Once you have the 2 1/2" shells, you can load the wads by hand. The press is just easier for de-priming and re-priming.
A press really isn't necessary for this. The Lee hand dies showed this, for both rifle and shotshells.

With the roll crimper, the only thing a press would do, is to size the base, which might not be necessary at all.

Too, there are or were solid plastic cases of some brand which I do not remember, that didn't even have a
brass base. I suppose with modern
compression formed cases without a separate base wad, ie: all plastic, that the brass base isn't need to hold everything
together and the brass base just gives a stronger ejection rim, which would be necessary for higher pressure loads.
Star crimps, as lancaster notes, are only for cases 2 3/4' or longer due to taking up a full 1/4" of the case length.