Anyone try this "M" press?

[Glaciers]

I know most of you guys load more then I do, and YMMV. But the KISS principle is where I have to hang my hat. The LEE Classic Turret and 2 single stage presses work good for me. I’ve loaded up to 30-30 on the turret and load larger cartridges on the Redding presses. There is the money/value thing with me so I’ve sized my equipment accordingly. Well except for molds anyway. I have yet not found a need to produce more ammunition then what the equipment I have can produce and the quality is good.
Besides four pulls of the handle is good aerobic exercise.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I also have the economy turret and like it allot. But like it for hand gun stuff! Like most LEE there is no cam over. So no bottle neck gets loaded on it.

CW

 

[Ian]

I also have the economy turret and like it allot. But like it for hand gun stuff! Like most LEE there is no cam over. So no bottle neck gets loaded on it.

CW

The Classic Cast and Classic Turret presses with the 1.5" rams have plenty of leverage. I resize machine-gun brass with them no problem.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

The Classic Cast and Classic Turret presses with the 1.5" rams have plenty of leverage. I resize machine-gun brass with them no problem.

Its not about that, came over give a positive stop. Without that run the ran hard/fast or easy/slow and you will get two different dims. (I tried)

 

[Mowgli Terry]

But the KISS principle is where I have to hang my hat. The LEE Classic Turret and 2 single stage presses work good for me.

No telling how many people I got started reloading on the first generation of Lee Classic Turret. I find myself with more and more Lee gear on my work bench.The only shortfall I found with the Lee Classic is that it won't work on longer rifle cartridges. Also, there are problems here loading long bullets into a 308 case.

I came up turning down the die not to have cam over. So the positive stop does not bother me. I could not function without a single stage press-with die turned in as I was taught. That is turning the die down until touches the shell holder then some turning to take out slack in the press.

Where you miss the mark is not understanding compulsive buying of reloading gear. I could not pass it up. I cannot pass up a bargain. So I got way more machinery than I need. To which I replay "So What." . Only this way once.

 

[Glaciers]

Where you miss the mark is not understanding compulsive buying of reloading gear. I could not pass it up. I cannot pass up a bargain. So I got way more machinery than I need. To which I replay "So What." . Only this way once.

No I understand that quite well, just ask my checkbook. I’ve been doing a “purge” so I have enough space to work in my reload/casting room without have to move excess stuff.

 

[Ian]

Its not about that, came over give a positive stop. Without that run the ran hard/fast or easy/slow and you will get two different dims. (I tried)

Oh, I savvy now.

The big-ram Lee presses (what Lee calls "Classic", not the original style with the small ram and hollow base that trapped the spent primers) have a positive stop made onto the linkage itself which coincides with top dead center. For my small fleet of .308s, I determined the largest and smallest headspace among them and size all brass to .001" headspace in the tightest chamber. To get that reliably, I have to stiff-arm the press handle and hold it down hard for a two-count, otherwise the shoulder bounces back. I can get a .003" feeler gauge in between the die and shellholder at the hard stop. The old, small presses didn't have enough leverage or rigidity for that, and like you say they didn't come close to cam-over. Some things are probably done in a single-stage press.

 

[Rockydoc]

lots of reviews were dated 2019 (the before times), so it wasn't introduced in the midst of a feeding frenzy. Also, the suggested retail price is $299, and that's the price on Frankford Arsenal's website. But Amazon and others are selling them for around $100...makes me think it's a huge failure.

edit: I just checked Midway, they don't list the price, until you put one in your "cart", then $111 comes up, same price as Amazon.

Amazon gets theirs from Midway. I have ordered stuff from Amazon and it was shipped from Midway.

 

[fiver]

if i don't want cam over i have a board i screw on the front of the bench support.
the handle bumps into it and dead stops.
this allows me to set the die and control shoulders and stuff.

 

[Mowgli Terry]

No I understand that quite well, just ask my checkbook. I’ve been doing a “purge” so I have enough space to work in my reload/casting room without have to move excess stuff.

