Do presses real make much of a difference ?

[Ozarkcop]

Been reloading for a couple of years but mostly pistol on my Dillons (450 and 550) and a few hunting rounds on a lee challenger with breech lock adapters. I am starting to get into precision reloading. My question is can I do it on the lee or should I use my 450. I also have an old Lyman sparT turret. I hope eventually to buy a co-ax but that’s down the road.

 

[culater]

I do everything on my 550B even my precision reloads with no issues.

 

[Snuby642]

I also run a lee and a dillon.
Precision powder measurement is a big difference, IMHO.

 

[Deleted member 113831]

Die set up can decrease runout no matter what press you have. When setting sizing die height, tighten the lock ring with a case run up into the die. Then the die will be as square as it can be to the threads and the case head.

 

[Ozarkcop]

The Lee press uses their quick change bushings that have a rubber o-ring in them, this lets it move a small amount. I was worried this would cause runout but I guess it lets it float and square itself up?

 

[spife7980]

The Lee press uses their quick change bushings that have a rubber o-ring in them, this lets it move a small amount. I was worried this would cause runout but I guess it lets it float and square itself up?

That’s the theory at least. Only a conc gauge will tell you for sure.

 

[Lynn Jr]

All a press does is ram the brass into the die.
If it does that consistently they are all the same.

 

[Snuby642]

I think you will find that the o-rings are a locking device only.

 

[Milo 2.5]

I keep reading on this O ring thing, first I laughed, today I think it has merit. In theory it turns a threaded press into a coax feature press, the die floats, even though I'd imagine keeping it snugged in place would come into play.
When I first got into LR shooting, I had a RC II, a Big Boss 2, and a T-7, the RC was 20 yrs older than the other 2, but the tolerances on linkage and the ram were the tightest. The BB2, was a sloppy bitch, and you could watch the T-7 flex, I gave the BB2 away. I tried the same ammo on all 3, did not see a difference in it, but I've came along way since then. I just assumed the slop was no good.
Today, I look at that German press, high dollar, extremely tight tolerance press with I think 4 rams?? I want one, but in the back of my head I think with it, you are now banking everything on 7/8x14 threads, because nothing is going to give.
Buy a coax to start, you cannot go wrong, move on to a progressive or whatever suits you from there. A good solid press never goes bad.

 

[redneckbmxer24]

Get yourself some of these for your 550 and rock on. You've already got it and with the floating clamped toolheads it will load as straight and consistent ammo than anything else. I'm doing the same but with a 650 and I dumped my co-ax once I found that I get the same consistency with the Dillon but can crank out way more ammo in less time.