RCBS pro 200 deluxe

[AR. Hillbilly]

A neighbor called and asked me if I want to buy a RCBS Pro 2000 Deluxe reloading kit. Brand new in box with everything and lots of added goodies.
As I understand this is out of production???
He’s asking $250.00
Price tag on box is 850.00
Is this good for rifle ammo 25-06, 30-06 and 223?
Would you buy it knowing components are hard to get?
Thanks in advance.

 

[cfullgraf]

The Pro2000 has not been out of production for very long, maybe 3 or 4 years. RCBS should still be supporting it.

I load 204 Ruger plus a couple handgun cartridges on mine.

It uses the APS primer strips. I stocked up on a bunch of strips and have purchased primers pre-loaded in strips. I do not know what the availability is today of the APS strips. I generally prime off the progressive press anyway so no biggie for me if strips become unavailable. But, I do like the APS priming system. Besides the Pro2000, I have hand and bench primer tools that use the APS strips.

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

The Pro2000 has not been out of production for very long, maybe 3 or 4 years. RCBS should still be supporting it.

I load 204 Ruger plus a couple handgun cartridges on mine.
Good info. It comes with a box full of different primer strips.
It uses the APS primer strips. I stocked up on a bunch of strips and have purchased primers pre-loaded in strips. I do not know what the availability is today of the APS strips. I generally prime off the progressive press anyway so no biggie for me if strips become unavailable. But, I do like the APS priming system. Besides the Pro2000, I have hand and bench primer tools that use the APS strips.

The Pro2000 has not been out of production for very long, maybe 3 or 4 years. RCBS should still be supporting it.

I load 204 Ruger plus a couple handgun cartridges on mine.

It uses the APS primer strips. I stocked up on a bunch of strips and have purchased primers pre-loaded in strips. I do not know what the availability is today of the APS strips. I generally prime off the progressive press anyway so no biggie for me if strips become unavailable. But, I do like the APS priming system. Besides the Pro2000, I have hand and bench primer tools that use the APS strips.

it comes with a whole bunch of primer strips. I have no idea what size primers. Several different colors.

 

[bearleft]

Yes!!

 

[GoldieMI]

He’s asking $250.00

A deal in regular times, even better deal right now. as long as I had the cash, I would definitely buy it for sure.

 

[Otto]

Auto indexing or manual?
If it’s a manual, you won’t be able to covert to auto because the parts have been discontinued.
Personally, I’d invest the $250 toward a Dillon 750. Better yet, buy the Pro 2000, flip-it on eBay then buy the Dillon. This insures that your press will be future proof.

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

I figure the digital scale and trimmer are worth the asking price even if I just sold the press.

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

Auto indexing or manual?
If it’s a manual, you won’t be able to covert to auto because the parts have been discontinued.
Personally, I’d invest the $250 toward a Dillon 750. Better yet, buy the Pro 2000, flip-it on eBay then buy the Dillon. This insures that your press will be future proof.

How do I know if it’s auto or manual?
The box says pro 2000 Deluxe. I assume deluxe means what comes in the kit.

 

[cfullgraf]

it comes with a whole bunch of primer strips. I have no idea what size primers. Several different colors.

The APS primer strips come in two sizes, one size for large primers, one size for small. RCBS made them in different colors. For their pre-loaded strips, the color indicated what the primer was. One color for large magnum pistol primers, another color for large pistol standard primers, a third color for small pistol standard primers and so forth through all the primers including bench rest primers.

The press should come with a strip loading tool, or at least originally from RCBS and the instruction recommend the user maintain the same color conventions when reloading the strips. Strip loading tools were available separately, but I do not know if they still are.

When setting up for a loading session on the Pro2000, I'd load primers in any appropriate sized primer strip for the approximate quantity of cartridges I was planning to load. Any strips not consumed were stored in an appropriate labeled box of what primer was in the box.

I liked to alternate colors of the strips as they were fed into the priming section or tool. It made it easy to see where one strip started and the other ended.

 

[cfullgraf]

How do I know if it’s auto or manual?
The box says pro 2000 Deluxe. I assume deluxe means what comes in the kit.

Cycle the press if you can, the shell plate should rotate as the handle goes up and down or ask the owner. I forget if the box of mine said it was auto index but that is what I bought and received.

 

[kmw1954]

I would for certain at that price.

 

[rocirish]

Sounds like a real good deal to me. It might be a long time before you get another deal like this.

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

The APS primer strips come in two sizes, one size for large primers, one size for small. RCBS made them in different colors. For their pre-loaded strips, the color indicated what the primer was. One color for large magnum pistol primers, another color for large pistol standard primers, a third color for small pistol standard primers and so forth through all the primers including bench rest primers.

The press should come with a strip loading tool, or at least originally from RCBS and the instruction recommend the user maintain the same color criteria when reloading the strips. Strip loading tools were available separately, but I do not know if they still are.

When setting up for a loading session on the Pro2000, I'd load primers in any appropriate sized primer strip for the approximate quantity of cartridges I was planning to load. Any strips not consumed were stored in an appropriate labeled box of what primer was in the box.

I liked to alternate colors of the strips as they were fed into the priming section or tool. It made it easy to see where one strip started and the other ended.

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

It does come with the strip loading tool. It’s got everything that comes with it originally. All new in the box.

 

[shootbrownelk]

I don't think I could get the cash out of my wallet fast enough, before the seller changes his mind. If ya' snooze, ya' lose.

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

Something I don’t understand, when do you resize and when do you trim? on my single stage I decap/ re-size then prep brass then load and seat.
thinking I may keep my single stage for recapping/sizing.

 

[cfullgraf]

When loading on a progressive press, I prefer to resize/deprime/mouth expand at one time. Then I clean the cases, trim if necessary and store cases away for a future loading session. I do this shortly after shooting the cases, small batches go quickly.

When I need to resupply my ammunition, I plan a major loading session where I prime, charge, seat the bullet, and crimp, if necessary the prepped cases I have stored away.

Many folks do not like to break it up like that. You will need to find what works for you.

Bottleneck rifle cases that I load on a progressive, I tend to resize on the single stage.

Regardless, keep your single stage. There are many tasks in reloading suitable for a single stage that do not work well on a progressive.

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

When loading on a progressive press, I prefer to resize/deprime/mouth expand at one time. Then I clean the cases, trim if necessary and store cases away for a future loading session. I do this shortly after shooting the cases, small batches go quickly.

When I need to resupply my ammunition, I plan a major loading session where I prime, charge, seat the bullet, and crimp, if necessary the prepped cases I have stored away.

Many folks do not like to break it up like that. You will need to find what works for you.

Bottleneck rifle cases that I load on a progressive, I tend to resize on the single stage.

Regardless, keep your single stage. There are many tasks in reloading suitable for a single stage that do not work well on a progressive.

Thank you. I’ve just started loading large amounts. I just got 1200 rounds of once fired 223. I cleaned all In the tumbler then lubed and sized/ deprimed. I have them all to that point. Next step will be to prep all them and save for loading. I bought these.
Like you I plan to prep soon after shooting so as not to have to prep a whole bunch at once.
I truly appreciate your advice.

 

[AR. Hillbilly]

My wife told me to go buy it. Its home safe n sound.
In the box is a new auto index kit.
I dug most stuff out and started reading.
I don’t see any shell plates nor do I understand how they work yet.

 

[cfullgraf]

Do a search for posts by GW Staar and the Pro2000. He has done some neat improvements to the Pro2000 press.

Have fun.