RCBS ... withering?

I have been using their stuff for almost 40 years; broke a decapping pin and bent an assembly; called them yesterday, waited on hold about 15 seconds, asked about it; product coming to me for free.
Their stuff is available and being made - here in the US in Oroville, CA.

Styles, I’m not sure what’s bringing you to the conclusions you are reaching regarding RCBS. I’ve read a ton of comments on this site about how people feel about RCBS and 99.99 percent of it is positive. Do you have any articles that you can point to that reinforce your position?

I also recently contacted RCBS customer service, just to ask them a question. There was nothing wrong with the product, I just was trying to do something a little out of the ordinary - and wanted to see if they had a piece that could fill the gap. They just replied that they were shipping it to me, and I didn't even ask them to, nor was their any payment when I asked them. Seems like the move of a healthy company that wants loyal customers.

I bought a second hand Uniflow Powder Measure that I knew was missing the plastic drop tube. Called RCBS to inquire about purchasing another and they shipped it out free of charge. Good company. I suggest if you're looking for something specific, give them a call.

Edit: Was just on their website. Looks like there are a lot of single stage presses available, including the venerable Rock Chucker Supreme.

film495 said:

I also recently contacted RCBS customer service, just to ask them a question. There was nothing wrong with the product, I just was trying to do something a little out of the ordinary - and wanted to see if they had a piece that could fill the gap. They just replied that they were shipping it to me, and I didn't even ask them to, nor was their any payment when I asked them. Seems like the move of a healthy company that wants loyal customers.

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That's how they roll!

RCBS is owned by Vista Outdoors Inc. Vista posted loses of $650 million in 2019. So the question should be is Vista withering?
Vista owns Federal, Speer, Alliant Powder, Bushnell, Simmons, CCI, Camelbak, Gunmate, Uncle Mike's and many others.
Hopefully, the recent rash in panic buying will put Vista back in the black.

I should add that Vista isn't shy about selling off unprofitable companies like they did with Savage Arms.

Most basic reloading equipment from a reputable company will outlast the owner if not abused. Single stage presses and dies in particular.

The more complex equipment such as progressive presses or electronic dispenser/scales may require some maintenance and repair over time due to the complexity of the equipment.

I've been reloading since about 1980 have have yet to wear out a die or press. I have yet to break any part on a press. I bend a decapping pin once in a while when I hit a Berdan primed case.

You won't have to worry about any RCBS equipment. I have lots of it and am not worried.

styles said:

I know there are a lot of old and loyal rcbs users. And I know their CS rep is good. That’s mostly why I consider them.

Again, my question is based on the impression that all their presses are DC or unavailable. It doesn’t seem like they have a current, active product line of main horses.

articles? No. My question is based mostly on their website and vendors sites showing their product DC.

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You haven't looked very hard then. I went to RCBS right after your first post and saw many presses not only NOT discontinued, but readily available

I went to Midway USA and many of the RCBS presses are "out of stock" however there are some available. My guess is that Covid 19 has put their production into a standstill. RCBS still proclaims to the world leader in supplying reloading presses so if that's a legit claim I doubt they are going to relinquish that position.

The new products coming this year are pretty neat. Doesn't look like death throes to me.

The last product I bought was the fairly inexpensive Tube Rifle Bullet Feeders in .308, and .223, and they are flawless improvements over past products, as efficient as MBF's. They have purged the electric ones all right, but they were made for the late Pro 2000. (My other favorite press.....yes I still love it and APS). I also use the bench APS priming machine and the hand one, too.

Last summer I bought the Pro Chucker 7. Even with the tube primer feeder hick-ups, its the smoothest running progressive I've ever seen.....no powder spills like all the rest. I can't help it if everyone got spooked.....I'm having a great experience with it. Half of you guys who load progressively don't prime on them anyway, and the 7 stations are sweet.

I also bought the fairly new Uniflow Quick Change Powder Measure last year, and found that to be a great and speedy improvement for guys like me who want to change calibers a lot. Now they have upgraded the Uniflow again.....and these new ones are slick! Even quicker change....and only one size cylinder, and the load stem is fully adjustable to do it all. I'll resist a little longer....but after the covid, I'll probably try one out.

And people have been crapping on RCBS for years over the Rock Chucker's spent primer control.....even though that's pretty minor and easily worked around......but this year a new single is on the way, bigger, beefier, a holed ram for primers (guess Lee's patent ran out) and with the most height in the press loading chamber for long calibers that won't fit in most other presses.

And then there is the new Powder Trickler......not something I need, but it's not a product that indicates a death on the way. Too rich for me tho....and me too old for it. I'm winding down, not up.

All the companies are struggling right now with the quarantines.....I mean their factories are running at 20 percent or less for crying out loud! So expect some shortages for a while and pray all good American companies will survive this war! And Covid is not the only war front either......

I buy RCBS and will continue to. I dont see them going away anytime soon.

As far as discontinued, even if they do cut a model of press or tool they'll support it as long as they can.

I just had a primer arm part wear out on a Jr. press a while back. They haven't made these in like 40 years, they sent a new part in the mail without hardly a question!

The APS never really took off.I use two of the bench mounts I like it a lot and wish it would have been more popular.

I found 4 sites that had the PC7 in stock. I use this site https://gun.deals/search/apachesolr_search/076683889119
This helps to locate the item you are looking for and you can compare prices. I try to get the upc code or the manufacture's number for searching. This site comes in handy when bidding on gunbroker.

