What press should I not get?

You can choose cheap, or reliable...not both. :)

Dillon, RCBS and Redding are still in my collection. I have dies from Red boxes, but no presses.
 
Get the co-ax, will serve both pistol and rifle well. Its as good as you can get for rifle. Then when you get the reloadong bug (and you will) you can get a dillon 550/650 and have the best for rifle and pistol IMO.
 
History can be interesting, and informative. My first press was an RCBS Junior, which I wasn't terribly impressed with. Can't even say where it ended up. Then a Rockchucker, was good, but followed by Dillon presses. A 550, which still works perfectly, then a few Dillon 1050's; my first 1050 is now 27 yrs. old, going strong. The only times I've ever kicked myself for being stupid, was when I bought something that looked like a great deal. And that always came back to Lee equipment. I do like their decapping die, and the now discontinued Auto Prime, the rest, not so much. No offense to those who like Lee, but it never turned out well for me.
 
Contrary to what others advise, i started out with the Lee 4 hole turret press. Bought it as the kit.
I mostly use Lee dies. And i load/shoot 1,500+ rounds a year.
380 Auto, 38spcl/357mag, 9mm, 45ACP. Rifle 223 through to 7mm Rem Mag.

When doing rifle, i take out the advancing rod. With it in, pistol loading is so much faster.

Except for forming, it is my go to.
Have had it about 6 years now.

Mr. Guffey,

That is much less expensive than buying Yak Traks!
 
I'm not sure of my budget yet, as I'm not 100% sure of the manditory startup costs. My shooting is currently limited by my finances. I would like to hit the range each Saturday, but that's too costly right now.
 
I just picked up a used copy of The Shooters Bible: Guide to Handloading. I'll read it through this weekend. I'm not planning on shooting this weekend because my wife will likely have a baby any day, and I don't get cell reception at the range.
 
My first press was a Dillon 650. Loved it then and still do today. Used it like a single stage press until I got comfortable going progressive. Next I bought several single stages presses (RCBS and Lee) which I returned. Then I tried Hornady single stage presses before settling on Hornady's Iron Press. Moral of this story, they are work. But some better than others. The one press I'd like to buy some day, a Dillon 550. I could see the Foster Coax getting work on my bench as well.
 
Like everybody has said your results may vary.....my main goto's are a lyman crusher II and a lee classic turret. I also have a lyman spar-t from 1975 I bought of ebay in a full kit, and a lee breech lock pro progressive that I got just to see what a $100 progressive press was like, and my first one was a lee challenger. I swapped out the lee challenger for the lyman crusher because the lee just didnt have enough oomph behind It to handle larger rifle.it was fine for pistol and .223 sized ammo, but larger cases like .308 win and 30-06 was a strain to size.however. Lee's biggest selling point to me is their primer removal tube. When depriming, the spent primer goes down a tube into a waste bucket, so it is my dedicated deprimer now off to the side. The crusher II is a big beefy press that does everything I want it to. From handling the larger rifle cartridges to swaging primer pockets.

All I can say is...welcome to reloading and have fun
 
If you can find a vintage RCII (Rock Chucker) like the one that I bought new in 1980, then you'll have a fine press that will last you many, many years making lots and lots of ammo (IMO). That old single stage press of mine sure has proven itself to me. The new RCBS Rock Chucker presses are probably good, too. I have a brand new Rock Chucker Supreme that's still NIB. Just haven't had the need to try it out...yet.

BTW, the spent primer catcher that came with my old RCII press works well enough for me. I use a separate de-priming die almost exclusively for all my case work, and when I place a case to be de-primed in the holder, I just put the back of my hand as a shield in front of the catcher with my ring finger just touching the frame; literally none go on the floor that way. Just a habit I got into a long time ago, and works well for me.
 
FWIW; I think about reloading presses much like I think about cars. You aren't gonna stick with one press the rest of your life (just like you will own many cars), you can add or subtract from your "stable" as you see fit. I've owned some perfectly good presses, but sold, traded or stored them to get another perfectly good press. Purchasing a press is not a lifelong commitment. If you want one of a different color, different features, you are free to get that one. So, if your first press doesn't fit your ideal, your methods, or jes 'cause you are tired of it, get another that you think you "need"... :D
 
My rant for the day:

this has got to be the only sport in the world where anyone would claim any piece of equipment to be the best that requires a band aid to get it to perform one of it's basic functions properly. Can you imagine going into a store and buying a golf club and the salesman says great club been using one for 30 years, you just have to use a bit of electrical tape to hold the grip on, it's been that way for years but people still love the club.

