How to accurize the press?

[257ack]

My presses are all loose enough to let the die do it's job. A rubber 'o' ring under the die lock ring allows some additional flex in the system.

When at matches, I used a well worn partner with a bushing die for sizing and an arbor press for seating with a die cut from my reamer. Having consistant seating depth was my first priority. I kinda feel that that old, loose partner did its job. I would size to just below where the bullet seated. That left the lower part of the neck with a better fit to the chamber

 

[RCE1]

My friend the benchrest fanatic more than once fixtured presses onto his lathe and line bored them. He was a bit nuts, but was interested in converting presses for bullet making. At the end, he used a Lee Cast Classic. Said it was one of the straightest he'd tried.

 

[Homerange]

However, we must never forget, it's a hobby, .....

Go wash your mouth out !

Hobby be damned as without reloads and the quality we can make them many of us could not afford to shoot.
I certainly wouldn't be shooting as much.

 

[K22]

You are correct. I’m guilty of not remembering it’s a hobby. Everyone reloads for different reasons. For me, reloading doesn’t feel like a hobby so much. My hobby is shooting BR. I just happen to have to reload in order to do that so it’s more work like for me but not quite. It’s a task I have to do kind of like mowing the lawn. I don’t mind mowing, but I’d rather be fishing.

For several years now, my focus has been on reloading more efficiently to get through the task as fast as possible while maintaining high quality control. So maybe reloading is a hobby for me then, but I’m coming at it from a different angle as I continue to streamline my processes.

You have given me some stuff to think about. Maybe I ought to sell all this shit and just go fishing. Nah!

Reloading is a necessary ill for me. Stuffing powder in a case and seating a bullet has long lost it's allure. But it is a valuable endeavor since I am able to produce consistent varmint level accurate reloads.

However, like you, I am continuing to seek ways to simply and streamline the process without compromising quality. And for me too, it's like mowing the lawn.

 

[K22]

Go wash your mouth out !

Hobby be damned as without reloads and the quality we can make them many of us could not afford to shoot.
I certainly wouldn't be shooting as much.

Done - with 90 proof bourbon. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[jpjulian]

I accurized my Lee press by..... giving it away to someone who will likely never use it....
I accurized my Pro-Jector by ....... replacing it with a Rockchucker........
I accurized my Rockchucker by ....... replacing it with a Zero Press.....
Done with accurizing for awhile.......

 

[TaperPin]

Wow, I really appreciate all the feedback! It’s nice to not have to worry about NEEDING to work it over, but I‘ve always wanted to strip off the paint and customize it a bit.

Most presses are functional, and my Rock Chucker looks to be fine as is, but with all the time I spend with it, near it, thinking about, using it, it’s a very pedestrian looking piece of iron. Since first learning on a Rock Chucker as a 15 yr old kid, I’ve wondered why shooters spend so much money and time on beautiful hand crafted rifles, with graceful curves and perfect finish, but we often spend more time with the press, which appearance wise looks more like a powder coated Harbor Freight utilitarian bench vise?

In the back of my mind it seems I actually wanted the ram to be unusable so it could be replaced with a perfect hardened linear bearing shaft that actually feels and looks smooth in a close tolerance bushing. I almost told myself the plastic ball is fine - plastic on a section of simple straight steel rod is lowest bidder territory. A walnut ball with tapered octagon handle, blued or case hardened would look and feel better. The big adapter nut on top with the horrible machining marks, uneven iron casting not blended well, and a generic hex shape - a simple machinist apprentice from the 1950s could make something with a more elegant shape and much better blending of the cast iron so it’s a nice smooth transition to the nicely finished replacement nut.

I could go on, maybe I just need to get another press and detail it out so it’s as nice to look at and hold as a repro Colt Walker.

 

[JFrank]

While I certainly admire the newest line of equipment I see some of the fellas using, I have to decide if it really makes dollars & sense for my style of shooting. ( LRBR and Hunting) With a bit of trial and error I’ve narrowed things down to a couple of travel boxes of gear that cover most needs at the range and in the reload corner.
One thing I’ve discovered is that my 40 year old press I paid $20 for at a garage sale works just as well as my $200 Harrel’s press.

