RCBS Rebel Press - Initial Impressions

[Petrol & Powder]

I need another single stage press like I need another hole in my head, ....so of course, I got another press. (this is an addictive hobby )

Addictions aside, I was curious about the new RCBS Rebel press and put myself on the wait list for one. It arrived today and I un-boxed it.
After looking it over, I mounted it on the bench. I then disassembled the linkage, inspected the parts, cleaned the pivot points, greased everything and re-assembled it.

I haven't used it yet but here are my initial impressions:
1. It is a stout press ! This is a substantial piece of equipment. I don't know if RCBS is contemplating the replacement of the current Rock Chucker (I hope not) but if this is the replacement, it looks like it is more than strong enough to fill that role.
2. This is not an entry level press. This is a strong, simple, O-frame, cast iron press with steel link arms and heavy construction.
3. There is no provision for on-press priming. There is a hollow ram with a port in the rear to allow spent primers to fall through.
4. The frame opening is not off-set. The opening of the "O" frame is set at 90 degrees to the front of the bench. The handle is offset and can be mounted on the left or the right of the toggle. The rear vertical section of the "O" frame is very thick and is over 2.5" deep, measured front to rear. The front vertical section of the "O" frame is roughly 3/4" thick.
5. There is a removeable threaded steel bushing for the dies.
6. The ram is roughly 1" in diameter (0.995" ) and the frame is equipped with a Zerk fitting to lubricate the bore the ram travels in. The bore that the ram travels in is roughly 3.25" long.
7. The opening in the frame is a little over 4.5" and the travel of the ram is approximately 4.25". The useable portion of those limits is probably slightly less but it is still fairly large.
8.The ram is attached to the toggle via a large steel pin. That pin is removable and is retained by a set screw in the bottom of the ram. Owners of a Dillon 550 will be familiar with that setup. The linkage attaches to the toggle via a large removable steel pin that is secured by a locknut on one side. The upper pivots for the linkage are large steel pins that thread into the frame. Those pins have Allen head sockets to allow for their removal. The link arms are steel and .375" thick. The entire linkage is heavily constructed and easily disassembled for cleaning and lubricating, if needed.
9. The handle is roughly 13.5 " long from the tip of the ball to the top of the toggle when installed. The shaft of the handle is roughly 3/4" in diameter (0.748" on my example). The handle has two parallel flats machined on the lower section of the shaft so that a 9/16" open end wrench can be used to tighten the handle. That's a very nice feature that I wish other manufacturers would incorporate in their handles.
10. I'm not sure what material the toggle is made of but I suspect it is cast steel and not cast iron. It is a substantial part and the stops that limit the upward travel of the ram are incorporated into the toggle. The ram does not appear to "cam over" at the top of the stoke and appears to stop at top dead center.

If you're looking for a strong, no frills, large single stage press - The Rebel may be a very good candidate.

 

[Ben]

Is the press made in the USA ?

 

[Petrol & Powder]

The box reads, "Engineered, Machined and Assembled in the USA from Foreign and Domestic Components"

 

[Ben]

A lot of American companies are doing this now.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Just a guess, but I would venture that the castings are made overseas and the machining and assembly is done in the USA.

 

[fiver]

that looks an awful lot like my black Lyman press.

the ram measurement is interesting though.
rcbs had used 2 other similar diameters before,, 994 and 998. [from like 90 up to recently]

 

[Spindrift]

Is the primer catcher similar to the RC, or have they come up with something else?

 

[CZ93X62]

Saw a photo on the Midway site--we should call it Son Of Rockchucker. The parentage is pretty obvious. Its pricing is a bit more than the Rockchucker, but not excessively so. I remember some time back The Old Western Scounger sold a press he called The Rock Crusher. Maybe this Rebel is the offspring of dalliances between those two machines.

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

There is a few SS presses that have caught my eye!!

The MEC is one. I have only seen pics.

The Hornady IRON press.

Same story here... Five other SS presses under my big bench NOT USED!!
CW

 

[seagiant]

Hi,
I think I'll just keep my A2 cast STEEL press!

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

Nothing like a good solid "O" press!! Many make gooduns!!

i have a old Pacific O press. Its "light" compaired to many with a skinny ram. But its a solid good preforming press providing me with countless good accurate loads.

cw

 

[Petrol & Powder]

There's nothing revolutionary about any O-frame press and the Rebel is no exception. It is just a simple, solid, straight-forward press.
I will give RCBS some credit for avoiding gadgets & gizmos. The Rebel is just a big press that looks like it will be a workhorse.

It may be a competitor to the Redding Big Boss.

