Thread: Reloading Presses

After a recent rant about my Lyman Tmag turret press & how happy I was with it, I realised I have never owned a press that I didn't modify, to suit myself
& what I'm doing.
Interested in what others have done to improve their reloading, there are lots of common sense ideas which simplify & make reloading easier.

Doesn't really count but I drilled out the fastening holes on my rcbs challenger press to 8mm, they must have been imperial and were slightly too small to put an 8mm bolt through

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I put some grease on the linkages and ram

I have mislaid the primer catcher for my Hornady press, so after various modifications with tubes, straws and small cardboard soup packets, I gave up and now have a shopping bag hanging of it. It works quite well!

Gave my 40+ year old Rock-chukker (?) a new set of clothes. Looks better than the original green in my opinion.

(my brother) built a stand for press so I can size brass standing. Also have a bench mounted primer on a quick detach mount beside it.


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Greetings All,
I haven't modified any of my presses over the years but have modified the way I use them. Over roughly 45 years three presses have been bolted to my reloading bench. The first was a Lyman Spartan C press (grey paint) which I was quite happy with until a friend left his RCBS Junior press with me when he went overseas. The RCBS felt like a step up to me so it got bolted to the bench and my Spartan was loaned (very long term) to a young friend who was starting hand loading. He is still using it 25 years later. I thought that if the owner of the RCBS returned I would shout myself a new O press. Well he did and I did, a Redding Boss which I still have and will likely see me out.

The things I have changed about the way I use the press are as follows. First I deprime an increasing number of cases in Lee punch and base sets. This is done as part of the cleaning and inspection of the cases. Keeps that abrasive crap of the press ram and stops the dead primers rolling round the floor where you can stand on them in your bare feet. Second I do some of the neck sizing for low pressure loads in Lee Loader dies. Most sizing is still done in the press though. Next all priming is now done in a Lee hand priming tool. My current one is getting a little tired after 25 years and will need to be replaced soon. I find the change over from large to small primers much faster with the Lee tool. Projectile seating is still done in the press. I am thinking of seating the .303 projectiles in the Lee Loader as my first fumbling attempts at reloading were with a Lee Loader before my first press arrived.

None of this is to suggest that my way the best way, far from it, it is just the way my pedantic nature enjoys.

Regards Grandpamac.

Yes everybody's different --- my reloading is very simple.
Lee collet neck die, deprimes as well, I load them like this 3 or 6 times dependant on how hard you push things, once the bolt becomes too firm / Redding body die & lube to only just bump the shoulder, so there is slight pressure closing the bolt, then back to the neck die.
Clean & inspect the cases / load them.
Every 6 firings I anneal the cases. Using Lapua brass, I find the first sign of wear is the primer pockets get loose, I have reloaded cases 20+ times. The loose primer ones are marked and used for hunting, don't mind losing the case.
Another trick when seating is half seat it then do a 180 turn & seat it fully, jiggle the loading lever, it seems to improve concentricity, won't suffer anything more than 1 thousandth run out.

I built a stand for my press, powder thrower and ribs priming tool. 4 inch box filled with concrete so heavy and solid. Can't work out how to add picture?

Ive beefed up a few of these crappy lee presses over the years with a lump of billet instead of the rubbish cast crap that breaks all the time..

Personally I run a Harrells bench rest clamp on press that is perfect for my needs and has not needed any mods.

That's about the only thing I can fault with my lee press the replacement link is a steel one it loads ammo that clover leads with a couple of my rifles that are capable that's with the budget lee dies as well I just cant find these other faults that these presses seem to have

Wow Wingman, nice work,
First press was a Lee turret press, broke that same linkage, was held together with a hole clip until I replaced the piece. Press was convenient and loaded some good ammo for a couple of years. Think the main reason for the break was a tight redding die, rubbish lube, stuck cases & occasional use of impact.

This is a Redding T7.

I like it, but the handle didn't sit quite where I wanted it to.

I wanted it raked forward to stop where it felt natural for for my arm, so it felt less awkward.

I took the original handles plus a length of wire bent to the shape I wanted to an Engineer and asked him to make me a handle.

He added the nylon grip at the end of the bar.

Works well, just pivots a bit unless done up really tight.

I may have to take it back and have something welded to the bottom to stop it moving sideways.

Originally Posted by Max Headroom

Attachment 140152Attachment 140153

This is a Redding T7.

I like it, but the handle didn't sit quite where I wanted it to.

I wanted it raked forward to stop where it felt natural for for my arm, so it felt less awkward.

I took the original handles plus a length of wire bent to the shape I wanted to an Engineer and asked him to make me a handle.

He added the nylon grip at the end of the bar.

Works well, just pivots a bit unless done up really tight.

I may have to take it back and have something welded to the bottom to stop it moving sideways.

I like it, been thinking of doing something similar with my press. Have you seen the 1's that Inline Fabrication make?

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Originally Posted by The Claw

I like it, been thinking of doing something similar with my press. Have you seen the 1's that Inline Fabrication make?

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Hadn't seen them, but they look even better.

In part it came from using a lee handle with a roller, that I wished was raked forward. Then I thought why not get one bent to my specifications.

My one works ok, just have to hold the handle lightly and let it slip through my fingers a little with each cycle if doing hundreds of rounds, otherwise my hand gets a bit sore.