Consistency comparison between single stage vs. turret press

[300WMAficionado]

Hey guys,

I have a Redding Big Boss II single stage reloading press. I use it to full length size 300 Win Mag brass for my precision bolt gun. In September, my White Oak Armament AR15 upper will be coming in. I want to reload for it and I'm considering stepping up to a turret press. I have my eyes on the Redding T7 turret press.

I would use the press for all reloading operations pertaining to the 223 AR, and only to F/L size for the 300WM bolt gun.

Would the 300WM ammo be less consistent with the T7 turret press compared to the Big Boss II single stage press?

 

[milo 2.0]

The turret is basically a single stage press, some guys may turn it to act like a progressive, I can't see it myself. But used single stage, it should produce the same ammo as the Big Boss, and look cooler doing it. On my T-7, I had 7 .223 dies on it, 4 diff sizers, 3 seaters, no change, just spin.

 

[Pinecone]

See if you can find one to check out in person. Some turret designs allow a good bit of movement of the turret.

 

[jbailey]

Buy the T-7 with confidence. It is an outstanding press and unless you are shooting benchrest and are a really advanced reloader, you will never notice the difference between it and the best single stage presses. You will save many hours and because your dies never leave the press, you might actually see MORE consistent ammo, as you never get variation from movement of the resizing and seating dies.

 

[cega]

I am using the T7 for my 308 and 338LM on one turret, 6.5x47 Lapua on another. I find that it is easily as accurate and consistent as the Rock Chucker I have. I'm sure the T7 will do just great and should speed things up some for your 223 reloading.

Depending on the volume of 223 you anticipate reloading you may want to consider a progressive press rather than the T7. For my 223 and pistol calibers I'm using a Hornady LnL AP since for the most part those are more a "volume" endeavor.

 

[ksthomas]

300WMAficianado,

For what it's worth, the vast majority of the accuracy QC test rounds fired in Sierra's ballistic lab are loaded on a T-7. I used to keep one press set up with all of the seating dies of all the cartridges I was loading at that moment installed on the T-7. Cases were sized on a separate press (RCBS Rock Chucker) and then kept sized and primed in batches until needed for QC firing. At that time, I'd charge them and do the seating on the T-7. Never a bit of problems with the accuracy related to the press, and it made no difference between ammo loaded on the T-7 or on a single station press like the Rock Chucker. Good press, don't sweat it!

 

[pawprint2]

Nothing wrong with a turret press, I wish the old Hollywood Senior was still being made!

 

[former naval person]

But for the price...I find the Coax is just as easy and fast to change out dies as to turn the turret, and you know the concentricity is there. JMHO

 

[pinzmann]

I could never go back to a single stage press. In fact I have 2 T-7's and an extra turret.

 

[300WMAficionado]

300WMAficianado,

For what it's worth, the vast majority of the accuracy QC test rounds fired in Sierra's ballistic lab are loaded on a T-7. I used to keep one press set up with all of the seating dies of all the cartridges I was loading at that moment installed on the T-7. Cases were sized on a separate press (RCBS Rock Chucker) and then kept sized and primed in batches until needed for QC firing. At that time, I'd charge them and do the seating on the T-7. Never a bit of problems with the accuracy related to the press, and it made no difference between ammo loaded on the T-7 or on a single station press like the Rock Chucker. Good press, don't sweat it!

I learned something new. I didn't know that Sierra used a Redding T7 for their QC! The T7 is looking really good right now...

 

[300WMAficionado]

I am using the T7 for my 308 and 338LM on one turret, 6.5x47 Lapua on another. I find that it is easily as accurate and consistent as the Rock Chucker I have. I'm sure the T7 will do just great and should speed things up some for your 223 reloading.

Depending on the volume of 223 you anticipate reloading you may want to consider a progressive press rather than the T7. For my 223 and pistol calibers I'm using a Hornady LnL AP since for the most part those are more a "volume" endeavor.

See I've thought about selling my 300WM bolt gun and getting a Barrett MRAD in 338LM (or 300WM if they ever offer it for Sniper Comps). I was worried I might have to go with the Redding Ultramag press because of the increased frame opening size and ram stroke. Wow, I didn't think the T7 would be able to reload for the 338LM cartridge! I just took it at face value that it couldn't do it.

You know I'm not a big volume shooter. I shoot about 20 rounds per shooting session with my bolt gun. But for the AR, I will probably shoot 50-100 rounds per shooting session with it. I think I'll get by just fine without a progressive press given my small volume of shooting. Thanks for looking out for me tho

 

[jbailey]

I learned something new. I didn't know that Sierra used a Redding T7 for their QC! The T7 is looking really good right now...

Yes, I spoke to the folks at Redding about the durability of the turret... I was thinking about if the bearings on the turret would wear out. They told me that they were not aware of any units showing that problem and mentioned the T7 at Sierra. According to Redding, that press has loaded well over 1 million rounds and is still going as strong as it was day one.

My only issue with the T7 is that I will never shot enough to load 1 million rounds on it...