bushing out install lock rings on your dies and thread them into your press.

[barrel-nut]

LR, stupid question here, but were you by chance using the LNL bushings without a lock ring on the die? I'm guessing not, but if so that's definitely where your problems started. Again probably not, but your wording suggests that might have been the case?

[LongRange]

LR, stupid question here, but were you by chance using the LNL bushings without a lock ring on the die? I'm guessing not, but if so that's definitely where your problems started. Again probably not, but your wording suggests that might have been the case?

yep i had the lock rings installed...the problems where from the bushings not been/staying tight when id install them...and they had enough slop in the machining that they were moving up and down .003 to .008 and side to side up to .006 checked with a dial indicator...my problem is im very anal about my loads so small things that most ppl probably dont notice or care about bother me....now if all that would transfer into my trigger finger id be a good shot LOL!!