Had my reloading gear in uncontrolled storage for several years. On digging everything out to start feeding my rifles again, 6MM Rem, .280 AI, and .375 H&H, found my beloved 1968 Rock Chucker covered in rust on all the non-painted surfaces. The replacement Rock Chucker I found at Widener's is called the 'Supreme' and appears the same except RCBS extended the operating window to 4.5". I do all depriming/priming operations off-press with a Wilson Punch & base set and a RCBS small bench-mounted primer press. Is there any reason the new RC Supreme will not be a simple turn-key replacement for my ruined press? Thanks for your time and help.

Have you tried to contact RCBS to see if they could refurbish your press? I have a RCII and most of it is powder coated/painted other than the ram and handle. If it's just surface rust you may be able to disassemble the press and clean it up yourself. The money you'd save you could put into other equipment like a case prep center or scale or something. How do the dies and other stuff look? Don't know if I'd trust any powder or primers that were stored in this environment. Good luck. Paul.

old trick
take the press apart, soak all rusted items in keresene[completely covered] for 2 or 3 weeks
pull out and use steel wool[ 000 first] and the rust will slide off . If you can keep keresene at room temp ,so much the better.
also,varnish and finishes on wood: spray with Scrubbing Bubbles, finish will sloug off in front of your eyes!
wash [spray] the wood with warm water and you are done

The Rock-Chucker Supreme is a good press. For a few dollars more I prefer the Redding Big Boss. If you are right handed the offset "O" of the Big Boss makes it a little more convenient to use.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/4,4089.html

- You can see in this pic how the frame of the press is offset to make it easier to get to the shellholder.....

You also might consider moving up to a Forster Co_Ax press. It's more expensive but most people that have both prefer the Co-Ax. I have all 4 I've mentioned and use the Co-Ax by far the most.


http://www.cabelas.com/p-0024161211032a.shtml


The disadvantages of the Co-Ax are it's cost and you might need to replace some of your lock rings with ones that work in the Co-Ax press. IMHO the Forster ones work best. The quick die in and out will spoil you with the Co-Ax

..................................DJ

http://www.evaporust.com/gallery.html

$21 and you are back in business.

All of these are excellent recommendations that I will take to heart. Based on my many years of using the RC I think I will continue whether I remove the rust or simply buy a new Supreme. Thanks for everyone's support.

I feel your pain. Earlier this year I refurbished my RC. It was in the same condition for the same reason. I used steel wool and WD40 on each unpainted part. It has pits, but shined up and works fine.

By "turn key", if you mean you can simply screw in your dies without adjusting the lock rings, I doubt it. Even two "identical" presses often have just a tad of difference in the thickness of the frame, so you will likely have to reset your locking rings for any new press, RCBS Supreme or other.

quote:

Originally posted by Stonecreek:
By "turn key", if you mean you can simply screw in your dies without adjusting the lock rings, I doubt it. Even two "identical" presses often have just a tad of difference in the thickness of the frame, so you will likely have to reset your locking rings for any new press, RCBS Supreme or other.

Very good point Stonecreek! With your new press be sure and double check your die adjustments......................DJ

quote:

Replacing My RCBS Rock Chucker

BLASPHEMY!

fix the old one and repent!

If the exposed surfaces of the ram are rusted but the bore in the casting is in good shape, RCBS can fit a replacement ram. You'll have a superior press to what is currently offered. Do not attempt to drive the ram out of the bore. I agree that if replacement is necessary, a new Redding would be the choice.

Pitch it---get a Forster!!


Review if you have any doubt.

quote:

Originally posted by vapodog:

quote:

Replacing My RCBS Rock Chucker

BLASPHEMY!

fix the old one and repent!

+1

quote:

Originally posted by Boss Hoss:
Pitch it---get a Forster!!


Review if you have any doubt.

+1

quote:

Originally posted by Boss Hoss:
Pitch it---get a Forster!!


Review if you have any doubt.

Agree on the Forster I gave 50 bucks for mine 25 years ago. Also have 2 rockchuckers but ther Forster is my go to press.

MAIL IT TO ME AND IT WILL HAVE A GOOD HOME

I'm attached to my Rockchucker but if someone offered me a good deal on a press that doesn't spit primers all over the floor...

quote:

Originally posted by Boss Hoss:
Pitch it---get a Forster!!


Review if you have any doubt.

If I had to replace my RC II it would be with a Lee Classic Cast. It's as large as the current Supreme, just as strong if not stronger (American steel vs. a Chinese made cast iron body), the primers don't get tossed on the floor, the lever is fully adjustable for side, length and angle. It's the superior press by any measurable standard.

And, as usual, it costs MUCH less, if money matters to anyone.

Contact RCBS. Then send it back to them and they will restore it to like new condition for cost of shipping. Mine was in the same shape so I know what you are talking about. Trust me and make the effort you won't be sorry.

get a forster

PLEASE send it to me, will send you back pics of it tucked under the Christmas tree

Contacted RCBS Customer Service. They want to see the press of course before giving a fix-it price. Press goes into UPS tomorrow. Thanks to all for your interest and advice.

quote:

Originally posted by Don Boyd:
Contacted RCBS Customer Service. They want to see the press of course before giving a fix-it price. Press goes into UPS tomorrow. Thanks to all for your interest and advice.

Let us know the result. It is amazing what they can do to bring the old stuff back to speed.