Yes I am referring to the RCBS Rock Chucker. Been around since the 70's or maybe the 60's and for 50 years + since day 1 they spit three out of every five primers onto the bench or floor when depriming. Over the years users have came up with half a dozen methods from pieces of cardboard or foam behind the catcher, zip ties, soda straws inserted into the ram, magnets ( my cure of choice) and several 3D printed replacements available on EBay and Amazon.

I am not a RCBS hater by any means, I own a Rockchucker myself and it is built like a tank. I also own RCBS dies and their precision seater is by far my favorite seating die, 2 priming tools, their bullet puller etc.

I just want to know why RCBS has not fixed this themselves during the past 50 years? I have a Lee single stage and a Hornady progressive, neither of which puke primers on the floor so Why doesn't RCBS do a redesign on that primer catcher?

Ok rant off, I quit watching cable news so I have to be PO'ed about something and RCBS depriming won the toss
 
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I have lots of "green" in my reloading tool stash. I have used them since the mid 60s. I put up with what HD is ranting aboutin post 32. I started putting my finger on the slit in the ram to sort of deflect the primers so that they would land in the catcher.

When Franklin made their universal depriming tool available I got one and no longer use a press for depriming.

It is sort of like someone buying a Rem M700, then bastardizing it with a new trigger, barrel, stock, and so on. It ain't good enough on its own, so the new owner makes it good enough.

Here is a link to show what I am talking about.

https://www.amazon.com/Frankford-Arsenal-Platinum-Deprimer-Reloading/dp/B00RPABDZO/
 
Runs With Fire, I am going to go back to my original statement, especially knowing now that the budget is very tight and a new baby is on the way.

Hit ebay! Single stage presses just do not wear out and all the posts here back that up. The idea is that you need to get started and started as inexpensively as possible. The idea again is to be able to learn the very basics, even if that is just one pistol caliber to start.

I am honestly and seriously telling you that everything you need can be found on ebay used. And usually for a substantial savings over new. Then as money becomes available you can always upgrade. But in the mean time you will be gaining and building experience. Nowhere is it written that you need to rush out and spend $1000.00 to get started.

When I first started I had a Bonanza single stage press, one set of RCBS 38/357 pistol dies, a RCBS 505 scale and Lee powder scoops. Boy did I have fun.
 
Lee powder scoops. Boy did I have fun.
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I had and still have the three sets of scoops by lee; I have the yellow, black and red set. Scoops are like datums, not having the correct size just slowed me down.

Scoops: As R. Lee said; his scoops were scientifically designed.

F. Guffey
 
Maybe errant primers are not that big a deal. I had a press that dropped spent primers half on the floor half in the "catcher". I just placed a 5 gal. plastic bucket where the primers landed. Problem solved, no fretting, no strain, no sour stomach 'cause I had to pick up a few spent primers...:D
 
Runs With Fire asked:
What product, or brand should I steer clear of?
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All of my presses are single stage and they are all from RCBS. RCBS has never let me down and they've always been there for me when I had a problem - even a problem of my own making - so I stick with them.

That said, I don't have a recommendation. RCBS, Lee, Lyman, Redding, Hornady, Dillon and all the other manufactures all seem able to produce a serviceable press that will give you many years of reliable service.

I've never owned Dillon since I don't DO progressives, but among the rest I have had great service from RCBS, and nearly as good service from Lee and Hornady. Redding has been slow to respond and I'm still waiting for Lyman to deliver a repair part they promised in 2016!

I have since replaced the missing Lyman part with one from Forster - another company with very good customer service and responsiveness. Even so, there are many people whose posts you can read on this site that have been satisfied with Lyman - I'm just not one of them.
 
Maybe errant primers are not that big a deal. I had a press that dropped spent primers half on the floor half in the "catcher". I just placed a 5 gal. plastic bucket where the primers landed. Problem solved, no fretting, no strain, no sour stomach 'cause I had to pick up a few spent primers...
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maybe it is just a question of why in 50 years RCBS has failed to fix the problem, I have seen a half a dozen home made fixes used with varying amounts of success. Perhaps the engineers at RCBS should take note or include a 5 gallon RCBS green bucket with their presses with directions to place it under the press when depriming
 
---I removed my shoes for inspection. The inspector asked about the little round metal circles imbedded in my rubber sole shoes: I explained to them they were knowbies for walking on ice and snow.
F. Guffey
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Reading that today brought a chuckle. Thank you.
 
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