I see on RCBS’ website that a few presses and kits, some dies and some accessories, are “currently unavailable”, but I saw nothing “discontinued” or “DC”. Though I know my Pro 2000 is a collector’s item now. But, that's been so for quite awhile now.

Maybe they didn’t see the toilet paper/disinfectant/reloading equipment panic buying coming. There has been a run on guns and ammo lately. I suspect the same may be happening with reloading equipment. Local ammo shelves were practically bare a month ago. That might encourage a few folks to take up reloading. A lot of the “currently unavailable” products on RCBS’ website are things that new reloaders would be purchasing.

I suspect "behind schedule" is a more appropriate term than "withering". Time will tell.

I just purchased a hardy Rock Chucker Supreme to use as a single stage for rifle. Its been around for a while, but still supported. What I have seen is that All of the companies making presses are introducing new models, and yes they may discontinue some older ones that the new one will replace, but as far as I see, everything is still being supported for warranty.

Milt1 said:

I went to Midway USA and many of the RCBS presses are "out of stock" however there are some available. My guess is that Covid 19 has put their production into a standstill. RCBS still proclaims to the world leader in supplying reloading presses so if that's a legit claim I doubt they are going to relinquish that position.

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I just did the same and also checked Graf and Sons. Graf's has a few more in stock then Midway does. I have to agree about the current conditions messing with production along with the surge in sales of all reloading supplies. The low stock at retailers is across the board with all brands of presses from what I've seen.

styles said:

Thanks for all the comments. I just don’t find any current rcbs press using aps anywhere for sale or on the site. I find vendors with things like RS5s, but not any PC7 and hardly any T7 or the attachment for aps. Most say out of stock, no back order and a lot of things on rcbs say DC or unavailable. There is even a homepage link that says new products and it goes to a page not found. Maybe that explains my questions.

It’s good to know I’m alone/wrong in my thoughts. That’s a good thing. I have Lee equipment so I’d like to try a good 5 or 7 station and a good priming system progressive. I would really like the aps instead of a tube. maybe my question should be is aps withering?

Thanks again.

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APS? Reloaders are a traditional bunch.....new systems with new methods are risky. APS worked, it was safe, and it was clean.....and handy. But reloaders wouldn't change......and there was other blame...RCBS or more accurately their parent company would not let the patent be used my other companies. Big mistake. So what are other companies (like Dillon and Hornady) to do besides do their level best to trash the concept. It worked, and the Pro 2000 went away.

APS is still around some but it'll go away completely since RCBS went back to,ugh, tubes. As a matter of self defense, I bought a lot of primers, I built an improved APS primer loader....and I bought a lot of primer strips....and the bench and hand primers. So I'll be using APS just fine til I die.....even if I survive 20 more years.

Still using my RockChucker, 5-0-5, Lubrisizer, and other items from 45 years ago. Still contacting them for replacement parts. They still have outstanding customer service.

Their only discontinued reloading tool that I absolutely can't do without is the Posi-Prime handprimer that was discontinued 30 or so years ago.

I'm still a buyer...

Bayou52

I made a quick look on the RCBS website for single stage presses. Out of 10 models 4 are currently unavailable. I'm guessing they are waiting on a production run and under the current conditions it may take awhile to get done. I see this happen with many different companies and not just in the firearms industry. I doubt RCBS is going away. They build high quality equipment and have too many loyal customers.

I hear what you are saying about RCBS... Here's my experience.

I like RCBS and like many, I find their customer service to be excellent and very helpful. They generally produce very high quality products.

Having said that, I find their product design, at times, hit or miss.

My Rock Chucker Supreme is a wonderful press which produces very high quality ammunition with very little run out. Their Dies are excellent and finished to a very high quality. Their scales, tools and powder measures are excellent.

Their progressive presses on the other hand, I just don't think are designed very well and other manufacturers, like Hornady and Dillon, are giving them serious competition these days, which might explain a few things. Some examples that come to mind are the stupid paper clip shell holders on the first stage, plastic bases and spring steel shell holders on subsequent stages that tend to break, shell plates that unscrew while using the press, free floating ball bearings under spring tension to allow the shell plates to rotate, these things are always a problem when changing calibers, the paperclip shell ejector that constantly gets out of alignment, the APS Priming system that they championed a few years ago. I've never been able to get them to work properly. Contrast their Progressive Press designs with a Hornady Lock and Load AP, which is a great example of engineering simplicity and reliability, to see what I'm talking about.

So, bottom line, I would never say they are a bad product, even with my personal issues with their designs, they can be made to work, but there are other manufacturers that, in my opinion, do it much simpler and better, which creates competition for them.

Hope this helps...

I've been a RCBS fan since I started reloading in 74. My bench is loaded with green and 90% of my dies are RCBS.

But my progressives are Dillons and a Ponsness-Warren (Shotgun).

My favorite RCBS CS story: While I was stationed in Germany, I was casting bullets in my APT (officers lived on the economy). My landlord was cool with it and even gave me a couple bars of printers Linotype. I was using an RCBS melting pot which was 220volt. I screwed up and brought it back with me, rather than trying to sell it there. Upon my return I contacted RCBS to see IF the pot could be modified to 110 for use stateside. They replied to send it in and they'd take a look. About 2 weeks later a box arrived, with a note stating they couldn't modify it, so they included a new one and thanking me for my service. That's the only time I've had to use their CS.