Redding Big Boss II vs RCBS Rockchucker

[twice barrel]

Hey folks,

I know a lot of folks have Lee presses and sing their praises, but I also see a lot of folks complaining that some part or another on their press breaks. I know Lee is cheap to buy, but I would hate to be replacing a press because something broke after the two year warranty is up.

At least Redding and RCBS offer lifetime warranties. Then again, I have had several RCBS presses (one over 50 years, and two others over 40 years), and I have never had anything break on any of them.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

Hi Dave,

Lee offers presses of various strengths and design just as Lyman and RCBS do. Redding, Hornady, Lyman, and RCBS all have presses that have dropped off the lists and have disenchanted former owners with various items over the years. Its not unique to Lee. Aside from the Rockchucker what other single-stage RCBS presses have you used and how did they stack up against the Rockchucker?

The two Rockchuckers I've had (purchased new myself) were good presses although the first one was tighter and better aligned than the second. However the first had a bicycle style grip that I didn't care for.

In recent months I've acquired a Lee Classic Turret and a Lee Reloader Press. Both seem like excellent products with the Classic Turret in a league by itself in my estimation. The Lee Reloader press will provide many happy hours at the bench if a man isn't in a hurry and doesn't need any heavy duty leverage. Its not too unlike a Lyman press I've had before.

I just don't find Lee offerings anything to steer clear of anymore with their dies still being top drawer as well. Can't speak to the progressives since I've not used them but I can say that the Bair/Pacific/Hornady shotshell progressives I've used have all required you to pay attention carefully as you loaded and were boogers to clear up whenever something went amiss. Adopting a "routine" was necessary with them as much as anything else I've tried.

Regards,

TB

 

[ranger335v]

"I know a lot of folks have Lee presses and sing their praises, but I also see a lot of folks complaining that some part or another on their press breaks."

As Mr. Twice says, and it applies to any brand that makes more than a single design, they all have different strengths. People who stand on the lever of an alum alloy press, either Lee, Hornady or RCBS, are foolish but some even manage to break the Rock Chuchers too. All that says is some folks have no idea of the mechanical limits of anything and nothing is dufus proof to a sufficently determined dufus.

"Lifetime" press warranties are great I suppose but they sure aren't "free." Last I looked, I could buy three (cast steel) Classic Cast presses for the price of a (Chinese cast iron) RC. I don't expect to ever break my RC so it really doesn't make any difference to me but it I had to replace it tomorrow it would be a CC, it's the better press no matter the cost.

 

[David Wile]

Hey TB,

Over fifty years of reloading, I have had reloading equipment from a number of different companies including Lyman, RCBS, Herters, Hornady, Pacific and others. I have generally never liked most of the stuff Lee sells, however, I do use and prefer the Lee Auto Prime hand tool, and I do have two boxes of their powder dippers. Hornady, RCBS, and Redding (among others) offer lifetime warranties on their presses; Lee offers a two year warranty, and that ought to speak for itself. Lyman has never been all that good with their warranties, and I have had to replace a couple of parts on a Lyman Lubrisizer and have a Mag 20 furnace thermostat replaced - all at my expense.

With my Hornady and RCBS presses, however, the only thing I ever had to have replaced was a shell plate spring on my Hornady LNL, and it was free. Funny isn't it how those two companies offer a lifetime warranty, yet I have only ever had to have that one shell plate spring replaced. I think that says something about their quality.

You asked about what single stage presses I have owned, and they have been many, and they still are many. I currently have and use the same RCBS RockChucker I got nearly 50 years ago, I have two RCBS Juniors (one of which is older than the RockChucker and the other is nearly as old), I have a massive Well's "C" frame press that is pretty much for show only, and I also have a Lyman Acculine press that can be used as bench mount as well as a hand tool.

I am not sure what you want to know when you ask how the others stack up against the RockChucker, but I will make some comments that may answer your question. None of the single stage presses above have the mechanical advantage of the RockChucker's handle and linkage, and the Lyman Acculine is really intended for hand tool usage which can be done quite well but takes a good bit of effort. Other than the light weight Acculine, all of the presses I mentioned are very old and still function as they did when new. None of them had any parts break. I never had a Redding press, but I have known folks who spoke highly of them. While the RockChucker is still a big strong press that will do the work and not fall apart, we must recognize it is nearly 50 years old in design, and it has not had a design upgrade in all those years. I think RCBS missed the ball on this point. If the RCBS had a modern spent primer collection system as used today on many presses, and if it modernized its primer seating and feeding system, it would still be the king of the hill in single stage presses. You are absolutely right about the grip on the handle being like a bicycle grip, but it never bothered me a bit. It's what I am used to.

In long ago times, I never liked the Lyman presses. The older ones used the special Lyman dies, then they started a standard "C" frame that was too small and dainty for me, and then they started their turret press, and I just don't like turret presses. By the time Lyman came out with a truly robust press (I think it was the Orange Crusher), I already had several other presses, and already had problems with the Lyman warranty on other items. I had and still have lots of Lyman die sets, and mould blocks, but no press other than the Acculine which I consider a hand tool.

