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A single stage reloading press is the easiest to operate of them all. Both beginners and experienced users will find themselves in need of one from time to time. You probably don’t need to operate your turret press just to decap your used brass. Beginners can get a hang of things with a single stage or just to get a taste of it without having to invest too much.
We’ll talk about the basic of reloading with a single stage in particular and bring you reviews of the top 7 best single stage reloading press you should try. We’ll also discuss buyers guide for beginners.
How To Start Reloading With a Single Stage Press
Every reloading press basically works the same, but modifications are made to improve time efficiency. Single stage reloading presses are the most affordable form of reloading presses and it is generally easier to set up, tinker around and get a beginner used to each process of reloading.
1. Installing the press on your workbench
A reloading press can be installed on a firm wooden workbench or on a mount. Different brands provide their own mount, although sometimes they can be used interchangeably. There are also specific brands dedicated to providing accessories such as mounting riser for different brands.
Wherever you plan to install, make sure that the workbench is firm and strong enough to withstand the constant force of reloading. Sizing usually takes a long pressure because as you need to exert a lot of strength into it.
2. Getting the right die
Don’t forget to get the press with dies. A reloading process includes dies for decapping, sizing (sometimes comes with powder thru), bullet seating and crimping. Some press comes with the priming feature as well. Additionally, Hornady’s bushings are great as well.
3. Shell holders
Some reloading press requires their ram to be installed with a specific serial number of the shell holder. Most of the famous brands have released universal shell holders that are flexible and will tightly secure most cartridges in place. They may come in various series, but
4. Installing the die
As mentioned before, a Hornady’s (or other brands’) bushings make things easy as you only need to screw the bushings in and for your next usage, removing and using it is as easy as plugging and unplugging the bushing. If you don’t get one, you will need to adjust the die to the right level.
When you want to find the right position, go loose and tighten until you get the right depth there.
Best Single Stage Reloading Press in 2021
1. RCBS 9356 Rock Chucker Supreme Press
RCBS 9356 Rock Chucker Supreme Press is one of those single stage reloading press that is made for heavy use. You can do anything on it and not be worried about snapping it because the press construction is steel-based. It is heavy-duty made and is actually heavier than common reloading presses.
The previous drawback with this particular model is that the gap between the ram and the die is too small, making it hard to reload magnum rifle which is getting popular.
Now, it has a longer design to provide easy reloading with long cartridges. It also comes with a small and big priming accessory. You can also upgrade this reloading press to a progressive with a Piggyback.
Another great thing is that even the handle is made out of solid steel. A solid ball is designed to get a solid grip. The handle is ambidextrous, so easily unscrew the handle and have installed on whichever side is comfortable for you. The whole thing is made in the USA which means guaranteed quality.
It’s definitely not a cheap unit, but with how sturdy this thing is, we doubt that you will be disappointed with what you get. With other models, we find a lot of people feeling doubtful about sizing thousands of rounds on them, but with this one, you don’t have to worry about that.
2. LEE PRECISION Breech lock Challenger Press (Red)
There is nothing more important in getting a durable reloading press if you hate to be bothered with having to change a new one just after a couple of years. That’s one of the reasons we love Lee Precision Breech Lock Challenger Press. The whole unit is made to last very long and harsh processes. We know a lot of people are worried about breaking their unit as they force it to size down hundreds of cartridges.
Another great news is that it has a long design, so you can reload magnum rifles with it. The whole structure is made of steel and it really looks sturdy as well as durable after a few rounds. It also comes with a primer case that will catch primers as you deprime it. You can also prime with the Lee Lever Prime System.
This reloading press comes with the Breech Lock Quick Change die system that allows you to use the bushings from Lee’s. Simply screw them in the bushings and no need to spend your time to adjust it next time. The unit comes with one of these bushings, but we suggest you get more, depending on how many calibers you work on.
3. Lee Reloading Press Md: 90045
If your extra press purpose doesn’t demand heavy usage, the Lee Reloading Press Md: 90045 is the best choice for you. Made to fit in the limited budget of many users, this single stage reloading press is priced under $40 each.
