The Firing Line Forums

Go Back   The Firing Line Forums > The Skunkworks > Handloading, Reloading, and Bullet Casting

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old December 23, 2015, 09:08 PM   #1
Texas Southpaw
Junior Member
 
Join Date: December 10, 2015
Posts: 3
RCBS pardner kit opinions?

Hey guys, I saw a RCBS pardner kit ( RCBS #87469) at my local big box store on clearance for $140. I'm new to reloading and was wondering if it was worth picking up? I know I need dies, powder, etc but I was wondering if that's a reasonable price for that kit. I shoot approximately 2 times a month and would only be reloading for .308 maybe 500 rounds a year maximum. Thoughts? Thanks
Texas Southpaw is offline  
Old December 23, 2015, 10:15 PM   #2
condor bravo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 23, 2014
Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA
Posts: 1,753
With the Partner kit you are lacking, I believe, a powder measure, meaning you would be weighing each charge but maybe that would be your preference anyway. There's always that argument between weighing and measuring. Does weighing make that much difference in overall accuracy? No doubt most will say yes it does. But back to a kit and considering an RCBS, probably many would prefer you to upgrade to something like the Rock Chucker Supreme but of course that more than doubles the price of the Partner kit. But I'm not aware if the Rock Chucker press is that much of an advantage over the Partner press except that my guess is that the Partner press comes with an aluminum frame while the Rock Chucker is the heavier and more preferable cast iron, giving the appearance of being more solid. I would select the Rock Chucker. It also seems that the Partner press has 3.75" ram clearance while the Rock Chucker has a better 4.0" clearance. But the Partner kit will get you going and at the right price. And of course there are other kits out there as others will suggest.
__________________
Ouch, the dreaded "M-1 thumb", you just know it will happen eventually, so why not do it now and get it over with??

Last edited by condor bravo; December 23, 2015 at 11:11 PM.
condor bravo is offline  
Old December 23, 2015, 10:29 PM   #3
4runnerman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 16, 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,577
That was the kit i started with. I still have it, actually after many years it broke. I had a match that weekend and could not wait for RCBS to send me a free replacement, so I got the Rock Chucker to.
__________________
NRA Certified RSO
NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional
4runnerman is offline  
Old December 23, 2015, 11:38 PM   #4
Texas Southpaw
Junior Member
 
Join Date: December 10, 2015
Posts: 3
Thanks for the input guys, I appreciate it. Buying gifts for everyone I know so I thought I might get one myself. I'll keep searching yard and estate sales for something more substantial. The store had 4 kits so I don't think they will sell out anytime soon, might pick it up in a while if it's all I can get.
Texas Southpaw is offline  
Old December 24, 2015, 01:02 AM   #5
rg1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: November 6, 2001
Posts: 1,125
I know some use the RCBS Partner press but I had one and do not recommend it. It's a light duty cast aluminum press. While it will reload both rifle and pistol it doesn't have the feel and smoothness of a larger press such as the Rock Chucker and others. After having used a RCBS Big Max and Rock Chucker when I added the Partner it felt like a toy.
rg1 is offline  
Old December 24, 2015, 06:57 AM   #6
F. Guffey
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 18, 2008
Posts: 7,249
I have one, and that is about it. I do not use it. There are many task the Partner will handle, problem; I do not know which task the Partner will not (handle). I know it will not size a 300 Win Mag case that has been fired from an ugly chamber.

F. Guffey
F. Guffey is offline  
Old December 24, 2015, 10:19 AM   #7
condor bravo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 23, 2014
Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA
Posts: 1,753
I guess we are all saying to try to stretch your budget if you can. Always best to go with the better tool. Avoid the light weight aluminum frame presses. Even loading the .308s, especially with military brass should you be using it, would be much more preferable with a heavier press. The 3.75" ram clearance with the Partner is OK but later you may be wanting to jump to a longer mag cartridge, better suited to the 4.0" clearance. Note that two common items are missing from kits, a case neck trimming tool and a swager or reamer for removing primer pocket crimps from military brass.
__________________
Ouch, the dreaded "M-1 thumb", you just know it will happen eventually, so why not do it now and get it over with??