You mentioned progressive shotshell presses, and I have had a lot of years using the Pacific and the Hornady progressives. While I currently have three 366 (2 Hornady and 1 Pacific) progressive presses (12, 16, and 20 gauges), I also have three MEC single stage presses in the same gauges: 2 Sizemasters and one Junior. You mentioned about progressive presses requiring you to pay very careful attention as you operate them, and I agree with you wholeheartedly. I can sing, eat, or practically read a book while loading on the single stage shotshell presses, but it is a completely different ballgame when it comes to the progressive presses. That is also true with my LNL metallic progressive press. I cannot have people talk to me while loading on a progressive because I have to pay extremely careful attention to what is going on at all the stations, and I really do have a "routine" as you have suggested. If you make a mistake, it can be a mess to clear up. However, if you stick with your routine and work it properly, they can make a lot of shotshells in short order.

Now, I know that I have made it pretty clear that I am not a fan of Lee products, but I recognize there are tens of thousands of reloaders out there making good ammo with Lee equipment, and I do sincerely wish them well. Other than the short two year warranty deal, my statements about Lee products are simply represent one old man's opinions which are also based on bias and prejudice. Here I am still using presses that are nearly 50 years old and picking up spent primers from the floor. What does that say about me and my opinions?


Hey Ranger,

I would agree with you that a lot of the folks reloading certainly seem to be limited in their mechanical abilities. Just look at the number of folks who cannot seem to make a progressive press work no matter what the brand. I think it is obvious though that a lot more folks make posts about Lee presses breaking than you will ever see about RCBS RockChuckers and RCBS Juniors. No amount of strength, however, can stand up forever to being stupid, or a dufus as you say.

I don't know what the Chinese RockChuckers are like, but some of the tools made in China are pretty good quality wise. Like I said earlier, I still using a RockChucker and two Juniors that are all nearly 50 years old, and I have never had to replace any part. Unless, of course, you conside the discs in my lower back from having to pick up spent primers.

Best wishes to you both,
Dave Wile

 

[wild willy]

ranger where can I buy three CCs for the price of one RC

 

[USMCJG]

I went through this same decision a few weeks ago. I was deciding between the Hornady, Redding, RCBS, and Lee Classic Cast as my next single stage press. The RCBS was the first one I ruled out because they are cast in China now. My decision wound up being between the Redding original Big Boss and the Classic Cast. I wound up going with the Redding and am very satisfied with it. If I hadn't gotten a good deal on the original Big Boss(I was looking at the Big Boss II initially) I would have gone with the Classic Cast. I already have another press with better spent primer collection that I use for decapping or I would have still gone with the Classic Cast.

Comparing the original Big Boss, instead of the Big Boss II, to the Rockchucker is a more apples to apples comparison due to their spent primer collection. With the Redding, I was able to get a US made product cheaper than an equivalent Chinese product which made the choice between these two a no-brainer for me. JMO.

 

[twice barrel]

Dave,

Thanks for the thoughtful reply!

I believe I'd asked which presses owned, not used but your reply went above and beyond in establishing your background. You do have me by a few years. My first reloading experiences were somewhere around late 1969 to early 1970. Working at a small shooting range that offered reloads of its own assembly a friend and I put together thousands of 12 & 20 guage shells on two Bair/Pacific hydraulic presses set up in what seemed like an old tack room on the farm the range was located on. Each was a two-man operation with a certain amount of danger due to the power of the hydraulics. But man, once we were rolling you could truly crank them out. Ordered my Bair DL-366 but it arrived as a Pacific DL-366.

Over the years I've sampled any number of presses friends owned or on display in shops in addition to the few I've owned. Nothing ever seemed as smooth as the first RockChucker I had. Some of the Reddings, and all of the Lyman and Pacific single stage presses I fiddled with had sloppy linkages compared to that first Rockchucker. When I ordered enough suppy sometimes the distributor would throw in a couple of the Lyman acculines for free as a promotional item. Had one around just for decapping or for mounting a powder thrower as an independant process for years. Gave some away and recently learned a friend was still assembling ammo on one I gave him over 20 years ago.

Back then I wasn't to enamored with Lee except for the Autoprime and the Autodisk measure (with spherical powder only). And their rifle dies were just fine then but so were everyone else's and I probably owned as many Pacific die sets as anything else due to all the clearance sale deals.

I cannot speak to anything else currently except the two presses I mentioned earlier but; I'd stack them against anything else I've owned and for the cost they'd win hands down compared to their nearest rival. Apparenty a bunch of old reloaders like myself have found this to be a pleasant surprise.

Kindest regards,

TB

 

[David Wile]

Hey TB,

Sorry for my long posts. I usually end up saying more than most folks want to hear.