If you buy another press, I am a big fan of the Forster Coax also, I have a Rockchucker Supreme and a Coax...Coax wins by a large margin, no shellholder, quick die change, little runout--Good Stuff.

Good to hear your not getting rid of old faithful yet! For those of us that like to DIY (which I'm going to assume is just about everyone who reloads!) try out this method at home.

http://www.instructables.com/i...t-Removal-aka-Magic/

quote:

Originally posted by Bobster:
http://www.evaporust.com/gallery.html

$21 and you are back in business.

+1 on this stuff, we use it at work. Due to the economic slow down, we have to keep some of the steel coil we use out in the parking lot. (just can't turn off orders with a 6 month leadtime.) So the bottom of the coils are quite rusty when our material manager brings them into the warehouse. He fills a sprayer with evaporust and spays down the coils every afternoon for a week or so. I amazed at how much rust is removed since the directions say the steel needs to be submerged. Another big plus is the MSDS sheet is not nasty at all.

MSDS Evaporust.pdf

This is pretty far down the road but to close out this thread, I want all to know RCBS lived up to their stellar reputation. I got my old RC back looking almost like new. The paint is still a little faded and has rub spots but the rusted steel surfaces have been cleaned by a big tough Californian with lots of elbow grease. Although I'm sure they didn't, it sure looks like even the green speckle surface has been repainted. They wouldn't even let me pay for the postage. Here's a couple of Flickr pics to show my modified beat up GI surplus desk with my RC and some other goodies. Thanks to all who responded.

http://tinyurl.com/yjnrbdw

Don Boyd

yes, the supreme is a direct replacement, with a taller window.. and it works exactly the same.

sell the rust rockchucker for 50 bucks and get a supreme ... and someguys here think that it's worth more being old and rusty... LOL.. charge em double!

Jeff, I showed your response to my wife and she's still laughing.

quote:

Originally posted by BECoole:
I'm attached to my Rockchucker but if someone offered me a good deal on a press that doesn't spit primers all over the floor...

AGREED!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by BECoole:
I'm attached to my Rockchucker but if someone offered me a good deal on a press that doesn't spit primers all over the floor...

If a person can get his hands on a 2-Liter soda pop bottle, you can cut out a piece of plastic which will snug right up to the front of the Primer Tray to make it just a bit taller. A clear bottle works nice because it allows you to see through it easily.

Cut it large to begin with and hold it in place with Rubber Bands. See where it needs trimming so you can still reach into the Ram. Then once you have it adjusted properly, slightly round the top corners and glue or 2-part Epoxy it in place. I glued mine on the inside of the Primer Catcher, but the outside would be fine too.

Have it sticking 2"<->3" above the front edge of the Primer Catcher and you won't have any jump out. Or at least they do not on mine.

To stop your RCBS from spitting primers all over the floor; go to one of the fast food places and get one of the large size drink straws. Cut the straw to be the same length as the cut-out in the ram. Cut it so that the lower end is on an angle and press it into the groove with the long side out---problem solved!!

quote:

Originally posted by Don Boyd:
This is pretty far down the road but to close out this thread, I want all to know RCBS lived up to their stellar reputation.

It is good to hear that you guys still have companies which do business in the proper and possibly old-fashioned way. Ruger is for me another example, here, the Blaser factory service is also outstanding.

We should always keep that in mind when shopping.

quote:

Originally posted by R D McMillan:
To stop your RCBS from spitting primers all over the floor; go to one of the fast food places and get one of the large size drink straws. Cut the straw to be the same length as the cut-out in the ram. Cut it so that the lower end is on an angle and press it into the groove with the long side out---problem solved!!

You can be intelligent like our gentleman from BC ( eh? )...

or just be hillbilly redneck like Seafire's solution.

I just bought a $1.29 bucket from Walmart, and a bungie cord. ( that jacked up the price another dollar!) the bungie cords ends connect to the handle on the bucket, and I looped the bungie over the backside of the press so the bucket hangs down below the press...

so now I have a BIG primer catcher... easy to install, easy to remove...

but the down side was the expense of it all..
like $2.29... but in Oregon NO Sales Tax!

if you are smart, the oversized drinking straw is waaay cheaper!

quote:

Originally posted by seafire2:

quote:

Originally posted by R D McMillan:
To stop your RCBS from spitting primers all over the floor; go to one of the fast food places and get one of the large size drink straws. Cut the straw to be the same length as the cut-out in the ram. Cut it so that the lower end is on an angle and press it into the groove with the long side out---problem solved!!

You can be intelligent like our gentleman from BC ( eh? )...

or just be hillbilly redneck like Seafire's solution.

I just bought a $1.29 bucket from Walmart, and a bungie cord. ( that jacked up the price another dollar!) the bungie cords ends connect to the handle on the bucket, and I looped the bungie over the backside of the press so the bucket hangs down below the press...

so now I have a BIG primer catcher... easy to install, easy to remove...

but the down side was the expense of it all..
like $2.29... but in Oregon NO Sales Tax!

if you are smart, the oversized drinking straw is waaay cheaper!

Things are just bigger and better In the USA

You can see some pictures of my shop and bench here.

http://eb-in-oregon.parallaxsc....com/fs/ls/id/346178

Personnaly I think the Rock Chucker is the best press (dollar for dollar) of any press ot there.

Eric

Eric, +1 (or maybe + a million)