Piggyback 4 for Rock Chucker Supreme

[357mag357]

I have a Rock Chucker Supreme single stage press. I have owned it for about a year with no problems. My only complaint is it’s slow. I can do about 75 round of 9mm and hour, 357 and 44mag about 50 an hour. The press is rock solid, just slow. My question is should I get the Piggyback 4 conversion for it for about 300.00 dollars at Midway or some other progressive press? The Piggyback 4 claims 400 round per hour. I purchased the Rock Chucker for 249.00 at Midway. I feel I should stick with the RCBS because everything I have will go with it. If I buy another brand will the RCBS just collect dust? Does anybody have any experience with the Piggyback system?

 

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Save yourself the headache and choose one of the following instead:


(In no particular order)
1. Lee Classic Cast turret with Safety prime and Pro Auto Disk (200 plus rounds/hour) Price: around $150.00
2. Lee Loadmaster (650 plus rounds/hour) Price: around $215.00
3. Hornady Lock N Load Auto Progressive (650 plus rounds/hour) Price: around $350.00 (add caliber conversion)
4. Dillon 550 (550 plus rounds/hour) around $350.00 (add caliber conversion)
5. Dillon 650 around $450.00 (add caliber conversion)
6. RCBS Progressive I don't know

Prices are totally off the cuff, your mileage may vary a great deal. I suggest you look at all of them before making a decision and go with the features you like along with the prices you can afford. All will do the job and all will perform well if you take care of them.

The piggybacks just don't work that good. You'd be money and marbles ahead to get one on the list above. You'll have to choose based on your quantities shot per week/month. They will all use the same dies you've been using in your single stage. And no, the single stage will still have good uses if you hang onto it and make an effort to think of how and what.

 

[jeepmor]

I have a piggy back 3 that I got a good deal on and it had never been assembled. So it was new.

I'm not that impressed with the indexing mechanism, actually, it's the weak link and also the hub of everything on a progressive. The replaceable indexing plastic parts are not up to the job.

Beyond that, it is simple and bolts to the top of your Rockchucker nicely. It does take some setting up, but it's just everything at once on one package. The fouled indexing causes some powder spills and primed cases getting dumped on half charge, making a mess and further fouling the shell plate.

If you just index it manually, it works fine. Had I not paid 1/2 price for it, I would be considerably disappointed and therefore recommend another setup after perusing just some of the options listed in the previous post.

 

[realbuffdriver]

I have the RCBS Pro2000 progressive. It's the press that you will be trying to emulate with the piggyback. Ensure that when comparing costs that you know what comes with the Piggyback. Here's what you get with the Pro2000:

Pro2000 Press
Uniflow with both rifle and pistol cylinder
Case activated linkage for Uniflow
Micrometer Adjustment for Uniflow
APS Primer Strip Loader
Bullet Tray
2 x Case Bins

I have a single stage press also, the RCBS Rockchucker. I don't use it often, but when I do, it's great. I wouldn't want to have to disassemble the piggyback device in order to use it as a single stage press.

Bottom line: I love my Pro2000. It doesn't get as much mention here as the Hornady, Lee, and Dillon presses, but it's a great manual indexing progressive. I recommend just springing for the progressive of your choice and forgetting the PiggyBack.

Hope this helps,

BuffDriver

 

[357mag357]

RealBuff,
After much research I finally bought the Lee Turret. If I could do it over again I wouldn’t have purchased the RCBS and went with the Lee. There is nothing wrong with the RCBS just the Lee is faster.

 

[presspuller]

I have a PB2 that I got for way cheap.
It does good. As has been said the indexing is the weak link in the whole thing but mine has never given me troubles.

If I was gonna drop that kind of cash I think I would go a different route like what has been posted.

Good luck with whatever you pick.

 

[Snagglepuss]

I bought a Piggyback 4 about 2 months ago. Got it at Midsouth Shooters Supply for $232. I think they have gone up since December. Took about 2 hours to get everything to the point of reliable reloading. Had to readjust all my dies. Have loaded about 1500 .45 acp and 500 10mm. It is fast. I don't think I am getting 400 per hour but definantly over 300. I have had absoluty no problems that were not my fault. ie. tipped bullet upon placement. The only thing I have a love/hate relationship with is the APS primer strips. Maybe I am just not used to them yet. If you have any specific questions send me a PM.