30.06 Press

[Wannabe Alchemist]

I want to start reloading 30.06 for my M1. What press would y'all recommend for it?

 

[mike8170]

Any single stage press will work, nothing fancy needed.

 

[Mark 1911]

You might start a feud with a question like that. But I am very happy with my RCBS progressive press. I use a combination of an RCBS press with Redding dies, gives great results.

 

[red_zr24x4]

Never had an issue using the RCBS single stage for 30-06 and 308. If your just starting to reload I would advise against a progressive, there's a lot going on you'll need to watch, best to get the hang of it on a single stage first.

 

[Leo]

ok, I'll play, the Redding Boss press is what I use to load 30-06.

 

[Broom_jm]

This isn't really a question about what press you need for reloading a certain cartridge, it's a question about how many of those rounds you plan to reload in a given time frame. Even though the M1 is a semi-auto, most folks aren't putting hundreds of rounds through it every weekend, so a quality single-stage press is probably the way to go. At the same time, this isn't a precision bolt-action rifle for bench-rest shooting, so that virtue of a single-stage press is not indicated.

In other words, this is the same old discussion, with a different cartridge. If you're wanting to load lots of it, get a progressive; if you're wanting to load a relatively modest amount, a single-stage will be fine; anything in-between would suggest a Lee Classic Turret, or similar press.

 

[senork]

Like others have mentioned, it may depend upon how many rounds you intend to reload at a time. If you are going to look into the single stage press, I would suggest that you get something sturdy, like a RCBS or a Hornady. I use a Dillon 550 because I have limited space and previous reloading experience, I use it to reload 30.06, as well as other pistol calibers, it works very well for me.

 

[davedolli]

I have reloaded many .30-06 rounds for my Garand and FN 49 using a RCBS Rock Chucker press and 60 year old Pacific dies with great results.

Dave

 

[Wannabe Alchemist]

To clarify, I wanted model suggestions based on experience, and should have stated that I would probably be around 100 reloads a month, so a single stage wouldn't be bad. I had already purchased a Lee 4 turret. Didn't realize until I got it set up that it won't do 30.06 if you use the auto-index. I may stick with it for now though and simply use it as a single stage.

 

[netsecurity]

To clarify, I wanted model suggestions based on experience, and should have stated that I would probably be around 100 reloads a month, so a single stage wouldn't be bad. I had already purchased a Lee 4 turret. Didn't realize until I got it set up that it won't do 30.06 if you use the auto-index. I may stick with it for now though and simply use it as a single stage.

It won't auto index with 30-06 really? I didn't know that. No big deal though, because you just turn the turret by hand, which is easy. It is still a LOT better than a traditional single stage press IMO, because you don't have to unscrew the dies, and you can change calibers so easily.

I had a Lee Classic hand loader for 30-06, because I only shoot 100 per year, and I thought that was fine. But after spending a couple hours last weekend working way to hard (two hours) on just thirty rounds, I gave in and bought some dies for my turret.

You can't go wrong with the turret! Unless you do a thousand rounds a month, you'll probably never need more. And I don't believe there is anything available that is better for lower quantities than 100 a month either. At the price, it is just a total winner. Until a new press design comes out, I will continue to recommend the Lee Classic Turret for almost everyone besides the highest quantity reloaders.

PS - Did you get the 30-06 Deluxe Die Set? It includes a neck sizing / full sizing die. Or you can just by the neck sizing die separate. I don't shoot competition, so I probably don't really need the neck sizing die, but it sounds like you may.

 

[Broom_jm]

If you've got the Lee Classic Turret (cast iron), you certainly don't need to buy another press to reload 30-'06. Just use it as a single-stage and rotate the tool head, as needed. It's a little bit faster than single stage press and should do a good job.

 

[Wannabe Alchemist]

With 30.06 the case won't clear the die as the turret turns. It will, however, if you use it as single stage (As noted by Broom_jm). I did purchase the Lee deluxe die set. The more I play with it, the more I like it...but it was a disappointment at first.

 

[kludge]

To clarify, I wanted model suggestions based on experience, and should have stated that I would probably be around 100 reloads a month, so a single stage wouldn't be bad. I had already purchased a Lee 4 turret. Didn't realize until I got it set up that it won't do 30.06 if you use the auto-index. I may stick with it for now though and simply use it as a single stage.

Definitely stick with it!!! Get the rifle charging die and a Lee funnel and charge them by hand. This works in Auto index mode, you just have to pause and do a separate hand operation to pour in the powder. The .30-06 case is too big to charge with the AutoDisk, even with the double disk kit.

Or pull out the auto index rod and load your rifle cases by "batch loading", which is what I do.

With 30.06 the case won't clear the die as the turret turns. It will, however, if you use it as single stage (As noted by Broom_jm). I did purchase the Lee deluxe die set. The more I play with it, the more I like it...but it was a disappointment at first.

Do you mean it doesn't clear the Safety Prime? There is a "AutoDisk Riser" that you can use. http://leeprecision.com/auto-disk-riser.html

Or are you saying the top of the .30-06 case hits the bottom of the die when the turret turns?

 

[netsecurity]

I just ordered the Lee universal powder through die to use on both 223 and 30-06. It hasn't arrived yet, but I expect it to work. All I should have to do is raise the ram until the case touches the bottom of the die, and then pour powder through a funnel sitting on top of it.

I also want to try the Hornady Case Activated Powder Drop for rifle cases. It is automatic like the auto disk, but uses a Hornady or Uniflow powder measure. I guess I'll let you know how it plays out. Anyone else used this?

 

[rw496]

strive for the most accurate loads possible...single stage...beam scale each load...measure length to the ogive..and so on and so forth. You can really make yourself as crazy as you want depending on how anal your personality is, how much you want to spend, and how long you want to take per round

 

[netsecurity]

I was just reading that asides from neck sizing, one of the next best things you can do for accuracy improvement is to debur the flash hole. I'd like to try stuff like that sometime and see how much it helps (my 30-06 is already 1moa with factory narrel/bullets), but I need to move to the country or join a gun club first. It's just hard to appreciate when I only shoot it twice a year.

 

[kludge]

Perfecting your load for your barrel and neck sizing will pay back dividends more reliably than deburring and uniforming flash holes. Most shooters are unlikely to see the difference.

I would trim and sort new brass by weight long before I would worry about flash holes.

 

[Wannabe Alchemist]

And the Lee frustration continues...
I was de-priming some cases (30.06) with the auto-index disengaged, using the Lee Collet Neck Sizer, adjusted as per Lee's instructions as best as I can tell. It doesn't size the necks! some were clearly out of round before de-priming/neck sizing...with no change in the neck afterward. What's up with that???

 

[red_zr24x4]

And the Lee frustration continues...
I was de-priming some cases (30.06) with the auto-index disengaged, using the Lee Collet Neck Sizer, adjusted as per Lee's instructions as best as I can tell. It doesn't size the necks! some were clearly out of round before de-priming/neck sizing...with no change in the neck afterward. What's up with that???

Are all your '06 brass from the same gun? will you be shooting it all in the same gun? Neck sizing is great if you only have one gun in that caliber and don't plan on letting anyone use your ammo in their gun.
everything I've read says if its a bolt gun neck size away but for anything auto to full length size.

As for the neck sizing die setup, make sure the mandrel is in the die. almost sounds like either the mandrel is missing or the die isn't in far enough.