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Old February 9, 2013, 01:09 PM   #1
bluewaterlover
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rcbs equipment

what are your opinions on rcbs equipment? I'm thinking a single stage press to start with -- never loaded metallic cartridges, only shotgun. I don't plan to load high volume, probably several thousands rounds a year -- mostly 9mm, 38 and 40 cal. Some rifle -- 7m rem mag, 30-06 and 300 win mag.
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Old February 9, 2013, 02:03 PM   #2
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You can't go wrong with RCBS. I am using the same Rockchucker I have owned for over 30 years.
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Old February 9, 2013, 02:07 PM   #3
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The Lee Classic Cast single stage is a better press and better value. I've had both. Kept the Lee.
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Old February 9, 2013, 02:13 PM   #4
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Go with the RCBS they are well made, no die cast parts
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Old February 9, 2013, 02:19 PM   #5
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If you do go RCBS make sure you don't get a press that was made in China.
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Old February 9, 2013, 02:25 PM   #6
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RCBS presses have been made in the same factory in California since their inception after WWII
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Old February 9, 2013, 02:45 PM   #7
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Except for the short run of castings they tried from China. It didn't work out, so they went back to casting their own frames.
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Old February 9, 2013, 03:09 PM   #8
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RCBS makes some fine equipment.
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Old February 9, 2013, 03:42 PM   #9
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RCBS Fan but Single Stage go with Lee Classic Cast

I am a RCBS Fan but for a Single Stage press go with Lee Classic Cast. Hands down the best value for your $$$.

Sorry but that is the TRUTH.

Lemmon from Rural South Carolina
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Old February 9, 2013, 03:45 PM   #10
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I've always thought of RCBS as the standard of the industry. My first press, bought back in 1975, was a Rockchucker that's still operating perfectly after who knows how many tens of thousands of rounds loaded. And their customer service is tops - I had a 30-yr old carbide .38/.357 sizing die that the carbide ring popped out of - I sent it back to them to see if the ring could be re-inserted into the die body, and would have been happy to pay for the service if it could. I got a brand new die back at no cost.
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Old February 9, 2013, 03:46 PM   #11
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RCBS Parten Press for ever.Still going very strong. I don't buy there dies,but there presses are great
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Old February 9, 2013, 03:48 PM   #12
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Quote:
what are your opinions on rcbs equipment?
It's good stuff. And their customer service, if you ever need it, is second to none.
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Old February 9, 2013, 04:06 PM   #13
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I do like RCBS presses and other equipment. Most of my experience is with a 1980's RCBS Reloader special 5 kit. It was pretty nice. I have seen and used Rockchucker's some and all I saw looked to be excellent.

RCBS scales like their 5-10 and 10-10 are the best of that type. I still have a 5-10, but may finally get rid of it now that I have my Hornady Powder Dispenser. BTW, you should never cross check a scale with another scale, but instead with check weights.

RCBS dies are good enough, but I prefer Hornady when I can get them. I have had some weird consistency with on set of RCBS dies and haven't gone back. I still made good enough ammo with them, but the Hornady's work better. I also have use Forster dies and have had good luck, but they are not ideal for rapid progressive use. I had a weird case stick in 223 which was from using mixed 223 brass or from the die design. Overall, I view Forster as good.
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Old February 9, 2013, 04:15 PM   #14
lee n. field
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Quote:
what are your opinions on rcbs equipment? I'm thinking a single stage press to start with -- never loaded metallic cartridges, only shotgun. I don't plan to load high volume, probably several thousands rounds a year -- mostly 9mm, 38 and 40 cal. Some rifle -- 7m rem mag, 30-06 and 300 win mag.
Rockchuck press is top notch, high quality. It will last your lifetime, and your heir's. And probably his heir's too.

Their customer support is legendarily excellent.
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Old February 9, 2013, 04:23 PM   #15
Lost Sheep
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Welcome to the forum and thanks for asking our advice.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bluewaterlover
rcbs equipment
what are your opinions on rcbs equipment? I'm thinking a single stage press to start with -- never loaded metallic cartridges, only shotgun. I don't plan to load high volume, probably several thousands rounds a year -- mostly 9mm, 38 and 40 cal. Some rifle -- 7m rem mag, 30-06 and 300 win mag.
RCBS is terrific. But Hornady, Redding and Lee all make excellent presses of comparable quality and strength.

(Pre-emptively, since Lee has many detractors who do not recognize the fact that Lee caters to different needs at different price ranges) I am talking about the Lee Classic Cast single stage press, not the Aluminum Challenger or the Lee Reloader "C" frame press.

If you are set on a single stage press, don't leave out consideration of the Forster Co-Ax.

However, seeing that your list of cartridges includes two semi-auto handgun cartridges, I would suggest a press that can do both batch processing for your rifle cartridges and continuous processing for your higher-volume cartridges.

A turret press.

Redding, Lyman, RCBS all make good turret presses, but Lee makes the only turret presses that auto-index. The Lee Deluxe Turret is an older design and the Lee Classic Turret is the superior of the two and my recommendation for you.

