RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Press and Master Reloading Kit Review

The cornerstone of the majority of reloading operations around the world is the RCBS Rock Chucker Press, and if you are new to reloading, the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit may be the best way to jump in with both feet. With the kit, you get most of the materials needed to start immediately. With just the Press, you are expected to own the other aspects already or have the means to acquire them separately. Let’s take a look at each.

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit

The RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit is a reloading shop in a box and includes the following:

  • RCBS Rock Chucker Press (also sold separately, see below),
  • 505 Reloading Scale,
  • Uniflow Powder Measure,
  • Hand Priming Tool w/small and large primer plugs,
  • Case Loading Block (holding approx 40 cases in most rifle and pistol calibers),
  • Deburring Tool, Hex Key Set (0.050″, 1/16″, 5/64″, 3/32″, 7/64″, 1/8″, 9/64″ and 5/32″ keys),
  • Case Lube Kit (2 oz bottle of Case Lube-2, case lube pad, 2 case neck brushes for .22 and .30 calibers),
  • Powder Funnel (.22 and .45 caliber),
  • Chamfer and Deburring tool
  • and a Speer Reloading Manual.

The kit does not include reloading dies or shell holders. Aside from those parts, the only other piece of equipment to get this RCBS reloader into action is the RCBS Mounting plate, which is the best method to mount the RCBS reloading press to your reloading bench.

It is hard to beat a Rock Chucker Press when it comes to a single-stage reloading machine. My own Rock Chucker was at least 20 years old when I got it, and it has served me well for the past 20 years. It’s our pick as the best single stage reloading press available.

To operate the RCBS Rock Chucker, you correctly mount it to your bench. I recommend a corner spot for maximum stability. Once mounted, you insert the shell plate and install the depriming die. After a few minor adjustments, you can remove the spent primers from your brass. When complete, you can use the hand priming tool to rearm the cases with new primers and add powder. This is followed by seating the bullet and crimping it in place with the crimping die.

Rely on a progressive press or upgrade to one later. The Rock Chucker Press can still be vital in processing brass before reloading, mainly if you work with brass with a swaged military primer. The number of accessories included in the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit can be used in other reloading operations as well, so the thought of putting off purchasing a more expensive progressive reloading press is not a valid one considering the utility that comes with the RCBS Rock Chucker in this kit.

The Rock Chucker does not reload shotgun shells; instead, only rifle and pistol reloads. You’d need to buy a separate shotgun press for shotgun shell fills.

Also, make sure not to confuse this with a progressive reloading press, as this is strictly a single stage press. With a progressive press, the tool performs one complete round with multiple dies and gets the job done faster. The various stages perform the resizing and de-capping, new primer seating, powder drop, and more to achieve the complete goal of creating ammo. A single stage press requires you to set up a new tool for each operation. Single stages, like this Rock Chucker Press and Kit, are much less expensive than the progressive option.

Pros

Cons

The RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit contains everything you need to start a reloading setup. The included accessories are made with quality in mind and built to last several lifetimes. Installation is fast and easy and can be accomplished in minutes. Many helpful YouTube videos share the setup process from start to finish if you are more of a visual learner rather than from the written word. The usefulness and versatility of the Rock Chucker press ensure that it will not be a wasted purchase should you decide to upgrade at a later date. It has a lifetime warranty for home reloaders which many brands cannot compete with. The RCBS Rock Chucker Press at the heart of this setup will always be there to perform any given task, regardless of how mundane or specialized it may seem.If there is one downside to the Master Reloading Kit, it does not include mounting hardware of any kind nor the accessory mounting plate. Even without the plate, RCBS does not include mounting hardware, which is understandable given the size disparity between reloading benches. However, it requires another trip to the hardware store, which takes that much time away from setting up your RCBS Reloading Press. I would like to see this piece included with the RCBS Reloader Kit and would be willing to pay the extra money for the convenience of truly being ready to go from the start.

Conclusion

As stated earlier, an RCBS Reloader such as the Rock Chucker Press is the cornerstone of many reloading setups worldwide. The value inside the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit cannot be beaten. This kit provides an excellent foundation; add dies, shell plate holders, and your reloading components, and you can tackle anything from 25 ACP up to 50 BMG with this powerful and versatile kit.

Buying the components separately is not bad, especially if you have experience shopping for scales, case prep tools, or the like. If that’s the case, you can buy the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Press independently of the Reloading kit.

RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Press

As an overview, this Press is for tough reloading, case forming, and bullet swaging. The RCBS block “O” frame that many are familiar with, complemented with the compound leveraging system, can put enough working pressure to resize cases effortlessly that would likely put other presses into a stupor. It comes with the Press, ball-type handle grip, primer catcher, handle nut, primer arm, large and small primer plugs and sleeves, and coil spring. You can expect 4 inches of ram-bearing surface to support the 1 inch diameter ram.

If this lives up to your expectations, it can also be upgraded to a progressive loader by adding a Piggyback 4. Please find out more at our full review of the finest single stage reloader here.