RCBS Rockchucker or Lee Classic Cast??? - Page 2

baboon · 07-10-2010, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thanatos

The person who I borrowed that Rockchucker Jr from was standing behind me, aghast, just shaking his head in wonderment as I was struggling to re-size the Lake City brass... he has about 60 years experience in reloading, and said that he had never seen anything require so much work. He said if it were him? He would chuck the brass and find something to begin afresh with.

You try lubing the inside of the case? .308 on a weak bench is a bitch, you should see what .416 Remington mag is like. My front of my bench uses 2X6's. I got the plans off the net from National Reloading Manufacturers Association. It's a PDF file check it out!

Gus · 07-10-2010, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thanatos

Not like I am going to be using 3/8" plywood for the bench.

3/4" plywood screwed and glued to the 2x10's beneath it, atop a steel frame for the bench. With a 4x4 under the press? It ain't losin' nuthin'...

Of course, just because too much is NEVER enough, and there is no such thing as "over-kill" once a situation pisses you off? There is an 18"x18" sheet of 1/4" steel to go atop the bench, and a 10"x18" piece of 3/8" steel to go beneath it for that 4x4 strut to butt up against. I lost my "sense of humor" on this project months ago... and I have over 5,000 pieces of brass that need to be resized.

If this cast iron Lee press is beefy enough to handle reloading .50BMG? It should be up to the task of the Lake City 7.62x51 brass. And I am not beyond building another lever/arm twice as long... or even putting a damned Porto-Power under the ram if it comes to it.

Press Type: Single Stage
Frame Material: Cast Iron
Frame Design: O-Frame
Frame Offset:
Frame Opening Size:
Handle Location: Bottom Right or Left hand use
Die Size Accepted: 1-1/4-12" Threaded Dies, 7/8"-14 Threaded Dies with Bushing
Die Bushing Accepted: Yes
Die Bushing Brand Used: Lee
Spent Primer Collection System:
Ram Stroke: 4"
Ram Diameter: 1-1/8"
Priming Feature: Automatic Primer Arm with Bottom of stroke priming
Number of Mounting Holes: 3
Mounting Hardware Included: No
Additional Features:
Notes:
Warranty: 2 Year Unconditional Guarantee

My brother has one, it's a brute of a thing, heavy duty.

Quote:

Railroad rails is the material used for manufacturing.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/cata...g/classic.html

Thanatos · 07-10-2010, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gus

My brother has one, it's a brute of a thing, heavy duty.

When the subtle approach comes up lacking? Time for the BFH!

yyz · 07-24-2010, 12:19 AM

yea i can post pictures. here is a pic of my lee setup in the truck.

now i use this setup for reforming 30-06 into 7.7 jap and 8mm and the dreaded mil-surp resizing. the plastic cabinet does nothing but give me a place to clamp to the 4x4 takes all the pressure.

OldBob · 08-08-2010, 08:58 AM

I have both a Rock Chucker and a Classic Cast Turret, judging by "feel' the linkage generates about the same force in both, both seem to handle .308 military brass without a problem. I do admit to favoring the RCBS for heavy duty sizing but only due to the fact that it is cast steel and I am less afraid of damaging it. I am VERY fond of the Lee Classic Cast for everything else though........ I don't think you could go wrong with either.

Thanatos · 08-08-2010, 04:58 PM

Thanks to everyone who posted. As a newbie? I can use all the input that I can process.

I ended up ordering the Lee Classic Cast, it has arrived, and I am just waiting until my friend is around so that I can build a new bench on which to mount it... Bench top will be 2"x12" with 3/4" plywood on top; bench support frame will be a perimeter of 2"x8", with 4"x4" legs. The presses will stradle the 2x8s of the base, with some 1/4" steel plate between the bench surface and the press bases just for good measure.

Since I live in an apartment, all of the reloading equipment is set up in my friend's basement, sharing the lightweight bench that he had built to reload .45acp... Lightweight? How about a hollow core door with a sheet of 1/2" plywood over it? WAY too much flex when attempting to re-size the 7.62x51 Lake City brass.

