Trying to decide: Lee Classic Press or RCBS Rock Chucker

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Caimlas both presses are excellent choices for a single stage press. I prefer the Rock Chucker because that is what I grew up with and from the previous post their I would say 99% is personal preference rather then fact. The following statements need data to back up their claim which I don't believe exists:
The rockchucker is about ten times stronger & sturdier than you'd need to load any rifle round.

The lee, by comparison, is only five times stronger and sturdier then you'd need to load any rifle round
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I have owned a Lee Load Master and I can tell you from personal experience Lee customer service is just as good as RCBS. The bottom line is regardless which press you buy you're not going to be sorry!
 
Lets all just remember that the new Rockchuckers are cast in China, if you really wanna support them then go right ahead. As soon as i found this out my rock chucker left and a Lee classic cast sits in it's place doing the the job just as well but smoother than that chinese junk that i had before.
 
I bought the Rock Chucker Surpreme kit... couldn't be more pleased with the quality and easy of use. Only thing it (or any other single stage) doesn't have is speed. :)
 
Lets all just remember that the new Rockchuckers are cast in China, if you really wanna support them then go right ahead. As soon as i found this out my Rock Chucker left and a Lee classic cast sits in it's place doing the the job just as well but smoother than that Chinese junk that i had before.
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That is possible the new ones may be not be built as good as the original Rock Chucker. My press was new in 1979, it the flat green finish and it's been an excellent press.
 
I didn't know RCBS was making their new presses in China. I'm not against foreign trade and I don't advocate high tariffs and protectionist trade practices, but I've long stated that there is a false economy to much of the outsourcing we've seen lately. I've seen large companies (that should know better) move automated jobs with a lot of technology and very little labor to Mexico, the Philippines and China. They spent a huge amount to recreate the capital investment they just liquidated for pennes on the dollar in the US, and now they're dealing with quality problems, lengthy international shipping, political corruption as an institutionalized part of doing business (yes, it can be a lot worse than it is in the US), and now they're forced to fly high paid engineers all over the globe to try to solve the problems that were created by their short sighted business decisions.

Even with more labor intensive manufacturing, I doubt there's a true cost savings to outsourcing goods manufactured for US consumption. It's good to see the images of the Lee production where railroad rails are cut to length, melted and cast to make their new Classic Cast Press, that is probably better than the RCBS imports that sell for an additional 75% premium. You'd have to really like green and hate red to pay $50 more for an imported press that wasn't quite as good.
 
Some things you should know about a RC vs. a Lee Classic Cast

First, we're talking Lee's latest Classic Cast single stage and RCBS's latest Rock Chucker Supreme single stage here.

1. New Rock Chucker - Made in China. Isn't quite as good a fit and finish as the old ones that were made in USA from what I can tell
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2. New Lee Classic Cast - Made in USA, better fit and finish than the new RC.

3. New RC - taller than old, but still has the old method of handling primers and while having a good lever arm, the arm isn't adjustable.

4. New Lee Classic Cast - Primers feed down the extremely thick ram and out a tube to whereever you want them to go, but they don't dirty up your press.

5. New Lee Classic Cast - You can adjust the length of the operating handle to provide the type of leverage you need.

6. Both presses can take Hornady's excellent LnL bushing conversion to speed die changes.

Those are just a few items off the top of my head I can think of from when I owned both and compared them for awhile. I think the RC supreme is a good press. I think the Lee Classic Cast is an excellent press.

The Lee Classic Cast, in a head to head comparison, on my bench, beat the Rock Chucker I had. I sold the Rock Chucker. Then my son came home from college and took my Lee Classic Cast back with him. Looks like I'll have to buy another Lee Classic Cast and a Lee Classic Turret to make up for the emotional trauma of the loss of my first Lee Classic cast single stage.

Dave
 
I have loaded thousands of rounds of pistol and rifle ammo on Lee presses, from the relatively flimsy aluminum ones (although they worked fine) to this new Lee Classic steel cast press. I can't imagine a more solid single stage press! Believe me, you won't regret getting it!
 
Hi, all. I have personally owned at least 6 rockchuckers, including the original, RCII, and RC Supreme. I have owned Lyman Orange Crushers. I have owned RCBS Jr. presses, like 10 of those, I've owned two Forster Coax Presses, I've owned two of the old Pacific C frame cast iron presses, I've owned a Very noice Herter's O frame cast iron press, and others.

What I have bolted permanently to my benchtop in single stage presses is as follows: Pacific Deluxe C frame cast iron press; Lee Classic Cast Press.

