Press choice

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kestak

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Greetings,

Which one works the best for you:

Redding Big Boss II?
RCBS Rock CHucker Supreme?
Lee Classic cast press?

I have a Dillon 550B and I want to have a single-stage side press to resize 500S&W and .223.

Price difference is not an issue. I just want to know resizing functionnality wise which one would be the best?

Thank you
 
Rather than this turning into a poll answering the "Which single stage press do you own?" question.....I'd reckon any of the ones listed will do the job quite well?

To take part in your poll....I use and like the Lee Anniversary breech lock press.
 
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Greetings,

I read also the Redding has a better primer catch system than the RCBS. Anyone has to complain about picking half the spent primers on the ground with RCBS?

Thank you
 
The Redding press is by far the better press because of better tolerances and quality and also is a lot more money. The RCBS press is also high quality and is probably what I consider a "best buy". The Lee press is strictly a beginners press and has very sloppy tolerances and will break or wear old much sooner than the other two. My choice, go with the RCBS press and use the difference to buy a set of dies. :)
 
I only have a 20 year old Rockchucker and it is still going. Have never used the Redding but I bet it is a nice press. I would probably stay away from the Lee
 
No experience with the Redding press but I have an RCBS Rockchucker which after several decades of being my primary single stage press is as good as new. I also have one of the Lee Classic cast presses and certainly mine is neither sloppy nor a "beginners" press. It actually is a very solid press with good tolerances which actually has some advantages over the RCBS, like not spilling spent primers all over the floor. I use it for most of my single stage reloading now and I cannot detect any deterioration in the quality of my ammunition either through shooting tests or measurements including with a concentricity gauge. I expect the Lee Classic Cast press. like the RCBS Rockchucker will outlast me. Some of the other Lee presses on the other hand fit the description you have given.
 
Lee single stage, the 30.00 one. Of course I'm cheap, but it works and does the job.
 
I prefer the Lee Classic Cast to the Rockchucker I have on my bench. The Lee is made in the U.S. and the Rockchucker is made in China. Need I say more?
 
I prefer the Lee Classic Cast to the Rockchucker I have on my bench. The Lee is made in the U.S. and the Rockchucker is made in China. Need I say more?
Click to expand...
Well said. Also IMO the new classic cast Lee is built as good or better than the Rockchucker.
Rusty
 
If price is not an issue, check out the Forster Co-ax. I was looking at the big boss II as well but settled on the Co-ax.
 
"The Lee press is strictly a beginners press and has very sloppy tolerances and will break or wear old much sooner than the other two."

This is one of the frequently type of posts that reflexively reject anything red without the slightess knowledge of what a Lee Classic Cast or Classic Turret press is.

If I had to replace my old RC II next week, it would be with a Lee Classic Cast, no question. It's all steel (not weaker cast iron), it's bigger, stronger, made in the USA - not China, has a spent primer catcher system that works and has a fully adjustable lever. And for much less money, if that matters to anyone. What's not to like?

But, fact is, all the OP's listed presses will work fine for anyone. Forever. Massive over kill for resizing pistol and .223 cases, but why not? But there is NO WAY I'd spent the money for the others to do such light work when the Classic Cast will size/reload .50 BMG ammo so inexpensively.
 
Redding Big Boss II?
RCBS Rock CHucker Supreme?
Lee Classic cast press?
Click to expand...

RCBS Rock Chucker is the press that started it all for me. You can never go wrong with a RC Single stage.

LEE Classic Cast. I admit, I was skeptical but it is now the main work horse of my bench. It is a great press that holds it's own at any price.

Redding Big Boss II. I have always wanted one. I can't justify buying one though only since I have 4 single stage presses already. If I do buy another single stage, it will be a Redding Big Boss II.

LGB
 
I have a Rock Chucker that I bought used. I have no idea how old it is, but it's at least 25 years old. It's still going strong.

