Lee classic cast vs RCBS Rockchucker

M

MartyK2500

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I have had my Lee classic cast for a while now.
Compared to my Dillon 650, it doesn’t feel smooth at all, and am getting annoyed by it.
Lot’s of folks praise the Forster co-ax, bit i just spent a chunk if change on an annealer so got to stay quiet.
A local is selling an RCBS rock chucker for 40% under retail, doesn’t even have 1 year of use.

Will the RCBS be a significant improvement or am i trading a loonie for four quarters?
 
I honestly have not used a Lee press in over 30 years, but the RockChucker my Father replaced the Lee with is still "smooth" by my definition. I would personally buy the RCBS if you wish to pass on the deal. I'm across the River in Ottawa from you.
 
Lee is what Lee is, though the Classic Cast has a reputation as a decent press. I bought a Rockchucker, no problems other than what I consider a Mickey Mouse on-the-press priming system that few people use anyway.
 
I’d pick up the rock chucked.
I have the classic cast as my single stage for now but I don’t like how gritty it is. You can tell it’s not built as well as the others.
That being said, I’ll keep the classic cast as a dedicated de priming press as I do like how that is set up.
 
FoxAlpha said:
I’d pick up the rock chucked.
I have the classic cast as my single stage for now but I don’t like how gritty it is. You can tell it’s not built as well as the others.
That being said, I’ll keep the classic cast as a dedicated de priming press as I do like how that is set up.
Click to expand...

Exactly what i had in mind,
Lee turns into a dedicated depriming,
RCBS stays well cleaned and oiled,

Thanks for the feedback all it’s the light push i needed!
 
I find it interesting your classic cast feels gritty or not smooth.

I have a Dillon 550 and the Lee classic cast with breech lock. Both get lots of use and the classic cast gets borderline abused when I size .458 45-70 hard cast bullets down to .452 for my 460 Mag. Both presses get regular cleaning with degreaser and fresh oil when they either look dry or feel less slick than normal. Both presses feel equally smooth and tight after 4 years of high volume reloading.

I give the Lee Classic Cast top marks myself. I can’t understand what’s worn out on yours that’s causing friction but I have to guess it could be repaired and then last a lifetime.
 
MuthaFunk said:
I find it interesting your classic cast feels gritty or not smooth.

I have a Dillon 550 and the Lee classic cast with breech lock. Both get lots of use and the classic cast gets borderline abused when I size .458 45-70 hard cast bullets down to .452 for my 460 Mag. Both presses get regular cleaning with degreaser and fresh oil when they either look dry or feel less slick than normal. Both presses feel equally smooth and tight after 4 years of high volume reloading.

I give the Lee Classic Cast top marks myself. I can’t understand what’s worn out on yours that’s causing friction but I have to guess it could be repaired and then last a lifetime.
Click to expand...

I guess gritty isn’t really the right word to use. Comparing it to the press I use next to it, a Lyman tmag 2 which feels very smooth when using it, as well as others I’ve tried the Lee just felt, I dunno, clunky? It works great, I just feel it leaves a lot to be desired.
 
My only press is Lee Classic Cast. I don't find it any rougher or clunkier than my dad's RCBS Rockchucker. Both are leagues better than the Lee Challenger press that my brother uses, especially for full-length sizing 300WM and 338 Lapua. But I wish I could convince my wife that I need a Dillon BFR...
 
I have 2 Rock Chuckers and 1 Lee Classic Cast That I use for swaging. The Lee does not develop as much mechanical advantage as the RCBS because of how the toggle links are configured. Pivots in the middle! The press is vastly improved by moving the pivot point to the rear. BT Sniper modifies his Lee presses by doing this. He moves the pivot point midway between the center and the rear hole and and the same distance up on the vertical links. Leverage is increased. I will be doing this to mine. There is video on how to do this on BT"s website and youtube, I beleive.
 
MuthaFunk said:
I find it interesting your classic cast feels gritty or not smooth.

I have a Dillon 550 and the Lee classic cast with breech lock. Both get lots of use and the classic cast gets borderline abused when I size .458 45-70 hard cast bullets down to .452 for my 460 Mag. Both presses get regular cleaning with degreaser and fresh oil when they either look dry or feel less slick than normal. Both presses feel equally smooth and tight after 4 years of high volume reloading.

