Piggyback 3

[Taylor]

I have an RCBS RS5 press,I can load 30.06 with it. If I add a Piggyback 3,then according to advertisements,I cannot load 30.06.Why? Is it not still the same space or distance from shell holder to die? Surely it is not less,since the PB3 goes on top of the press. Or why would the PB4 not fit. Now I ask this because I have not physically seen this setup,only in pictures. What could (if anything) one do to make it work? Thanks guy's, for the input and suggestions.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Taylor,

You'd be money and marbles ahead to buy a Lee Classic Turret press, an RCBS Pro 200, a Dillon 550 or a Hornady LnL AP instead of buying an RCBS Piggyback 3. I've seen more posts on more boards having problems with those things over the years. A few guys get them to work, but not real happily.

For 75 bucks, you can get the Lee Classic Turret, which with a Lee Safety Prime and either a Hornady or RCBS case activated powder drop and a RCBS Uniflow on top of the case activated powder drop will provide you an easy 200 rounds per hour production rate of high quality ammo of either rifle or pistol. I've been able to get a good bit more than 200/hr, but 200 is easy to do without any work involved.

Regards,

Dave

[Patrick L]

I am actually one of those guys whose Piggyback works, and quite well I must say. I was actually given a used one when I was a young pup by a older reloader, sort of a mentor. He had moved on to a larger progressive, and he took pity on a struggling young schoolteacher. All I had to do was buy a Rockchucker press, which was far cheaper than any progressive on the market at the time. That was in about 1991 or 92, and the press has loaded thousands and thousands of rounds for me, not to mention God only knows how many rounds my friend had put thru it.

Now for your question regarding why you cant load .30-06. I am not sure of the differences between the various upgrade numbers (mine is an original Piggyback, and I know I got the upgrade parts when they did the Piggyback 2, but thats as far as I went) But I believe the limiting factor is overall cartridge length Even though the unit can handle an empty .30-06 length case, once the bullet is seated and you have a complete round, the bullet is still sticking up into the die. This will interfere withthe rotation of the shellholder. Do current Piggybacks still auto index? Mine does, and that is why you can't load '06 on it.

I was so pleased with my Piggyback that when I decided I needed a progressive press to load .30-06 (I shoot Highpower rifle with the '06, and at the time so did my father-in-law) I got an RCBS Ammomaster progressive. It was essentially the Piggyback on steroids. Same operating system, same shellplates, even the same color! Sadly, it is no longer made, but I got mine.

Here's the way it works for me. I use the ammomaster for everything that uses large primers. That's .30-06, .45ACP, and 7.7 Jap all on the same shellplate, and switch the shellplate and do .30-30. I use the Piggyback for all my small primer stuff, which are all short enough to work. That's .223, .30 carbine, .38 spl, .357 magnum, and 9mm. Not that its al all hard to switch between large and small primer feeds, but why bother if you don't have to?

Anyhow, I know I'm in the minority, but these presses have worked great for me. Just my 2 cents.

[LAH]

Thanks Patrick, I love a success story.............Creeker