Single stage press recomendation

Yoteless in Ohio

Yoteless in Ohio

New member
I just purchased a somewhat obsolete caliber rifle and will likely need to hand load for it to reduce recoil. It is a 444 marlin. I would much prefer a lee classic whack a mole loader for simplicity but as they are also obsolete I am considering a press.

I have everything but press and dies so I don't need a full kit. I won't be loading but 50 rounds a year so I don't need anything fancy. What should I look at? Hornady? Lee?

Wanting to keep it economical, but don't want it to fall apart either.

Oh, and can I use dies from other manufacturers in any press? I might buy good dies and a middle of the road press.
 
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I rate the Lee Classic Cast very highly. I bought the Lee Classic Turret though. Since I load for many calibers, I got the turret press and extra turret heads so that I can pop dies in and out quickly .
 
For what your doing, the Lee press and dies will do.
Most dies all have the same size threads, and will interchange.
Craigslist is your friend. Buy used, and save!
 
I use a Rockchucker on all bottle necked cartridges. For straight walled cartridges that I use 3-4 dies on, I use a Lee Classic Turret Press. I have no complaints with either. The newer Lee turret press is much sturdier than the older one I used to have.

I love the 444 and have taken deer and black bear with mine. Been a while now since I have used it. It was once one of my favorites.....
 
I think that both the hornady and rcbs rock chucker are both equally great presses. I have the RCBS. Now if you want the best single stage get a forster they are very nices presses but a little pricey
 
This:
Originally Posted By: lhitchcoxI rate the Lee Classic Cast very highly.

I would get just about any other kind of dies, though. Perhaps
it's different with the .444, but the Lee neck dies just have
not gotten enough neck tension for my applications.
 
Thanks all. I'll keep my eyes open but for the investment I might go lee press and a different brand of dies. I believe there are special steps to loading the 444 but I'm not sure what they are. That will affect my decision I am sure.
 
The only difference in loading the .444 is that you need to expand the neck like on a handgun cartridge. I have only a small bit of experience loading for the .444. A friend of mine got tired of the high priced and relatively hard to find .44 ammo and asked me to load for him. I told him to buy a set of dies and we would work up a load.

While we were loading his ammo, I asked him why he didn't shoot a flatter shooting cartridge in case he saw a big deer on the other side of a big clear cut. He said he like the way the .444 out them down and he didn't hunt clear cuts. That season he saw the proverbial deer of a lifetime in a clearing over 300 yards away. Next season he was hunting with a 7 Mag and the .444 was in the closet.
 
Originally Posted By: lhitchcoxThe only difference in loading the .444 is that you need to expand the neck like on a handgun cartridge. I have only a small bit of experience loading for the .444. A friend of mine got tired of the high priced and relatively hard to find .44 ammo and asked me to load for him. I told him to buy a set of dies and we would work up a load.

While we were loading his ammo, I asked him why he didn't shoot a flatter shooting cartridge in case he saw a big deer on the other side of a big clear cut. He said he like the way the .444 out them down and he didn't hunt clear cuts. That season he saw the proverbial deer of a lifetime in a clearing over 300 yards away. Next season he was hunting with a 7 Mag and the .444 was in the closet.


If we could use regular rifles I would be shooting my 30-30 and never look back, but we are allowed. Straight walled cartridges for the first time this year and the 444 is the best of them on the list of approved rounds.
 
I like the RCBS Summit press. Small footprint, adequate leverage, and nothing below the bench to whack your knees on. Dang all Molly but that stings!
 
Any of the above mentioned press except any Lee press would be good.

But if you are not buying a kit I would buy a Forster CO-AX and never look back.
 
I would look on line and get the press you find used in good condition....lots of folks start reloading and then don't finish and the equipment gets sold....paid $15 for the last 2 Rock Chuckers I bought....they go for more now...but still cheaper than new....
 
Originally Posted By: BloodhoundI would look on line and get the press you find used in good condition....lots of folks start reloading and then don't finish and the equipment gets sold....paid $15 for the last 2 Rock Chuckers I bought....they go for more now...but still cheaper than new....

Completely agree. LOTS of good used equipment out there for pennies on the dollar.

For the OP's needs, I'd check out the RCBS JR. Slightly smaller and lighter than the Rock Chucker, but very robust. I've loaded tens of thousands of rounds with one I bought on eBay for $20.

Grouse
 
Hey Kevin, I have both a RCBS Rock Chucker and RCBS Turret press for my handloads. I use my Turret press for my 444, since I can keep all 3 dies setup with no adjusting needed. The head holds 6 dies and I bought a second head for some of my other pistol rounds. The nice thing about the Turret press is if you have any issue with a case, you can just turn it back to redo a case and move on without having to reset a die, this saves a lot of time. I just looked at adding a second Turret press, and the price was $196 at a local Fleet Farm in Fargo, which is not much more than a Rock Chucker, and worth the extra money in my opionion. Good Luck on whatever press you buy.----Riflemann
 


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