Does any body know anything about the RCBS starter kits from Bi-mart?

[warnerwh]

You'll have to do a Google. There are several but you won't find any sales. The prices are set by Dillon.

 

[PfcSalt]

As cyclesarge said, The BiMart deal is for a Rockchucker Supreme master reloading kit. At 299, it is a good deal. The Rockchucker is a very good press. I bought one of these kits several years ago. It is a good idea to start reloading with a simple single stage press, and take your time. Reloading is easy, but you can't rush it. You can speed things up dramatically by buying a $300.00 digital scale. It is worth the money. The scale included in the kit is very slow and chintzy. The only real time-consuming disadvantage to a single stage press is changing dies. Add another simple $30.00 press, and no more die changing for rifle cartridges. You must have a dial or digital caliper and a case trimmer. The Lyman case trimmer is a very good deal. The RCBS trimmer is excellent, too and is also available at BiMart. So are bullets, powder and primers.
Buy the kit, read the manual, then make the decision as to what powder, primer and bullets you would like to start reloading for your particular calibers. Reread the manual.
Do what it says. You might develop better ammo for your guns than you can buy, save money if you shoot enough, and have fun.
If you later decide to take the plunge and buy a Dillon, you will still have use for the single-stage press.

 

[Gunner3456]

I still like this Lee press for the money. <broken link removed> It's a four hole turret press. By buying extra turrets for it ($11 each IIRC) you don't have to remove your dies. One turret per caliber, and the turrets swap out easily. The fourth hole is in case you want a separate crimp die but you can still use the crimp in the 3 hole die set if you wish and leave one hole empty.

This easily converts to a single stage (I too recommend for beginners) simply by removing a part and stopping the rotation. You then rotate by hand for each "next" die and process. When you're ready to start cranking 'em out, you already have a turret press.

I still like the turret press better than the progressive press because the cases sit in the ram, one at a time rather than having several cases rotating in carousel fashion and not supported by the ram. It's simply easier for me to make a mistake with a progressive because there's so much going on. I also feel that there's less flex in a turret. ($.02)

This set comes with a powder measure, powder scale, and primer feeders for both sizes of primers.

I see a new reloader still needing a lot of things like a digital caliper (harbor freight) a powder trickler, case length trimmer, case neck chamfering tool, case lube and pad for rifle cases, and whatever else I'm forgetting.

Oh, a tumbler and media.

I know that a Dillon is stronger, but I don't believe it puts out better loads. I think that is, in the end, up to the person. I suppose a Dillon might last longer after a gazillion loads, but I've been unable to wear out a Lee.

 

[Gunner3456]

Oops. This is a really old thread, LOL.

 

[RVTECH]

Plus I have had several occasions to use RCBS customer service and they are great!

Only recently I sent back my 30 + year old 5-10 beam scale to RCBS (which had a broken beam for about ten years) and they informed me they sent it on to the MFg. (Ohaus) who informed me by email it was being repaired at no charge and promptly sent back. All is as they said - and I received it back one day earlier than they projected. FYI RCBS is now under the umbrella of something called 'Alliant Techsystems' - which was on the header of the letter they sent to me.

 

[Gunner3456]

Only recently I sent back my 30 + year old 5-10 beam scale to RCBS (which had a broken beam for about ten years) and they informed me they sent it on to the MFg. (Ohaus) who informed me by email it was being repaired at no charge and promptly sent back. All is as they said - and I received it back one day earlier than they projected. FYI RCBS is now under the umbrella of something called 'Alliant Techsystems' - which was on the header of the letter they sent to me.

I didn't know that. Alliant makes gunpowder under that name and also Hercules, owns Speer, Federal, CCI, Bushmaster, Eagle and is the largest cartridge manufacturer in the world.

They make solid rocket engines for NASA and they make cluster bombs for the military.

If you don't like their customer service, say so nicely.

 

[RVTECH]

The Rockchucker is a very good press. I bought one of these kits several years ago.

So did I and I am still using it. I have considered going progressive but over the years I have streamlined my single stage loading to where I can easily load 300 + pistol rounds in an evening. However I was recently given a large amount of "old" reloading stuff and in it was a Bonanza Co-Ax press. (now Forster I believe) I never knew anything about them other than I knew they existed) but I always believed RCBS was the first and only way to go. I cleaned up the CO-AX, downloaded the users manual and I wish I would have gone with the CO-AX from day one. Much faster than the RCBS - and for two major reasons - the design allows for quick die changes by sliding them in a spring detent notch, and it has a universal, mechanical shell holder. The down side of the CO-AX is due to it's design it does not have a very good priming system and to use it would be very slow but if one is single stage loading already a hand priming tool is a necessity. Also the knocked-out primer catch system of the CO-AX press means never having spilled, de-primed primers on the floor! They wind up in a screwed on plastic cup that you empty from time to time.

 

[RVTECH]

If you don't like their customer service, say so nicely.

I was inferring in my post their customer service was excellent.

All is as they said - and I received it back one day earlier than they projected.

 

[Gunner3456]

I was inferring in my post their customer service was excellent.

And I was kidding, because they make bombs including cluster bombs for the military. Joke.

 

[RVTECH]

I finally got it!! I am a little slow this morning!!

 

[Gunner3456]

I finally got it!! I am a little slow this morning!!

Well, Merry Christmas!