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Jim in Houston wrote:...snip... I purchased a .50 cal chamfering and deburring tool, which is easier to use on the .45 cal cases...snip...

That's a really good tip folks!

Hoot

Sorry if these questions are getting old as I'm sure many of you have answered them in the past. Unfortunately, I'm laid up due to ankle surgery, so I have a lot of time on my hands to research, to think and to second guess myself. Anyway, trying to do my due diligence, I have to ask: Would I be wasting my money by going with a Lee kit to get started reloading?

I really like what I've read and seen about the RCBS Rock Chucker system, and I think that's the direction I'm strongly leaning toward. But that Lee kit costs significantly less and the savings might allow me to add a tumbler and other items to my start up kit. I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for" but the cost difference really makes me wonder if the Lee kit would suffice for the limited loading I currently plan to do. Then again, I don't want to have to replace presses in a couple of years because I didn't spend the money the first time around.

Chad

Sesshoku wrote:Sorry if these questions are getting old as I'm sure many of you have answered them in the past. Unfortunately, I'm laid up due to ankle surgery, so I have a lot of time on my hands to research, to think and to second guess myself. Anyway, trying to do my due diligence, I have to ask: Would I be wasting my money by going with a Lee kit to get started reloading?

I really like what I've read and seen about the RCBS Rock Chucker system, and I think that's the direction I'm strongly leaning toward. But that Lee kit costs significantly less and the savings might allow me to add a tumbler and other items to my start up kit. I'm a firm believer in "you get what you pay for" but the cost difference really makes me wonder if the Lee kit would suffice for the limited loading I currently plan to do. Then again, I don't want to have to replace presses in a couple of years because I didn't spend the money the first time around.

Chad

I began with a Lee Anniversary Kit system and it served me well for over 20 years. After that, I upgraded my press to the Lee Classic Cast and only recently added a Rock Chucker. Uness you're swaging your own bullets, the Anniversary Kit is quite a good starting point. Not sure if the quality is the same 30 years later, as it was when I got mine though. Seems like everbody is cheapening their product lines.

Hoot

I don't have a Lee press, but I own several die sets from Lee and also a bunch of crimp dies and other accessories. Best advice that I could give is to put your hands on the presses that you're interested in. I know Cabelas has display units out and you can bet every Tom, Dick and Harry has put their mits on those displays, so getting an idea of what a broke in press is going to feel like to you a year down the road is a sure bet. Just look for side to side slop in the parts. There shouldn't be any. My old RockChucker is still solid and it's over 30 years old.

I have a Lee turret and a Lee single stage press. I have loaded several thousand rounds on them. They work and I have never had any problems with them. With that said, I wish I had a Rock Chucker! Its just a more solid tool than the Lee.

The Lee Classic Cast is as solid as the Rock Chucker, and has a much better deprimer catch system.
The weak spot on the RC is it spits spent primers all over the floor. On the Classic it drops down the ram into a tube and in the trash can if you so wish.
As far as everything else, its a close match, just not as $$$.
(Opinions vary, mine is Worth what you paid for it) But I have both and like the classic for the reason above.
Both are good presses.

Hoot wrote:

Jim in Houston wrote:...snip... I purchased a .50 cal chamfering and deburring tool, which is easier to use on the .45 cal cases...snip...

That's a really good tip folks!

Hoot

High praise, indeed. Thx Hoot.