Rock Chucker - What era to buy?

[M-61]

This falls into the only stupid question is the unasked one.
I like tools, machinery etc. I like when they really look nice and are made well.
Where I am lost is if a press has sloppy linkage, or the ram is loose, or anything, how is that effecting the case once the case starts being inserted into the die? To me nothing is bending a die. If I look at these Wilson dies a press isn’t needed. The die, to me is the whole operation of a successful sizing. To further my confusion, I should be able to take a regular die, start case in it, and put it in my vise, close the vise and I have a perfectly sized case.
Granted with no shell holder removing the case will be tricky!
Somewhere I’m missing something.
I’m just curious as I have an A4, 2 Summits, and a Hood mounted on my bench so I’m not trying to eliminate a press! Just confused

 

[chop house]

I own three classic casts that I use to make bullets and they're amazing. I think they're the best press on the market.

i see. then i certainly retract my snarky comment. i was only aware of the very cheap lee presses. wore out one of those long ago when the ram became so loose it would bind in the casting.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Funny enough I broke a handle on my Summit 2000 a few months ago resizing 6.5 Creedmoor brass into 8.6 blackout. I ended up using my Rock Chucker to finish and it seemed to have better support with the frame to resize. I finished my brass using it.

My Rock Chucker doesn't have a date stamped on it, as I had mentioned. Another member contacted me and said the Hornady 7/8" LNL bushing needs to be removed, but I have nothing on there.

NOTE: this is the original style with the strange primer seater, which I don't use. I turned the ram around backwards and added a 3D printed adapter that allows the old primers to fall into a tube as I de-prime my brass. Other than that it's all original AFAIK. The reason to turn the ram around is that the front has the primer seater in the way, the rear is clear.
View attachment 1461976View attachment 1461977

Is that not 77 stamped on it?

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Here are a pair of [early/mid 90's] Rock Chuckers which failed - probably due to fatigue. They were used only for bullet swaging - this pair primarily for core-seating - compared to hand-loading, pretty harsh duty.
When they opted out of the work routine, both had endured [probably] several million cycles.

One simply cracked, "right through the middle" of the top-frame (ALL THE WAY through both sides of the threaded port), which made a surprisingly audible "CRACK"! The second, louder yet, was just the boss giving up - that one still seems an odd place to break . . . both now reside in the garden.

I'll agree that a hand-loader should expect a couple of life-times of use. RG
View attachment 1461930
View attachment 1461931

What does your shoulder look like?
Popeye arms I’m guessing.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

This falls into the only stupid question is the unasked one.
I like tools, machinery etc. I like when they really look nice and are made well.
Where I am lost is if a press has sloppy linkage, or the ram is loose, or anything, how is that effecting the case once the case starts being inserted into the die? To me nothing is bending a die. If I look at these Wilson dies a press isn’t needed. The die, to me is the whole operation of a successful sizing. To further my confusion, I should be able to take a regular die, start case in it, and put it in my vise, close the vise and I have a perfectly sized case.
Granted with no shell holder removing the case will be tricky!
Somewhere I’m missing something.
I’m just curious as I have an A4, 2 Summits, and a Hood mounted on my bench so I’m not trying to eliminate a press! Just confused

Dusty used to claim you wanted a little slop in your press to let the dies do their job on their own.

 

[M-61]

Dusty used to claim you wanted a little slop in your press to let the dies do their job on their own.

Don’t know dusty but I agree. I have an “0” ring on my dies just to let them slightly float.
I guess some movement in the shell holder would make up any difference in the ram and shell holder were not perfectly parallel. Actually if there no play in the shell holder it would be NON removable.
Until I understand it differently the whole job is the die.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Don’t know dusty but I agree. I have an “0” ring on my dies just to let them slightly float.

Dusty Stevens

 

[M-61]

What does your shoulder look like?
Popeye arms I’m guessing.

I’m with you.
And I’ll avoid arm wrestling with him!

 

[dcali]

i see. then i certainly retract my snarky comment. i was only aware of the very cheap lee presses. wore out one of those long ago when the ram became so loose it would bind in the casting.

I've never used their cheapo models... they look iffy. The only dig against the classic cast is that the fit and finish are kinda crappy. But functionally, they're great.

 

[RGRobinett]

Funny enough I broke a handle on my Summit 2000 a few months ago resizing 6.5 Creedmoor brass into 8.6 blackout. I ended up using my Rock Chucker to finish and it seemed to have better support with the frame to resize. I finished my brass using it.

My Rock Chucker doesn't have a date stamped on it, as I had mentioned. Another member contacted me and said the Hornady 7/8" LNL bushing needs to be removed, but I have nothing on there.

NOTE: this is the original style with the strange primer seater, which I don't use. I turned the ram around backwards and added a 3D printed adapter that allows the old primers to fall into a tube as I de-prime my brass. Other than that it's all original AFAIK. The reason to turn the ram around is that the front has the primer seater in the way, the rear is clear.
View attachment 1461976View attachment 1461977

Other than the original cast-iron linkage, i don't know how to [accurately] date - your press is relatively OLD, predating the stamped linkage straps. Rotating the ram - good idea! RG

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

Is this a picture of the RCBS Summit?