The lack of on press priming, the heavy construction and the large opening in the frame; clearly indicate this press is not aimed at the novice reloader. This looks like a press for geared towards a seasoned reloader that wants a second press for case forming operations or magnum rifle cartridges.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

Is the primer catcher similar to the RC, or have they come up with something else?

There is no primer "catcher" . The ram has a hole drilled down the center from the top down to about 2" from the bottom, where there is a port that allows the spent primer to fall out of the ram. you simply place a trash can or bucket under the bench to catch the primers.

 

[CZ93X62]

I'm trying to recall when I got the current Rock Chucker now on my bench--c. 1985 IIRC, a friend didn't like the big press and wanted to trade me 1-for-1 his nearly-new RC for my Reloader Special from c. 1978. Well, YES--I'll do that. And that is the entire population of presses I have owned since I graduated from Lee whack-a-mole reloading in 1978. I added the Ponsness-Warren P-200 in 2001 for pistol and small rifle refills, and have considered one of their 5-station rifle monsters.....but not yet. The P-200 and RC suffice at present.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I've managed to thin the herd over the years.
I let a Rock Chucker go when I needed to make space and fund a progressive press (Dillon 550) but there's always been at least one single stage on the bench and a few more squirreled away.
I just sold a RCBS Reloader Special-5. For an aluminum framed press, that RS-5 was an excellent press. It's a long story but that press got more use than anything.
I think this Rebel will be the last one I buy. ......Well, unless I find a deal on a Redding T-7

 

[Glaciers]

I was running an ad looking for RCBS JR 2 to match one I've been using for a few years for light duty loading. For heavy loading I have a Redding Big Boss 2, nice SS press. Well I got a call a guy had a RCBS Rockchucker Supreme kit with all the goodies, powder measure, 505 scale, and other goodies in the kit, new in the box. He was asking $200. All I wanted was a press. So I told him so and that I'd pass at that price, said it would need to be cheap. A week later he called and said $100 and he would throw in a set of new 257 Weatherby dies. Picked it up and mounted it next to the Boss press. I have an old Rockchucker that I will clean up for the third press. Well I have 2 - JR2's one in good shape and the one I wanted to replace. Just sold both JR's for $80 so I have a new press for $20.

That Rebel looks like a good no frills press. I like it. I was attempting to have the Redding and then 2 matching presses. But I got a good single stage setup as far as I'm concerned. The are just to the right of my LEE Classic Turret press. The Classic is as fast as I need to go.
If I was to do it all new, I'd would have gone with 3 Redding or the Rebel, either would work great. I prime off the press anyway. I like the off set of the Redding, but, certainly not a deal breaker, the Rebel would be jut as good.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

John G - for $100 you couldn't go wrong and after you sold the JR2's you really came out ahead.

I was looking at the Redding but when the Rebel came out it caught my interest. I run a Dillon 550 for most handgun stuff but I still use a SS for rifle cartridges. Old School, I guess.

 

[RBHarter]

Sounds like there is enough demand they had to replace the Big Max .

I have a Pacific 008 that my Dad bought in a Hornady box , it's Hornady red in a Pacific casting . I wonder if PTG will honor the pre-Hornady warranties ?

I have several wall/shelf queens too all built like a truck C presses from the 50&60s . Pacific & Lyman . I've had 3-4 Lees , 3-4 hole turrets ,and a LM . I couldn't warm up to the Lee press line .

The bench is dominated by RCBS , Big Max , RC , RCII and a Partner . Dad's RS is in a box to go to my daughters' house with a few other essentials . The Partner is about ready for the 50,000 round rehab/exchange it is an aluminum frame so wear out and slop were inevitable . Outside of forming something like 460 Barret with SB dies I can't imagine a need for more than the Big Max . Threaded 1" ram , primers out the bottom , it's probably got enough mechanical advantage to make one pass 22WSSM from 300 RUM . Not that anybody would and it'd have creases from doom but it could be done . It's actually kind of overkill if you don't use it for forming etc .

 

[CWLONGSHOT]

I had a Redding Ultra Mag. Beefy no doubt.
But not easy to use. Meaning the opening where blocked as I prefer to use.
I sold off.
Not because of any quality issues.
CW

 

[Glaciers]

John G - for $100 you couldn't go wrong and after you sold the JR2's you really came out ahead.

Yeah the Uni-Flo and the 505 scale are in the pile with 2 other Uni-Flo's and two 1010's another 505, and a Redding #1 scale all new in the boxes. That and like most of you, with other bunch of other reloading "stuff" waiting for the next gun show. This past year I've been going through my stuff and actually sorting out the stuff that I'm not going to ever use, and take it to the show. Got one coming in October, but I believe it will be canceled as its always held at the U of A Fairbanks.