The Rockchucker is a great press. The Lee Classic Cast is a great press. Either one will usher you into your grave, and do your kids the same courtesy. If you like one brand over the other, buy that brand, but don't try to tell yourself you bought it because it was better. You bought it because you like it better. Regards.
 
I load 45acp in bulk on a dillon, but do all my 223 on a Lee Classic Cast press...its a solid single stage press for about $60...thats tough to beat. I know the Rock Chucker is a great press..Im just not sure its worth the extra money. That being said, RCBS has really good customer service (dies, bullet pullers, trimmers).
 
Idano,

For me it's usually not an issue about quality OR price, it's more serious than that. I mean, I'm tired of buying ChiCom crap (clothes, kitchen stuff, Norinco guns, etc.) we are often forced inot because of China (PRC) being given most-favored nation trade status -- what a shameful disgrace that was.

I hated the Communists since my time in the RVN and haven't changed. Consequently, I prefer not to have anything to do supporting that oppressive PRC regime. ANY opportunity to choose differently is taken.

As for Lee cast-iron presses being made here, good for them...I'm glad to help them stay in business. I prefer to buy American when I can...unless the quality is clearly inferior to foreign-made stuff.

I'm really sorry to hear that an AMERICAN mainstay in the reloading business -- RCBS -- has gone ChiCom.

Taiwan I can accept, but not the PRC.


Merry Christmas,

-- John D.
 
John are you trying to imply that I am pushing for buying out sourced good? If your are that is most DEFINITELY NOT the case. I don't know if RCBS is out sourced all I can tell you is MINE wasn't, it was made in the USA when China was barely allowing Nixon to visit their country! I also have no issues with Lee, I once owned a LoadMaster and for the money it is one of the most economical progressive press available. However, my current set up is a Hornady L-n-L Progressive and a Rock Chucker
 
If I could have only 1 press, it would probably be the Lee Classic Cast Turret. I have quite a bit of Lee gear and have used RCBS and Lyman in the past. I upgraded from the Challenger (the O press that comes with the aniversary kit) to a Lee Classic Cast for one reason only. Primer handling. I've loaded 340 Wby and 50 AE on the Challenger without a hickup but the big Classic Cast is better made and has more room to work, and it doesn't dump primers into an open cavity that you have to figure out how to clean out.

For the money I don't think there's any way to beat the Classic Cast when it comes to a single stage press, and there are lots of much more expesnive presses that aren't designed as well and lack a lot of it's useful features.
 
I have a Lee "O" press and have loaded many thousands of rounds with it. After reading about the Lee press durability and comments on it not being strong enough for some rifle applications, I bought a good used Rockchucker cheap as a backup. The Rockchucker has never been used, and I am still waiting for the Lee to fail.
 
Idano,

You're right, I was attributing something said/implied to you that wasn't said/implied by you...sorry. I was probably going by the tone of some other posts.

YOUR press WAS made here. That's fine, I owned older RCBS presses, too, all 3 were made here. If the NEW ONES are not made here, that's the shame I was talking about.

Also, as mentioned, I do not buy at the lowest price OR buy foreign stuff unless the American-made stuff is inferior (such as we see in the car/SUV market...I stay with Asian brands -- such as Honda/Toyota -- over American...but that's another topic).

So sorry for me misreading you...

Merry Christmas,

-- John D.
 
cloudcroft
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Thank you, I just didn't want anyone thinking I was pushing foreign products over USA built. I usually try to buy quality and sometimes that does mean buying foreign but if the quality is comparable I always chose American made first if available.

cloudcroft have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!
 
I've thoroughly decided on getting the Lee Classic Turret press at this stage, for a number of reasons:

1) Made in the US of A. I will not buy a high-ticket (for me) item from China, let alone one firearms related.
2) It is better engineered. Even a cursory glance can tell you this.
3) Despite being a turret press, it's still cheaper than the RCBS RC.
4) a turret press with removeable turrets makes a lot of sense if you want to do multiple calibers.
5) I like red better than puke-green. :rolleyes:

I just can't get behind a company that is offshoring jobs and production from America in an industry which is fundamentally American in scope and principle. Sorry RCBS.
 
I have a Rockchucker for the simple reason of on occasion I need something strong enough to reform cases such as 40/65 Win from 45/70 govt and the RC hasn't failed me yet.
BTW standard dies all have 7/8x14' threads the only exception that I know of is the Dillon Square Deal
 
I don't think anyone is saying that the RC isn't a solid press. It has set the standard for years, I just think that the Classic Cast is just as solid, has some more clearance and a better way of disposing primers. They took something very good and made it a little better for allot less money. I did not realize that the RCBS RC Supreme was made overseas - learn something every day.