Last edited by condor bravo; December 24, 2015 at 11:11 AM.
condor bravo is offline  
Old December 24, 2015, 04:46 PM   #8
Texas Southpaw
Junior Member
 
Join Date: December 10, 2015
Posts: 3
Thanks again for all the help. I'm new to the world of handloading so I appreciate any info. I've got enough store bought rounds to last me for a while so no real rush. I agree Condor & rg1, I would probably end up buying something more substantial in a year or so and leave the pardner to collect dust. Buy once, cry once. Or more likely buy once, get addicted to it and continually buy related items for years haha.
Texas Southpaw is offline  
Old December 24, 2015, 09:49 PM   #9
4runnerman
Senior Member
 
Join Date: January 16, 2010
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 3,577
Condor- What can't you load with a partner press?. Other then 50 cal. I loaded 30-06 and 270 with mine for years. The cast frame did eventually break, but that was after many years of selling brass. I bet that thing did well over 500,000 rounds before it broke. The only reason I jumped to a Rock chcker was because the day it broke I had a match that weekend and could not wait for RCBS to send me a new one ( which they did for free). RCBS Warranty is second to none.
I never had a problem sizing military 223 or 308 brass.
I still stay with a single stage press. The only thing it does is size and seat. all other steps are done by hand at the Kitchen table. I load for 9 rifles and one pistol.
__________________
NRA Certified RSO
NwCP- Performance Isn't Optional
4runnerman is offline  
Old December 25, 2015, 02:20 AM   #10
condor bravo
Senior Member
 
Join Date: August 23, 2014
Location: Nevada/Ariz/CA
Posts: 1,753
I have not used a Partner but my preference would not be a light weight aluminum press. I'll concede that they should be able to handle almost anything, otherwise they could hardly remain on the market. But as you and others have reported, they break, have resizing difficulties, or feel like toys. For single stage, I use two of the massive Herter's Model 3 presses so rarely have difficulty with anything. The only problem has been with the four Rem Ultra Mag calibers. With the .300 in particular, probably due to an under sized sizer die, almost stuck a case. But with a rare stroke of genius, or just plain luck, was able to extract the case without ripping off the rim. Otherwise all larger mag cases size and extract like a breeze. If only still available, everyone should have a Herter's Model 3 press. But they are a bit much for just handgun loading.
__________________
Ouch, the dreaded "M-1 thumb", you just know it will happen eventually, so why not do it now and get it over with??
condor bravo is offline  
Old December 27, 2015, 01:23 AM   #11
JDBark1952
Junior Member
 
Join Date: November 18, 2013
Posts: 5
People have been using those aluminum LEE loaders for years, this is a competitor to that and I bet it works as well.

My experience has been with RCBS Junior presses, they are work horses. Now have a PRO 2000 Kind of drank the green cool aid.
JDBark1952 is offline  
Old December 27, 2015, 01:33 AM   #12
Clark
Senior Member
 
Join Date: December 4, 1999
Location: WA, the ever blue state
Posts: 4,678

I love Partner presses, but I hate kits.
__________________
The word 'forum" does not mean "not criticizing books."
"Ad hominem fallacy" is not the same as point by point criticism of books. If you bought the book, and believe it all, it may FEEL like an ad hominem attack, but you might strive to accept other points of view may exist.
Are we a nation of competing ideas, or a nation of forced conformity of thought?
Clark is offline  
Old December 27, 2015, 11:22 AM   #13
emcon5
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 10, 1999
Location: High Desert NV
Posts: 2,850
If you are going to get a Kit, I would consider the Rock Chucker version, Cabela's has it on sale right now for $269, with $5 shipping (see promo code in the fine print)

http://www.cabelas.com/product/rcbs-...it/1324071.uts

Plus there is a $50 rebate, If you get a set of RCBS dies to get it over $300, you get $50 back by mail.

The extra $120 gets you a better press, plus the powder measure and priming tool.

I ended up buying essentially this kit, piece by piece over the years, and paid quite a bit more for it.
emcon5 is offline  
Old December 27, 2015, 09:16 PM   #14
Bucksnort1
Senior Member
 
Join Date: July 8, 2013
Location: Littleton, Colorado
Posts: 1,121
Texas Southpaw,

Consider this. If you get into loading larger rifle magnums, the Rock Chucker, like others have suggested, is beefier and may work better with these larger cases.

Lefties have their rights too.
Bucksnort1 is offline  
Reply

Tags
pardner , rcbs

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:42 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
This site and contents, including all posts, Copyright © 1998-2021 S.W.A.T. Magazine
Copyright Complaints: Please direct DMCA Takedown Notices to the registered agent: thefiringline.com
Page generated in 0.12053 seconds with 8 queries