Matching dies with press ?

[Hammer]

Have Redding competition dies for the 6mm BR and a Redding shellholder.

Have a 40+ year old RCBS Rockchucker in excellent condition that I've had since new.

For optimal accuracy, should I get a Redding press to match the dies, or if the dies are properly installed in the Rockchucker will everything work out fine ?

 

[Shynloco]

Hammer,
Sounds like you are trying to convince yourself to get a new Press. I recently retired a much younger Rockchucker in favor of the small Harrell compact press and use the same dies you cited for my 6mmbr. I can actually "feel" each casing better when resizing with the baby Harrelll than I could with the Rockchucker. Will it make a difference on accuracy, can't say as I just got the Harrell. I just like the ability to "feel" the casing being resized, much as I do using an Arbor Press to seat bullets using Wilson Dies.

Alex

 

[chkunz]

All things being equal (they never are) both presses were probably built to the same tolerances so there probably is no difference in the potential for accuracy in the loaded ammo for the two presses. I do not think it would be worth trying to determine if there was any potential difference. I would use the 40 year old press with no concern. Hell, my scars are over 40 years old!

 

[BoydAllen]

Everything should work out fine.

 

[bloc]

All things being equal (they never are) both presses were probably built to the same tolerances so there probably is no difference in the potential for accuracy in the loaded ammo for the two presses. I do not think it would be worth trying to determine if there was any potential difference. I would use the 40 year old press with no concern. Hell, my scars are over 40 years old!

This. ^^^^^^^^

 

[rocketron]

check to be sure the shellholder fits the ram properly. I have a 30+ rockchucker and hornady shellholders don't fit properly. When installed there is a gap between the shellholder and the ram top.

 

[Intheshop]

It'll be fine but....enabler alert;

Boy would a new Redding press look good on the bench or what?

One of the dumbest things I ever did was going to this huge new lumber mill years ago in upstate NY,didn't realize the Redding factory was 10 minutes away.I'd have done a tour through there,dang it.

 

[M-61]

IMO: It's one reason I use an "O" ring between the die and press. It allows a bit of 'float'. The case going into the die will take the path of least resistance. If the die can float a bit it can move to correct say the die being securely screwed on to the press top where it can not move, and maybe the die and press do not mate squarely. Poor explanation, I know, for what I think could happen.

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

IMO: It's one reason I use an "O" ring between the die and press. It allows a bit of 'float'. The case going into the die will take the path of least resistance. If the die can float a bit it can move to correct say the die being securely screwed on to the press top where it can not move, and maybe the die and press do not mate squarely. Poor explanation, I know, for what I think could happen.

I've never understood how this is different than having a few thou clearance between the case and shell holder.

 

[M-61]

I've never understood how this is different than having a few thousand clearance between the case and shellholder.

Probably isn't. I just like the idea of having the case follow a least resistant path. I guess either works. And this is just my opinion. Always did it and never tested without it to see if there was a difference. And using an RCBS A-4 for a long time it would be hard to feel much resistance anyway as I think you could change tires on that press!

 

[SheepDog]

If the shell holder were machined to the ram and the case head with tight tolerances it might make a difference but they aren't and for good reason. The place that matters is if the shell holder and the dies are the same manufacturer. Those tolerances are made to fit together. If your shell holder holds your brass tight then you might have to worry about die alignment but the shell holder allows the case to go pretty much where it needs to go to align with the die.

 

[ireload2]

Hornady has the shell holders made by a contract machine shop.
I had a Hornady shell holder that would not fit 4 RCBS presses (including a 46 year old RC and an even older A2), 2 Lee presses and a Harrell's press.
Where the necked down shank meets the bottom of the shell holder deck there must be NO radius.
I called them and they checked stock and said that the .010 radius on the shell holder that I have and those in their stock room were all made incorrectly.
The machine shop probably saw max corner radius < .010 in the tolerance block of the drawing and made it the maximum permitted to make the grooving tool last longer. Hornady probably did not call out a local tolerance for that radius on the drawing and got burned.
To their credit I got a reworked shell holder in the mail a week later and the rework workmanship was excellent. They had a real machinist fix that shell holder.

check to be sure the shellholder fits the ram properly. I have a 30+ rockchucker and hornady shellholders don't fit properly. When installed there is a gap between the shellholder and the ram top.

 

[Richard Coody]

IMO: It's one reason I use an "O" ring between the die and press. It allows a bit of 'float'. The case going into the die will take the path of least resistance. If the die can float a bit it can move to correct say the die being securely screwed on to the press top where it can not move, and maybe the die and press do not mate squarely. Poor explanation, I know, for what I think could happen.

one of the many reasons i like my co-ax

• The Co-Ax® Reloading Press delivers perfect alignment of the die and the case because the shell holder jaws are designed to float with the die, thereby permitting the case to center precisely in the die.

 

[davecb]

IMO: It's one reason I use an "O" ring between the die and press. It allows a bit of 'float'. The case going into the die will take the path of least resistance. If the die can float a bit it can move to correct say the die being securely screwed on to the press top where it can not move, and maybe the die and press do not mate squarely. Poor explanation, I know, for what I think could happen.

Question, when you use the o-ring, does it not make it hard to tighten the die up in the exact same position every time? I just don't understand how this can be consistent.

Dave

 

[M-61]

Question, when you use the o-ring, does it not make it hard to tighten the die up in the exact same position every time? I just don't understand how this can be consistent.

Dave

No. The die is run down snug and not squishing the 'o' ring out, but surely compressing it. Tightened with a wrench. I have found this works for me. As mentioned above movement in a shell holder most likely accomplishes the same or similar thing. To me this allows for some misalignment (that may exist between the die and ram to be corrected. To me, everything locked up solid will (should there be misalignment) reflect in the cartridge case which is the weakest link. Also should the die not be machined in perfect alignment with its own body and/or the press top not meet the die perfectly square and/or the ram not deliver the case in perfect alignment to the die....well this seems to correct it.....I am NOT a machinist and am merely stating what works for me and I guess there are many ways to solve this. Maybe a little 'slop' is not necessarily a bad thing.

 

[JRS]

No. The die is run down snug and not squishing the 'o' ring out, but surely compressing it. Tightened with a wrench. I have found this works for me. As mentioned above movement in a shell holder most likely accomplishes the same or similar thing. To me this allows for some misalignment (that may exist between the die and ram to be corrected. To me, everything locked up solid will (should there be misalignment) reflect in the cartridge case which is the weakest link. Also should the die not be machined in perfect alignment with its own body and/or the press top not meet the die perfectly square and/or the ram not deliver the case in perfect alignment to the die....well this seems to correct it.....I am NOT a machinist and am merely stating what works for me and I guess there are many ways to solve this. Maybe a little 'slop' is not necessarily a bad thing.

A little bit of "slop" in the ram is a good thing