Single Stage Press

[Prc329]

Sorry to start a new thread, but I was starting to get a bit swamped in all the information in the other one. I have a couple final questions. I have not fully decided but this is what I am leaning toward.

The RCBS Rock Chucker master kit. Seems to come with a majority of what I need. There is another kit but I am not to sure of what the difference is. The one thing I found interesting about the RCBS is it can be upgraded to a progressive setup later on. Any opinions on that?

Here are the two kits

Rock Chucker Supreme Master kit

RCBS Reloading starter kit

I believe the difference is the first comes with a hand primer and the second with primer trays. What is the deal with that? Will I need some sort of primer tool with the second one?

I plan on getting a tumbler and I am looking at this one....

Frankford Arsenal Quick-N-EZ Case Tumbler Master Kit with Quick-N-EZ Rotary Media Separator

As far as shell holders I'm going to need the RCBS #3 for the 308 and #10 correct?

As far as Dies I am leading toward Redding dies. Would Lee dies work just to start out and learn with? Also I keep readying Hornady one shot case lube is good. Any opinions on that would be welcome. Also I am going to pick up a chrono but I haven't even started down that path. remember my primary goal with be tailoring a round for my Savage that is very accurate. Later on down the line I will look into doing more bulk loading.

O.K., I promise after this I will stop asking about buying, make a purchase and get to work, then ask 1000 questions about reloading and recipies

[ocabj]

The presses in those two kits are different. Former kit has the Rock Chucker iron press, the latter the Reloader Special 5 which is a cast aluminum frame.

Get the Rock Chucker Supreme kit.

I'm too lazy to go look on RCBS's shellholder chart, but buy the ones listed on that.

I guess there's nothing wrong with Lee dies. There isn't much to say. They work. But if you're going to buy a set of dies, I wouldn't buy a set with the intent of upgrading them later, unless you're going to upgrade to a competition type (ie: bushing sizers, micrometer seaters, etc).

Stick with Imperial Die Wax. Significantly cheaper than Hornady One Shot. One tin of Imperial Die Wax will outlast 25 spray cans of Hornady One Shot, and then some.

[Prc329]

That was the plan. I have a lot going on this month (june) and buying competition dies will have to wait until probably august. I want to start learning sooner then that

[Prc329]

As far as dies, until I can afford the competition dies I was looking at these.

Lee Deluxe Rifle 3-Die Set 308

Lee Deluxe Rifle 3-Die Set 223

The way I figure it is I can but these two sets for about $50 and start learning and once I get it all figured out and money get back to normal get a set of competition dies.

[wildcard]

Can't argue with not having money.. but I'd just save and start with the best.. it'll also save you time because setting up the dies can be a bit of a pain. Just divert some of the money you would otherwise use for components. Sucky part is that buying components requires you to buy in bulk to offset shipping and hazmat which requires $$$$.

Credit card debts aren't bad as long as you pay it off when the bill comes.. which gives you ~30 days

[Prc329]

O.K., getting my rock chucker. I'm going to get it locally because with shipping it is very close in price.

EDIT: O.K., got it. It worked out to the same thing Midway was charging after you factor shipping. I could have paid less at grafs but I let myself get impatient. I also ordered the tumbler and dies from Midway as well as the Hornady and Sierra manuels. Am I missing anything? Do I really need a trimmer if I am using brass that came from my gun?

[Cazach]

Buy the cheap-o Lee trimmer (under $10 IIRC) and that will last you for a while. How much and when you trim depends on several factors. Short answer is: yes you will need to trim.

BTW I am using Lee dies on a single stage press to feed my Savage and getting very nice performance.

ETA: I load all my pistol on a Dillon SDB.

[SavageHMR]

I just started reloading for my .308 also. I also got the Rock Chucker Supreme Master kit and it's working great so far.

As for trimming, I bought the RCBS manual trimmer and after full length resizing, I always trim my cases. If you trim the cases, then they need to be "deburred" on the inside and chamfered on the outside of the necks due to the sharp edges left after trimming. There is a hand tool that does the inside/outside debur/chamfer, but I found that RCBS has a 3-way trim/debur/chamfer head for their trimmer that does all three jobs at once. I think it's a great addition to get better trim length accuracy and it's much easier and faster than doing it all by hand.

A couple of other additional tools that I purchased is a flash hole deburring tool and a primer pocket swage tool. The flash hole deburring tool goes inside the case and removes the tab of metal from the flash hole that is sometimes left when the flash hole is punched in new cases. The primer pocket swage tool uniforms and cleans the primer pocket in one pass. I bought the flash hole deburring tool from RCBS and the primer pocket swage tool from Sinclair International.

Good luck!

[tankerman]

the hand primer is the way to go.

[anyracoon]

Prc329
You mentioned in your first posting "I found interesting about the RCBS is it can be upgraded to a progressive setup later on" That is the piggy back adapter. In the long run don't mess with it or waste your money. I had one way back in the early days. You have to really keep it tuned. The older ones had primer tubes that where unprotected not like the Dillons. If the tube blew a primer you where in big trouble. The cost of conversion kits was a little less than a Dillon 550. I still have my first Rock Chucker, plus a 550 and 650. So save your money and buy a Dillon when you are ready to go progressive.

[ocabj]

the hand primer is the way to go.

That's what I use. Just buy a few Lee hand primers. They'll start to go bad after about 10,000-12,000 primings. Then just toss it and use a new one. They're only about $10 (last time I bought some).

[Black_Talon]

That's what I use. Just buy a few Lee hand primers. They'll start to go bad after about 10,000-12,000 primings. Then just toss it and use a new one. They're only about $10 (last time I bought some).

Midway sells replacement part squeeze handles and connecting rods for the Lee priming tools. $2 each, IIRC. Those are the parts that wear out. A new Lee priming tool goes for around $25+ these days.

Linkage for the lazy:

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=227351

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=926884

[Prc329]

Mine came with a hand primer. I'm going to set everything up this week and start reloading next weekend. I think I have found a reason to go shooting tomorrow, to collect 223 brass from my guns