RCBS PIGGYBACK PRESS

[Highland Lofts]

Any one use the RCBS PIGGYBACK SYSTEM?

I haven't seen to much on this set up.when I get my shed done I will be setting up a Dillion 550, a Dillon 650, a Hornaday AP press, a Redding T-7, two Hornaday single-stage Lock n Load presses, two RCBS RockChucker presses, a Lee turret press; a cheap Lee single-stage press and a old Lyman C-Press.
I will be doing reloading classes and want a whole array of presses and other equipment for new reloaders to try out before they go out and buy stuff they will not want.
Plus I will have a bunch of stuff to play with myself.
If this RCBS PIGGYBACK PRESS is a decent press I can buy one at a decent price and will set it up.

I have been buying used presses, scales, trimmers, powder measures, dial calibers, dies, manuals and a bunch of stuff so I can set new people up 100% to go home set it all up and get reloading.

I,ll check this press on YouTube, just looking for your personal opinion of this set up.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Any one use the RCBS PIGGYBACK SYSTEM?

I haven't seen to much on this set up.when I get my shed done I will be setting up a Dillion 550, a Dillon 650, a Hornaday AP press, a Redding T-7, two Hornaday single-stage Lock n Load presses, two RCBS RockChucker presses, a Lee turret press; a cheap Lee single-stage press and a old Lyman C-Press.
I will be doing reloading classes and want a whole array of presses and other equipment for new reloaders to try out before they go out and buy stuff they will not want.
Plus I will have a bunch of stuff to play with myself.
If this RCBS PIGGYBACK PRESS is a decent press I can buy one at a decent price and will set it up.

I have been buying used presses, scales, trimmers, powder measures, dial calibers, dies, manuals and a bunch of stuff so I can set new people up 100% to go home set it all up and get reloading.

I,ll check this press on YouTube, just looking for your personal opinion of this set up.

12 presses ! and 5 tons of lead

GOD bless you man!

 

[Highland Lofts]

I must have another ten or twelve extra presses and other stuff for setting people up relatively on the cheap side.
Had to go get some more propane today. Was going to fill two tanks but one was out dated. I'll turn that one in at 7-11 for another certified tank.
When I was hunting back in New York we did a little trapping. We caught three red foxes and two fishers.
My brother mail me two of the foxes and a fisher, they came in today and I dropped them off to my taxidermist this afternoon.
$ 600 cheaper getting them mounted out here in Washington then having them done back in New York.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I must have another ten or twelve extra presses and other stuff for setting people up relatively on the cheap side.
Had to go get some more propane today. Was going to fill two tanks but one was out dated. I'll turn that one in at 7-11 for another certified tank.
When I was hunting back in New York we did a little trapping. We caught three red foxes and two fishers.
My brother mail me two of the foxes and a fisher, they came in today and I dropped them off to my taxidermist this afternoon.
$ 600 cheaper getting them mounted out here in Washington then having them done back in New York.

i do the same with propane tanks I find on the side of the road. Exchange them at QFC for new one with good valves.

A good source of propane tanks is at the homeless encampment. They just chunk them on the side when they are done with them.

 

[Highland Lofts]

i do the same with propane tanks I find on the side of the road. Exchange them at QFC for new one with good valves.

A good source of propane tanks is at the homeless encampment. They just chunk them on the side when they are done with them.

I'm sure anything discarded at a tent city was stolen in the first place.
The last time through Seattle taking my grandson to the WaGuns New Years Day Shoot them homeless encampment were over loaded with garbage and other filth.

 

[BJung]

I own a RCBS Piggyback press but don't have it setup. I have no experience with other progressive presses to compare to it. The only time it functioned flawlessly was when it was new and clean. After it started to collect dust and crud, it would jam up and not rotate. To guarantee its proper function, I'd rotate the shell plate unit with my free hand while the other pulled down on the handle. That said, the unit loaded bullets faster than a single stage press. I like the concept of converting a single stage press to a progressive stage press, so I plan to use it for reloading large quantities of bullets.

 

[tightgroup tiger]

Any one use the RCBS PIGGYBACK SYSTEM?