The frame and handle are made of cast aluminum and zinc, a lightweight material strong enough to withstand the force of priming, depriming and bullet seating. One might think about crimping and sizing with this, but we don’t recommend that as the force might wear off the press way faster than you think.
Several things you can do with it without putting too much force on the unit is depriming, crimping, bullet pulling and priming. As you can see, the model does not have the ‘o’ shape like most models do, which actually stabilizes the model and provides more support when you work.Another thing to note is that this model doesn’t accept Lee’s bushings.
While it is not made for heavy usage, it still brings consistent results for the activities mentioned before. There’s a price for everything and at under $40 on Amazon. This item sells out quickly because it is affordable, separate reloading press for priming and depriming at that price is just too awesome to miss.
4. RCBS 87460 Partner Press
The RCBS 87460 Partner Press does a good job of being the partner of your main reloading press. It is mainly marketed for decapping purposes with a catcher attached. Price at under $100, many people have praised this as a quality Bushnell product – durable, strong, but lightweight. It’s one of those press you have no problem to carry around to reload wherever and whenever you want to.
Sadly, we don’t see the tray that is supposed to catch the primers does a good job. Primes slip everywhere but the tray, making it a useless piece of accessory. Although one can make a couple of alternatives, such as slipping in rubber bands to make it fit in place, this does call for manufacturers to design a better way of doing this.
Get tired less often because of how easy the design of this particular press. It is not made to make you pull the level every time as if you are sizing them up. This is also a reason we recommend people to use this less often for sizing, but more often for everything else.
Another positive thing about RCBS is their customer service support, which we think is very important. Not all of us are going to have a 100% chance of getting a perfectly fine product, especially with online shipping. This makes it important to have a reliable customer support team behind them and that is one hell of a team RCBS has.
5. LEE PRECISION 90998 Classic Cast Press (Red)
The Lee Precision 90998 Classic Cast Press is another durable and heavy-duty model that some of us might have been looking for all our lives. You want a durable single-stage press that doesn’t cost a fortune, so here you are.
It is made of cast iron and heavy-duty construction and the classic ‘o’ design. The unit is built to be solid and firm as you work on it. Do anything you want – size, crimp, seat or simply decap with the reloading press and you’ll know that it’s a capable unit. Adjust the handle to the length that you are comfortable with and whether you are left- or right-handed.
The classic cast design does not allow bushings to be installed and allows 1 ¼-12 dies as well as comes with an adaptor for standard 7/8-14 dies. You can remove the threaded die bushing and use your own set of bushings if you wish to. Ram can also be rotated to facilitate both left and right primer installation position and comes with both small and big primer arms.
For the price you are paying, you are certainly bargaining for something that is worth it. We are pretty sure we have no complaint about the product.
6. Hornady 085001 Lock-N-Load Classic Ammo Reloading Press
Ah, the Lock ‘n Load classic series. Hornady’s 085001 model is a single stage press and as it is also a Lock ‘n Load series, this makes it compatible with the bushings as well. It is a model that is made to do every single job necessary in reloading from decapping to sizing and crimping.
The model is already made easy by the bushings, so add to that the Power-Pac linkage and solid steel arms that withstand high pressure. It’s not rare to see reloading press fails when you run them through a couple of rounds. The linkage and arm are designed to become the leverage you will need that requires less energy for more force.
Another amazing design is the Positive Priming SystemTM, which is how you can deprime and prime at the same time. This saves your time for various set ups and this is how it works. The unit comes with a primer catcher that works very well catching all the primers you decapped. Then there is a tube that can be filled with new primers attached. It will load into position as you decap and when you bring the ram down, it will give a new primer to the brass.
We absolutely love how the unit is very well-designed, very efficient in what it does, realizing that it is a single stage reloading press. People think it isn’t much you can do with, but a beginner will find himself doing everything here without much problem.
7. LEE PRECISION 90999 Breech Lock Classic Press
A later design after the 90998, Lee Precision’s 90999 model’s difference with that the classic cast design does not allow bushings to be installed and allows 1 ¼-12 dies as well as comes with an adaptor for standard 7/8-14 dies. But this one does allow easy change with bushings. Everything else remains the same.
