Fake RCBS press warning

I seem to be full of "warnings" these days, maybe a sign of the times

I've coached a co-worker through his new gun lust. He's a 9mm devotee, but also wants to shoot some rifle (which he doesn't own yet). At any rate, I got the heads up yesterday that his new reloading press, a Rock Chucker Supreme, was in. He had it with him, as he wanted to know how to "put it together".

All I can say is that it was green. Seems the only parts of significance are the handle, ram, and a few screws, the rest has got to be zinc casting (aka ZAMAC, aka Zinc and Metal, and Crud). Bought it from an eBay seller he says, was a good deal. I told him to return it. It was supposed to be a Rock Chucker Supreme, said RCBS on both sides of the frame - cast right in. No threaded insert on top, not even ground flat on top where the die goes, just "as cast". The primer feed appears to be a slide in, slide out affair - totally made of plastic, and I don't think it would prime even one case before breaking. I don't know what the RCSupreme box looks like but the box had convincing pictures (of an actual RCBS press) and text. Whole thing was featherweight. I've had a Rock Chucker before, it was iron, and I think, almost certain, the new "Supreme" is iron, and fairly robust.

Anyway, this has got to be a fake, no way RCBS would make a press like this. And considering the source - an eBay seller - I'm really wondering about the DNA of this item. I say fake.

 

Please post some pictures of it.

 

Wow! Looks like someone has found a way to take advantage of the panic and the new reloaders.
The "no threaded insert" seems the dead giveaway that it is fake.
I bet RCBS would want to know about this.

MidwayUSA lists the shipping weight as 20 lbs. for the Rock Chucker Supreme.
Amazon lists the weight as 19 lbs.

 

I have recently bought a RCBS RCS and yes it should be sturdy Heavy and machined. Anything else is a false copy.

 

I didn't weigh things, but I don't think it was more than 5lbs at most. After I wrote that post above, I went to my favorite online places to buy reloading gear and nobody has anything much in presses at all, let alone RCBS. I'm sure there are some out there, but RCBS themselves is more or less "closed", or on a really thin shoestring. I know that from having to get a missing part for my Summit press, and that was back in August. Can't imagine things getting much better, so maybe you're right, someone (aka the Far East) has done it again methinks.

 

Is nothing sacred??? Leopold scopes, Square D electrical equipment, Woodhead extension cords and now RCBS. Just.........
well, dang!

Thanks for the heads-up. These days lots of us are ordering on-line where you don't get to handle the goods before purchase.

 

Just curious, what was the “good deal” he got? The potentially cheapest new Rock Chucker Supreme that I saw on ebay has an opening bid of $185 + $52 shipping = $237 minimum. RCBS shows them in stock on their website for $203.81 with free shipping.

 

FWIW, I just watched the RCBS video for the Rock Chucker Supreme. On the left side of the press it shows RC IV. (not RCBS). Amazon shows the same.

I don't have a Supreme, I do have a couple of Rock Chucker IIs and the are marked RC II on the left side and RCBS on the right.

 

I'd do that, but its his thing, not mine. I'm not sure if he was determined to make it work or was going to return it.

 

I don't know about the shipping, but I think he paid $150 for it, $155... something like that. I didn't see, or look for the listing, but I can ask Monday what he paid

 

Jeepers... I sold one of my used RC's for $75.

eBay isn't what it used to be... and the general caveat of 'if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is...' applies. I buy some stuff off eBay, when I have to, but you REALLY have to look at the listing, and... perhaps more importantly... the reviews.

 

Say it ain't so Joe! I rely on Square-D a lot, but I get it from GrayBar. (time passes as I browse to find out more). Jeeze, damn near a half million 350,000+ from one distributor alone... and those "entered the sales channel" including to major local suppliers. Gulp.

 

Yes, my Supreme has RC IV on left, RCBS on right.

Dang shame the OP's co-worker was hoodwinked!

 

I also dealt with Graybar before I retired. I guess the fake stuff has found its way into the wholesale system but I think the greatest danger of fake stuff is on places like Ebay. I don't really trust the big box stores all that much either.

 

He goes off on his own. I'm in my 7th decade of life, he's in his 3rd. Before he knew that I knew just a little bit, his first 9mm was a HiPoint. He's prone to shopping price, not doing his homework.

 

Pictures will help it may be a rcbs press just not the supreme
Sounds like the rcbs partner press
Some of rcbs stuff is solid but some of the newer imported stuff is plastic
Example look at their older power scale to the new one which is plastic
Pictures will help to confirm if fake or not

 

There is a china outlet called Wish. My brother bought a couple if leupold knockoff scopes from them thinking they were the real deal for lessgthen $100 and shipped from Oregon.

I bet ten to one our congess and senete are getting lobbyist money from china to allow this crap to happen.

This is why I like to buy vintage real items.

 

At that, Hi Point is USA made and does work as advertised. Butt ugly in a kinda sorta cute way though. At least it wasn't a Davis Industries or Jennings he found.

 

That happened to me on EBay. I ordered a Lee Turret DELUXE kit and received the VALUE kit.
Big difference was a classic cast iron turret press vs. a cheaper turret model, and a lot of the additional stuff that makes it a kit.
The kit was definitely a Lee, just the way cheaper model. I think they didn't have the Deluxe kits and hoped I either wouldn't know the difference or wouldn't bother to squawk.
Took me a month of back-and-forth but I got them to refund the difference in price between the two. Project355, did the seller's name by any chance have "buffalo" in it?

 

Just went back to our warehouse to check our stock of QO residential breakers-been using them since the 1950's. Regulars show made in USA; GFCI's made in some other country. Also found a commercial (FA) breaker made in the same other country. Yuk.

 

Is the OP going to post a picture ,
If not this is just a swag

 

Without seeing the press or a link to the ad, I would be just speculating but RCBS has and does make presses from alloy.

I know for some time they tried moving their casting to China, that opens the door for knockoffs, even using original molds but like I said without any information at all...

 

China is disappointing me lately. They have a great history/tradition of copying things to a T-ee. There counterfeit industry is lacking, signs of the time

 

Lets add the Amazon special hornady comparator i got the other day. Looked exactly like hornady even a copy and paste of the hornady description. Most definitely was not a hornady light crap metal parts machined poorly and not fitting together. Returned next day with a review