As to resizing, even the aluminum challenger will resize the cases you mentioned, or anything if it's lubed properly, but the Classic Cast or Classic Turret are cast iron and steel and will resize those cases every bit as easily as the RC. I've had both, liked both, but simply prefered the Classic Cast for the reasons mentioned above.
 
press

While I have a Rock chucker and lyman spartan, A friend has a Lee Classic that he's used for a long while. He reloads 270 and hasn't had a problem.

So what it amounts to is the money you want to spend, and if you are just getting into reloading it can be very costly....try evilbay for good deals but price check before you buy.
 
Uncle Don,

True. Both the Lee Classic and RCBS will kick-ass resize any case you can fit in there.


Caimlas,

Well, red IS a "Christmassy" color you know!

But then, it just occurred to me that so is green. :-(

Okay, I guess we need a NEW manufacturer that makes multicolored presses...


Merry Christmas,

-- John D.
 
Lee Classic Cast or big Green or ??? I've loaded since '65 and have used quite a few presses during those years, some mine, some my friends. One thing I've learned is that blind loyalty to one brand of anything to the exclusion of others is pointless, at best, and especially so of loading tools.

A reloading press is a pretty simple thing, there is no magic in it's color. Any press with a compound toggle linkage, "O" design and of cast iron/steel is the equal of any other, no better or worse than others reqardless of color. If paying a 50% premium for green makes someone feel better, so be it, but it's unfair to suggest others do the same without reason other than "it works for me." The Lee, Hornady, Redding, Lyman cast iron presses are as good as the RCBS but none of those are quite as good, over all, as the Forster "Co-Ax" presses for making quality ammo. Even there the differences there are too small to matter for most of us.

Actually, the Lee Cast press has a few superior design features as well as much lower cost. I REALLY like that the primer catcher actually works! I like the larger diameter ram. I like the adjustable length and angle operating lever that can be converted to left hand operation as well. I don't like its priming system but I don't like any of the others either. :neener:

I do have an old, reliable RC II bolted to the center of my bench. It's good, I mostly like it. Well, except for that crop-failure "primer catcher". :fire: (I have the neat little Lee "Reloader" press and a universal decap die set up for that function, the press mount was modified to drop spent caps into a bottle) But I know the RC is no better than others of simular design and constuction. If I had to replace it tomorrow I'd get the Lee for the reasons listed above.

Any time another maker produces something with equal or better features and at a lower cost I change brands in a second and never look back. I have no emotional loyalty to inanimate objects so my choices of tools, etc, are strickly objective. :)
 
Lee Classic

Just started this month with a Lee Classic 4 hole Turret Press from Midway. I've reloaded 30-06, 7.62x39, 7.62x54R so far, and there is no way you could find a stronger press. I've been reloading rifle rounds for about 15 years on an RCBS Reloader Special, and the only difference I've noticed is that the Lee Classic Turret cost way way less than the RCBS single stage, and it's red, not green, and the handle wobbles a little bit before starting the push down. (maybe I need to put a wrench on it) They are both cast in steel, and if you like a pretty, high gloss enamel job, go for the green one. If you want to buy some extra stuff with what you save with the red one, go for it.
 
Lee Classic Press

I use a Lee Classic press to full length resize 50 BMG almost effortlessly.(I give a lot of credit to the superb quality of the Lee dies for this) Anyone who questions the strength of this press, simply dosen't know what they are talking about! As far as quality, I've never had a Rock Chucker, so can't comment, but I DO own an RCBS Ammomaster, which I also use for 50BMG, and in my humble opinion is a piece of junk--loose in all it's joints & even when new, the ram was noticeably loose in the frame! In contrast the Lee is built to, obviously, a much higher quality standard, with much tighter tolerances in both the ram & linkages. Granted, Lee has built some pretty cheap presses in the past, but the Classic is a totally different ball game. On the same issue of quality, I've been completely unimpressed with RCBS dies. In my opinion no better, (maybe not as good) as Lee--just cost a LOT more!!!!!
 
Have used both. Each are equal to any task for a single stage press barring the .50 cals, and then like the Lee. Cast iron and strong. Like the used primer disposal system, tube directly in to a waste can....I like the RCBS for primeing because it is worn in where you can get a very good feel using the RCBS Ram prime on top of it...IMHO
 
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