It is made of cast iron and heavy-duty construction and the classic ‘o’ design. The unit is built to be solid and firm as you work on it. Do anything you want – size, crimp, seat or simply decap with the reloading press and you’ll know that it’s a capable unit. Adjust the handle to the length that you are comfortable with and whether you are left- or right-handed.
Priming is also made easy with both small and big priming arms included in the set. Ram is also 12 square inches wide which makes it possible to load any kind of brass you want. Purchasing this unit also comes with one Breech Lock Quick Change Bushing.
Having the same price as the 90998 model on the official website, the 90999 also possess similar price on Amazon.
Useful Tips for Beginners
If you are not sure with which one you should get as your first single-stage reloading press, here are some suggestions.
- Get a heavy-duty reloading press, meaning those that are made of cast iron and steel linkages. These are the ones that will accompany you for a long time. It may cost you more, but it’s better than a cheap one. Preferable, get them with a kit as they come with the basic tools and accessories necessary for reloading.
- Learn to use bushings – threaded dies are a must, but bushings will save you a lot of time in the long run. Alternatively, there are people who enjoy adjusting their threaded dies because it’s part of the process. It’s up to you!
- Learn to master each of the processes– a single-stage press is the best way to learn because your mind is not clouded with 3 or 4 other bullets on the ram. Reload one kind of brass, get used to how sizing, crimping and capped primers feel. Once you are used to the process, it’s time to explore more types of powder and other reloading presses.
- Get the dies and shell holders too – as you order for your new reloading press, make sure to get the shell holders you will be using. Check for the description if you will be getting the particular die and shell holder of that size. Also, if the reloading press does not facilitate bushings, you will need to manually thread in your dies.
- Magnum rifles are longer brass and there are some reloading presses that won’t fit in. Even if they do, it’s such a fit that you will keep on hitting the brass and working harder on fitting the magnum rifle in place.
- The ambidextrous handle is necessary if there are more than one user and some of you are left-handed. Some reloading presses are also made for right-handed only or installed in the middle to make it universal.
- Be ready to get another reloading press! Most people like to have 2 reloading presses, so they can separate their tasks. This saves their time from switching in and out different types of dies for different calibers. You want to get something that lasts for a lifetime but in the long run, you might want something that does more like a turret or an auto-progressive press.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. I don’t want a single stage reloading press. I am willing to invest more into something much more… capable. Like an auto-progressive reloading press. Isn’t that better?
Answer: Not necessarily. Just because something is better and bigger, doesn’t mean it is going to be as useful as you think. There are people out there who need to use auto-progressive because they cannot bear to spend the rest of the day just priming thousands of rounds.
Yet, for beginners, you won’t be working on tens of thousands of brasses at one time. If you know that you will only be reloading a few rounds, something less sophisticated will save you time and money. Even experienced individuals still purchase high-quality single-stage press because they cannot be bothered to set up a turret press just to decap the brass.
Q2. Is there a particular brand that stands out above them all?
Answer: A brand can be a personal favorite, but it can also be caused by your first choice of dies and presses. For example, not all press works well with bushings (these are dies that doesn’t take 50 turns to take off and another 50 to install, simply snug them in place and you’re good to go).
There are lot’s of brands known to be heavy-duty and capable, but due to price, there’s no reason to get one if all you do is prime and deprime on it. Also there are other brands known to be affordable and does a great job at simple tasks.
So, we’d say that you can get different tools from different brands, depending on which suits your needs the best.
Q3. I am still not convinced. Why would I decap on a single-stage reloading press if I could do everything at once in a progressive turret?
Answer: Mostly because you won’t be using everything on an auto-progressive turret and the setup is not easy. For a beginner, it will take you quite a while because,in an auto-progressive, a lot of things happen at once: decapping, resizing, powder trickling, bullet seating, etc. No press is 100% accurate all the time, which means you must have the eye of an experienced loader to be able to see the flaws.
For example, the primer might not have been seated correctly. It takes only a quick glance for someone who has seen tens of thousands of rounds to know that the primer is too deep or shallow. A beginner might have to take them out and feel each of them be sure.
