UPGRADED: Area 419 ZERO Press Gen 2

We’ve done a lot with Area 419’s ZERO press and even shown how it’s made. Area 419 has just released an updated Gen 2 ZERO press – let’s check it out!

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About the Area 419 ZERO Press Gen 2

Ultimate Reloader published one of the first videos covering the original Area 419 ZERO press in extreme detail. Most of this video still applies to the Gen 2.

The most obvious difference between the presses is the grooved finish on Gen 2 in contrast with the smooth exterior of Gen 1.

From Area 419:

In April of 2020, we released the ZERO. It was a product that changed the reloading space, raising the bar for quality, precision, and overall altering the expectation of what a premium reloading tool should look, feel and act like. It was our largest project ever, an item that the internet told us would never sell, and a major gamble for Area 419.

Now, after many thousands of presses sold, to all corners of the earth, to shooters of all types and disciplines, it’s time for the second generation.

This is a generational update, taking all the things we have learned about how consumers are using the press, how we make them, and what is possible for a reloading press, while keeping as many compatibility features with the Gen 1 as possible.

The ZERO Gen 2 features the following changes from Gen 1

- A FIRMER LINKAGE: The Gen 1 was built around the idea of seating your shellholder to the bottom of your die. While we still consider that the best way to size brass, customers asked for a firmer bottom of the stroke so they could cam-over and float the shellholder below a die. Done.
- A SMOOTHER STROKE: The ZERO, since day 1, has been the smoothest press on the market. After thousands of presses, however, we have found ways to make each stroke even smoother on every press, starting with the first strokes. This improvement is subtle, but very real, and one that both new owners and longtime ZERO owners will appreciate.
- CREATURE COMFORTS: By doing small things, like adding a detent to the primer tray, and a torque tool storage slot to the side of the press, we continue to move forward with our commitment to ergonomics at the bench.
- FULL GEN 1 ACCESSORY COMPATIBILITY: Making this update was important to us, but we didn’t want to make it and leave existing customers in the cold. You will be able to use your same press stands, storage trays, shellholders, turrets (you may need to check your die adjustment, due to the linkage change), and other ZERO Accessories with no issues.

The ZERO remains the pinnacle of precision reloading presses, manufactured in Ohio, from American raw materials, by American workers.

The core of the movement is a custom machined PTFE lined bearing, guiding the precision ground and polished ram with exceptionally high repeatability and low friction. Each press is hand measured and fitted, mating the ram and the bearing, ensuring the most precise ram stroke on the market – ZERO doubt about that. The linkage system will also glide on bearings and custom hardware which will allow us to assemble the system with near-ZERO slop. The operation of the oversized ram, with the .75″ steel arm and ZERO-friction knob will be unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.

The turret system retains the original design, and is secured using a, over-sized, custom-made ZERO-point pull-stud, and the turret will be located using an oversized ball-detent system. Changing the position of the turret from one die to another will require only a turn of a (supplied) t-handle. When indexing the turret, repeatability variance of the system will be less than .0005″.

The opening in the press will allow for sizing and seating of cases up to 338LM, and will accept standard 7/8″ dies and standard shellholders (we prefer the Redding). The press CAN be used for Cheytac-class reloading, but may (depending on your die setup and bullet length) require you to “scoop” the bullet into the seating die and down into the case before seating.

We have designed a decapping/primer-catch system into the body of the press, eliminating goofy surgical hoses and baby food-like jars. A simple detent retained slide-out tray will make this mundane process smooth, simple, and unobtrusive.

We will ship all presses with a standard bolt-down plate, but will also have available Inline Fabrication plates or press stands from Big Dog Steel for the system that will mount seamlessly.

Read this and still ready to ask what it does that your vintage single stage doesn’t? Bullet point time, strap in.

- The zero-slop turret head allows you to change between dies, eliminating the variability induced when removing and resetting dies
- The turret head allows the press to work with multiple die-attachments (7/8 thread currently, 1-1/4 thread, and future unreleased stuff) without goofy thread-stacking adapters
- The available ram-stroke here is 4.4″, allowing you to use it on significantly large cases
- Total opening of 4.75″, with no unnecessary shellholder protrusion at the bottom of the stroke
- The extended ram position will be more repeatable than any ram-style press on the market
- More efficient energy transfer from handle to ram via bearing-guided motion throughout the system
- Adjustable/interchangeable handle setup for maximizing leverage/feel based on operation
- Internally contained primer-catch system, eliminating baby food jars and surgical hoses hanging from your press
- Made in America, from American materials

What’s in the Box

The press body comes securely boxed in foam with a ZERO logo cut into the lid.

I still have my original “artwork” from my first ZERO press in the shop.

Area 419 includes a quick start guide with a QR code linking an instructional video.

Also in the box is the press handle with spinning knob, mounting plate and hardware, primer catch tray, torque limiting T-handle, and stickers.

Set-Up and Loading

My future plan is to mount both the original and Gen II ZERO presses directly to my bench, but for now I’m using a dedicated InLine Fabrication Ultramount.

Using the included key, I attached the handle to the press and tested it.

Content with this, I moved on to the new detent for the primer tray and stowed the torque limiter wrench in its new dedicated on-press location.

I decided to load some .223 for my .223 Trainer with Sierra’s 77 Grain HPBT MatchKing and Varget.

I started with 23.0 grains loaded to 2.350” overall length.

I came to this number after finding the lands using loctite and a previously-fired case. I took this number and subtracted approximately 0.020” to account for the proper jump.

The ZERO press come with a toohead for ⅞” dies like the Area 419 S-Series. These dies have optimized chamber geometry for sizing and come securely packaged in a hard case.

Getting a hybrid turret head allows use of 1 ¼” dies like the Area 419 M-Series.

The first step was to insert a .223 shellholder. The ZERO press has a unique system for this including a horseshoe that slips behind the shellholder and lock ring that holds it down from the top.

With the ram at the top of the press, I screwed in the S-Series sizing die until it contacted the shellholder, then backed it off and tightened the lock ring with the included wrench.

I used a fired and deprimed .223 case to get a proper base to datum measurement, zeroed the calipers, and continued to take measurements after running the case through the die.

This was trial and error until I achieved a shoulder bump of 0.001” to 0.002”.

Once the die was properly set, I lubed and sized all cases, removing any excess lube before priming on the Primal Rights Competition Primer Seater.

Next I separated the cases into rows of five so I could test differing charge weights, starting at 23.0 grains of Varget up to 24.5 grains in 0.5 grain increments. (24.5 grains is over maximum, so do NOT try this at home.)

I dispensed each on the RCBS ChargeMaster Link, using the Area 419 Powder Funnel Master Kit to fill the cases.

I used the T-handle wrench to rotate the turret to station 2 and installed a Forster ultra seating die.

Though subtle, I could immediately tell a difference in the ram.

There was a bit less friction compared to Gen 1.

Seating Sierra 77 Gr. MatchKings on the Area 419 ZERO Press Gen 2

Results

I set up on the 100-yard range with a chronograph, Longshot Target Camera, and benchrest.

As always, the .223 trainer performed incredibly well. I tested four different charge weights, all with Sierra 77 Grain MatchKing bullets in Lapua cases, shooting five-shot groups.