Good Luck

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Old February 9, 2013, 04:36 PM   #16
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Rock (primer)chuckers have been around for decades, to their credit, but the press you buy now is basically the same one from 1962 or whatever. It is solid, and RCBS takes care of their customers(all the popular top brands do though)

Step into the modern era and go with a Classic Turret(The best press for the cash, hands down), outshines that old rock (primer)chucker, and is significantly less money for quite a bit more press.
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Old February 9, 2013, 06:01 PM   #17
David Bachelder
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RCBS is really good equipment. You will not be disappointed. Be sure to save the barcodes off each box, this will let you take advantage of the annual rebate.

see: http://www.rcbs.com/pdf/2013_RCBS_US_Jan1_Dec31.pdf
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Old February 9, 2013, 09:21 PM   #18
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My bench is 80-90% RCBS green for a reason. I am not a LEE fan either. I did not have good luck with their dies or presses. After using RCBS dies, I bought a new gun and purchaed the LEE die set for it. I eventually bought another set from RCBS to replace the LEE dies.

I am not starting a LEE bashing thread either. I just do not care for most of their products.

All companies have had their products that have flopped. RCBS had a couple, but overall, RCBS is great stuff.

Their customer service is the best in the business. I caled them before to get a replacement part that I broke. It was not the products fault. RCBS refused to take my credit card info and sent the part out free of charge.
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Old February 9, 2013, 10:03 PM   #19
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I grew out of emotional attachment to inanimate objects many years ago, including brands.

After 20 years of using my old Lyman Spar-T press I bought into the green hype in '87 when I finally got a 'magic' Rock Chucker; there's no magic. It's still in perfect condition - but why not, it's made of iron and steel and the few moving parts move quite slowly, same as others of its type. One is Lee's Classic Cast: it's very well machined, it has much better user features and it drops spent primers into a tube rather than all over the floor. If Lee had made the CC when I bought the RC my main press would be red, it's a better press.

I have some 50 sets of dies of all current brands but Dillon in more than 30 calibers. Individual dies vary as much within the same brand as between brands; I find no average difference in the quality of ammo I can make with any brand of dies except the competition rifle dies by Forster and Redding. And they aren't massively better than standard dies.

I won't tell anyone what "works for me" as a recommendation. Point of fact, in 47 years of reloading, I've never found any reloading tool that doesn't work for me - if it's use correctly - and nothing works very well if it's used incorrectly.
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Old February 9, 2013, 10:07 PM   #20
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Classic Cast or Classic Turret from Lee Precision are much beter presses for the $$$.
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Old February 10, 2013, 01:24 AM   #21
Edward429451
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RCBS all the way. The Lee may be a better value, dollar wise, but their warranty is iffy from what I have heard. RCBS warranty is no BS just like Dillon. Get the Rockchucker and forget about it. (I actually seen a Partner Press that a guy broke somehow once, the RC is much more heavy duty. The man did admit to abusing it though.)

My RC has never even gave a hint of a problem since new in 1984.

Last edited by Edward429451; February 10, 2013 at 03:25 PM.
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Old February 10, 2013, 03:36 AM   #22
shootniron
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Quote:
The Lee Classic Cast single stage is a better press and better value. I've had both. Kept the Lee.
X 2

I agree, I had a Rock Chucker for 20+ years and tried the classic cast..dumped the RC online and never looked back.
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Old February 10, 2013, 11:37 AM   #23
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You will never hurt an RCBS press if used correctly, I recently sold my father's rockchucker to a buddy looking to get into reloading cheap. That press was built in the late 60's-early 70's and still runs like new. My rockchucker circa 1996 or still turns out ammo like the day it was made, I've never had a problem with either press. RCBS customer service is second to none, I've called them a few times to order parts and they've never charged me for anything. Last thing I ordered from them was for a primer pocket swager I got from a friend that was missing parts, called RCBS and explained that I got it used and they sent the parts free of charge. Just an awesome company to deal with, not enough good things to say about them.

Stu
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Old February 10, 2013, 11:37 AM   #24
buck460XVR
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Single stage presses are not high tech, nor are they a piece of complicated machinery. They all basically work the same way(exception might be the RCBS Summit Single Stage) and all major manufacturers make good ones. The difference between them is basically quality of construction, warranty and customer service. This is basically what determines the difference in cost. Regardless of what some want to claim, this is true no matter what color paint the system wears. Break a few decapping pins and the difference between them being replaced and shipped to you for free as compared to $8 or more a pop and that difference of $30 of initial cost is moot. Having your heirs able to call customer service and have them shipped for free 10 years after your death is priceless. Resale value, why many of us never consider it, is something one needs to consider, along with the idea of being proud to pass it on to our heirs, along with the guns it helps to feed. I go to quite a few estate auctions that feature guns and gun related items. I've watched family members trying to outbid each other as well as folks like me trying to get a good deal. Very seldom happens on low end/cheap guns and reloading equipment. Instead of recommending my color of press as others generally do, I recommend doing your research and determining what YOU want and need.
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Old February 10, 2013, 12:04 PM   #25
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RCBS all the way. The Lee may be a better value, dollar wise, but their warranty is iffy from what I have heard. RCBS warranty is no BS just like Dillon.
I don't know of any issues with Lee's customer service. At least I haven't had any. Don't forget that the great customer service you get with RCBS and Dillon is paid for in the price up front.
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