RCBS - made in USA or China?

[427mach1]

The "what brand of single stage press do you own and why" thread had reference to RCBS equipment being manufactured in China. This got me thinking, so I e-mailed RCBS:

Can you tell me if RCBS still manufactures it's major reloading equipment, such as presses, scales, etc., in the United States or if this manufacturing has been sent offshore?

-----Original Message-----
From:
Sent: Saturday, March 24, 2012 2:45 PM
To: rcbs tech
Subject: rcbs.com - Ask RCBS Form

The majority of our products are done right here in our plant.......

Thank you for choosing RCBS
Have a great day
RCBS Tech/LM

Customer Service Hours:
Monday-Thursday 6:30am to 3:30pm

I'm not sure if they answered my question or not. I assume that "right here in our plant" is meant to imply most manufacturing occurs in the US but he doesn't exactly say where the plant is!

 

[CraigC]

Far as I know their plant is in California.

 

[desertrat]

....The majority of our products are done right here in our plant.....

Doesn't really answer the question NOR does it quantify the number, OR kind, of product they sell that is made off shore.

I walk away from a vague answer like that with the opinion that they're masking what they do.

Based on their response I'd guess that some of their presses ARE made in china.

If they keep this up they can be called RC"BS".

 

[427mach1]

Has anyone who recently purchased RCBS equipment checked the box for country of origin/manufacture?

 

[Chief 101]

Everythin I have from them is USA made, but then I haven't bought a new press in forty years

 

[Rainman]

I think the press castings are currently made in China then machined and finished in the US. It seems like I remember finding that out watching a program on RCBS on the Outdoor Channel several years ago.

Dan

 

[ptroxx]

I have been looking into these all in one set ups... I hear nothing but good things... Ill be following this ..

 

[kelbro]

I think the press castings are currently made in China then machined and finished in the US.

You would be surprised at how many big name companies do this and are still able to label their product Made in the USA.

 

[Chief_10Beers]

I do know for sure that My RCBS Universal Hand Priming tool is made in China. Says so right on the back of the Box. With that said, after 4000 rounds Plus, no problems at all. If RCBS would have charged more for a Made in the USA model, I would have paid for that one.............................

 

[mattsbox99]

I agree Chief. I was really disappointed when I saw that, but it wasn't enough for me to return it to Midway. It is a good tool, I've made a few modifications so the spring doesn't pop off anymore, but otherwise it works fine.

 

[David Wile]

Hey folks,

I do not like the response 427 Mach received from RCBS to his question.

Question: "Can you tell me if RCBS still manufactures it's major reloading equipment, such as presses, scales, etc., in the United States or if this manufacturing has been sent offshore?"

Response from RCBS: "The majority of our products are done right here in our plant....... Thank you for choosing RCBS. Have a great day."

I like RCBS products and have been using them for over 50 years, but I do not like such a response from them. It was deceptive at best and probably deliberately misleading.

I do not have a problem with buying products made in China. Quite frankly, China has been exporting some first class products over the last decade and more - especially tool type products involving steel castings. They do real well in electronic things also. Try to buy a TV, cell phone, computer, or other integrated circuit product that is not made in China. Not too many available.

RCBS has been producing top quality products for almost as long as I have been living. If they are having their products made partially or even completely in China, I would not be one bit surprised to find out the new RCBS imported products are every bit as well made as their original products. As Kelbro mentioned, there are a lot of products that are partially manufactured offshore but sold as Made In America simply because they are assembled here.

My problem with RCBS is their reluctance to openly explain exactly what they are doing. If they were to openly state that parts are made in China and assembled and quality inspected here at home, that would not bother me in the least. Their response to 427 Mach is really bad to me, but I would still expect their product to measure up to their long history of reloading equipment.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[desertrat]

David Wile makes my point. Nothing wrong with making your products in China if you're into that sort of thing, but disclose it honestly to your customers so that they can make an informed decision as to whether or not they want to support a business that sub-contracts over there.

Generally speaking, U.S.A. gun owners & reloaders are a patriotic lot & don't like purchasing gun products supporting their hobby that are made offshore, especially in commie China where you'd be hung by your gonads if you were caught with a personal firearm.

 

[Rick Courtright]

Hi,

If one does some searching, it appears RCBS HAS had some castings made in China. From there, the stories take two or three different paths. One is they were unhappy w/ the quality and brought their casting back onshore. Another is the casting is still done in China, w/ the machine work done here. I believe that qualifies a product to be called "Made in USA," though I often see added "Of foreign and domestic materials" or something to that effect.

And more than a few have written or called RCBS directly. The vague answer received by 427 Mach seems to be common. Now, in the same sense there's a disputed birth certificate that keeps the political section wound up now and again, the lack of a simple "We do our casting in the US" from RCBS tends to make many of us think, "Hmmm... what are they NOT telling us to keep it hidden?"

Real simple, RCBS, kinda like your warranty: tell us the casting's done in the US, or China, or Poland or wherever and let us decide from there on our own. It won't really make any difference to me, as I own two RCBS presses and, short of winning the lottery, will probably not load enough in my remaining time as a shooter to wear either one out. But it does make me hesitant to recommend a product of "suspect" origin when others state flat out they make theirs here!

Rick C

 

[steve b]

Yeah, the response sounds like desk weasel drivel to me too. steve b

 

[Jimbo357mag]

A kinda ridicules topic for me. American companies have been having product made in China for a long time. I am sure most of them would like to be all USA but the realities of the current global market make that difficult. I hear very few people saying they want their car, or toaster, or their refrigerator made 100% in USA.

It is not like you are talking about a highly technical piece of equipment. A press is very basic machinery and if some or all of it is made in a foreign country that won't bother me. RCBS is a good American company and they have said most of their products are made here. As long as the quality is there, and I'm sure it is, I really don't mind that much. I would prefer all American Made but that is not a deal breaker for me by any means.

I will most likely be buying a new RCBS press kit in the near future. :shock: :shock:

 

[Chief 101]

I really don't see what all the whimpering is about, Ohaus makes a great balance scale with RCBS name on it. Some of the hand primers came from China, you don't have to buy one of those, I didn't. Some other things may be farmed out locally, same a Ruger. Like the man said, most everythin is made in their own manufacturing facility...jus' sayin

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

I bought the RCBS Grand shotshell press a few months ago. I don't have any of the packing materials anymore, but I'm sure if it had said Made In China on it I would have noticed. I tend to look for that kind of thing.

 

[wickerbill]

For the record, if 51% of the cost of manufacturing occures here in the US, it can carry the "made in the USA" label.

I don't know about where RCBS's casting is done, but the warranty is top notch. I recently broke the priming arm on my 35 year old RC press. I e-mailed them to ask how much a new one would cost and they e-mailed me back the next day and asked for my mailing address so they could send me a new one under warranty.
Bill

 

[gunslinger]

Buy USA and support your country (put people back to work!) :x

 

[gunslinger]

Buy American !!!!

We been sold out by the CORPORATIONS and the other ????
Goods should be MFG in the USA period.
That's my two cent