RCBS Celebrates 80 Years

by
posted on December 10, 2023
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
RCBS

Started by Fred Huntington in the back room of his father’s laundry-cleaning service in Oroville, Calif., in 1943, reloading giant RCBS is celebrating 80 years in business in 2023.

“After 80 years of operation, RCBS is still delivering top-quality reloading products backed by world-class customer service,” said Justin Smith, product line manager for RCBS. “The brand has never lost the essence that Fred championed back in 1943, and the men and women in Oroville today truly do bleed green.”

But in 1943, Huntington didn’t envision an all-encompassing reloading business. An avid varmint hunter, he merely sought to make his own .22-cal. bullets for that purpose.

In Oroville, locals called the varmints “rock chucks,” and Huntington’s first products were his Rock Chuck Bullet Swage dies, a name eventually shortened to RCBS.

By 1958, the company had its own 7,500 sq.-ft. factory, a space that eventually expanded to more than 50,000 sq.-ft.

Today, RCBS is one of more than 40 brands under the Vista Outdoor umbrella of outdoor-product companies.

To learn more about RCBS and its products, visit rcbs.com.

Latest

bluing with torch
bluing with torch

Tips & Techniques: DIY Fire Bluing

Is there anything prettier than fire bluing? This bright, “peacock” blue color is one of the world’s oldest firearm finishes and can be found on guns dating back as early as the 16th century and is still used on some of today’s high-end custom arms.

Rifleman Q&A: Eddystone Bayonets

"I recently started collecting World War I U.S. military firearms. I want to obtain a Model 1917 rifle made by each contractor—Winchester, Remington and Eddystone—along with bayonets for each. However, I can only locate bayonets made by Winchester and Remington. Why are bayonets made by Eddystone so hard to find?"

NRA Youth Education Summit 2025 Provides Scholarships, Leadership Lessons

The 2025 NRA Youth Education Summit (Y.E.S.) brought together 32 exceptional high school students from across the United States.

Unfair Advantage: The Walther PDP Pro-X PMM

The latest “Pro” model in this famous German maker’s line of U.S.-assembled pistols leverages more than 100 years of experience in building service-size semi-automatics. And the results are better than even most experienced shooters should expect.

The Armed Citizen® Sept. 8, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Terminal Ballistics 101: What You Must Know As A Rifleman

It is easy to take a box of bullets for granted, but as a rifleman, it is important to understand all variables at play when it comes to terminal ballistics. This guide, from NRA Firearms Sourcebook, will help drill down on what is important.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.