Portable Press

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  • Last Post 02 September 2025
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pat i posted this 04 August 2025

Loading at the range was getting a little tedious to me using a Wilson die and arbor press so I threw this together today. The press itself is a RCBS Partner I had mounted on a Workmate in the garage for lite work. I cut an 8 inch piece of 2x6 and screwed the press to it. I also drilled a couple of holes for my expander and nylon neck brush. Two clamps hold it to a bench or picnic table. I did FL size some 06 brass to see how sturdy it was and had no prob)lem. Since it'll be used for neck sizing and decapping it should last forever and if not it's easy enough to cut and drill another piece of wood. The thing tied to the press is something I picked up off ebay a while ago. Partner presses are notorious for throwing spent primers all over the place when decapping. This thing catches the primers and stores them in the tube coming off the side. I think I'll like this set up

 

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Idahocaster posted this 04 August 2025

How does your expander work?

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pat i posted this 04 August 2025

Tap it with a little hammer

 

 

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Aaron posted this 04 August 2025

Those Tidy Cat buckets are fantastic dry goods storage buckets. I have 12 of them full of dry beans, rice, oatmeal, MREs, and other canned goods.

Press looks good too next to the rendezvous chairs. 😀

With rifle in hand, I confidently go forth into the darkness.

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Tom Acheson posted this 04 August 2025

Is the Partner half way between a Rock Chucker and Junior?

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pat i posted this 04 August 2025

I'm pretty sure the Partner is at the bottom of the RCBS press list. It's an aluminum framed beginner's press, which means light for transport, but seems pretty sturdy. I know it's pretty popular with jacketed benchrest shooters. I was a little worried the arm would be too long and hit the seat of a picnic table so replaced it today with a 7/16-20 x 4 bolt. It still has enough camming action to full length resize 06 brass with no problem.

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Eutectic posted this 04 August 2025

This is a Lyman Accupress. I have it mounted on a small wood block so I can clamp it to a table. It is convertible to up stroke or down stroke operation. On up stroke you can support it with one hand behind the press and FL size 30.06 clamped to a card table. 

It is light and great for range use. At the range I use it for neck sizing and bullet seating. Here it is doing nose first sizing in a LEE die. Unfortunately Lyman discontinued them but they turn up on eBay.

   

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max503 posted this 07 August 2025

I like your expander.  

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SkinnerD posted this 09 August 2025

I have a medium-small workbox setup. In it I have a Lee Hand Held Press, a little Lee Perfect Scales set (couple of round disc rare earth magnets on side opp pointer to fix the slow dampening issue these have), a Redding Powder trickler (nice small format, heavy enough for stability), dies for the caliber of the day, a dial caliper, a Lee Ram Prime, Lee Case Prep tools, a small HDY loading block for x20 cases which is the lid off a lube pad tray, case lube (I prefer Lees) , primers and bullets. Powder carried separately. Plus a few bits and pieces...

I do my range loading at a table in the Club House, usually a weekday with no one else much around. Out of any wind so the scales can be used..I use Lee scoops for initial powder drop then trickle.

The Lee Hand Press I really rate. I work with it seated on my knee. Full length sizing up to 30-06 is not a problem. With one handle on my thigh, left hand places the case while right hand closes the top handle to engage the die, then both hands on the top handle to close the press up against my leg. 20 odd FL sized cases are not a prob and happen reasonably quick. Priming with the Ram Prime gives precision seating and it takes little room in the workbox. Seating bullets is a breeze and very accurate.

The whole setup takes up little room and the box sits on a shelf ready to go. I just need to add dies, Powder, primers, cases, and bullets. And a shell holder if needed. I will sometimes take prepped and primed brass enough to achieve my days goals and just add Powder and bullets as required.

John - New Zealand

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tominct posted this 11 August 2025

 I picked up an Accupress recently, for not at home loading. Supposed to be  a versatile press.

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pat i posted this 24 August 2025

I really thought my portable system was unique until I went to a match at Windhill today. The handsome guy sitting down is Dan Hudson, past CBA President and national champion at least once with his portable Lee press. The other set up is one being shared by Larry and Chad Rickertsen. Larry a past Dir. of Postals and national champion and Chad his son who's no slouch behind a trigger and all around nice guy who competes in both HVY and PBB classes to real good effect. He shot a 200 at last months match.

Anyway I guess this is a pretty common item with shooters who load at the range and I'm not as smart as I thought I was.

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Capt45 posted this 24 August 2025

That second setup looks as rudimentary as anything I've used, except that pwd measure attached to the Craftsman tool box; Harrell's I believe. That's a top of the line measure.

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pat i posted this 24 August 2025

Yes it's a Harrel's Larry uses. I tried using mine but it chokes on the AA#9 I use so use a Redding BR30 instead. Don't hold me to it but I'm thinking Dan uses a Neil Jones. I'm sure if wrong he'll set me straight in short order. I don't know what die they're using, possibly Neil Jones, so maybe they can enlighten me. I think their results are due more to their loading, casting. and wind reading ability than equipment used but having good tools obviously doesn't hurt.

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DanLH posted this 25 August 2025

Pat,

My powder measure isn't marked and I don't remember the maker, I bought it from a jacketed BR shooter who had more than one of them. My neck die is a Neil Jones.

Dan

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OU812 posted this 25 August 2025

With jacketed i've read of chamber neck deminsions being so precise that hand seating (slip fit in fired case neck) of bullet is all that is needed. I think this where brushing case necks comes to play? Maybe cast is much more different...or is it.

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OU812 posted this 25 August 2025

Maybe size the bullet bands large enough to be seated easily inside your fired case. What are your fired case inside neck deminsions.

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pat i posted this 25 August 2025

Think you're on the wrong channel Keith

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Bud Hyett posted this 25 August 2025

For the .22 Hornet with either jacketed or cast, I could not get any semblance of accuracy until I bought a Bonanza Benchrest Seating die. Then magic happened. 

Farm boy from Illinois, living in the magical Pacific Northwest

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OU812 posted this 25 August 2025

Pick only 6 or 7 good cases and reload these during testing. Im trying to figure out how to leave press at home?

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pat i posted this 25 August 2025

Pick only 6 or 7 good cases and reload these during testing. Im trying to figure out how to leave press at home?

Now I know what you meant above. My mistake. Only way I'd figure out how to leave the press at home and use 6 or seven good cases is load them at home and only shoot 6 or seven shots or turn them for an interference fit hoping your chamber and throat were square where you could possibly seat the bullet without neck sizing. With all the other crap I do to shoot these things dragging a press along to the range is the least of my problems.

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barra posted this 02 September 2025

Maybe size the bullet bands large enough to be seated easily inside your fired case. What are your fired case inside neck deminsions.

This is what I try and achieve,as cast finger seated.
Then an adjustable powder scoop is  all you need.
A long nail and a rod to de re- prime a shell holder and a stick to whacked ‘em with.
a cup of powder and packet of primers. 
 And a small tin to finger lube your bullets.
what more could a black heart want.
If you have trouble achieving that then a cut off stick in a fired case to seat the bullet then follow up with a case of powder.
I haven’t achieved Navara yet as I take 30 kilo’s of junk along with me.
I have heard that cast bullet shooting will save you money and is cheap shooting. Ha hahaha

 

 

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