An experienced hand loader knows that having the right loading press is key. Depending on what types of ammunition you want to make and how much greatly effects the kind of reloading press you will need. Luckily, RCBS makes the job of finding the right machine easy.
This article will discuss the benefits of having an RCBS. Only three of the many reloading presses will be discussed since there is only so much space here to talk about them. This will give you a sense of which RCBS reloader might be best for you.
The three RCBS reloaders covered in this article are the Rock Chucker Supreme, the Pro 2000, and the Pro 2000 Auto. Each RCBS reloader is operated differently and therefore each suits a different kind of handloader. Depending on your personal preference, one RCBS reloader will probably work much better for you than the others.
The first RCBS reloader is the Rock Chucker Supreme Press. As a single stage press, it is the lowest priced of the three. And though it is a single stage press, it is held up as one of the best reloaders you can buy. The solid, cast iron frame allows the machine to last years of work.
The best part about the machine is that it is fully customizable. Adding a primer feed tube saves you the effort of hand-feeding your primers. You can even convert the entire machine into a progressive reloader with a piggyback conversion kit. This is a common theme with RCBS reloading equipment: just about everything is compatible with everything else.
This is also true with the other two RCBS. Not only does most equipment work interchangeably with either, they happen to be the same machine. The RCBS Pro 2000 can be purchased with auto indexing or manual indexing. And similar to the Rock Chucker, the manual Pro 2000 can be converted into a auto indexing machine with the proper conversion kit.
The RCBS Pro 2000, besides the ability to convert and customize it, is an extremely versatile, yet simple reloading press. Regardless of whether you buy it with or without auto indexing, it is a 5 station progressive loader and uses standard 7/8 by 14 thread per inch dies. The Pro 2000 is also able to convert calibers faster than just about every other brand on the market.
Choosing auto indexing versus manual for this RCBS reloader really comes down to preference. Advocates for auto indexing claim that it is faster because there is less chance for errors. On the other side, auto indexers say that the automatic feature is guaranteed to increase your hourly output because you don’t have to do everything by hand. Ultimately, it is your call. One option is to go with the manual indexing and then convert to auto if you think it would improve your output.
All in all, a RCBS reloader is far superior to most other presses on the market. With the ability to customize your machine based on your preferences and the ability to convert one machine to another, you really can’t go wrong with any choice you make.