What can't a rock chucker do

[bratch]

I am wanting to start reloading. I had looked into the <$100 basic kits by Lee and RCBS but saw the reccomendations on a rock chucker kits on here alot.

Are there any rounds the Rock chucker isn't suited for? I'll assume the 50BMG due to heght. Any others?

 

[308win]

It can't chuck wood! Seriously, the Rock Chucker will have enough clearance in the O frame and correspondingly length of ram stroke as well as leverage and rigidity to handle anything you want to load. I am still using the RCBS Jr that I bought over 25 years ago and have no intention of changing in the foreseeable future for my rifles at least. Am looking at turret presses for handguns.

 

[Richard.Howe]

What a Rock Chucker can't do?

Anything quickly.

But I still love mine, as I'm not in a hurry.

Rich

 

[HSMITH]

If you start swaging your own bullets you will tear it up, other than that anything that will fit in the press is fair game. I really like mine, but with the Dillons on the bench next to it I don't use it much anymore.

 

[BluesBear]

Was the Rock Chucker originally designed as a bullet swage?
RCBS = Rock Chucker Buller Swage?

Anyways, 99% of the time if a Rock Chucker won't do it you don't need it done.

True, it ain't fast, but then neither is any other single stage press.
And the Rock Chucker is the one all of the other companies copied.

 

[Ross]

Rockchucker

The new Rockchucker supreme has a taller window to accommodate those 3¼" cases so popular nowadays. So does the new Lee Classic cast iron press.
You might enjoy seeing Fred's and Al's RCBS A press designed to swage bullets at the U.S. Patent Office web site, Pat No 2,847,895. The eccentric pivot at the bottom of the toggle is not often seen even on A presses.
The old A series is quite a bit heavier than the later Rockchucker, but then RCBS stopped making Rock Chuck Bullet Swedging sic dies ( Pat No 451288)†, and didn't need all that beef.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross
† EDIT
I mangled that number. Patent Number 2,451,288. October 19. 1948.

 

[BluesBear]

Ross is correct I don't know why I was confusing the Rock Chucker Bullet Swage with the Rock Chucher Loading Press.
I have seen them side by each and I know they are different animals.
Well at least a different sub-species.

 

[trickyasafox]

play catch? clap? do the electric slide?

 

[sixguns]

It doesn't chuck rocks!

 

[BluesBear]

Howmanyrockscouldarockchuckerchuckifarockchuckercouldchuckrocks?


Justasmuchwoodasawoodchuckwouldchuckifawoodchuckcouldchuckwood.


I just had to do it.

 

[HankB]

I've been using a Rockchucker since they were still being shipped with aluminum trays to catch the spent primers. (Around 35 years.) The opening is not quite as large as I'd like when I'm loading .375 H&H, but it still works.

A buddy bought a Lyman Orange Crusher because of that presses larger opening. If the newest from RCBS actually has a larger opening, this issue would be rendered moot.

Actually, I think pretty much any large, cast iron "O" frame press with compound leverage will work as well as any other - price would largely be my selection criterion today.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Rock chucker--awwwwww!

My favorite piece of equipment! Well, for reloading, anyhow! In answer to yr ??, it's been said above--they aren't fast, only precise, and they'll do anything short of a .50BMG. If you want to plunk out pistol ammo you want a progressive. That said, IMHO, a single-stage is better to learn on, more precise, easier to control, and less things to go wrong all at once.

I've had one about 30 yr--bought it used--used it diligently all that time--it shows no sign of being tired. PS mine also has an aluminum primer catcher. Didn't know there was any other kind!

 

[Clark]

I broke my Rockchucker, sent it back to RCBS, and they sent me new one with all the other stuff that didn't break.

The way I broke mine was with a Lee Collet neck sizer die.
I had it screwed in so the press was just at the top of it's stroke with the die was at the tightest.
Infinite force breaks the casting.

 

[Bear Gulch]

For a single stage, the Rockchucker sets the standard (IMNSHO).

 

[MAUSER88]

I've had mine since 1984. I even load .300 Weatherby Magnum with no trouble at all.