Right, That's what I say. Too much. Some of this stuff has got to go. I purge away. Then the madness strikes me again. To me, the purge is part of the addictive cycle. I did unload some nice gear during this famine. I'll be braced for the next addictive binge when all the reloading gear goes on sale in about two years. That's when all that unused reloading gear from the famine goes hits the used market. My check book limits my buying to second hand stuff. That's part of the addiction.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Well... First stuck case broke the case/shell holder! The steel plate holding everything bent, and pulled a screw thru its threads.
Upon examination...

I broke my Frankfort press!!!

I knew this was a weak point. I kinda figured Id do down the road... well looks like that time has arrived.

rumble.com

Here is how I fixed it.

Pt I How I fixed a Frankfort M Press

Design problems and parts issues lead to the problems. Hopefully I will have improved service.

rumble.com

Pt II

PT II Frankfort M Press repairs

The conclusion of my repairs. Fixing sub standard parts and design.

rumble.com

CW

 

[seagiant1]

Hi,
You guys need something like a Cast STEEL...

CH Champion Press!

 

[Ian]

If your press and shell holder can't tear the rim clean off of a stuck .308 case, it ain't worth a speckled damn.

Thanks for taking the hit on this one, CW, that way the rest of us won't have to.

 

[seagiant1]

Hi,
I used the Forester Co-Ax Press for 20 years it was my first press, as a Kid, and had to put it on layaway, to afford it at the time.

Finally, saw I needed a bigger/stronger press and sold it, just sayin.

Since then I have always liked the bigger, usually older 50/60's presses!

This is another cast steel press an RCBS A2, from the 60's!

 

[david s]

if i don't want cam over i have a board i screw on the front of the bench support.
the handle bumps into it and dead stops.
this allows me to set the die and control shoulders and stuff.

My small ram Lee Turret from about when these were first offered, long before it was a Classic. It just uses the edge of the loading bench as a positive stop. When I was 15 or 16 I went to the Lee factory in Hartford (I had to look this up I couldn't remember if it was Hartford, Hustiford or Heartland but I knew it was one of those H's) and wasted way more of the company's employee's time with questions and just looking around being nosey than my discretionary income would indicate as prudent. They answered all my questions politely and offered some ideas and opinions. They also made a customer. Quite a bit of what Lee offers is a good deal, it does what its advertised to do at a pretty decent price. They do have more than their share of quality control issues of late however. I think trying to out compete the Chinese price wise is taking a toll.

 

[seagiant1]

Hi,
Well, CHINA or any present day US Reload Equipment Co., does not get much of my money...

As I prefer the older equipment.

Note this Press that I love for Rifle Loading, with a vintage Hollywood Powder Drop!

 

[fiver]

your missing their inline bullet seater.

 

[RicinYakima]

Posness Warren is the Packard of reloading presses for most people.

 

[richhodg66]

Hi,
You guys need something like a Cast STEEL...

CH Champion Press!

View attachment 25833

I have several older presses I have yet to set up including an old Herters U3 which is massive. Last Spring at a gun show, I got a Reddin 700 Ultramag cheap. Needs some cleaning up, but I think when I get that bad boy mounted up on something real strong, I won't ever want for more press again.

You know, I got a Forster Co-Ax a while back, have it mounted up and have used it, I just can't seem to warm to it, just too different from what I'm used to. It'll likely go down the road eventually. I like the old stuff too.

 

[seagiant1]

I have several older presses I have yet to set up including an old Herters U3 which is massive. Last Spring at a gun show, I got a Reddin 700 Ultramag cheap. Needs some cleaning up, but I think when I get that bad boy mounted up on something real strong, I won't ever want for more press again.

You know, I got a Forster Co-Ax a while back, have it mounted up and have used it, I just can't seem to warm to it, just too different from what I'm used to. It'll likely go down the road eventually. I like the old stuff too.

Hi,
My refurbed Bair!

It's interesting that these old loaders were made by mostly WW2 Vets, and...

Still work like a charm today and into the future!