Yeah, I know... this should have been finished up a looong time ago, but... my friend's Ducati is demanding frequent attention and exercise in the summer months, and I have been getting back into my photography. When the bench is completed, the presses bolted down, and production once again commences, I will post some photos of the finished project... if anyone has an interest.

Desert Rat · 08-09-2010, 12:34 AM

Bolted down on a bench as you describe, Thanatos, you're good to go with almost anything you slap in there. Just never forget...no matter how powerful the press, you still gotta lube the cases. I'd rather be tied to an ant hill for the afternoon than stick a case in a die and rip the head off trying to get it out.

hangfire · 08-09-2010, 11:40 AM

Quote:

(used to save the primers for the front stuffer and jack rabbits.)
(hard to believe how many primers make up a couple ounces of charge)

Dang!

remus · 08-09-2010, 08:26 PM

Been reloading since 59, started on a C&H. Got a rockchucker in 80 and have full length resized thousands and thousands of 7.62X51 pieces of brass. Also used it to make 7.65 Argentine from all kinds of 30-06 brass. I load over 20 calibers and it takes them all without trouble.

Really a heavy duty press and have never had the slightest bit of trouble with it.

I had a lee for awhile but I just didn't care for it. Nothing wrong with it, I guess I like green better than red.

Thanatos · 08-10-2010, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Desert Rat

... Just never forget...no matter how powerful the press, you still gotta lube the cases...

With as much force as I was exerting on the lever on that RCBS press? Sticking a case was a constant fear, and all brass was liberally lubed from a tube, rather than sprayed on. Not goin' THERE!

Desert Rat · 08-10-2010, 05:55 PM

Thanatos, I just can't get over the "force" problems you have been having...unless you had your press mounted very poorly. I've done case conversions that make your sizing issues on .308 cases look like child's play and never experienced issues as you describe.

And child's play is exactly what this should be about. IF a fellow has a good strong press (which you now do) and IF a fellow has good smoothly polished dies which I have assumed you do and IF the whole thing is mounted SOLID then there is just no way you should have been suffering as you have. Are you sure your dies are good? Forget the make and just clean them out and look in them. They SHOULD glow like a fine mirror.

I had a set of cheap, poorly polished dies once. CH brand. And they were a POS that caused me all sorts of sizing hell. I finally took them to my smith and said WTH is wrong? He polished the devil out of them with some diamond cloth. End of problems.

Let me know when you get all the new set-up going. IF you still have any sort of difficulty, there's nothing left but a set of shitty dies.

That new bench set-up you have described should change your life.

Gus · 08-10-2010, 09:22 PM

Sizing fired brass cases should not be a challenge, clean dies, lubed brass it should be a snap.

I started out with a press called a TEXAN, then went to REDDING now using a DILLON all worked fine for me.

I lube cases on a RCBS lube pad.

10 Bears · 08-10-2010, 09:47 PM

For a long time I used a Lee decapper, a rod with the right punch on the end.
Would strike it a couple times with my plastic hammer.
Finally decided to just lube 'em and used the press.

OldBob · 10-08-2010, 06:00 AM

Just a thought, possibly small base dies and brass fired in a sloppy chambered rifle ???

08-08-2010, 08:58 AM	#20
OldBob Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Way Upstate NY Posts: 760	I have both a Rock Chucker and a Classic Cast Turret, judging by "feel' the linkage generates about the same force in both, both seem to handle .308 military brass without a problem. I do admit to favoring the RCBS for heavy duty sizing but only due to the fact that it is cast steel and I am less afraid of damaging it. I am VERY fond of the Lee Classic Cast for everything else though........ I don't think you could go wrong with either. __________________ "At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child - miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats." -- P.J. O'Rourke

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07-24-2010, 12:19 AM	#19
yyz Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: UP of MICH Posts: 1,816	yea i can post pictures. here is a pic of my lee setup in the truck. now i use this setup for reforming 30-06 into 7.7 jap and 8mm and the dreaded mil-surp resizing. the plastic cabinet does nothing but give me a place to clamp to the 4x4 takes all the pressure.