 

[stellarpod]

If you really want to improve your Rock Chucker, put a Hornady Lock-N-Load bushing in it. This allows you to change dies with a simple quarter-turn, without having to reset them each time. It's a real advantage.

stellarpod

 

[CB900F]

Fella's;

I've got a Rockchucker on my bench, right next to the Dillon RL550B. I work most of my rifle loads on the RCBS & all of the pistol loads on the Dillon. Why? 'Cause the Rockchucker can't do 550 rph, ie Rounds Per Hour. I load .223 on the Dillon also because it's so easy to run through soooo much of it.

900F

 

[Rico567]

I've had my Rock Chucker over 30 years, and it's like a concrete block- it just works, and works on anything I've ever thrown at it: regular loading, primer pocket swaging, stuck case pulling, trim dies. As has been pointed out in this thread, about the only thing anyone's ever done in all this time is to bring out a taller version to take the longest of the long cartridges. That's a classic!
Like CB900F, my Rock Chucker is used nowadays mostly for the small-run rifle loading and load development, while the long runs go to my Dillon XL650, which can't be beat for large quantities of pistol ammo or .223. In any event, I can't imagine dispensing with the Rock Chucker.

 

[longtooth]

Rockchucker

press is what I started with. I have been loading about 2yr. I had a really good deal. A friend who had been loading for about 20 yr. let me use his stuff to see if I was going to like it. All RCBS. Him by my side for the first thousand rounds or so. Then I went when I wanted to. On a Sat. afternoon in the loading room I can load all I can shoot w/ my R. C. Also all my Mother & wife can shoot. When getting mine I considered the Dillon. I am glad I stayed w/ the R. C. My mentor was right. I do not regret the single stage. I like the simplicity.

Past that read the manuals carefully. Never, NEVER, never, ever trust your memory. Look at it in the book. Leave the radio & TV off. Be careful. Safe. I love it. You will too. I only load a few rounds too. My .45, the ladies .380, Son's .40, & Son in law's .38. Three rifles 300 WSM, M1A, Mom's 30-30.

 

[ftierson]

One thing that the original Rockchucker can't do is be mounted on the edge of any table that has a flush face that is higher than seven or eight inches.

I have mine mounted on a table made with two layers of 2x10s for the top (the top layer running the length of the table, with the lower layer running front to back), which is then mounted on a frame of 2x6s on edge. The table top comes right out to the edge of the 2x6 frame that it sits on... I had to chisel out an area in the face of the 2x6s for the linkage of the RC press to fit into when the ram is raised all the way (when the handle is lowered).

The Lyman Orange Crusher/Crusher II has the linkage block angled in such a way that it will fit and work on a deep, flush faced table top.

I have not seen one of the new, improved RCs in the flesh, but the pictures that I have seen look like the linkage block is more steeply angled than in the past. I first thought that RCBS may have addressed the "problem" mentioned above, but I'm thinking that they did it just to address the increased ram throw length needed for the higher opening for cartridge cases.

Does anyone know whether the new RC will mount flush and still work on a surface with a high front height?

Having said all the above, I still use my RC for most of my reloading, even thoug I also have an Orange Crusher and Crusher II mounted alongside the RC... The RC is a great press.

 

[BluesBear]

A single stage press is absolutely the best to start out on. The best to learn on and a good one will never become obsolete.

No matter how fancy you get you should always have at least one single stage press around. There are so many things you can do on a single stage press that either
a) you cannot do at all
or
b) it's just so unhandy to readjust everything
versus a progressive press.

Back when I was loading for commercial gain, I had FIVE progressive presses.
But nothing was loaded on any of the progressives until the load had been perfected on either the Rockchucker or my Old Lyman Spar-T press.

With a single stage press you can get a feel for exactly what's happening that you just can't get on a progressive press.
You can feel that primer reach the bottom of the pocket.
You can feel that mouth being belled.
You can feel that crimp being applied.

Sure you can load almost 1000 rounds per hour on a progressive. But if you want 10 rounds each of 5 different powder charges. or 10 rounds each of 6 different bullets then a single stage is actually faster.