 

[Tesoro]

+1: As I get older I find myself reverting to good old USA classic loading equip made with 'real steel'. I just picked up an original red Bonanza with the old wood ball on the handle. I dont have a use for it now but I do feel that it will load ammo as straight as any of the Gucci presses.
My vintage USA bench vices in my shop, which are subject to ocean air, do not rust. Everything else does.

 

[bobaloo22]

I just needed a little tweak on my 1973 Spartan that is still working perfectly.

 

[Zero333]

I forgot to mention.... some brass sizes straighter than other brands... I know this sounds ridiculous. But when I size Winchester 308win brass it ends up with an average run-out under 0.002"... while when I size Lapua brass the average run-out was 0.004"

 

[Ned Ludd]

Wow, I really appreciate all the feedback! It’s nice to not have to worry about NEEDING to work it over, but I‘ve always wanted to strip off the paint and customize it a bit.

Most presses are functional, and my Rock Chucker looks to be fine as is, but with all the time I spend with it, near it, thinking about, using it, it’s a very pedestrian looking piece of iron. Since first learning on a Rock Chucker as a 15 yr old kid, I’ve wondered why shooters spend so much money and time on beautiful hand crafted rifles, with graceful curves and perfect finish, but we often spend more time with the press, which appearance wise looks more like a powder coated Harbor Freight utilitarian bench vise?

In the back of my mind it seems I actually wanted the ram to be unusable so it could be replaced with a perfect hardened linear bearing shaft that actually feels and looks smooth in a close tolerance bushing. I almost told myself the plastic ball is fine - plastic on a section of simple straight steel rod is lowest bidder territory. A walnut ball with tapered octagon handle, blued or case hardened would look and feel better. The big adapter nut on top with the horrible machining marks, uneven iron casting not blended well, and a generic hex shape - a simple machinist apprentice from the 1950s could make something with a more elegant shape and much better blending of the cast iron so it’s a nice smooth transition to the nicely finished replacement nut.

I could go on, maybe I just need to get another press and detail it out so it’s as nice to look at and hold as a repro Colt Walker.

Try one of these:

Heavy Präzipress 120mm – CNC Turban

www.turban-cnc.de

I don't think you'll feel any need for further detailing.

 

[KMart]

Gotta do that magnet thingy.

That is pretty neat. It is one of those WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THAT? things. I had recently bought a few strong magnets. I had one that was 1 inch long X.5X .5". Finally figured out how to mount it so it didn't interfere with anything else.
Thanks Bill for the hint.

 

[Brians356]

Gotta do that magnet thingy.

I'm leery of magnets here. I don't want my press' parts to acquire residual magetism. My collection of various neodymium magnets come handy often, in many creative ways, but likely not on my press.
-

 

[TaperPin]

Try one of these:

Heavy Präzipress 120mm – CNC Turban

www.turban-cnc.de

I don't think you'll feel any need for further detailing.

That is nice looking

 

[Clancy]

I skipped a lot of great responses to save time, but I’m of the opinion that sloppy old worn out presses and excellent dies make the best ammo.

If I’m wrong, please correct me.

 

[CJ6]

I skipped a lot of great responses to save time, but I’m of the opinion that sloppy old worn out presses and excellent dies make the best ammo.

If I’m wrong, please correct me.

Self centering.....My old Herters is that way. Makes dang straight ammo.

 

[KMart]

How to accurize the press?​

Use it regularly and for a long time.

 

[Dave M.]

I just needed a little tweak View attachment 1484020 on my 1973 Spartan that is still working perfectly.

The original press riser. You were way before your time.
Dave

 

[AWS]

I've been reloading a long time and have loaded on a lot of different presses over the years. I load now on two Lee four hole turret presses and a Lyman Crusher. I've never had a press load more accurate ammo than any other. I do clamp the turrets down with machinest clamps when seating bullets.