I've been reloading for a long time and figured I have seen a fair amount, but when I see what experiences some folks report on these forums, I realize how much I really do not know. For instance, you mentioned using Bair/Pacific hydraulic presses. I have never used any kind of powered press other than arm powered. I heard of them, or course, but I never saw any.

I also never realized the 366 was a Bair before it was a Pacific ( and before it became a Hornady). In the late 1950s I refurbished my first rusted and mistreated Pacific progressive press (DL 300 or DL 350). I got it very cheap, and spent a few bucks on replacement bearings and a few other parts, and I ended up with what was essentially a new machine. I repaired a bunch of neglected progressive presses in the early years. For all these years, I thought Pacific went from the DL-350 directly to the 366 we know today. Not true, after all. I just recently learned on one of these forums that the first 366s did not have the auto advance and I think the swing-out wad guide. Now you mention the Bair/Pacific relationship, and it all seems new to me. Actually, I do think I remember when Pacific replaced Bair, but I never really had any Bair equipment.

On the one hand, I can say that I have a lot of different brands of reloading equipment, but there are a lot of brands and equipment that I have never seen other than in a book. Redding is one of them, along with Forster, Hollywood, and many more.

At this point in my life, I am not too likely to be buying anything more for my reloading stable. I really wish one of my children or grandchildren would be interested and take all my equipment to their house, but none are interested. I hate the idea of my suddenly taking the dirt nap and then my wife sells everything I have for $50 because neither she nor any of the kids know what everything is worth. Oh well.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[ranger335v]

" Like I said earlier, I still using a RockChucker and two Juniors that are all nearly 50 years old, and I have never had to replace any part. Unless, of course, you conside the discs in my lower back from having to pick up spent primers."

Dave Wile, my RC II is now some thirty years old and works fine but so does my forty five year old Lyman Spar-T! And I too HATED the way both tossed spent primers so badly I finally bought two of Lee's little "Reloader" presses, use one with a universal decapper, the other has a Lee Auto Prime II attached; love my "new" primer handling system!

I don't do a knee-jerk reaction to Chinese made stuff, this computer, my cell phone, etc, are all Chinese, but I prefer American made products when I can get them, especially so for reloading stuff. And I find no fault with Lee's two year warrantee, can't imagine any legitimate manufacoring flaw not becoming appearant in that length of time and the price difference makes me dislike those with an eternal warrantee on some of their stuff. But not all of it, some of the green stuff also has a two year limit.

Wild Willie, you got me, I exagerated on the 3 for 1 thing. It's more like only 2 1/2 for 1.

 

[David Wile]

Hey Ranger,

I'm not wild about bad mouthing someone else's equipment, but a friend had a Lyman Spar-T, and I hated it. But that's just my opinion, and my opinion is sometimes more subjective than objective - kind of like my general opinion of Lee's stuff being on the cheap and weak side of things. I guarantee you that my RCBS hand priming tool is built a whole lot stronger than the Lee Auto Prime hand tool. In spite of that, however, I much prefer to use the "cheap" Lee Auto prime tool which is more user friendly rather than the RCBS that is a pain in the neck to change shell holders or change primer sizes. I use the Lee tool for all my single stage priming, and have been using one for maybe 25 years now.

I do like the lifetime waranties offered by RCBS, Dillon, Hornady, and others, but I do have to agree with you that Lee sells equipment at a price that certainly does call into question the value of the lifetime warranties. Even with that stupid (my opinion - not fact) Spar-T my friend had, he could still load perfectly fine ammunition on it. So, do you really need the giant "O" frame press for all your loading requirements? Absolutely not. Even the old Lee Loader kits could make good ammo.

I used to spend a lot of money for tools over the years because I never liked stuff made in Taiwan, and I still don't like stuff made in Taiwan. However, I found Sears selling hand tools that were being made in China, and they were covered by a lifetime warranty. I also found out the Chinese hand tools I got from Sears were just as good as their old American made stuff. Now, I no longer spend the money for Makita and other high cost tools. I go to Harbor Freight and buy electric tools for such a low cost I simply consider them to be expendable.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[Micksis]

I have a redding Big Boss II and I absolutely love it. For all the same reasons as previously mentioned. Solid as a rock and primers don't go anywhere.
I also have a Hornady LNL conversion in mine too. Wouldn't really say it's worth it unless you have a Hornady press aswell. I've got an LNL AP

 

[dcbridgwater]

Thanks for all the tips and suggestions! I ended up getting a slightly used Redding Big Boss II.

Dale

 

[bsam4me]

How'd it work out?

A most interesting discussion, and given your choice after all the dialogue, I'd like to know how you like your Redding.

 

[bsam4me]

How'd it work out?

A most interesting discussion, and given your choice after all the dialogue, I'd like to know how you like your Redding.

 

[dcbridgwater]

The Redding Big Boss II is working great. The press seems well built with no slopp in the linkage, the spent primer recovery works well, I have not yet used the primer arm since I hand prime my brass. My only complaint is the color, Redding Green is not my favorite but I will get used to it.

Dale