No, see the pic below. The RCBS Summit 2000 works the opposite of the Rock Chucker, and most all other presses, AFAIK. It has a big fat ram that the top portion rides on. This is with the Inline Fabrications handle on it. The original broke at the threads, so that portion that screws into the cast portion broke off in the press. This lever handle is much better. The bigger ram is truer, IMO, but that is probably debatable. There's an old article around Accurate Shooter that a guy did where he mounted one to his truck hitch to use at competitions, and he raved about it. So when I found one pop up on the used market, I nabbed it. I'm glad I did as you don't see very many of them come up on the used market.

Other than the original cast-iron linkage, i don't know how to [accurately] date - your press is relatively OLD, predating the stamped linkage straps. Rotating the ram - good idea! RG

I pondered that too much probably, as I didn't have a primer seater. Previously I did most of my reloading on a Dillon 650 so that is how I did most all of my primer seating. I had used the Rock Chucker to seat some primers, but the system is so funky I didn't like it to be honest. I ended up with a PMA primer seater and am really happy with it.


Alan

 

[M-61]

No, see the pic below. The RCBS Summit 2000 works the opposite of the Rock Chucker, and most all other presses, AFAIK. It has a big fat ram that the top portion rides on. This is with the Inline Fabrications handle on it. The original broke at the threads, so that portion that screws into the cast portion broke off in the press. This lever handle is much better. The bigger ram is truer, IMO, but that is probably debatable. There's an old article around Accurate Shooter that a guy did where he mounted one to his truck hitch to use at competitions, and he raved about it. So when I found one pop up on the used market, I nabbed it. I'm glad I did as you don't see very many of them come up on the used market.

I pondered that too much probably, as I didn't have a primer seater. Previously I did most of my reloading on a Dillon 650 so that is how I did most all of my primer seating. I had used the Rock Chucker to seat some primers, but the system is so funky I didn't like it to be honest. I ended up with a PMA primer seater and am really happy with it.
View attachment 1461998

Alan

Thanks. I’m unfamiliar with that model.
Usually it will be the first exposed thread is where ‘things’ break. It is the weakest part. The first three fully engaged thread carry 70% of the load.

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

Thanks. I’m unfamiliar with that model.
Usually it will be the first exposed thread is where ‘things’ break. It is the weakest part. The first three fully engaged thread carry 70% of the load.

Funny enough, once it broke off, the threaded portion left in the casting was fairly easy to get out as there was no tension holding it in once the lock washer was broke off and I could use a pencil eraser to spin it out. I was lucky the casting didn't break. It is not a cheap press if you buy it new, MidwayUSA sells them for about $270. I would consider the Foster/Bonanza if I was buying another press, but this Summit 2000 is not bad at all. The Rock Chucker is all one needs though, it's cheaper to buy the Rock Chucker Supreme new, it's about $50 cheaper.

 

[cmysix]

Redding BIG BOSS for sale in the classifieds for $140, can't beat that looks new.

 

[M-61]

Yes, and the lock washer hid the exposed thread from view, but of course the exposed thread was there though hidden.
On the Summit I’m familiar with the handle threads in to a blind hole and a flange butts against the casting. A very strong design with two flats on the handle to tighten it with a 9/16 wrench.
That’s why I asked when you said it broke.
Although I did have a member say he broke the handle on an A-4.
I your case design failed you. ( although sometimes you run across material strength surpassing poor design)
Thanks for the reply

 

[cmysix]

three presses in there nicely priced!

 

[Dimner]

Got my rock chucker delivered overnight for 183 bucks. Now I have to find a 1.5 inch wrench to remove the die bushings and install the lock and load bushings.

 

[Konocti's Wigwam]

Yes, and the lock washer hid the exposed thread from view, but of course the exposed thread was there though hidden.
On the Summit I’m familiar with the handle threads in to a blind hole and a flange butts against the casting. A very strong design with two flats on the handle to tighten it with a 9/16 wrench.
That’s why I asked when you said it broke.
Although I did have a member say he broke the handle on an A-4.
I your case design failed you. ( although sometimes you run across material strength surpassing poor design)
Thanks for the reply

Yes, I actually consider this to be a poor design, and this is a made in USA press AFAIK, I estimate it's between 15-20 years old. Granted not a lot of stress for most reloading tasks, it's the resizing that probably warrants the most. I think the shoulder is bigger than it needs to be.

The shank is .750" (3/4") and the narrow portion of the thread is only .3530" which is about 1/2. I don't think that is a good design, it would have been better with a full 3/4" thread and lock nut.

Also, look how grainy the steel is! This doesn't look like very good quality steel to me, it almost represents cast iron...


That Redding Big Boss does look nice in the classified which cmysix pointed out.

 

[M-61]

The shank is .750" (3/4") and the narrow portion of the thread is only .3530" which is about 1/2. I don't think that is a good design, it would have been better with a full 3/4" thread and lock nut.

You’re 100% correct.
They may as well made a 2” shank with the 1/2” thread and you’d have the same problem. Someone skipped a few classes in school right in the beginning!

 

[deadidarren]

Any idea on which model this press is all I know is I got it cheap and looks to be 70s odd vintage.