Need help on a price!

[P12]

A co-worker approached me and asked if I would be interested in buying a RCBS single stage press and ALL required accesories to load 45 acp. He has everything, dies, lube, de-burring tool, scales, etc. No brass lead powder or primers.

These items are about 12 years old. Never been used.

He keeps asking me to make him an offer.

What should I offer?

 

[Steve Smith]

Ask him what he "has to have." Look funny and offer half.

 

[saands]

If he has lube for his dies, then they are probably steel and you will end up replacing them with carbide so that you don't need to lube the cases ... IMHO steel pistol dies have no value and should not figure into your offer.

Likewise, the deburring tools are not needed for 45acp ... if they get thrown in, take 'em, but I wouldn't pay for them unless you are going to reload rifle rounds ... you don't trim and deburr 45acp ... if it needs it, you toss it in the garbage!

For the rest, I would log onto MidwayUSA.com and find out what a LEE single stage press and scale goes for and offer him that much. You'll be discounting the cost of the priming tool, but that's OK ... they are used afterall. If he balks, just log back on and buy your stuff from Midway ... the LEE single stage presses and dies are absolutely fine ... I wouldn't recommend their progressives and I think that the RCBS scales are superior to the LEE versions. Is there a powder measure in the package? if so, I'd tack on 75% of the price of a LEE measure onto your offer as well. Don't be surprised if this doesn't add up to much of an offer ... getting started with a single stage press doesn't have to be a $300 affair!

Good Luck,
Saands

 

[JoeHatley]

You can look up current list prices over at www.rcbs.com or current street prices over at www.midwayusa.com

Just a SWAG, but he's probably got around $150 in the set up, based on 12 year ago prices. A lot would depend on which press and scale it is.

I'd probably offer him around $75, and see if he bites.

Good Luck...

Joe

 

[Carlos]

$50 at most.

 

[Chugach]

Ask him these two questions:

Is it a Rock Chucker kit?
Will you give me an accurate list of all the components and their names or model numbers?

The current Rock Chucker kit from Midway is $260 + shipping. The older kits may have a better scale, and may include tools no longer shipped with the latest kit because it would make the kit too expensive. In this case, older may be better...

I bought my Rock Chucker kit early this year, so I'm pretty current. If you want, post exactly what he's offering to sell and we can give you a better idea on price.

 

[P12]

Needed info!

Sorry about how long it’s taken me to get back with you guys. Also thanks for the input so far.

Sorry about not listing the items he had for sale. I guess that would help, huh.

So here is the list. All items are RCBS. Correction, these items were bought about 20 years ago.

Contents of Ammo Crafter II (box)
Funnel
Burring tool
Reloading Guide (Copyright 1976)
Reloading Manual #9
Case lube kit
Reloading scale (model 5-10)
Uniflow powder measure

Another box with the following
Reloading dies (part# 19105 group B 45acp)
Shell holder (part# 09220 #20)
Press (part# 18576) box says .41 mag swc

Hope that helps.

 

[Steve Smith]

I'm not even sure I'd buy it. Maybe offer $40 for it. That way you'll get a 5-10 scale and a Uniflow for decent prices, but the rest (dunno what a 18576 is) could be considered crap. Well, not very valuable, that is. If you are wanting to get started, it would be a start, but you will have about $20 worht of stuff that isn't worth $20 anymore.

 

[P12]

Thanks for the help.

I had offered him $50.00 for the lot before starting this thread. I shared with him what was said on this thread. I also told him I would stand behind my $50.00 offer.

We'll see what happens. I would like to try my hands at reloading.

Thanks again.

 

[Chugach]

Just went to WalMart for some supplies, and went over to the reloading section. Their prices will be higher than your local Wally World, but remember, you pay shipping one way or another to get stuff to Alaska. Midway or Cabela's are where I order a lot of my stuff, but by the time I've paid shipping with Midway, it costs almost the same as WalMart.

Funnel $5
Case Lube kit $10 (estimate)
UniFlow measure $75
502 scale $75 or 1010 scale $125. The 510 price fits between there somewhere.
Deburring tool $16
Shell holder $7
Rock Chucker Press $140

You would need to get a new reloading manual $20-$25.

If the press is really a Rock Chucker, you'd be getting a heck of a deal for $50 or even $100, in my opinion. If it's not a Rock Chucker, I'd look at Cabela's first, then Midway, and get the Rock Chucker kit. With your first set of carbide dies, you should be able to buy everything for around $300.

 

[P12]

Update

Well, he took the $50.00 offer.

I moved the kit into my office. And by pure luck one of our vendors came by and I knew he was into guns and reloading. I had him look at it.

The press is a RCBS Junior. He said it was great for pistol rounds. Confirmed the carbid die suggestion also.

He said I got a good deal at $50.00.


Cool. Now to get some supplies and start reloading my 45acp.

Thanks for your help guys.

 

[Chugach]

Cool! Don't you love it when a plan comes together! You got a great deal...the powder measure is worth that alone.

One final suggestion: get a current reloading manual! Powders (and loads) change over the years. I've got a Speer (Number 13 is latest) and a Sierra (Edition V), and they're both good. You can also find mini-manuals that are dedicated to a single cartridge. Can't recall the name right now, but I believe that I've seen them at Midway.

 

[Northwest Cajun]

P12
You got a good deal! If there are any parts missing from your press just call RCBS. They stand behind there products100%.
My 12 year old Partner press was getting a little loose( prabably from resizeing 30-06 and reforming 30-06 to 338-06) I sent it back and they rebuilt it for free. Now you cant beat that!!


Cajun

 

[Steve Smith]

I dont' know if it will fit that press or it its still available but look for one of the little flippers that eject a case out of the press after it runs through the die.

 

[P12]

Thanks for the additional info. I will upgrade to current info and tools before I get started.

I reeeeeaally like this web site!

 

[JoeHatley]

You got a great deal. The press alone retailed for $68 over 20 years ago. I know because the price sticker is still on the box mine came in.

I've been using mine weekly since 1980. Only for about 200 --> 250 rounds per week though.

Gonna replace it as soon as it wears out. Wonder if I'll live that long...

Joe