[bruceissippi]

Natchez Shooter Supply is advertising these - they look a lot like the Lee equipment to me, but are priced even below Lee.
If these are good quality, these will be a bargain - anyone have any experience with the brand ?

 

[StretchNM]

A google search leads to www.smartreloadermfg.com. It looks like the distributor company (Helvetica Trading) is from Switzerland, but I haven;t found yet where the SmartReloader products are made.

The press here looks exactly like a light-duty Lee Classic Cast.http://www.smartreloadermfg.com/products/reloadingpresses.html

 

[BradB]

I played with one of those presses at the store one day, the biggest complaint I have is the ram to frame fit is verrrrry looooose, it's like a free-floating ram. I.M.O. if you want a inexspensive press buy a lee challenger.

 

[mikld]

I tried to order the "C" type, but the shipping was more than the price of the press! Press $13, shipping $17.

 

[scott0116]

Everything i have heard about them is bad. As has been stated the ram is sloppy in the bore. The stuff is made in China if you were wondering.

 

[bruceissippi]

ok - talked me out of it

I'll just stay with the Green stuff I already use - the partner does all I ever needed until lately. Now I have to un-box the Ammo-Master and get it a spot on the bench so I can re-stuff some 50 BMG

 

[GunRotten]

Absolute Junk

I made a mistake and got one of these on ebay. I sent it back yesterday. Hey, I'm used to my RockChucker. I realize now the quality of the RCBS stuff. And absolute junk of this particular Chinese.

 

[ranger335v]

" As has been stated the ram is sloppy in the bore."

Actually, a tightly fitted ram is over-rated for high quality ammo. The press cannot force a case to enter a die straight but, if the press is out of line at all, it can force it in off center and bend the case a tad. I understand that some BR shooters are lathe turning the rams down a few thou on some small presses and using them for their FL resizing work.

I still have my first press, from '65, and the ram is quite worn. But, using the same dies and cases, the ammo loaded on it is fully as straight as that made with my newer RC with a very tight ram.

If I needed another small press, especially for special purpose work, I'd sure try one of the Smart Reloader types.

 

[Marshal Kane]

. . . the biggest complaint I have is the ram to frame fit is verrrrry looooose, it's like a free-floating ram. . .

Thanks for the warning. I already have some play in my shellholders. This is another example of what happens when we outsource our manufacturing. I'm going to pass on this press.

 

[MikeG]

I'll agree that the play is of much less significance (unless it is so sloppy that the ram can tip). One of my presses (U.S. made, too) has misalignment between the ram and the hole that the dies screw into. However, the tolerance in the shellholders lets the case align with the dies to permit them to be sized correctly and square with the head. I have a few die sets that will resize cases with perfect neck runout. Most end up around 0.002" or so which is fine for hunting ammo. But one of them will go to near-perfect runout so to me that proves that some tolerance in letting the case float a bit on top of the shellholder and self-align with the die is a good thing.

If the shellholder wasn't square with the axis of the die body, now that would be trouble.

 

[BradB]

I may be all washed up but I believe the floating of the brass should be within the shell holder not the press ram. If .010-.015 clearance between ram and frame is desireable then the press manufacturers could save alot of money and time by not even machining the hole in the frame, just use it as cast. The machining they do has a corncob finish anyhow so I doubt the as cast finish would hurt anything. As a toolmaker it always amazes what kind of crap is sold to consumers that is claimed to be "precision". It may be as good as it NEEDS to be but some of it is sure scary.

 

[HardBall]

Given the option, I'll spend my money on stuff made here in the U.S. Far too often, we don't get this option and with so many things being made in China, I really don't want our gun and reloading equipment manufacturers out-sourcing to China as well. So, for me, I won't buy any reloading equipment that's made in China.

 

[Rocky Raab]

I'm testing their digital powder dispenser right now. It was designed in Italy, made in China, and marketed by a Swiss company for distribution in the US. Whew.

So far, it works fine - if you can decipher the instructions.

 

[Marshal Kane]

I'm testing their digital powder dispenser right now. It was designed in Italy, made in China, and marketed by a Swiss company for distribution in the US. Whew.

So far, it works fine - if you can decipher the instructions.

It's easy Rocky, you just read top to bottom and right to left . . .

 

[Rocky Raab]

Nope. They aren't in Chinglish, but rather in Itanglish. I find that if I hold the sheet with my right hand and wave my left hand with fingers and thumb touching upward, it makes sense. If I shout them aloud, it's better yet. LOL!

 

[mikld]

I got the small one. So far I have only found one use (reloading-wise) for it; sizing cast bullets with a Lee push through die. Nothing like any Lee product (except it's a "C" style press). Yes there is considerable slop in the ram/frame fitting, and it does affect some operations. I tried to use a ram prime on it but the slop allowed the prime rod w/primer to hit the case head, had to guide every primer into place (I've used a ram prime flawlessly for several years). I tried to size/deprime some 38 Special brass, but there wasn't enough leverage to do the job. I definately would not reccommend this product to a new reloader 'cause the difficulty using it would prolly turn anybody off reloading. For experienced reloaders, they prolly wouldn't bother with the crude press. I've been thinking of bushing the ram (ream the ram bore and install a flanged bushing) since I alredy have it and it would be somthing to do on a rainy day. If you don't have an RCBS or Forster budget get Lee equpment...

I actually bought it from Amazon.con. Cheaper and less for shipping too.

 

[Rocky Raab]

Posting back about their digital powder dispenser.

Well, the instructions are not only difficult to interpret, but they had to include a supplemental sheet - and IT leaves out two critical steps!

Once I found the missing info, I got the machine to work quite well. The factory default settings are agonizingly slow. Some charges took over a minute and a half to dispense! But after I learned to tweak the settings (via that supplemental sheet), the machine averages about 15 seconds to dispense even 50 grains of 4064 and be accurate to a tenth of a grain. Impressive!

 

[daboone]

I'm testing their digital powder dispenser right now. It was designed in Italy, made in China, ........

I purchased one from Graf & Sons when they offered them. It was IMO extremely slow and measurements were not reliably repeatable. I call G&S about returning it and they said do not bother and no joke just refunded my money. The lady said they were dropping the line do to so many complaints.