That said, if I were buying a new press, I'd get the Lee Classic Cast. The sole reason for my choice would be the primer handling. As others have said, the Rock Chucker primer catch system spills half of them on the ground. The Lee, from what I've seen, is way better. I can't comment on the other brands listed, but if they have better primer handling than the Rock Chucker, I'd get one of those.

-John
 
I also have the 550B and supplement it with the RCBS Rockchucker. It seems to be made better and more "industrial" than the Lee.
 
I prefer the Lee Classic Cast myself. Its buiilt like a tank and will do the job its built for years to come. I recommend it and putting the extra money left over in needed accessories.

Jim
 
With the the three(3) choices you mentioned, my preferrence is exactly as you listed them: Redding Big Boss II, RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme, and lastly the Lee Classic cast press?

You failed to tell us what caliber(s) you would be reloading on the NEW press in question! If it was strictly rifle calibers for varmit hunting, I would then suggest the Forster Co-Ax press seeing it has the least run-out. I prefer my "older" RCBS Rock Chucker II seeing they have changed the primer catcher system so that makes me say the Redding is a better choice on the list.

Also, if you are going to swage-ing, fireforming brass and converting range pickup brass from one caliber to something else (ie .30-06 to 35 Whelen or make some other "WildCat" round) then I would go with the Redding Ultra Mag Press over these listed too.

Also, due to the "No BS" life-time warranty option on the Redding and RCBS presses, I am less likely to recommend the Lee with ONLY a two(2) year warranty even though the press is built very well and should out last your reloading years! So as long as the press opening is large enough, my selection is in the order that you originally asked the question: Redding, RCBS then Lee. :)

Doug

PS: My current presses are Hornady Lock-N-Load AP, Forster Co-Ax and my 25 plus year old RCBS Rock Chucker II Press !!!
 
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depends on what you want. if you are just starting out, you can get into a lee press pretty inexpensively. the nice thing about that is that if you decide to later on get a much more sophisticated machine, you aren't out so much money. if you want something to last you a lifetime (and your kids lifetime) get a rockchucker. about the only way to destroy one of those is with a big hammer, or run it over with a train!
 
Greetings,

I made my choce and I'll go with Less Classic cast. At worse, if I don't like it and I am sure I'll find a buyer.

I'll exclusively resize on it: 44mag, 500S&W and .223. With the Dillon 550B, it takes too much force. Also, with a single stage, I can resize a batch while I run other calibers on my Dillon 550B.

Thank you all for your help.
 
I bought my Rockchucker kit from Cabelas about 6 years back. Used nothing but RCBS stuff and badmouthed Lee something fierce. A buddy of mine who's been reloading since the 60s told me not to sell the Lee stuff short. That they made good stuff and it was worth looking at. "Never" says I. I like my RCBS stuff just fine! Well long story short I have a bunch of Red on my bench now. The Classic Cast I have I got from a guy who was getting out of reloading and he bought it and never even bolted it to the bench. Paid 30 bucks for it! I think I did well. The Lee Perfect Powder Measure is hands down better than the Uniflow for flake pistol powder IMHO. I also have several sets of Lee dies and other odds and ends. If I had my way and had to do it all over I would have went all Lee and never looked back. They make AWESOME stuff!!! RCBS does have an incredible warranty though. I call, they send it priority mail. No questions asked.
 
Funny I have a 550b and I don't think the 223 takes any more force than any other cases I reload. You are lubing the cases, right? This includes the 44 and 500.
 
Greetings,

Yes, I do lube the cases and use RCBS dies for 500, Dillon for 44mag and .223

44 Mag is not so bad, even when I do not lube them. But it will be a lot easier with the improved leverage of the Lee hard cas press.

Thank you
 
I have a Rockchucker and a Big BossII. They both will make great ammo. If I was forced to own only one press it would be the Big BossII because of the hollow ram for the spent primers to drop through. Good luck and enjoy your new found hobby. You will find that you will go shooting more just so you can make more ammo.
 
"If I was forced to own only one press it would be the Big BossII because of the hollow ram for the spent primers to drop through. "

For what it's worth, ditto the Classic Cast.
 
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