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I am going to get my friend a press kit for his b-day. He has never used a press before. I am partial to RBCS, mostly because that is what i have used. I thought I would throw the question out there and see what opponione folks have.

For what it is worth I was debating between:
RCBS® Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit $300 at Cabela's
Cabela's: RCBS® Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit

and

Hornady Lock-N-Load Classic Reloading Kit $300 at Cabela's
Cabela's: Hornady® Lock-n-Load Classic™ Reloading Kit

Is this a Ford and Chevy question or is there a meaningful difference?
 
Is he reloading pistol or rifle? If pistol, a single stage press is going to be painful (when I first started I loaded a whopping 100 rounds of 45acp in only 4 hours!). I use a single stage for rifle ammo that I want to be <MOA, but for pistol, I'm very partial to Dillon progressives. The SquareDealB is around $400, but can be had for less used. On my Square Deal I typically load around 400 rounds per hour (16x the speed of a single stage).

~Mitch
 
I might recommend saving up for a Dillon 550 or 650. If he's got all the time in the world, single stage it. But for the cost difference between reloading 223 and buying it on sale, it only makes sense if it's not taking hours per hundred. Maybe it still makes sense to single stage 45 ammo. I haven't compared pricing, as I haven't bought 45 ammo in years...

~Mitch
 
A single State Press is always a good first step. Even if you eventually move on to an "Ammo Factory" progressive, that single stage will continue to earn it's place on your bench. The choice between RCBS and Hornady is a tough one. Each has it's pluses and minuses.

The RCBS is a Rock Solid Press. Will be here on this earth when only Cockroaches are reloading. The Hornady is a cast "Alloy" which is often a code word for Aluminum. Will wear out quicker in the ram bushing area.

The Hornady does have the quick change die holders which makes a single stage perform somewhat like a turret press. Set up your dies and then when changing from one function to another just swap the quick change adapter with preset die. RCBS doesn't seem to have caught up with that feature yet.

Since I load on my single stage in batches of 50 (a loading block full of cases) I don't care that much about the quick change feature. My dies have RCBS lock Rings and I use an RCBS Lock nut Wrench which is a socket that fits over the die to loosen/tighten.

I size all cases, change die, then seat bullets on a primed/charged case.

Given my preferences I'd go with the RCBS setup but that doesn't make the Hornady bad.
 
Deadshot2,

You raise a really good point - going through the process of single staging really helps to understand each step that happens simultaneously on a progressive and even though one may move on to being a "ammo factory" they will always find uses for the single stage (as I have recently rediscovered when I got into bolt action rifle).

~Mitch
 
of the 2 choices given,I give the nod to the RCBS kit.Strong as hell press,I like beam scales over electronic,and I like their stuff in general.
be advised the powder measure has 2 different drums..1 for rifle loads and 1 for pistol loads.make sure u get both .also, if u buy him some dies,most don't come with shell holders. Lymans do now,as do Lee.gotta have them !
this kit and then later a dillon 550b will hve him set for life ! oh,and a LYman's reloading book,my go-to book.
 
Thank you for the heads up. Much appreciated.

of the 2 choices given,I give the nod to the RCBS kit.Strong as hell press,I like beam scales over electronic,and I like their stuff in general.
be advised the powder measure has 2 different drums..1 for rifle loads and 1 for pistol loads.make sure u get both .also, if u buy him some dies,most don't come with shell holders. Lymans do now,as do Lee.gotta have them !
this kit and then later a dillon 550b will hve him set for life ! oh,and a LYman's reloading book,my go-to book.
 

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