RCBS AR Tactical Reloading Kit

[CalTeacher]

I read what you wrote.

For some people a single sage is enough. And that kit is not bad.

It's a typical blue user comment....

You strike me as being very childish and immature. This has nothing to do with press color. Read that again slowly.

I agree a single stage kit isn't bad to have...but not for nearly $500.

Is your only retort to call someone a blue user?

[bigedp51]

I do a lot of "tactical reloading" with my 1973 Rockchucker press, and its a constant battle over the reloading chair.



Yes the press "might" be slow, but why change horses in the middle of the stream when it still loads very accurate ammunition after 41 years of fateful service.

I even have the Lee Collet die cam over trick worked out, if I could just get the torque doohickey thingy to "click" at the right torque before the duct tape rips.

Is your only retort to call someone a blue user?

Would you rather have blue balls?

[Bumslie]

You strike me as being very childish and immature. This has nothing to do with press color. Read that again slowly.

I agree a single stage kit isn't bad to have...but not for nearly $500.

Is your only retort to call someone a blue user?

The value of the 4 dies, the shell holders, scale and powder measurer make the kit a value for someone who wants to load those cartridges.

Yet there is always someone that comes in and says just what you said. It's frankly quite annoying.

You strike me as pompous individual who has to tout their purchase over someone who may be looking at a different set up than yours. We get it. You think your set up is great. It may not be for everyone.

[CalTeacher]

The value of the 4 dies, the shell holders, scale and powder measurer make the kit a value for someone who wants to load those cartridges.

Yet there is always someone that comes in and says just what you said. It's frankly quite annoying.

You strike me as pompous individual who has to tout their purchase over someone who may be looking at a different set up than yours. We get it. You think your set up is great. It may not be for everyone.

Pompous for pointing out the obvious? Did you read the part about my setup including a RCBS single stage press?

At nearly $500, this single stage kit is not a very good deal. If a single stage is what you want, then don't get this kit. If you are loading for an AR as the name of this package suggests, then you might want to look into a red, blue, green, or glittery progressive press because you'll get more press for your money with 4x the output.

This is some pretty simple math...not rocket surgery. Do you understand that this has nothing to do with anyone justifying their purchase, or do I need to explain it again?

[CalTeacher]

[QUOTE=bigedp51;


Would you rather have blue balls? [/QUOTE]

"Better pissed off than pissed on."

[Bumslie]

It actually is pretty simple math, you're right. Adding the same componets required to load those calibers with a $379 press would cost way over your $600 bs figure.

Again, there really was no reason for the typical "just buy a progressive/550" comment.

[CalTeacher]

You don't need all of those components. Hand priming tool? Loading blocks? A 550 with a conversion kit, lee dies, Dillon scale, and electronic calipers will put you right at 600. Price it out with a red press if you'd like.

Also, don't forget to add the cost of a case trimmer and tumbler to both packages if you want to make it a truly comprehensive setup.

[Bumslie]

And you're forgetting the all important caliber change kits. Which those alone will cost about $45 a piece.

Average $34 per lee die set
3 caliber change kits at $45

You're already at $379 + $135 + $136 = $650. Not including a scale. Not including calipers.

You must be a history teacher...

[stilly]

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm...778&src=mbProd

Well it certainly fits the bill very nicely, Albeit a BIT pricey, One thing though, The extra $80 for shipping will kill it. I might be exagerating a bit but come on, it IS natchez... I have put MANY things in my cart at that place and then when I went to check out and saw the shipping estimate I said, DAMN! and exited the browser...

[BMartin1776]

I got new Dillon 550B for less... save your money a little longer get quality go with the Dillon

[ocabj]

I'm not understanding why people think a Dillon is higher *quality* than RCBS because it's a progressive press and costs more.

I would consider a Dillon for pistol, but I'd still use a single stage for rifle because my brass prep and handweighing processes don't lend well to a progressive process.

[CalTeacher]

And you're forgetting the all important caliber change kits. Which those alone will cost about $45 a piece.

