Lee or RCBS Single Stage Press?

[firearmsunlimited]

Cabelas currently has a rebate offer posted:

$10.00 Mail-in Rebate with the purchase of $50 in RCBS products. Valid through Mar. 31, 2011.

 

[olskool]

i have been loading from 1969 to present day, you get what you pay for. on a scale of 1-10 lee is 1 rcbs is 10+ i have a rock chunker it was made 1973 and a rcbs 2a it was made from 1959-63 it is a large scale rock chunker. they will out last me.

 

[imakmst]

I guess I'll be a little different even though it wasn't in your list, but, I got a Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Single Stage Press for Christmas and I love it. Very solid and I like the bushing setup for multiple calibers.

 

[wheelgun1958]

Lee Classic Cast is made from surplus US steel (railroad rails) in Wisconsin. RCBS I believe is cast in China.

 

[loubrody]

RCBS In California

I own some RCBS equipment. It is some good stuff. But until they decide to leave California for a more gun friendly state, I can not in good conscience buy anything more from RCBS. I don't want my money contributing to fill the coffers and tax base of a bunch of gun hating liberal politicians. But that is just me. As goes California, so goes the nation.

 

[longaction]

RCBS for sure.

 

[Targetslayer]

Lee makes good stuff.

Targetslayer

 

[RidgwayCO]

After I bought a Lee Classic Turret to speed up my reloading, I liked the way it handled spent primers so well that I bought a Lee Classic Cast single stage for rifle reloading chores. Ended up liking it so well that I sold my used RCBS Rock Chucker at the local gun show for what I had paid for it. I like that the Lee's are made in America from American steel.

 

[Sully]

Lee Classic Cast is made from surplus US steel (railroad rails) in Wisconsin. RCBS I believe is cast in China.

I thought it was in low gravity on the backside of the moon!!!....geeze!

 

[Sully]

After I bought a Lee Classic Turret to speed up my reloading, I liked the way it handled spent primers so well that I bought a Lee Classic Cast single stage for rifle reloading chores. Ended up liking it so well that I sold my used RCBS Rock Chucker at the local gun show for what I had paid for it. I like that the Lee's are made in America from American steel.

It does matter to me if the cast iron is cast in lower Slobovia...its a better product and will outlast the stamped Lee loaders ten fold. I have both brands...with a Dillon 550 alongside

 

[chingachkook]

What I would get is the Lee Classic Cast TURRET press.

It can easily be used as a single stage press as you learn. Put the advancing rod in and you have an "auto-turret". The dies are held in place with a removable turret and change over is seconds if you have extra turrets with dies left in them from the last time. Literally, seconds.

Get the Cast 4 hole turret. You will not be disappointed.

Skip you convinced me, I just ordered the Lee 4 hole Classic Turret Press. I've been using a single stage press since around 1963, but often wondered about those turret presses and soon UPS will be bringing me my very own. Thank you Sir!

 

[Skip Sackett]

Thank me AFTER you use it!

Using the Lee loader as the bottom of the comparative scale and a Dillon 1050 as the upper end, the Lee Turret is probably at midrange. Both in quality and production ability. One thing it will do, work just as designed. If something goes wrong, a phone call in the first two years will get you new parts. They are good about that.

The thing that really sells me on the Lee Turret is that it can be used as a single stage press too but with the dies stored in the tool head. I don't know how many folks remember the Lyman Spar -T. That press only had one head but could store 6 dies, 2 3 die sets for pistol or 3 2 die sets for rifle. Kinda the same thing with the Lee only the turrets can be swapped out muy pronto.

Not to mention, they are relatively inexpensive.

One word to the wise, the little square plastic index thingy. Make sure you don't try to go backwards with the handle all the way up and maintenance it like the instructions say.

Use it safely!

 

[RidgwayCO]

"It does matter to me if the cast iron is cast in lower Slobovia...its a better product and will outlast the stamped Lee loaders ten fold."

Not sure about castings from lower Slobovia, but the Lee Classic Cast is not "stamped". It's made in Wisconsin from cast American steel (used train rails I believe).

 

[Rule3]

Skip you convinced me, I just ordered the Lee 4 hole Classic Turret Press. I've been using a single stage press since around 1963, but often wondered about those turret presses and soon UPS will be bringing me my very own. Thank you Sir!

Here check out this review. I have one also and load pretty much every handgun caliber and 4 rifle calibers. Buy your extra turret plates at Natchez as the are cheapest. Once you set up it a snap to change calibers.

Real Guns

 

[Skip Sackett]

"It does matter to me if the cast iron is cast in lower Slobovia...its a better product and will outlast the stamped Lee loaders ten fold."

Not sure about castings from lower Slobovia, but the Lee Classic Cast is not "stamped". It's made in Wisconsin from cast American steel (used train rails I believe).

Um, a wise man once told me this, it has been hard to live by, I have to admit.

"Never argue with an (fill in the blank). Someone standing nearby won't be able to tell which one is which."

Lower Slobovia or Ohio or Wisconsin or, China for that matter, if it fits my budget and will do the work I want it to do with minimal repairs, I consider buying it.

If it performs to my expectations, I will consider buying another.

It is a matter of focus. We need to stay FOCUSED on the issue. A cast press is not a stamped anything and a Lee loader is not a Lee Classic Cast Turret press.

Apples to apples, not pineapples.

 

[chingachkook]

Here check out this review. I have one also and load pretty much every handgun caliber and 4 rifle calibers. Buy your extra turret plates at Natchez as the are cheapest. Once you set up it a snap to change calibers.

Real Guns

OCD1,

Thank you Sir! I read your link and then saved it to my files for future reference.

Sorry to say that I ordered three extra turret plates with the press to accommodate the other calibers I reload for now, but should some new caliber handgun come along, like the 32 S&W Long I've been eyeballing I will remember Natchez for future purchases.

 

[Skip Sackett]

Don't be afraid of ebay for that kind of stuff either. There are still "stores" on there that have LOTS of reloading stuff. From Lee to Dillon. Throw in the "garage cleaning" folks and you can come up with a good deal on something that cannot go "bad".

FWIW