If you had the choice, which would you choose?

[Land Owner]

I won't debate the Lee CC vs. RC. Each is an excellent press and I like them both. Both are extremely strong.

My RC is outfitted with the Piggyback II for progressive production of pistol and 223 rifle rounds using pre-primed cases. The Lee is primarily for larger caliber case sizing, depriming, and mil brass primer pocket swaging. An RCBS Automatic Bench Priming Tool (not shown) does all priming duty off press. A manual indexed RBCS 4x4 progressive reloads large caliber rifle rounds.

IMO the most difficult and time consuming part of reloading is case preparation, without which progressive reloading becomes a myriad of stops and starts, which become frustrating.

I will show my neighbor the hows and whys of several different varieties of presses, priming systems, and ammunition manufacturing machines; dozens of reloading manuals; logs of my reloading experience; manual and machine case prep; case trimming; case cleaning; and a multitude of other machines. From this limited, but unordinary subset, it is hoped he gets a firm foundation and feeling for the manual production of accurate ammunition.

I know that what I have to show him is much more than a single session's worth of information. It would be wrong to attempt to introduce 30-years worth of accumulation in the first hour.

Initially I will keep it simple. I will show him the basics of the Lee Loader for 9mm ammo. It won't be his 30-06 rifle round. It won't even be a pistol caliber I shoot. I just happen to have one - and only that one. The Lee methodology will be expressed as the prologue to the single stage press in manufacturing accurate ammunition one-round-at-a-time.

Then we'll discuss the necessity to keep records, case prep, play with a few machines, and I will let him borrow my 1970 Lyman's 45th Ed. reloading handbook to read at home for its simple, direct, and uncomplicated explanation of most things regarding this reloading hobby - including cast. That should wet his appetite and we'll move slowly toward 2019 thereafter.

[onelight]

That sounds like an excellent plan.
I sure wish that I had a teacher like you when I started . I did not know any one that loaded , got info from Elmer Keith’s books magazines , a Lyman manual , and lessons from many dumb mistakes.
You neighbor is fortunate indeed.

[Three44s]

I think the OP has a pretty good handle on what to do here. I do not think there is a downside to owning a Lee classic single stage over a RC. Member /vendor BT Sniper who constructs j word bullet swage die sets for sale rates the Lee press above the rest for swaging. That ought to account for something.

Three44s

[Sig556r]

Hi there, fella Civil/Structural guy here, but not sure when to retire yet (mid 50s) as kids are still in the nest. If I were in your shoes, I'll let go of the red & keep the green...or better yet, get rid of the green as well & shoot for the blue...

[Land Owner]

sig556r - my rate of ammunition production, casting, shooting and hunting have dropped to near ZERO since my side kick's death in 2017. I have been in SALES mode following the purchase of a reloader/caster/shooter's huge estate in 2016 (my boss's father) and now the absorption of my friend's 65-year accumulated hunting/shooting/reloading estate with SO MUCH EXCESS. It is a good time to be a new reloader. I have a lot to show and tell...

I was hoping my neighbor's reloading interest would rekindle my interest, and it has - to a degree. I actually cleaned up my reloading room AND researched for his introduction to reloading. I almost made a syllabus (post #41 above)!!!

He was a NO SHOW yesterday and there is no word yet on rescheduling.

[MT Chambers]

Of all your choices I'd def. go with the Forster Co-ax, best by a mile, if you can't do that then the RCBS would be much better then the Lee.

[rmantoo]

If you're financially stable, pay it forward.

[David2011]

An experienced machinist, caster, loader, shooter, metallurgist, and mentor engineer "adopted" me when I was a young adult. We spent untold hours together shooting, casting, loading and gunsmithing. Most of my single stage reloading equipment was his and passed on to me before he passed. When I load on that equipment I think of him. I couldn't give that up to just anybody.

[6bg6ga]

Junk the Lee no need to turn a friend into an enemy. Teach him on the RCBS and suggest that he purchase one like it.

[1hole]

I would give the neighbor the Rock Chucker and explain its history and meaning to you. He'll appreciate it more, maybe even hold it with some reverence. That "dead" feeling you have to reloading will be replaced with teaching. Your friend's passion for reloading will live on in a new reloader.

I agree. And I'd keep the Lee Classic Cast. Why? Well, it's massive and big enough to handle the .50 BMG, your old RC will not. The CC's user features (like clean decapping and a fully adjustable lever) make it the best press of it's type at any price in today's market. And I'd grind/file the toggle stop so it would "cam over" just a tad to make it perfect! I'm not going to toss my old RC II but if I had to replace it tomorrow I'd have a red Classic Cast.

The RockChucker IS the "standard of comparison" for presses. But that's not for it's superiority, it's simply because with it's history of revisions it's the longest lasting name and is therefore the best known single stage press out there. That makes the RCs sorta like Rem 700 rifles, both are well known and good tools but certainly not "the best" of their types, you know?

(Now, where's my old flame-proof fireman's coat and helmet .... )

[Land Owner]

It has been over a week and I have not heard from him. I don't know his arrivals and departures but I am going to have to watch for him to ask if he forgot or turned somewhere else.

[Land Owner]

He "forgot". So we scheduled next Thursday at noon. Works for me.

[nun2kute]

After reading through the first page and a half of this post, I couldn't articulate my feelings any better than already said. I will say, I think your Mentor is still with you and can see you struggling with his loss and just gave you a push to get past the vacancy left from his passing. Keep up the good work

[dipstick]

I don’t typically sell things that were given to me, especially gun related items given by a close friend. Learned from an old wiser friend how good it feels to give some of these things to a deserving individual or family. It doesn’t cost me anything and honors the original act of giving

[Gatch]

Jeez I wish my neighbours were shooters. If I even mentioned I had firearms in the house, the police would be around in minutes !

[luv45acp]

The RC was made for .306 in my opinion. Dad loaded hundreds maybe thousands of rounds with his over the years. It’s hard to check sentimental feelings at the door when it comes to something someone personally used for so long and cared so much for. If I were in your shoes suggest the RC or sell/give him yours and keep your mentors. ��

[Thomas Creek]

I am a Rockchucker fan but also have and use Lee tools and old Lyman Ideal 310 stuff. Some good deals come up tools and see what he likes and can be familiar with. Nice to see someone helping out a new person getting started. Enjoy.

[JBinMN]

He "forgot". So we scheduled next Thursday at noon. Works for me.

*Update* ??? I am curious...

[Land Owner]

After seeing him in his back yard and asking, he forgot, but came over the next Thursday. We talked about the machines on my bench, tools for reloading, powder and bullet manuals, drawers full of one caliber and another, casting and the things I indicated in the syllabus in post #41. In total we shot the breeze for about two hours. I didn't reload anything. I gave him a reloading manual to read with the basics well covered.

We have not crossed paths since. I do not believe he is enthusiastic (he isn't beating down my door) - but in that I could be all wrong and it might be me. Since I have not seen him, I can get no reading of his continued interest. He still has my book so there is hope.

[Three44s]

You either have the bug or you don’t.

Best regards

Three44s