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Come on fellas

BoydAllen

Gold $$ Contributor
First of all, this is not about RCBS's products or customer service. Recently, on their Facebook page they put up a how to do it video on how to set a FL die. They said raise the ram, adjust the die until it touches the shell holder, then lower the ram and turn the die an additional quarter turn, just like their directions read. Come on fellows is that the best that you can do? That sort of advice causes more problems than it solves.
 
I have always found RCBS very responsive to emails I have sent them.
Why not send them that, Boyd, and state your position on what it should be.
 
I asked them once about that in a phone call.. they basically tell people to set it up that way to make sure a cartridge fits any chamber.. My God it Should...lol
 
RCBS isn't the only major manufacturer using those directions, Boyd. The directions are written for the majority of re-loaders loading ammo for SAAMI chambers. We live in the sue at the drop of a hat capital of the world. Tweaking our sizing dies is up to us, and everyone has their own recipe. The cartridge case makers don't give instruction on how to prep the brass we use, nor when, how, or even whether we should anneal the brass. Sinclair International has offered advise regarding how to properly set-up sizing dies for 2-3 thousandths bump, for many years.
 
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well it works. not the best for brass life or accuracy. gives the beginner a starting point. hopefully that beginner will progress and learn the finer points of reloading.

it always makes me laugh when someone on these forums starts quoting SAAMI specs. Sort of like the AR guys and Milspec.
 
They are nice people, that provide the best customer service that I know of. I think that they probably already know all of the ins and outs of reloading. I was just pointing out that in a video they had the opportunity to at least mention more about the subject than they did.

For years, I have run into folks that reference scope manufacturers' instructions about how to adjust a scope. While good enough for the casual user, those directions are not designed for someone who wants to do a more advanced job, but some still insist on quoting those directions as if they came down from a mountain top written on stone tablets.

Unlike written instructions, Facebook gets a lot of attention, and there are no additional paper, ink or printing costs if more information is given. I think that they should utilize those advantages to help beginners upgrade their understanding a bit.
 
Well in the 70s when I got my rockchucker, RCBS dies, and the current Speer manual that's how they said to do it. We had a22-250 model 788 and would get some stressed cases and even a few case head seperations. We just thought the brass was wearing out! I bet we were setting those cases back 6-8 thousandths. We shot a bunch of coyotes and never thought about eye or ear protection either. Live and learn, I quess. Sure makes you thankful for all the info available now.
 
dickn52 said:
RCBS believes a cam over is appropriate. So do what you feel is right. No big deal for the millions who aren't shooting 1000 m open class.
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I started reloading when I was 19yrs old back in 1973.. I started loading for a brand new Weatherby Mark V in .300WM.. I bought an RCBS press (I don't know which one anymore) AND I had a Hornady loading manual. They had a step-by-step "how-to" of how to set up dies. I remember distinctly that you raised the ram / shellholder to it's upper most position and screwed in the F/L die til it touched the shellholder. Then you lowered the ram and turned the die 1/4 turn so you had to "cam-over" the die with some force. I had NO WAY of knowing where the shoulder moved to or even if it did! However, my rounds did chamber, so it must have worked!! There were no "shoulder bump gauges" or anything like that back then. The BIG .300 went BOOM and bullets generally flew in the direction of the target!

What we have today, so far out-classes the rudimentary loadings of yesteryear that our "normal" loading regimen would probably been at the "pinnacle" of benchrest shooters back then! I don't know as I never shot benchrest back then! But I got started reloading and have been at it ever since!! LOL!!!
 
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I think most of us started off by reading the instructions in the Speer manual that came with the RCBS set. There's a lot of good pointers in there to get a person started off in the right direction and shooting safely. Higher levels of accuracy were later achieved as I started frequenting forums with experienced competition shooters and attending competitions. Cant drive a race car until you learn how to operate and control it. Baby steps. Takes longer this way, but I think it gives a handloaders better overall experience when they start with the basics and eventually work up to more advanced techniques.

There is a lot of documentation out there regarding precision hand loading. Just have to know where to find it. I really like watching Alex Wheelers videos and hope he continues to produce them. His videos have defintely helped me to set up my rifles and case sizing methods to be more accurate and consistent. There are many other good videos out there too, but i cannot recall one that i found on facebook.

RCBS for the most part does not make what most people would consider 'precision' reloading equipment. And most people who are just out there hunting with their fiearms aren't looking for the level of accuracy some of us strive for on this site. I just had a guy bragging to me how he made a 370 yard shot on a deer and none of his buddies would believe him that he hit it at that distance. My hunting rifles are all zeroed at 300 yards so 370 is barely a challenge. But I just told him that was a great shot and congratulated him. Different strokes.
 
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Fast14riot said:
They should make a mention of at least measuring the case somewhere, not just blindlysetting the die.
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Yup but you would be shocked at the number of people who don't.. I have a friend that just sets up the die how ever it says... When I tried to tell him how to set it up to barely resize for his bolt action , he said I just want to shoot that's to much trouble measuring everything.. The only measurements he takes are COAL...needless to say I sit a few benches down from him.. he has tore up the rifle twice and had to send it back and his pistol also... There's a lot of people out there like that...The ones I love are the guys with what appears to be unlimited money who can't get it done.. they are shooting high dollar rifles , reloading with the best components and shooting at best 1.5 moa.. Just try and tell them anything...lol...
 
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