RCBS Rockchucker vs Redding Boss

[williamwaco]

I am looking for a new single stage press.
It will be either RCBS or Redding.

I know there are several Boss presses I would like to hear about any one of them.

It will be used for rifle ammo and bullet swaging. Handgun ammo will be loaded on my LNL progressive.

Anyone here have personal experience with both of these presses?

Any opinions on:

Frame strength.
Ram strength.
Mechanical advantage.
Suitability for bullet swaging.
Primer arm seating system.
I don't want to be picking my primer arm up off the floor
I don't want the primer arm sticking in the shell holder and tying up the press.
Auto primer feed. ( Probably will not use it. )
Spent primer catcher. ( I know that none of them are actually good. )
Shell holder retainer system.
Are they easy to insert?
Will I pull it out of the ram when removing a case?

User experience:
Is it a pleasure to use it.

Gotchas.
Bad points I didn't think of?

[troyboy]

BT Sniper did a press evaluation and If you are going to swage the rockchucker is the better press. It has a stronger ram and connecting links. You can go to the swaging section and read all about his observations.

Here is the link.

[williamwaco]

Thanks, that was a lot of help.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The Rock Chucker is the stronger press. Not that the Boss is a weakling by any means, but for heavy applications in swaging and case forming the RC definitely has the edge. I have had 2 RC's and I had only 2 gripes.....the catching of spent primers and the fact that it was a dedicated right-hander's press. For very little they could have made the toggle casting with an extension & handle hole on the left to afford lefties the option to run things from the left side. My models were a bit on the vintage side and the primer catcher was NG...primers kept bouncing out. I soon made my own little chute out of cardboard to channel the primers into a plastic cup held in place by a magnet. I had to plug the primer arm slot with a wooden blank to deflect the primers. It was a PITA, but it worked. The newer version of primer collection seems to be an improvement. Shell holder retention is good. Insertion is easy. You won't pull the SH's out. Keep things well oiled/greased and you won't wear a RC out.....at least for a very long time. LLS

[462]

" ...a dedicated right-hander's press. For very little they could have made the toggle casting with an extension & handle hole on the left to afford lefties the option to run things from the left side."

I'm left-handed and that is my only Rock Chucker complaint. After replacing a JR 2, that had been situated on my left, with a Rock Chucker, I had to re-arrange my bench in order to place it on my right.

[buck1]

MY $ would go to the RC. Mine was made in 1970 and never had a brake from work. Its still going strong.

[firebrick43]

The people and link talking about their rockchuckers are not helping you because the rockchucker supreme is NOT the same high quality press as before. RCBS is running just on past reputation now and quality is very spotty on several products. Their castings a made in china and are the biggest problem. You will see the terribly off from the ram/die bore, not centered up at all. However the new primer catcher is even worse than the previous model ( i didnt think it could get worse but it did) and the on press priming doent improve. If your stuck on rcbs buy a used rockchucker 2.

The big boss 2 is a nice press especially with its thru ram primer cacher and the priming arm is much better. I don't no about swaging however.
The redding ultramag however is the brute of them all.

Now you didn't mention lee. The lee classic cast is really the nicest o frame out there now(cast iron version not aluminum and not the breechlock). It's strong out of cast steel instead of iron. Linkages are tight and slop free. Design is stouter than a rc2. Handle is very adjustable. The thru ram primer catcher misses no primers if you have the priming arm installed. The lever prime system is powerful but still has decent feel. And the lee safety primer feed system is awesome. The only people that I know who bad mouth the classic cast has never operated one and one fellow who wouldnt read the directions on how to align his safety prime(which has work since I did it for him). Put some hornady lock rings on your die and it only takes 5 extra secs to change out dies compared to a breechlock or lnl but can still use the late 1 1/4" dies. And for 120$ for the press and safety prime it's a steal.

Only two negatives with the press if you can call them that. 1 is the handle is a tube. I have abused and it has survived but some while swaging have bent it. A piece of rod to replace it is less than 5$ and it doesn't even have to be threaded due to it design.

2 is the safety prime can have difficulty feeding the last two or three primers. Either shake it a little or keep it filled. It comes with a large and small system that can be swiched in 15 secs. The primer flip tray is one of the fastest I have ever used and you never touch a primer.

[nicholst55]

Their castings a made in china and are the biggest problem.

FWIW, I asked RCBS about that, and they swear that the RC Supreme casting and their dies are still made in the USA.

And that's all that I know for sure about the subject.

[hornady]

Not sure if you are aware there are three presses in the Redding Boss series. The Boss being the lightest, The Big Boss and Big Boss 2 are both basically the same press, the only difference being one drops spent primers threw the center of the ram and then into a tube.
Both the Big Boss and Big Boss 2 are beast. I bought the Big Boss for Mag rifle rounds and am very happy with mine.

[Mal Paso]

.....I have had 2 RC's and I had only 2 gripes.....the catching of spent primers and the fact that it was a dedicated right-hander's press. ....LLS

This was my solution for primers http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=91947
I've got almost 100,000 cycles on my Rock Chucker

[Char-Gar]

If you are really looking for the best single stage press around, hunt up a cast steel RCBS A2.

Between the two you listed, it is a toss up, so buy whatever one strikes your fancy. Either will do the job.

[derek45]

Bumping this old thread.

Is it true that the newer Rock Crusher is poorly made in China ?

When I look at MidwayUSA reviews, I see a lot with broken handles

sort then "lowest rated"...
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013033452?pid=513567

[lesharris]

My RCBS rockchucker press is dated 1970 and is still my go to single stage press. I used it for full length magnum sizing and it never failed me. FWIW.

[Mal Paso]

Bumping this old thread.

Is it true that the newer Rock Crusher is poorly made in China ?

When I look at MidwayUSA reviews, I see a lot with broken handles

sort then "lowest rated"...
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013033452?pid=513567

It says right there "United States of America".

There may have been some flawed castings at one time but you can call RCBS 4 days a week and they will send Free Parts or take it back and fix it. There may have been Covid problems contacting RCBS but I got 2 shipments of parts from them in the last few months. The complaints were 6%, I wouldn't worry.

[pelikan800]

There was a good single stage press comparison that Ultimatereloader.com did a while back. They reviewed all the popular single stage presses for most of the metrics you're looking to compare. Let us know what you choose!

[Taterhead]

Rock Chucker Supremes are made in the US. RCBS customer service will verify this. I owned a very nice first Rock Chucker and the RC Supreme is the one I own and use now. I prefer it. It is smooth and tight and a high quality tool. It would be the last press that I'd sell.

The Ultimate Reloader single stage comparison video ranks it right at the top of the range.

The only Redding I've owned is the Ultramag. Nice quality press, with a lot of leverage. But ergos are lacking. Since it uses a similar priming mechanism as the RC, it too loses spemt primers out the front of the ram.

[GWS]

I have used a RC II for 45 years. But if I were buying a new press it would be the new RCBS Rebel. Heavier, Taller, than the R.C. Supreme, and primers are finally removed through a hole in the ram......a whole $25 more than the R.C. Supreme.

[762 shooter]

I have a 1969 RC.

RCBS customer service bin berry, berry goot to me.

762

[15meter]

I have a 1969 RC.

RCBS customer service bin berry, berry goot to me.

762

Had turn on the the Pun to English translator for this one

[Ickisrulz]

Bumping this old thread.

Is it true that the newer Rock Crusher is poorly made in China ?

When I look at MidwayUSA reviews, I see a lot with broken handles

sort then "lowest rated"...
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1013033452?pid=513567

Rock Crusher Press: https://www.ch4d.com/products/equipment/presses/RC000