Using a single-stage press allows you to focus on one task at each time. Sure, it will take some time setting up each die, but this process trains your body and mind to get used to the right depth of die, memorizing the correct shell holder and remember what a correct sizing, primer seating, etc. is.
Besides, a single-stage reloading press is often much cheaper and much easier to set up.
Conclusion
All the single-stage reloading press that we’ve seen today all have similar features. Many of them come from Lee, but don’t let that make you think that everything good comes from one particular brand. Analyze what you will mostly use your single-stage reloading press for as well as your budget.
The affordable ones will be great for simple activities while the ones with heavy-duty construction are great for sizing as well. Don’t forget to check our tips if this is your first time to reload. Have fun!
The Best single stage press is the Forster Co-Ax press. I can’t believe its not on this list. It is the only single stage press that makes perfectly concentric ammo.
There were some reasons why I decided not to include the Forster Co-Ax press in my article. This item has a lot of biased reviews on the internet where people only talk about the good sides of this reloading press, but never mention the negative aspects of this press. I wanted to give a completely unbiased article, and that is my primary reason why I chose not to include the Forster Co-Ax press in my piece.
Many people have bought this press because of the hugely positive word of mouth that the Forster Co-Ax press receives due to its qualities. Many, like you, even say that it is the best type of reloading press out there that is currently available in the market. The price of this reloading press also seems to reinforce that word of mouth. Other than the bullet seating, for some people use an arbor press for, this is the do-it-all press for everyone who decides to buy the Forster Co-Ax. While the primer seater is designed to produce consistent results, it is almost impossible to get the case holder of this reloading press perfectly set up to center the case, with the result that it is constantly clipping the mouth of the primer and leaving 5-8 thou shavings at the bottom of the primer cup. That means the primer site is placed high in the cup and it is pushed further into the pocket than you think.
Also, if you wish to use Redding competition case holders with your FL sizing die, you have to buy an adapter plate, which means you have to shell out an additional 30 bucks plus incur the shipping expenses. Thus, it is a big ask for a little piece of milled steel that you have to buy because they failed in their design to consider that we might just want to use the most popular FL die on the market. It is safe to say that it is not as impressive as some people say about it.
You do not know what you are talking about. Period. At the very least change your title to ‘7 Single Stage Presses For Beginners’. The Forster Co-Ax is better than all of these.
If you are using and can afford the Redding comp case holders then you probably can manage an extra $30 for the adapter plate.
Thank you so much for your suggestion.
I have found that Hornady single stage presses wear out fast they have a great problem with machining mine have become very loose the tolerance is very bad, they do stand behind everything very well and I mean everything not a problem getting things taking care of, or if you have a question, I have found that my 5 stage press is nice but only good for pistol shells , it is not good for rifle shells that you want very accurate. their powder drop tends to give different loads, I called them and they told me to go to a fine powder. that ok ,but if your gun runs better on a noodle type you are out of luck. there is a lot to say about auto progressive reloaders. if you just want to shoot bullets it is ok , but you want accuracy they dont cut it. but their electronic powder feeder is the best i have four scales and that one delivers the same loads each time in feet per second . I am currently looking for new precise single stage press thanks
I thought you should have gave your opinion on Forster co axial’s ability to make more concentric reloads. I would have been interested to hear your opinion on that. And why all the Lee presses? Ironically I have a Breechlock challenger but want a high quality single stage. Although effective, Lee products seem to be cheaply made. I will use it to Decap, prime, trim, pull bullets , crimp. The MEC looks good too. You never addressed alignment either.
Review was practical but had no depth.
I have the Lee Reloading Press Md: 90045, I bought something cheap to see if I really wanted to get into reloading, which by the way I am hooked! But i have to disagree with your statement that it does not accept the Lee Breech Lock Bushings.
I have several of them and use them all the time. They are a great time saver. I am now in the market for another press though. While this was a good entry level press I feel I am lacking in accuracy in the final product that a heavier more substantal press would provide. I plan on keeping this press as a dedicated depriming station though.
Other than that I appreciate your reviews and will take them into consideration when purchasing a new press. If I could only get some reloading company to sponser me as their poster child for learning to reload and provide me with their best equipment o play with and post reviews LOL!!!