Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles Presses: RCBS vs Lee

They ship in raw castings for the Rockchucker from China but the rest of the work is done in the US.

Anybody that thinks either a Rockchucker or Lee Classic is equal to a Co-Ax is smoking crack............dj

On the other hand, anybody who thinks a Co-Ax is worth the $400 MSRP ($250 street) thinks a kilo of coke is cheap fun...

I picked up an old RC on ebay a few years ago. It has the handle with the green "bicycle handlebar" grip. I think it is a pretty old model. They are easy to find used if you look around a little. I think I paid about 85.00 shipped, and it came in the original cardboard box. I could not be happier with it.

Funny!

I have 2 and they are worth every penny.

If you don't agree, try a couple rockchuckers, a RCBS Pro-Mag, a Co-Ax, a redding Ultramag, Redding T-mag, Redding Big-Boss, a Dillon 650 and load 3,000 to 30,000 on each and get back to me. I bet you'll agree...........................DJ

I have both the Forster Co-Ax and the Lee Classic Cast and cannot complain about either. I bought both as they are American made and of decent quality. I can't get past RCBS sending manufacturing off to China for what is as American (hunting and shooting sports) to me as apple pie.

Just a few years back, the Lee Classic Cast could be had for ~ $70 on sale. Shop around and you won't be disappointed.

The lack of cam-over is what I prefer about the Lee.

I just replaced my 35 year old RCBS Reloader Special with a Lee Classic Cast and could not be happier. I needed the longer cabability and looked at all presses out there without much regard for cost really. I have never been a Lee fan but I am a fan of this press. A great piece of equipment.

Heresy, heresy! Stone him! Stone him!

Pay the xtra few dollars and get a Redding.

FWIW, I've had MUCH better luck with Lee's CS than RCBS's CS. I had a Rockchucker for about a decade, sold it and bought the Co-ax. If I were buying an O-frame press new right now it would be the Lee, but the Co-ax is like running a fine piece of machinery, I'll never go back.

What I find interesting is that some will look at a product to evaluate it for what they are, and buy the best one. Others seem to assume quality is determined by the price tag and the color of the paint...

I'm a fan of Forster high end dies because they have the features I want and are quality made. Others will only buy Redding dies at a higher price that have the same features but probably not quite as good a quality, just because it is a Redding.

On the other hand the Forster Co-Ax press is in my evaluation just a gimmick -- like a complex mouse trap that does not work any better than the old simple Victor models. The Lee Classic cast is stronger, accurate, catches the primers like the Co-Ax, and really it only takes seconds to change shell holders. Plus shell holders of different thickness give you some flexibility in sizing.

I have a Rockchucker that's 40 years old (bicycle grip handle) and it's still going strong. I use a Dillon 550B for anything I shoot a lot of. (It's 16 years old, no problems at all)

jstall, that bicycle grip drove me nuts for years. I finally cut it off. As an absolutely delightful replacement, I drilled partway through an old golf ball, squirted in a dollop of glue and slid it onto the RCBS handle. It's palm-filling and the dimples give it just enough texture for excellent feel.

Most golf balls today have a single large solid core that makes them ideal for the job.

Clever.

Think a golf ball could be adapted to be a Rem 700 bolt knob?

My BIL uses an old (and I do mean old) Rockchucker Press. I use the Lee Classic Cast Iron Press. Neither one of us complain as either of these are well built and very strong.

I'd get the cheapest cast iron press that's out there. I think that may be the Lee. I did that 15 yrs ago and at the time it was a Lyman Orange Crusher II. I haven't worn it out yet.

But RCBS is a quality press. I would save on the press and buy a quality scale, micrometer, brass trimmer, etc.

Hmmmm, I was thinking about buying a replacement handle with the round knob from RCBS

I purchased the Lee anniversary press kit back when I first started reloading and haven't worn that press out yet. It works great and I love it. If and/or when I buy a new one it'll be their cast press.

Nothing against the RC, which I know for a fact is a great press.

That right there shows some real intelligence. I have always felt that it was a supplier rather than a consumer who coined the phrase, "You get what you pay for," and that he smiles contentedly every time he hears a consumer parrot it.