Floating Press Ram??

[wyoming]

I don't know if this question has come up on this forum. Are there two schools of thought on a slight amount of play in the ram on a press??

1. it should float a bit so as to center under the die as the cartridge case slides into it

2. absolutely no play, die center perfect with ram center should be the norm from the press manufacturer and the die manufacturer

Is the "floating bolt head principle" at work here too? This is a question that has been "preying" on my mind for some time now.

 

[BoydAllen]

The problem is that there is a serious conflict between the aesthetic and the functional. We like the feel and look of a tight fit, but having some room for things to be able to align is better from a functional point of view. One of the better benchrest shooters in Texas, turns down his loading press rams ( a few thousandths) so that they can allow cases to center in dies. You will notice that I did not mention loosening the fit of presses used to make bullets. In that situation you want perfect fit and alignment.

 

[wyoming]

That was one of the things I was wondering, do some serious competitive shooters prefer a tiny bit of looseness on the ram for that reason? That answer makes me feel better about an old and favorite Pacific press I use.

Thanks for the reply Boyd.

Roger

 

[mr45man]

One of my presses is an old Herters, and i do not lock the shell holder in with the two opposing lock screws allowing the shell holder "float"

 

[Shynloco]

Wyoming,
Don't know if this qualifies, but something a friend taught me whose almost 70 who has been reloading and shooting most of his life is a little "trick" that he uses to help the alignment and floating issue. He uses a small "O" ring that he puts around the shellholder base AFTER removing the lock pin that holds the shell holder in place. It allows for slight movement to accomodate "alignment". He buys these rings at Lowes hardware in small bags (for a couple of bucks) and the size is dicatated by measuring the base of the shellholder. You want it big enough to slide over the press shell holder base and just pop in the shellholder into the press. You can change shellholders just by pulling out the shellholder held there by the O ring. I've found it to be very effective and a cheap way to have your solid presses work for you.

 

[wyoming]

Thanks for the replies. It confirms to me that I don't need to be concerned about the slight play in my press's ram. In fact, it might be helpful to insure my case is perfectly centered in the die [where it counts].

Roger

 

[nra-for-life]

Another thing to consider...inline dies on an arbor press ignore the "looseness or tighness" of the press as the bullet and cartridge are self contained in the die and not attached to the press in any way...

 

[fguffey]

Loose and alignment, I could bush the top and bottom of the bore in the press to secure the ram and eliminate the hour glass support, I could knurl the bore to reduce the diameter of the bore then ream it back to standard or ream it to any clearance I choose, but when it comes to slide or glide to align I depend on the shell holder, and not all of my shell holders are forgiving when it comes to alignment, once the case is shoved into the die the case becomes an alignment pin.

F. Guffey