I give the Lee Classic Cast top marks myself. I can’t understand what’s worn out on yours that’s causing friction but I have to guess it could be repaired and then last a lifetime.
Click to expand...

My experience is mostly the same as this.

I have owned a couple of RCBS, one Lyman , three or four Lee's (including one Classic Cast) and 3 Dillons (one 550 and 2 650's). Of all the presses I have owned the one that will be my last press to leave the ranch will be the Lee Classic Cast Rotary. I have kept one of the Dillon 650's for production loading of the wife's HG & my .30 carbine ammo...everything else for the 10 or a dozen different rifle calibers get loaded on the Lee Classic. When the ram gets a bit tacky I just giver er a 1/2 second spray of G96 and a quick wipe with a paper towel and it is good as new, same with the mechanical pivot points.
 
My local contact just got back to me (not a CGNer) and is now unsure he wants to get out of reloading, so I won't waste any more time with him.
On the other hand, I am now pretty much convinced I want a new press other than the Lee classic.

I am thinking of keeping Lee Classic for depriming, since depriming can mess a press.
Now I am actually looking at specs and differences between Rock chucker and redding big boss 2.
Forster is still no go, because of the neck resize die I use, I prefer traditional press caming arm, as it allows for overcam and repeatable torque.
Tried the forster with a lee collet and wasn't a fan.

By the way I also have a Lee challenger, I exclusively use for bullet seating next to powdering station.
My challenger is really smooth and stayed nice and tight, but it doesn't do any heavy lifting.
My Classic cast looks heavy duty, but feels all gritty and out of spec.
 
FoxAlpha said:
I guess gritty isn’t really the right word to use. Comparing it to the press I use next to it, a Lyman tmag 2 which feels very smooth when using it, as well as others I’ve tried the Lee just felt, I dunno, clunky? It works great, I just feel it leaves a lot to be desired.
Click to expand...
It works great but leaves a lot to be desired... What exactly does that mean? Could you be more specific or just don't know?
 
I have both the LEE Classic and Classic Turret. I agree about the gritty feeling, and after loading about 1000 rds on each the feeling is now gone.
What I love about LEE press's is the ability to catch most of the spent primer's and residue.
 
I found that cleaning and lubing the press can make a huge difference in performance, and the way they feel for smoothness. Once in a while take a varsol soaked rag and wipe everything down on the press, then oil the pivot points and give the rest of the sliding surfaces a light wipe with an oily rag. You'll be amazed at the difference.
 
Magellann said:
I found that cleaning and lubing the press can make a huge difference in performance, and the way they feel for smoothness. Once in a while take a varsol soaked rag and wipe everything down on the press, then oil the pivot points and give the rest of the sliding surfaces a light wipe with an oily rag. You'll be amazed at the difference.
Click to expand...

:rockOn::rockOn:
 
I have both. Lee by a landslide. If it feels gritty, you’re doing it wrong. Every Lee press I own is silky smooth. I don’t understand where it would get “gritty” from a mechanical standpoint. It’s a pretty simple machine that requires pretty simple maintenance.
-Priming/depriming on the rock chucker is a joke. Unless you like primers all over the place...
-The stroke on the rock chucker is either too long, or not in a convenient spot for me too. It may have an advantage over the Lee as far as mechanical force is concerned, but there’s no free lunch in physics. More force is the product of more effort.
-The goofy way the RCBS mounts drives me nuts too. Cast slots? Really?
Strength wise is probably a wash. I resize big cast bullets in both. I don’t worry about either.
My rock chucker is older. Maybe 10-15 years. Maybe there’s been some improvements?
 
I have my Rcbs slaved to a lee universal deprimer. Everything else happen on my Redding T7.

The rcbs is a heavy, last several lifetimes, no issues press.

Someone mentioned the Redding BB2. I have never owned one, but the offset ...."O" arm seems really smart for access. Knowing the precision, toughness of the T7, i am looking for a BB. At the same time, i should stop, have entirely too much kit.
 
I have often thought my Lee classic cast was as smooth as my coax. I think some people are confusing the classic cast with the cheaper breachlock press, which I've had and was gritty and cheap. The CLASSIC CAST is very smooth, ambidextrous to the max, has excellent primer disposal (probably the best of all presses matched only by the Redding), and best of all it is value priced.
 
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