Average $34 per lee die set
3 caliber change kits at $45

You're already at $379 + $135 + $136 = $650. Not including a scale. Not including calipers.

You must be a history teacher...

I don't know why you feel the need to resort to personal insults, but to each their own I guess.

My original estimate was based on a setup for loading .223 because at least 90% of people loading for an AR will be loading that caliber. I don't know of anybody who loads x39 because it isn't cost effective...at all. Very few new reloaders are going to jump right into 300 Blackout, so let's just go with .223 and .308.
New estimate for a Dillon 550 to load .223 and .308 is around $690 including Lee dies, Dillon Eliminator Scale, and digital calipers. But wait, we need to buy trimmers and tumbler for both the single stage package and the progressive package. You can get a WFT trimmer for $70, so that's another 140. Add a tumbler for $50. Now you're at $880. Add that $190 to the single stage package and you're at $640. The cost difference is now $240, which means that the Dillon package is about 38% more. If you really must add 300 blackout, then another $45 or so gets you dies and a powder funnel (it uses the same shellplate and locator buttons as the .223 conversion kit) and another $70 for the trimmer, but you have to add the cost of the trimmer to the single stage kit as well. Yes, the Dillon is more expensive, but you don't have to go with Dillon. You can price out a comparable Hornady progressive kit and you may save some coin. That's sort of beside the point though.

If you need a single stage kit, there are far more cost effective means of piecing one together, and in fact you can probably go way cheaper with a Lee Classic Turret setup and have better production rates. But let's be honest...If you can afford semi autos in .223, .308, 300BLK, and x39, what's another $240 for a progressive loading package to produce the volume of ammo you really need?

This is about value, not press color.

And yes, I am a History Teacher who teaches kids how to learn from mistakes and disregard bad ideas.

And with that, I'm out. Buy what you want. It's your money, but understand your options.

Edit: add $32 dollars for shipping from Natchez.

[FormerBiker]

I learned to reload 9mm on a 550B that a friend had. I liked it so much, I bought one almost 25 years ago.

Yesterday I received the dies and conversion kit so I can load .223.

To me it comes down to how you shoot and how much.

If you are loading , lets say 30-06 or .308 for a hunting rifle or going for long range accuracy, then I would want a single stage to control the consistency of each round fired. (BTW I would use the Dillon only hand loading powder and check each round).

But I know I can go through a lot of rounds through an AR during one range session and I'm not to particular as long as I'm within 2 MOA @ 100yds (good enough to zap zombies), then a progressive such as Dillon is your choice.

The point is to have fun with the hobby how ever you load and shoot.

Another consideration is how valuable is your time.

If you are looking to spending several hours and loading 100 rounds, then single stage.

If you are looking to spending several hours and loading 500 rounds, then Dillon.

[ExtremeX]

You don't need all of those components. Hand priming tool? Loading blocks? A 550 with a conversion kit, lee dies, Dillon scale, and electronic calipers will put you right at 600. Price it out with a red press if you'd like.

Also, don't forget to add the cost of a case trimmer and tumbler to both packages if you want to make it a truly comprehensive setup.

You know you cant speak for everyone...

I load on a progressive, yet I still hand prime my 223 and 308 cases. I just prefer it to on-press priming.

That said, I still do all my case prep on a single stage press. And all my match ammo is done on a single stage.

That's not a bad kit... and people have their own preference for workflow so let the user decide what they want to do.

I also like my 505 beam scale, I use it along side my digital for crosschecks.

[CalTeacher]

You know you cant speak for everyone...

I load on a progressive, yet I still hand prime my 223 and 308 cases. I just prefer it to on-press priming.

That said, I still do all my case prep on a single stage press. And all my match ammo is done on a single stage.

That's not a bad kit... and people have their own preference for workflow so let the user decide what they want to do.

I also like my 505 beam scale, I use it along side my digital for crosschecks.

1. I never said I spoke for anyone.
2. The kit is not bad, it's just very expensive for a single stage setup.
3. I presented another option that may reflect a better value if one is loading for a semi auto and wants volume of output.
4. I've said repeatedly to buy what you want.