Rock Chucker - What era to buy?

[justinp61]

Mine is definitely the first model of Rock Chucker, have had it for years...and there is no year date stamped on mine.

I agree that most all of the Rock Chuckers are great presses. I also have a Summit 2000 and it's got advantages in use also, and compliments the Rock Chucker. I use the Hornady LNL bushings on both presses.

I had to remove the die bushing to find the date on mine.

 

[Stegmst]

You cannot go wrong with a RC or an RCII. Just look for one that has light use.

 

[piie]

Get the green one.

 

[nakneker]

I have two Rock Chuckers one out of the mid seventies and one out of the early eighties. They are both quality machines. I have also helped quite a few friends learn to reload, the majority are using Rock Chuckers, I’ve used many of their machines and they seem to be solid machines including the recent ones, low run out and zero issues. You can’t beat RCBS for customer service if there was a problem, great machines.

 

[OMW57]

I have an older RC, early 90's great press, nice and tight! My buddy bought a supreme, I think around 18 years ago? made in china stamped on frame! loosy goosy very sloppy in the linkage! I wouldn't keep a piece of junk like that in MY reloading room! Most of my single stage work gets done on my co-ax now love that press!

 

[dcali]

The 90s mod has a great primer catcher but the new one I have now is crap

I've heard them called "Primer Chuckers". Can't say I disagree. It's very annoying.

 

[6MMsteve]

I have a 80's RC that is tight and smooth light green cast

 

[Eric Leonard]

80-90s stuff is not older. Lol

 

[Dgd6mm]

If I were to buy a RC tomorrow that came off the assembly line a month or so ago will it stand up to 5,000-10,000 rounds being processed on it for years to come?
Closer to reality is 2,500-3,500 a year.
I did load over 1,600 this month, but that's normally a once a year thing.

 

[jamesdmock]

I have an RCBS 10-10 scale I bought about 5 years ago. At that time in my reloading, I was not aware of the difference in quality of the older USA made ones vs the newer versions.

Is something like this similar with the Rock Chucker Supreme? Should I look for a vintage one from a specific era, or are the new ones off the shelf the same quality as the old?

I'm replacing my Lee Breechlock that has served me well, but I'm not 100% confident in it's ability to make very tight tolerance reloads. I mean, it get's me to the mid to upper .4 moa. And I'm more than pleased with that for the most part, but at this point I need to setup up to a new level of reloading to get below 0.3moa and beyond.

I'm sure I want a rock chucker based on reviews of it being able to produce concentric repeatable tolerance reloads. Eventually, when I hit another wall in my reloads, I will invest in an arbor press. It's my understanding I cannot FL resize with an arbor press.

So what era of rock chucker should I look for?

In 1970 or '71, I upgraded from my Lyman press to a Rockchucker. I am still using it today. I remember carrying it to one of the first BR matches that I attended. Mr. Arnold Jewell asked if I had enough press to neck size PPC brass, to which I replied that I WAS FULL LENGTH SIZING. He responded in typical Jewell fashion, "EXCUSE ME!" I really miss Arnold.

 

[dcali]

If I were to buy a RC tomorrow that came off the assembly line a month or so ago will it stand up to 5,000-10,000 rounds being processed on it for years to come?
Closer to reality is 2,500-3,500 a year.
I did load over 1,600 this month, but that's normally a once a year thing.

I cannot imagine a press ever wearing out no matter how many rounds you put on it for the rest of your life. The forces involved in sizing cases are pretty small. Worst case, you develop a little play in the links over a LONG period of time. The frames are functionally indestructible under normal use.

 

[RGRobinett]

Here are a pair of [early/mid 90's] Rock Chuckers which failed - probably due to fatigue. They were used only for bullet swaging - this pair primarily for core-seating - compared to hand-loading, pretty harsh duty.
When they opted out of the work routine, both had endured [probably] several million cycles.

One simply cracked, "right through the middle" of the top-frame (ALL THE WAY through both sides of the threaded port), which made a surprisingly audible "CRACK"! The second, louder yet, was just the boss giving up - that one still seems an odd place to break . . . both now reside in the garden.

I'll agree that a hand-loader should expect a couple of life-times of use. RG

 

[AlNyhus]

Good 'iron' for the garden soil, Randy. -Al

 

[chop house]

I cannot imagine a press ever wearing out no matter how many rounds you put on it for the rest of your life. The forces involved in sizing cases are pretty small. Worst case, you develop a little play in the links over a LONG period of time. The frames are functionally indestructible under normal use.

i see you have never owned a lee...

 

[Dgd6mm]

I was gifted an old press from the fella that got me into reloading, it was a Hornaday Pacific from what I was told. It must have been well used. It was a little on the sloppy side. I gave it away to someone that wanted to start reloading .223. I gave this young man everything he needed to get started. I replaced it with a Lee Classic Cast that serves me well. I bought a cheap Lee for decapping only. I'm considering something green.

 

[RGRobinett]

Not to hijack, however, the LEE CLASSIC CAST presses (all 6 of them) have proven not only more adaptable to conversion, but also, more durable, with both better radial and axial alignment than any of my Rock Chuckers, of which I have now had seven.
None other than the late GREAT Ferris Pindell advised us of the "RED PRESS" (CLASSIC CAST) qualities - his advice proved correct. That said, both types will far outlive a hand-loader.
RG

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have a mid 60's and 2007 RC, both work great. I would say the linkage feels "tighter" on the old one. Both make great ammo.

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

Here are a pair of [early/mid 90's] Rock Chuckers which failed - probably due to fatigue. They were used only for bullet swaging

Funny enough I broke a handle on my Summit 2000 a few months ago resizing 6.5 Creedmoor brass into 8.6 blackout. I ended up using my Rock Chucker to finish and it seemed to have better support with the frame to resize. I finished my brass using it.

My Rock Chucker doesn't have a date stamped on it, as I had mentioned. Another member contacted me and said the Hornady 7/8" LNL bushing needs to be removed, but I have nothing on there.

NOTE: this is the original style with the strange primer seater, which I don't use. I turned the ram around backwards and added a 3D printed adapter that allows the old primers to fall into a tube as I de-prime my brass. Other than that it's all original AFAIK. The reason to turn the ram around is that the front has the primer seater in the way, the rear is clear.

 

[dcali]

i see you have never owned a lee...

I own three classic casts that I use to make bullets and they're amazing. I think they're the best press on the market.

 

[M-61]

Funny enough I broke a handle on my Summit 2000

Is this a picture of the RCBS Summit?