Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .Simple question...

...from a simple guy.

I've picked up a used RCBS press that has "RS" on the side. What's that stand for?

Reloader Special

Thanks!

Good, bad, middle of the road?

Good.


Ingwe

Thanks, seems like a solid press.

RCBS presses are excellent. They usually last a lifetime. My first was a Junior, but now I use a Rockchucker that I've had for 30 years.

The "RS" was an economy press made to compete with other brands. I believe they were manufactured late 1970s early 1980s. Look for a date tool stamp on top of the die platform.

I purchased one new thirty years ago and it has served me well. It's sole function now is de-capping primers.

at one time i had two rcbs presses one marked jr and the other rs other than that marking the looked the same to me ?


Ed

I kinda had thoughts of mounting both presses I have and trying to speed up the process whilst working up loads at my backyard range.

I do that with a RCBS Jr and a OrangeCrusher, although in my basement, you will have no trouble with the RS press

Speaking good words about RCBS presses, Every one they have ever made is about the best. I doubt that anyone could ever wear one out in several lifetimes of use.

My RCBS is great and I am thinking about getting a second one...but, I wish I had a backyard range.

Still working on that first lifetime.

I bought a Reloader Special in 1978 and except for a foray into a Dillon progressive for a couple of years it has been my one and only reloading press for 32 years now.

Still works great.

When I die, I will get in touch with a spirit medium to confirm to you guys that it has, indeed, lasted at least one lifetime.

"Speaking good words about RCBS presses, Every one they have ever made is about the best. I doubt that anyone could ever wear one out in several lifetimes of use."

This is a near constant refrain and mostly true so far as it goes. Thing is, it doesn't go very far! I have a 24 year old Rock Chucker. It's as good as any others in it's design class, Crusher, Boss, Classic Cast, etc, but no better. And some people DO break the top strap on the RC, so? I am too old and have too much experience to be blindly loyal to any name brand.

If I had to replace my RC tomorrow it would be with a Lee Classic Cast. It's bigger, precisely machined on modern CNC tooling, a cast steel body and a larger diameter ram makes it stronger, it has much better lever ergonomics, it actually handles spent primers properly. It's made in the USA (not China) and still costs much less, if money means anything to anyone.

Some very vocal folks castigate some brands of presses for being made of aluminum alloys. I doubt anyone with a Dillon, Hornady "LnL" or a Lee "Challenger" cares, nor do those who own the little green "Partner".

I know some of the "Reloader Special" series of green presses were cast alum alloy, the JR's were (I think) cast iron.

[quote=boomtube



I know some of the "Reloader Special" series of green presses were cast alum alloy, the JR's were (I think) cast iron. [/quote]

The "RS" was cast iron. RS2 and RS3 were cast aluminum.

My RS is used primarly to decap primers.

Cept for the brand new Rock Chucker I bought that has the ram out of alignment with the die hole, but they will take care of it.