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RCBS "RC" Reloading Press Questions.

3K views 10 replies 5 participants last post by  chevwilliam 
#1 ·
I acquired a used RCBS "RC" Reloading Press that appears to have links of cast magnetic material. Does any one know just what the links are made of?

The reason for the question is that when the Ram is at maximum up travel the 'toggle' contacts one link with a relatively sharp edge, which raises long term reliability concerns.

Second question is has anyone made and used an extended handle for this style Press? I am thinking of around 6" longer to reduce the end force necessary in full length forming cases to smaller diameters.

Best Regards,
Chev. william
 
#3 · (Edited)
The reason for the question is that when the Ram is at maximum up travel the 'toggle' contacts one link with a relatively sharp edge,
chevwilliam, I have modified Rock Checkers to cam over, the contact points you are talking about prevent the Rock Chucker from camming over, I have at least three Rock Chuckers that have not been modified, when using them I do not spend a lot of time leaning on the handle 'Because' when the toggle and link get tangled up the ram is pushed out of alignment. the rock Chucker jams up, binds up or locks up, it does not cam over,

But, you did good, I have never been able to motivate and or create enough curiosity among reloaders to cause them to crawl under the bench to watch the Rock Chucker in action, most if not all just wanted to talk about it.

The ram of the Rock Chucker is thrown out of alignment when the linkage gets tangled up, to be decided: Does it matter? When a case in the shell holder and in the sizing die the case aligns the ram with the die.

There are ways to size, form and swage with out a press, problem: The one that says 'it can be done' is outnumbered by those that say 'it can not be done'.

F. Guffey
 
#4 ·
"Tangled Up" ???????????/

Maybe it is because my RockChucker is older, but there is nothing and no way for it to get tangled up and out of sync or out of alignment.

On my press at least, there is simply no way and no how this can happen.

Then as to camming over at the top of the press stroke, more often then not, this will cause over sizing of your brass and SHORT brass life.

Dies should only be set that tight to the shell holder if there is no way to get brass fired in YOUR chamber and sized in YOUR dies to again chamber once they have been sized.

I realize that RCBS says in their die set instructions that dies should be set down to where the ram cams over.

On the other hand, Hornady in their instructions is perceptive/smart enough to include a foot note addressing the issue of over sizing.

Unless your shooting pick up or range brass or something like an AR platform where functionality is of possible life saving importance, always and forever size brass the minimum amount that will allow YOUR brass fired in YOUR chamber to again chamber in YOUR firearm.

To do other wise at the very least leads to short brass life.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot
 
#5 · (Edited)
Crusty Old Coot,
I am Down-forming .22 hornet Brass of about .300" base diameter to .276" Diameter Cylindrical Body parent cases to make various wildcat and RF replacement cases.
I am also full length resizing .32 S&W sized (about .337") cases to .32 Long Colt Diameters (about .318") Cylindrical Body parent cases for various .32 RF and CF replacements.
This means I need to get the Case into the die all the way to the top of the rim.
Is this what you are terming "Oversize"?

Best Regards,
Chev. William
 
#6 ·
Noticed after doing about 70 .22 Hornet to .25 Stevens forming operations that the .25ACP Carbide sizing ring had been pushed up into the die body by about .030". I did not know that the Carbide could be so moved in the Body. This is a Lee Carbide .25ACP sizing Die being used to reduce the Hornet body diameter to that of a .25 Stevens case body.
Will this carbide ring continue to be pushed up into the die body?
Or will It stop now and I can turn the bottom of the die to remove the 'rebate'?
Best Regards,
Chev. William
 
#8 ·
The reason for the question is that when the Ram is at maximum up travel the 'toggle' contacts one link with a relatively sharp edge,
But, you did good, I have never been able to motivate and or create enough curiosity among reloaders to cause them to crawl under the bench to watch the Rock Chucker in action, most if not all just wanted to talk about it.
Chevwilliams, all of my Rock Chuckers bang together, that is the reason I do not lean on the handle when the ram is at the top.

F. Guffey
 
#9 · (Edited)
I sent the .25ACP Carbide Sizing die to Lee for Inspection, and they sent me an email yesterday that they are sending a replacement Die via USPS. So I guess the Carbide ring is not supposed to move up into the body like this one did.

Tried another .25ACP Carbide sizing die of about the same vintage and found that the Ring moved up about .010" after sizing down 30 Hornet cases to .318" diameter in my "RC" press. It seems this vintage Carbide .25ACP sizing die does not have an internal shoulder for the Ring to seat against when flush with the end of the die. This second one I will not be sending back to Lee as I wish to 'experiment with it' first. I expect the new replacement from Lee to arrive sometime next week.

Best Regards,
Chev. William
 
#11 ·
Yesterday evening I received the replacement .25ACP Carbide Sizing Die from Lee and it visually appears to be the same as the other two "old" ones I have been using. I will put the 'new' die in with the less used set and continue using the second one to see how fat the Carbide ring end up in the Die body and then will probably 'machine' the die body bottom off flush with the Ring.
This may take quite a long period of 'resizing' so don't look fo rthe answer any time soon.
Best Regards,
Chev. William
 
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