Rock Chucker and/or Turret Press

[David658]

I have a rock-chucker, and have reloaded very little. The passing of my father-in-law has me swimming in reloading components, and in the pile of stuff coming my way is an RCBS turret press. Is the turret press a replacement for the rock chucker, or a compliment to it? Please educate this aged rookie - I am in the less is better mode in large part, so if I can get through with one what should I choose?

David
NM

 

[MThuntr]

It can be a replacement but you will likely find that you're not using it as a progressive press for larger rifle cartridges. You'll likely want to still weigh your charges on those, negating the charging station. So more of a complimentary press than a replacement. It's perfect for high volume shooting associated pistols and plinking small rifle cartridges. The RCBS progressive press will make accurate ammo but unless you're a volume shooter it won't do anything special.

 

[Fire_9]

The only thing a turret press does is allow you to keep your dies in the press for several cartridges. That way you don't have to take them out every time you go from sizing to seating or change cartridges that you're loading for. It's just a convenance thing and shouldn't make any more or less accurate ammo than your rock chucker

 

[wyflyguy]

I agree with the above posters. I have both (Rock Chucker and a Dillon progressive). If you want to load volume, the progressive is the winner here. You can crank out lots of ammo in a short amount of time. I use mine for handgun and target/plinking loads almost exclusively. The single stage press is what I use for all my rifle/hunting loads where I was to carefully control accuracy.

 

[OleRedbeard]

I will also agree with the above... I have both a Rock Chucker and a Hornaday progressive. I use my RC to load all my bolt gun stuff simply because I like the simplicity of it and feel like I can control everything a little better.
my progressive I use for target pistol stuff, 223 and 308. Stuff I load several hundred up for at a time for the range and such.

 

[buffybr]

I also agree with the above posts, and I also have a RockChucker and a Dillon Progressive.

I de-prime all of my rifle cases on my RockChucker before I clean them, and reload all of my rifle cartridges above .308 Win on this press.

I reload all of my pistol and .223 and .308 cartridges on my Dillon.

 

[Fire_9]

I think terms are getting confused. He has a turret press, not a progressive press. They are two different things...

 

[Dan O]

I have a Rock Chucker "not used" a Redding T-7 turret press and a Dillon 550B. I use the T-7 for all my hunting rifle loads "338,300 mags and 270. The Dillon I use for all pistol and 223, 22-250, 243 plus 45-70 and 45-100 BP loads. The BP loads are weighed by a RCBS electronic scale and dumped thru a drop tube set up using the Dillon powder die and funnel.

Try the turret press I think you will like it.

 

[Seamaster]

I only use a turret press for pistol ammunition. I do not like the flex of the turret press when loading for a rifle, to me that is the job of a good solid single stage O press like your Rockchucker. The Rockchucker will do everything.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Wouldn’t catch me reloading my rifle shells in a turret press and I am a “good enough” kind of guy.

Got to draw a line in the sand somewhere. Lmao

 

[wyflyguy]

I think terms are getting confused. He has a turret press, not a progressive press. They are two different things...

My mistake. You are 100% correct.

For me, I’d still use the single stage for everything where I care about accuracy.

 

[David658]

I think I understand - basically, the RC for rifle, the turret for pistol. Given that my wife loves to shoot pistols, has a new Springfield 1911 in 9mm, AND gave me a digital scale for Christmas, I think the convenience of the Turret for pistol loading will be nice. Not a huge difference time-wise, but a bit. I like shooting my '06 - a lot - and my wife likes her 7mm-08, so it sounds like the Rock-Chucker has work to do (also have a 6.5-55 and M1 Garand that like going to the range).

Now to get the powder (black and smokeless), primers, and loaded ammo back to the house. Hope nobody rear-ends me on the highway...

David
NM

 

[Fire_9]

I'd be willing to bet that you would see no difference between the two when loading your rifle rounds. I wouldn't hesitate to use it

 

[Robert N]

I have a Chucker, a Redding T-7 and a Hornady Progressive (30 years old now!)

They each serve a different purpose.

The Chucker is great when I have one-off projects. I don't do much reloading on it any more but I do use it a lot for Trim Dies, bullet pulling, that sort of thing.

The T-7 handles most of needs now. I have 4 turrets loaded with different dies. Mostly all of my rifle loading is done here...along with my .44 mag and .480 ruger loading.

The Hornady Progressive is set up for 9mm...and it cranks volumes of ammo in short time. I have loaded an honest 500 rounds an hour with that thing. I have it completely dialed in on 9mm...and really hate resetting it to another caliber.

I do think the T-7 and Chucker turn out better ammo (ie: more consistent) than the progressive...but that's because I also move a lot slower and I'm more precise about what I'm doing.

 

[buffybr]

I also agree with the above posts, and I also have a RockChucker and a Dillon Progressive.

I de-prime all of my rifle cases on my RockChucker before I clean them, and reload all of my rifle cartridges above .308 Win on this press.

I reload all of my pistol and .223 and .308 cartridges on my Dillon.

I think terms are getting confused. He has a turret press, not a progressive press. They are two different things...

You're right! My Hornady/Pacific 366 shotshell presses are Progressive, my 450 Dillon is a Turret press.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

You're right! My Hornady/Pacific 366 shotshell presses are Progressive, my 450 Dillon is a Turret press.

A dillon 450 is still a progressive press it just requires manual indexing. It can perform multiple functions with one handle pull = progressive.

A turret press is a single stage press with multiple holes for dies that can be rotated but one pull of a handle only performs a single function.

People are making erroneous generalizations with turret vs "single stage". There's plenty solid turret presses that almost all of us wont be able to differentiate a difference in ammo vs say a rock chucker. The $1200 Zero press is kind of the pinnacle of single stage presses right now, and it's a turret press.