Thinking of buying a Hornady single stage press.

[DalesCarpentry]

I am thinking of buying this Hornady single stage press.
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=00005085001
I have a Lee now and it gets the job done but I am not very fond of the priming system on it. The one it has is the Lee Saftey Prime and I sometimes have trouble loading the primers into the little thing that seats the primers. Besides I just think the Hornady press is probably better than my Lee Chanenger Press. I want to get the primer feeder for the Hornady press. I also like the quick change bushings that both my Lee have and the Hornady press has. So how do you guys like your Hornady Press with the primer feeder? Do you think this is a good choice in a single stage press. I have also considered the RCBS Rock Chucker supreme but like the quick change bushing so that is another reason I want to go with the Hornady press. Thanks and take care Dale   

[DANNY-L]

I cant speak for the hornady although Ive never really heard anything against them,I have the rockchucker and I do like it.

[Graybeard]

I've been using the Hornady Lock and Load single stage press since shortly after they came out with it. I'd rate it roughly the equal of the RCBS Rock Chucker in strength. I don't use the press primer seater ever and have not for probably 30 years or more. I use only the Lee Auto Prime for that job and don't expect I will ever prime any other way.

Prior to going to the Hornady I had been using an RCBS Jr press since I began reloading back in the mid 60s. I still have my RCBS Jr. press under the bench and it could be put into action should I ever want to or need to use it again. I also primarily use Hornady dies but RCBS is a close second in the number of them I own with Lyman holding a distant third place spot behind them. I generally buy Lyman only if that's all I can find to load a round I want at anything like a reasonable price. Such was the case when I recently bought a set of .32 acp dies.

You cannot go wrong with the Hornady. I believe I might have mentioned that to you back when you were buying that Lee.

[shot1]

If you want a new press I would get one but if you really want a good way to prime your cases get you a Lee hand priming tool. Their inexpensive and easy to use you don't have to touch the primers and you can feel the primer seat. I have been loading for over 30 years and I am on my second Lee hand priming tool. I wore out the first one after about 25 years.

[necchi]

I don't use the press primer seater ever and have not for probably 30 years or more. I use only the Lee Auto Prime for that job and don't expect I will ever prime any other way.

+1,,had a topic here a couple months back about priming and several Gents advised I try the Lee Auto Prime, as inexpensive as they are I gave it a try,,
 I'd like to thank all those Gents,,I sure wasted plenty of time priming at the press,,the hand held unit is TOO EASY ,,

[DalesCarpentry]

I do like priming off the press though. I am sure the hand priming thing works very well but this is just what I prefer. GB I think you did mention the Hornady press when I was talking about getting into reloading and the start up cost of the Lee was very low as compared to the Hornady. I know in the long run I will be spending more money by not buying the Hornady kit but at the time I just wanted to get into it a cheaply as I could. I have a kind of gizmo's now that did not come with the Lee kit that make reloading easier. I do have everthing I need to do it now except the Hornady press and maybe the Lock and Load powder scale and powder system. You know the one like the RCBS Charge Master. I really want one of them and will pick one up when I can afford it. Thanks Dale

[Dezynco]

The Hornady Lock and Load is an excellent press (I just need to order more bushings for mine!).  However, if your problem is with the priming system of the Lee press, then you should consider the Lee priming tool.  The Lee press you have will do a nice job for you without spending the money for the Hornady.

In my opinion, nearly all of the priming systems on all of the presses that are made sorta suck!  They don't have a "positive" feel when seating the primers, and often tend to tip the primer up sideways, thus ruining the primer.

I'm just saying that you could get the Lee priming tool and the shellholders for $30.00 to solve your problem. Save up your money for a nice progressive press like a Dillon or Hornady.  That way you can ruin primers much faster ;-)

[Glanceblamm]

I don't use the press primer seater ever and have not for probably 30 years or more. I use only the Lee Auto Prime for that job and don't expect I will ever prime any other way.

+2 but I can only claim 24 years. I would rate the uniformed primer pocket and flash hole coupled with the compound leverage of the Auto Prime which lets you feel when the primer just does touch the bottom of the pocket as being more important than a "trickled" powder charge.

[oldandslow]

Dale, if you like priming with the press that is great. I have my preferred ways of doing a lot of different things. I do think that if you try one of the hand priming tools you will never return to the press priming arm. I use the RCBS tool. The only reason is that my OLD Lee tool became obsolete and I couldn't get shell holders as I added calibers. Don't really have a reason for choosing the RCBS rather than a new style Lee. I'm still using my old RCBS Jr as I don't need the strength of the RockChucker type presses but I took the primer arm off and got it out of the way shortly after I started reloading.

[Qualitymilk]

Dale - I have the press you are considering, and it it is a fine product.  However, I don't use the primer part of the press hardly at all.  I prefer the hand priming tool that came with the Classic Reloading kit from Hornady - it is very similar to the RCBS that someone prior mentioned.  I like the positive feel of the hand tool, and I clean the primer pockets after resizing/decapping anyway, so using the primer on the press does not save time unless you don't clean the pockets.  Hope this helps - JM

[Lloyd Smale]

I really like mine. I especially like the lock and load feature. It makes swapping calibers a breeze and its alos nice for my dillon case trimmer set up for 223s and 308s I can leave the dies for the trimmer set up to exact lenghts and snap in the trimmer and go. Like bill i use a lee primer seater. I dont think in all my years of load i ever used a primer seater on a single stage press. Overall its a good press. Not quite as stout as a rock chucker or orange crush lyman but stouter then my smaller rcbs press and basically stout enough for ANY loading job. My rcbs rarely gets used and basicaly takes up space on that bench that might someday be used for another progressive.