I haven't seen to much on this set up.when I get my shed done I will be setting up a Dillion 550, a Dillon 650, a Hornaday AP press, a Redding T-7, two Hornaday single-stage Lock n Load presses, two RCBS RockChucker presses, a Lee turret press; a cheap Lee single-stage press and a old Lyman C-Press.
I will be doing reloading classes and want a whole array of presses and other equipment for new reloaders to try out before they go out and buy stuff they will not want.
Plus I will have a bunch of stuff to play with myself.
If this RCBS PIGGYBACK PRESS is a decent press I can buy one at a decent price and will set it up.

I have been buying used presses, scales, trimmers, powder measures, dial calibers, dies, manuals and a bunch of stuff so I can set new people up 100% to go home set it all up and get reloading.

I,ll check this press on YouTube, just looking for your personal opinion of this set up.

Sounds like you need a Lee ABLP press mixed in there just so people know they don't have to buy a Dillon or Hornady to have a reliable progressive press if they can't afford one of the other name brands.
Just a thought!

 

[Highland Lofts]

If I find a cheap used one I'd pick one up. After a issue with Lee's customer service I sold a lot of the Lee stuff I had and went RCBS and Hornaday.
Lee does make or use to make things that I like and have a few items left. As far as buying any large items from Lee I will pass.
If I do get a large item it will have to be used and be at deal.
Not downing Lee products as they fill a void in low end reloading stuff.
Just their customer service SUCKED for me and that part of your business should be focused upon in my personal opinion.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I'm sure anything discarded at a tent city was stolen in the first place.
The last time through Seattle taking my grandson to the WaGuns New Years Day Shoot them homeless encampment were over loaded with garbage and other filth.

yep, and my tax money is paying for the filth removal. and yep it’s all stolen. But the clean up crews just dump everything in the landfill. So

If I find a cheap used one I'd pick one up. After a issue with Lee's customer service I sold a lot of the Lee stuff I had and went RCBS and Hornaday.
Lee does make or use to make things that I like and have a few items left. As far as buying any large items from Lee I will pass.
If I do get a large item it will have to be used and be at deal.
Not downing Lee products as they fill a void in low end reloading stuff.
Just their customer service SUCKED for me and that part of your business should be focused upon in my personal opinion.

Lee App Press is amazing like thing. Instead of Lee CS I just bought 2 APP, 1 to use and the other for parts

 

[presspuller]

I had one. It was brand new and came with all the other stuff I bought off a widow lady. I set it up and ran a hundred rounds of .357 in no time at all. I then took it off and sold it. There was too much going on at one time to suit me. I'm too anal about each step and like to know that each step is done correctly.
I'm sure it did everything right, it was just not for me. I know others that use them and like them.

 

[1911JAS]

I have a piggyback-2 on a rock chucker press and have used it for the past 20+ years. I only use it for pistol. 32 hr mag, 9mm, 38, 357, 40, 45. It has run flawlessly as long as I keep it clean. If I could find another I would get one.

 

[Highland Lofts]

yep, and my tax money is paying for the filth removal. and yep it’s all stolen. But the clean up crews just dump everything in the landfill. So

Lee App Press is amazing like thing. Instead of Lee CS I just bought 2 APP, 1 to use and the other for parts

Smart move buying an extra press for parts.

I have a Hornaday press with issues and they sent me a new one, they even paid to ship the bad one back.
I had a issue with a Lee products the woman took down the problem and said it would be taken care of and I got a Lee catalog in the mail. The catalog went right in the garbage.

----- ------------ ------------
I can get the piggyback system with the press for right around $250.

 

[Mark_Mark]

Smart move buying an extra press for parts.

I have a Hornaday press with issues and they sent me a new one, they even paid to ship the bad one back.
I had a issue with a Lee products the woman took down the problem and said it would be taken care of and I got a Lee catalog in the mail. The catalog went right in the garbage.

----- ------------ ------------
I can get the piggyback system with the press for right around $250.

what is the PiggyBack? a progressive press?

 

[Tilos]

OK, I have the original PB that I bought back then still bolted onto a RCBS Rock Chucker and 3 addition PB bolted on other RCBS presses.
Back then, with no internet, the only source of help was RCBS, so you are probably going to get a lot of posters who rag on RCBS/PBP and how they gave up on them...back then.

