rcbs rock chucker. good press ??

[shane32]

In need of a good single stage press to add to the reloading bench. Is the rcbs worth the extra money vs a lee classic cast..? Your input is much appreciated.

[SVTCobra306]

It's as solid as they come without being a .50 BMG press

[Reloader2]

I've gotten by for years with a cheaper Rcbs press but if I were to buy a single stage press now, the Rock Chucker would be the one I'd want.

[Nick_C_S]

Is the Rock Chucker a good press?

It's an RCBS; so yes. Of course it is.

Next thread please

[thekyrifleman]

Had mine for more than 45 years....loaded thousands of rounds....good as the day I bought it.....RCBS...Nuff said...

[jepp2]

I've had and used my RCBS Rock Chucker since the mid 60's. It isn't a good press, it is a great press.

Since I haven't used the Lee, I can't judge if it is a much better press or not. But in general I have had excellent success with Lee products.

[Shane Tuttle]

I've used both and prefer RCBS' Rock Chucker. I firmly believe the Lee will do just fine for the casual reloader as it did for me for tens of thousands of rounds. If you're on a tight budget, get the Lee. RCBS is a step up in overall quality/fit/finish.

[reynolds357]

Rock Chucker and Orange Crusher are my favorite presses.

[hoghunting]

If you're on a tight budget, get the Lee. RCBS is a step up in overall quality/fit/finish

I agree with Shane, if you can afford the RCBS, by all means get it as it will outlast you. Mine has cranked out thousands upon thousands of pistol and rifle rounds and it still just as tight and accurate as when it was new.

[TimSr]

Rock Chucker, Lyman's Orange Crush, or Hornady 007 all heavy duty single stage and will last forever. I bought the Hornady in 1986 because it cost less than RCBS at the time, and am still using it.

[bedbugbilly]

You don't state what all you want to do with it but from what i've seen, it's a great press. And RCBS offers great customer service as do other makers.

I have a RCBS Jr3 which is the forerunner of the RC. I use it for small batch loading as well as de-priming and sizing. I usually load on my Lee 4 hole turret.

I don't know what the RC's run now but you might consider looking for an older single stage such as the Jr3 or Jr2, Pacific, Lyman, etc. - they all are heavy duty and will do the job . . . and outlast you and your grandchildren. I like the Jr3 well enough that I picked up a second one to take to my place in AZ so I can have the same set-up I do here. I paid around $50 for each of them. You might check flea bay as there are usually some nice older heavy duty presses on there - RCBS, Lyman, Pacific, etc.

[reloader28]

There is a definite difference between the RC1, RC2 and RC supreme.
As far as I'm concerned, the RC supreme is junk. Just seems chinsy and has a different feel to it.

[swmike]

The Rockchucker has pretty much become the "Standard" that all other single stage presses are judged by.

Even if one has a "super duper top of the line" progressive press, a Rock Chucker is almost always sharing bench space.

I just purchased an RCBS Summit as it fit my desires better than the RC but the RC is NOT for sale. When I have some cases to form or some really tough cases to size, out it's coming.

[jaguarxk120]

The only press better that a RockChucker is the RCBS model A2 and they don't make it any more.

If you get the Rockchucker you will never wonder if there is a better press out there.

[kerreckt]

If you're on a tight budget, get the Lee. RCBS is a step up in overall quality/fit/finish

.
I own both and disagree. I have no reason from my experiences to believe the quality or fit is any better. It may and I stress may have a bit better finish. A better paint job. You decide if that is worth $50+/- more.

[hdbiker]

A friend and I ordered two Rock Chucker reloading kits from Gradys Wholesale Sports by mail back in 1972. 42.00 dollars each and they included one set of RCBS dies and a shell holder. By ordering two we got free shiping. My set was for .308 Win and his was for 30-06.Shooting being my hobby since high school (I'm 69 now ) ,I coulden't even begin to guess how many loads I've built since then without a single problem with that press. I have taken it apart for cleaning and lube a couple times, that's all. RCBS =OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS

[WESHOOT2]

The RCBS presses are ALL good.

But I bought a Lyman Crusher II

[buck460XVR]

I have no reason from my experiences to believe the quality or fit is any better. It may and I stress may have a bit better finish. A better paint job. You decide if that is worth $50+/- more.

It's about more than a paint job.

To many the difference between a lifetime and a two year warranty is worth a little extra also.

[WESHOOT2]

I also have a CoAx and a XL650.
And two broken LEE presses.

[kerreckt]

I stand by what I said in post #15. I have had both the Lee Classic cast iron and a Rockchucker for 15 years or more. I have used them both equally to resize 30.06, .308 and .243. My two sons and I target shoot and hunt so they have gotten a lot of use over the years. I honestly can't say that one is any better than the other. I have had no problems with either of them. I also have two JR3 presses that are set up with micrometer seater dies. They too, have been flawless. I understand that some people have brand loyalty but I don't and am just sharing my experiences with these presses. I think they both are excellent tools.

[Greg Mercurio]

I have Dillon(2), Lee(1), RCBS(3). If you want a simple test, take a die with you to the store, screw it into the press on both. Please tell us if you can't tell the difference in fit between the die and the press in each of the 2 presses. One is snug which will assure good alignment with the ram, one is not so snug and will guarantee some amount of misalignment.

There is nothing "wrong" with Lee presses. They are built for a market segment, for a price point, and for people who reload casually. They fill that set of parameters well, and better than most of the rest.

My RCBS Jr. has made 100's of thousands of rounds. It's still a part of he lineup, and still makes excellent ammunition. I added the Rockchucker when I got into the really big boomers that are inconvenient to load in the smaller window of the Jr. Still can be done, but not so well. Also the compound linkage of the Rockchucker makes sizing .416 Rigby cases a breeze. I also added a Partner press to make quick work of handgun cartridge load development. I use the Lee primarily for .223 case prep with a universal decapper, and for swaging with their lube/swage kits. It's great at that and I don't worry at all about how well the die is aligned in to the ram.

It's really all about you and your needs. If you load a few hundred rounds a year, the Lee may be a great fit. If you're going into more volume, then the RCBS is a lifetime purchase. My opinion based on 40 years of reloading. YMMV.

Good luck.

[iraiam]

If you need a single stage press, the Rockchucker is one of the best there is IMO. I don't use mine for pistol much any more, but I still use it for loading many rifle cartridges, 30-06, 270. etc..

As far as the Lee presses, I guess all I can say is that I have owned 2 of them; a single stage and progressive, I don't own either of them anymore.

[totaldla]

No, the RockChucker isn't a good single-stage press. The Lee Classic Turret is better and cheaper.

[Sid]

The Rockchucker is not a good press and is way overpriced. The spent primer collector does not work and I had them all over the floor. I finally got rid of it and replaced it with a Lee Classic Turret press and never regretted it. The spent primers go down and collect in a plastic tube and there is no more nonsense with this.

[Clark]

I have had a rockchucker for 15 years and do not use it any more.... maybe once a year.

At my desk right now, I am using a Lee Reloader press clamped to the desk while I do internet and TV on my monitor. I am de capping 500 once fired cases that arrived today.

I have two RCBS reloader presses mounted in my vehicle.

I have two co-ax presses mounted side by side in my reloading room.

All my other presses, including the rockchucker, are gathering dust.