Reloading Presses

Types of Ammo Loading Presses and Their Function

More of this Feature • Part 1: Standard Single-Stage Press • Part 3: Progressive Press • Part 4: Hand Press • Loading Course Index

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Back to Page One - Standard Single-Stage Press

This is part of the About Hunting & Shooting online Reloading Course. Check my Ammo Loading Course Index for links to other existing articles, and be sure to bookmark it and check back there from time to time, since I'll be adding more as time goes by.

Turret-head Single-Stage Press
This type of press is very similar to the standard single-stage press, but features a multi-station top turret, with several die stations. This allows you to keep several sets of dies in the press at once, so after sizing & depriming, you can just spin the turret, fine-tune the neck expanding or bullet seating die, and commence with the next operation. Less die adjustment is necessary on expanding and/or seating dies, and sizing dies, if left in the press, will stay properly adjusted indefinitely. And when I have trouble starting a bullet, I can just spin the turret back one notch and flare the case mouth a tad more.

My old faithful Lyman Spar-T turret press, with .44 mag/Special & .45 ACP dies in the turret.
(Photo by Russ Chastain, all rights reserved)

My single-stage press is an older Lyman "Spar-T" press (pictured above), which is no longer made (which is unfortunate, as I need a primer catcher for mine -- let me know if you know where I can get one, Lyman doesn't make them anymore). I much prefer the turret press over the standard, since I load several different calibers. With six die stations, I can have dies for three rifle cartridges, two pistol cartridges, or one rifle & one pistol set in the press at any given time.

Advantages
- Allows two or more sets of dies to be installed in the same press at once
- Allows the use of threaded powder measures in the same press at the same time you're seating bullets (eliminating the need for measure stand)
- Low maintenance - the only additional moving part (compared with a standard press) is the turret
- Moderate cost
- Looks cool

Disadvantages
- Slight misalignment of die & ram common (though that's almost never a problem)
- Costs a tad more than a standard press
- Not quite as strong as a standard press (though I've loaded up to .338 Winchester Magnum using mine, with no problems at all)

Page One - Standard Single-Stage Press
Page Three - Progressive Press
Page Four - Hand Press

Ammo Loading Course Index

Russ Chastain

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