Reloading presses: RCBS or Redding Boss

[freediver111]

After investing in a fair amount of good tools to get the most precision out of my reloads, I've come to find out my hand-me-down Lee Breechlock Challenger press is causing inconsistent results.

I recently bought a Redding Type S FL die, Competition seater, Hornady comparator, Redding competition shell holders, and Hornady headspace gauge.

I set up the Type S die with bushing and resized. Checked the headspace and it didn't change from fire formed brass so went down to the next shell holder. Kept moving shell holders until I finally got 0.001" down in shoulder bump. I wanted .0015-.002" of space, but wasn't getting that. I then resized about 12 pieces of Lapua brass and noticed my shoulders were being sized all over the place. Some were .001" down, others .002, and a few down .004"......So now I'm thinking WTH is going on?

After fretting over it for a while, I decided to try my buddies RCBS rockchucker that is at my house while he's moving. Set the die, got it set to cam over, started using different shell holders until I found the right combo to get 0.0015" of bump. Perfect. Tried another shell holder and got 0.0025"....everything working as it should and uniform measurements throughout.

Tried my Lee once more and realize that even when you hit the end of the cycle, there's enough play in the arm that minor variances of force imparts drastic changes in sizing. A little more oomph and I'm down .004", not enough and it's bumped .001". Way too inconsistent and frustrating to get consistent measures every time.

I'll keep the Lee and leave it set up for my .338 wm, but because I'm looking for very precise reloads for my 6.5 I'll eventually need a new press when my buddy wants his RCBS back.

Looking at the Redding Boss or the RCBS rockchuker. Price is around $130 for the RCBS and $150 for the Boss. Both cam over and do about the same. I hear the new RCBS' are good but terrible at spent primer catching. The Boss is well rated, but a lot of folks suggest the Big Boss 2, but those are quite a bit pricier.

Any real world differences in the Boss vs the RCBS'? Is the Boss worth another $20, or are they about the same?

 

[Brodie]

Very happy with my boss, had it for over 10 years now. If I was doing it over I would buy a Forster coax if you can swing the $


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[Hunter Sargent]

I have no experience with the Boss, but love my Rock Chucker. You are correct about catching spent primers...that is the only thing it doesn't do well. I'm guessing 1 in every 10 misses the catch pan.

 

[elkguide]

I can't even imagine how many thousand rounds I've put through my RCBS Rockchucker.

 

[freediver111]

I can't even imagine how many thousand rounds I've put through my RCBS Rockchucker.

I know everyone loves the older ones, but people are complaining about the new ones. Something about the new ones being cast in China, and always complaining about the primers getting ejected on the floor.

For $130, a new Rock chucker is a big contender, but if the Boss is a little nicer for an extra $20, I'd like to know. The coax is always well hyped, but I don't have $300 laying around for a press when for half that price I can do just fine. I'm not reloading huge volumes or for 50 BMG.

 

[V65Magna]

Sounds like kind of a "Ford" vs. "Chevy" debate but I'm very happy with my Rock Chucker. I am, however slowly converting my whole collection of RCBS dies to Redding Type S bushing dies in many calibers. I've never had issues with "shoulder bump" measurement discrepancies mostly because I've never paid attention to it until more recently. Always just set the standard dies 1/4 turn past bottom contact for a moderate "cam-over" and called it a day. Now that I'm doing longer range stuff, paying attention to ES/SD, shoulder bump, neck tension, etc., I don't think things are going to be as basic anymore.

 

[N2TRKYS]

I love my Rock Chucker. Sounds like you like the Rock Chucker, as well. Why are you thinking about buying something else?

 

[freediver111]

Sounds like kind of a "Ford" vs. "Chevy" debate but I'm very happy with my Rock Chucker. I am, however slowly converting my whole collection of RCBS dies to Redding Type S bushing dies in many calibers. I've never had issues with "shoulder bump" measurement discrepancies mostly because I've never paid attention to it until more recently. Always just set the standard dies 1/4 turn past bottom contact for a moderate "cam-over" and called it a day. Now that I'm doing longer range stuff, paying attention to ES/SD, shoulder bump, neck tension, etc., I don't think things are going to be as basic anymore.

I'm in the same boat, but can tell you my buddies old RCBS press was consistent, whereas the Lee was not. I would recommend the Redding Competition shell holders. They produce very precise shoulder bumps without having to mess with small incremental changes in the die. Screw the die in to get a cam over effect, then just run through the shell holders until you get .0015-.002" of bump in your shoulders. Works great, but they aren't cheap!

 

[freediver111]

I love my Rock Chucker. Sounds like you like the Rock Chucker, as well. Why are you thinking about buying something else?

My buddy has the old RC version from the 80's. Passed down from his dad. I'm looking at buying new, mostly because the old ones sell for $100 on fleabay and many of them look a little beat up. Just hearing various complaints about the new ones, and many seem to like the Boss so just throwing it out there as a potential option in my price range. I'm looking around for older RC's that look like they're in good shape and reasonably priced, but the new ones are likely fine.

 

[Scoony]

Have you looked at the Lee classic cast press? It is a beefier and larger version of the challenger press. My brother has the challenger press and was impressed with my cast iron Lee classic. I have been loading 223, 6.8 SPC, 257 Rob, 30-06, and 338 WM and have not had a problem with it.

 

[LaHunter]

The RCBS RC Supreme has worked well for me. The only complaint I have read about them is the primers not all going in the catch thing.
I use a Lyman depriming die prior to sizing my brass. This has helped out the primer catching for me. I can deprime probably 50 brass without a single primer dropping to the floor using a dedicated depriming die. Not an issue at all for me.

 

[VernAK]

I used a Rock Chucker for decades until I tried a Forster Co-Ax......more money but well worth it for producing quality ammo.

 

[mtmuley]

Get a Rockchuker and load some great ammo. mtmuley

 

[rileybassman]

Get a Rockchuker and load some great ammo. mtmuley

I agree - rockchucker is a great press - the only reason I would upgrade one is to go progressive - it's a super solid press.

 

[rayporter]

the die does the work, a press is just a way to get a case up in the die. unless you talk co-ax or progressive they are all the same. and it is just a ford- chevy argument.

you might consider the easy change bushings [or the coax] for switching dies around. if you screw enough dies in and out you will understand.
one way to cure that is to seat with Wilson seating dies.

personally I use a hood double ram for thousands of reloads a year.

 

[freediver111]

the die does the work, a press is just a way to get a case up in the die. unless you talk co-ax or progressive they are all the same. and it is just a ford- chevy argument.

you might consider the easy change bushings [or the coax] for switching dies around. if you screw enough dies in and out you will understand.
one way to cure that is to seat with Wilson seating dies.

personally I use a hood double ram for thousands of reloads a year.

While I agree a press serves the same function, obviously some are better than others. With my Lee BL Challenger, because of some inherent slop or movement in the arm/ram, I'm getting varying shoulder bumps and inaccurate resizes. This is due to the arm or ram having a slight amount of flex at the end of the throw, so if you aren't 100% consistent with your force, you get varying results. Since it's virtually impossible to impart the EXACT same force every time, I'm getting a new press like the RC that obviously does the job better when it cams over and hits a dead stop.