All of my PBs have been Frankenstein'ed into reliable/dependable/trouble free presses that produce lots of pistol ammo.

The 1st thing to go was the clap-trap powder drop system and the uniflow PM.
It would drop powder on every press cycle whether there was a case under it or not.
I have replaced those powder drops with Lee powder thru the expander dies and Lee Deluxe Auto Disc PMs on all my PBs.
That setup is case activated, so no case-no powder!

RCBS tried to fix that on every updated press redesign, by adding even more complex/costly/fiddly linkage, for me, those fixes were a huge failure. They were on my newer presses, never used them, switched to the Lee powder thru the Exp./Auto Disc.

I now de-prime/wet tumble/lube all cases prior to loading on the PB as this keeps the de-prime smooge off the press and eliminates all the problems associated with it.

One more thing, I put in a weaker index spring and nylon ball under the shell plate to reduce the snap when indexing and spilling powder.
I added Hornady bullet feeder dies, with tubes, too, so my left hand only loads a case, and my right hand never leaves the lever during operation. This alone as doubled output.

Bought this stuff for $100, yes, it's an Ammo Master/PB:

Those Uniflo powder measures are on a shelf, gathering dust, and for sale!
Read my sig, it'll save you a lot of headaches.
jmo,

 

[Mac Attack]

I cut my reloading teeth on a RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme back on the mid 80’s. After a couple of years and thousands of rounds loaded on it I was wanting something more progressive. Being a poor college student I could not afford to buy a Dillon and found the RCBS Piggyback II conversion unit that I could add to my RC. Talk about a jump in technology going from single stage to a progressive loader! I used that setup to load a bunch of different calibers until I upgraded to a Dillon XL650 in 2008.

I kept my RC & Piggyback combo and periodically loaded on it but as other posters have said, there is a lot going on at once. I found it easier to load on my 650 than on my RCBS system. I ended up selling my Piggyback on another forum last year for more than I paid for it. Long story short, it was a great beginners press that served me well but requires a lot of maintenance to keep it running.

 

[Skgreen]

Not sure if this is a factor in the OP's choice of presses, but isn't the piggy back system (more or less*) discontinued / un-supported by RCBS?

* I see (2) items available from RCBS: https://www.rcbs.com/search?q=Piggy+back&search-button=&lang=default
Some shell plates at Midway: https://www.midwayusa.com/s?searchTerm=RCBS+PiggyBack

 

[GW Staar]

Not sure if this is a factor in the OP's choice of presses, but isn't the piggy back system (more or less*) discontinued / un-supported by RCBS?

* I see (2) items available from RCBS: https://www.rcbs.com/search?q=Piggy+back&search-button=&lang=default
Some shell plates at Midway: https://www.midwayusa.com/s?searchTerm=RCBS+PiggyBack

They are only there because of the Pro 2000....but it's discontinued too.....I fully expect both those parts to be history this year. I don't understand why RCBS doesn't learn from their mistakes and update their presses to improve the limitations. If I were guessing, I'd say they have less control from their corporate boss over those things than other companies, who have resisted being bought out by conglomerates. I have both the Pro 2000 and Pro Chucker 7....both great presses that could have been greater with just a tiny bit of TLC. I provided that on mine, and love the resulting presses....but others don't have the skills or desire to do what RCBS should have done in the years since the products were released.

 

[Otto]

Unless you’re MacGyver with a masters in mechanical engineering…I’d stay clear of the Piggyback. RCBS made 6 different versions but never got any of them right. I’d look for a used Pro 2000 instead.

edit: I bought my Pro 2K auto indexing press over 15 years ago but no one knows more about them than GW, (and that includes RCBS).

 

[GW Staar]

Otto, there you go exaggerating again.

BTW, I've finally upgraded my custom "semiauto" case feeder with a 3D printed Electric Collator. Works pretty good. In the vid below I'm testing it with .357 (in a 45Acp sized plate) just to see if I need to print a separate plate for .357.....pushing two cases at a time just to test. I'm thinking the one plate is enough. One example of improving RCBS equipment......they had bullet feeders, but never came up with a case feeder. Anything's possible if you try.