08-08-2010, 04:58 PM	#21
Thanatos Grunt-o-saurus Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: I Corps Posts: 5,973	Thanks to everyone who posted. As a newbie? I can use all the input that I can process. I ended up ordering the Lee Classic Cast, it has arrived, and I am just waiting until my friend is around so that I can build a new bench on which to mount it... Bench top will be 2"x12" with 3/4" plywood on top; bench support frame will be a perimeter of 2"x8", with 4"x4" legs. The presses will stradle the 2x8s of the base, with some 1/4" steel plate between the bench surface and the press bases just for good measure. Since I live in an apartment, all of the reloading equipment is set up in my friend's basement, sharing the lightweight bench that he had built to reload .45acp... Lightweight? How about a hollow core door with a sheet of 1/2" plywood over it? WAY too much flex when attempting to re-size the 7.62x51 Lake City brass. Yeah, I know... this should have been finished up a looong time ago, but... my friend's Ducati is demanding frequent attention and exercise in the summer months, and I have been getting back into my photography. When the bench is completed, the presses bolted down, and production once again commences, I will post some photos of the finished project... if anyone has an interest.

08-09-2010, 12:34 AM	#22
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	Bolted down on a bench as you describe, Thanatos, you're good to go with almost anything you slap in there. Just never forget...no matter how powerful the press, you still gotta lube the cases. I'd rather be tied to an ant hill for the afternoon than stick a case in a die and rip the head off trying to get it out.

08-09-2010, 08:26 PM	#24
remus Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: az Posts: 3,490	Been reloading since 59, started on a C&H. Got a rockchucker in 80 and have full length resized thousands and thousands of 7.62X51 pieces of brass. Also used it to make 7.65 Argentine from all kinds of 30-06 brass. I load over 20 calibers and it takes them all without trouble. Really a heavy duty press and have never had the slightest bit of trouble with it. I had a lee for awhile but I just didn't care for it. Nothing wrong with it, I guess I like green better than red.

08-10-2010, 05:55 PM	#26
Desert Rat Junior Woodchuck Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 4,592	Thanatos, I just can't get over the "force" problems you have been having...unless you had your press mounted very poorly. I've done case conversions that make your sizing issues on .308 cases look like child's play and never experienced issues as you describe. And child's play is exactly what this should be about. IF a fellow has a good strong press (which you now do) and IF a fellow has *good smoothly polished dies* which I have assumed you do and IF the whole thing is mounted SOLID then there is just no way you should have been suffering as you have. Are you sure your dies are good? Forget the make and just clean them out and look in them. They SHOULD glow like a fine mirror. I had a set of cheap, poorly polished dies once. CH brand. And they were a POS that caused me all sorts of sizing hell. I finally took them to my smith and said WTH is wrong? He polished the devil out of them with some diamond cloth. End of problems. Let me know when you get all the new set-up going. IF you still have any sort of difficulty, there's nothing left but a set of shitty dies. That new bench set-up you have described should change your life.

08-10-2010, 09:22 PM	#27
Gus Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Arizona Posts: 66,849	Sizing fired brass cases should not be a challenge, clean dies, lubed brass it should be a snap. I started out with a press called a TEXAN, then went to REDDING now using a DILLON all worked fine for me. I lube cases on a RCBS lube pad.

08-10-2010, 09:47 PM	#28
10 Bears Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: E-Da-How Posts: 137,846	For a long time I used a Lee decapper, a rod with the right punch on the end. Would strike it a couple times with my plastic hammer. Finally decided to just lube 'em and used the press.

10-08-2010, 06:00 AM	#29
OldBob Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Way Upstate NY Posts: 760	Just a thought, possibly small base dies and brass fired in a sloppy chambered rifle ???