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Keep and use or buy new?


Helios

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I recently became interested in reloading and while preparing to buy my own RCBS Rock Chucker Master Supreme Kit a friend gave me an old Lee Challenger from the early 80s. It looks to be intact but will require a means of priming, powder measure, scale, and a couple odds and ends. Compared to buying a new kit (plus add ons) I’m not sure I’m really coming out too far ahead using the “freebie” and I gather the Challenger isn’t all that well built. So my question is should I accumulate the odds and ends to use the Lee or start fresh with the RCBS? 

TIA  

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How many rounds do you plan on reloading and how many different calibers will be loaded?

 

I still have my original Rock Chucker (vintage 1976) but its now relegated to pulling bullets with an RCBS collet tool.  It was purchased to make my 25-06 varmint lo.  Iads but when I started shooting practical pistol, I used it for a year or so loading .45 ACP.  Got pretty good at loading 100 rds in under 80 minutes.

 

Some of those odds and ends you will still need to buy if you use the Challenger press or use a top of the line Dillon 1050.

 

Be realistic on your goal and proceed accordingly.   If you would be happy with the Rock Chucker, you will most likely be happy with the Challenger.  The primer feed arm is still available. 

 

If you need something faster, consider the Dillon 550, 650 or 1050.  Each has its pros and cons depending on what and how much you need to load.

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As previously stated. How much are you wanting to load and how quickly. 

My RCBS is just for precision rifle. The Dillon does everything else.

 

The RCBS Kit is nice because is has all the single stage bells and whistles you'd need. Also there is no problem having 2 presses.

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Thanks for the replies. I’m interested only in a single stage press. My loading needs are a couple club matches per month and I’m shooting CO/production, so perhaps 500-600 rounds of 9mm/month. I could see getting into some .40/.45 in the future, but I don’t anticipate needing to be able to crank out any real volume. 

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Thanks for the replies. I’m interested only in a single stage press. My loading needs are a couple club matches per month and I’m shooting CO/production, so perhaps 500-600 rounds of 9mm/month. I could see getting into some .40/.45 in the future, but I don’t anticipate needing to be able to crank out any real volume. 
Even at that volume I would look into some sort of progressive press or at least a turrent press.

I loaded about 300 rounds of 9mm on a single stage (already had it for precision rifle) before I said enough and bought a dillon 650. The single stage can do it but you're going to spend hours to produce the amount of ammo that a progressive can spit out in 15 min.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

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36 minutes ago, Helios said:

  My loading needs are  500-600 rounds of 9mm/month. I could see getting into some .40/.45 in the future, but I don’t anticipate needing to be able to crank out any real volume. 

 

If you have $425 you don't need, you can buy a Dillon SDB, with the dies,

and reload your 600 rounds in about 3 hours, easily.

 

How long would that take you to reload with the single stage press ?

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If you are shooting 500 rounds/month that is 6000 rounds per year. Or to put it another way, 120 boxes of factory ammo.

 

This is not a lot by any stretch of the imagination but is still a lot of ammo to make on a single stage or turret press. I thought the same as the OP when I first started handloading. After a month using a single stage, then about 6 months with a turret press then I finally had enough and got a progressive. So along the way I have collected 5 presses. If I were starting from scratch, with what I know today. I would go with the suggestion made by Hi-Power Jack and give the Dillon SDB a good long hard look.

 

This is a question that gets debated constantly on just about any handloading forum, what press and gear do I need to start saving money on ammo? While it is true there is budget gear out there and it is likewise true that even the budget tackle works, the handloader that decides to go budget and yet expects to supply their match and practice ammo will quickly discover that the low output of entry level stuff is time consuming to use.  In my opinion a competition handgun shooter that wants to handload their ammo should have a starting budget of between $800 to $1000 to start. This will get you good stuff and enough speed to allow you time to practice your marksmanship and mow the lawn.

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Thanks for the replies. I’m interested only in a single stage press. My loading needs are a couple club matches per month and I’m shooting CO/production, so perhaps 500-600 rounds of 9mm/month.


You’ll only be happy loading that volume on a single stage if you have gobs of spare time and nothing better to do. You need to be able to load faster and use the leftover time for dry fire practice.

I’m in the same boat. Started loading precision rifle on a single stage. Bought a Lee turret and started shooting 2 USUSA production matches a month. I’ve already found out that even though I’m happy with the turret press and have no issue with it’s function, it takes way too much time to crank out the minimum of 400-500 rounds a month to compete.

With that said, you can get by with a turret press and I probably won’t upgrade for a long time because I feel more likely to catch a quality issue with the turret since there is only one action happening at a time. Now that I’m loading range brass, there seems to be more issues to handle than before. YMMV but I just don’t think you’ll be happy loading in a single stage.
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Thanks for the info guys. The SDB doesn’t  look to be too bad even with the recommended base and primer tubes and whatnot. I’m thinking that’ll be the route I go. Thanks again. 

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Helios, be sure to look at used SDBs:  They don't really wear out (and they have a lifetime warranty if they do),  there are normally pretty good deals on them, with caliber changes and dies, as people move from that to a larger progressive press.

 

If you happen to not be able to find a good used package deal, post WTB on benos and several other reloading forums... you'll get responses pretty quickly, imho.

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17 hours ago, rmantoo said:

look at used SDBs:  

 

Great idea.

 

Don't spend a penny on any of the "extras" that are recommended (base, handle, bullet holder, etc).

They are NOT necessary to load three boxes of ammo a week.

 

Just the basic machine (I'm still using the basic machine to load 20,000 rounds/year) is all you need

(Plus chrono, scale, calipers).

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