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Redding T-7

ppaul

Purchased a T-7 a couple months ago. Set it up and proceeded to find it's problems.First issue was 7/8-14 tapped holes were so tight the last 3 or 4 threads that you could not run a die in by hand, not even close! Second issue was in my opinion there was a lot of slop or rocking of the head on the base. Not to worry Redding has always taken care of any problems I've had so I made the call. Found out at that point that S L Coumo (supreme leader) had them shut down. Tried their email with no response. Being a patient fella (just ask my bride) I proceeded to address these issues myself. Fortunately had a tap so the holes were no problem. The rocking appeared to be caused by the bushing that the turret turns on. The turret itself mic'd out at 1.1247 to 1.1255, the bushing measured out at 1.1285 to 1.1290. Put a piece of 280 grit wet/dry on a cast iron table saw wing and got to it. Took it down to a rch under 1.126. Still turns freely and I had to readjust a full length die .0015 to get back to where I wanted it. I imagine if I get another turret I will also need another bushing as the fit is so close I would not have any faith in it working. The end result is for me, I have a lot more confidence in this press now.

Just thought I would share the experience, Paul
 
each "head" comes with its own bushing - and should be kept together. I have two T7's and 4 heads - cannot say I've seen the same as you have - hopefully just a single bad head/unlucky?

only thing I have noticed - after setting up my dies on one head/T7 - when I tried the head on the other T7 - the dies seemed to not be the same distance from the ram?
 
I like Redding dies, haven’t used their press. They make good stuff.

I did email them during the Covid shutdown, guy answered from home. He was helpful I ordered the small parts from Midway or Grafs.
 
Had the same issue with the slop. I removed enough off the bushing (with a surface grinder) to be able to lock down the turret tight. I only use it for seating bullets.
 
I had no issues with the 7/8-14 tapped holes on any of the 5 turret heads that I have for my T-7 press.

I've come full circle on the 'slop' in the head when the ram is fully raised. I mean you can actually see the turret head tilt and the bottom-back of the turret head butt-up-against the stop at the back of the press when the the ram is fully raised and under pressure.... Prior to raising the ram, if you look at it at the correct angle you can see a small slice of daylight between the bottom-back of the turret head and the 'stop' at the back of the press. When the ram is fully raised and under pressure (cam-over or sizing operation), the 'slice-of-daylight' is gone.

My first thought was that Redding must be aware of this and have designed it to be concentric/aligned when the back of the turret head hits the 'stop' at the back of the press. Maybe that's why they said to never interchange the bushings between turret heads? But are they really that smart/motivated?

Regardless, my OCD got to me, watching the turret head tilt (ever-so-slightly) each time I sized a case or seated a round. I had to fix this somehow or it would drive me crazy... I stacked some bullet boxes up behind the press until they were just the right height, then set two feeler gauges on the boxes with 0.003" feelers in the gap between the turret head and the 'stop' on the press (one feeler gauge blade on each side of the ball detent). Depending on which turret head was in use, sometimes a little bit of Imperial Sizing Wax was needed to slip the gauge blades into place. This made me feel better. Everything was tight, no slop...

Then I acquired a concentricity gauge and started using it... Seemed like no matter what, I rarely got less than 0.002" runout. It was as if when I did things right, every round was 0.002" runout, maybe a < 0.001" here-and-there, but no more frequently than a > 0.003"... Then the other day as I was sizing cases and measuring runout on every 3rd round, I thought about it for a minute and removed the feeler gauges... Suddenly my measurements start coming in at 0.000", 0.0005", 0.001", with a 0.002" here-and-there and the rare 0.003". Hmmmmmm.... FYI, I did adjust the die appropriately for shoulder bump when the feeler gauges were removed.
 
Last edited:
TikkaSporter said:
I had no issues with the 7/8-14 tapped holes on any of the 5 turret heads that I have for my T-7 press.

I've come full circle on the 'slop' in the head when the ram is fully raised. I mean you can actually see the turret head tilt and the bottom-back of the turret head butt-up-against the stop at the back of the press when the the ram is fully raised and under pressure.... Prior to raising the ram, if you look at it at the correct angle you can see a small slice of daylight between the bottom-back of the turret head and the 'stop' at the back of the press. When the ram is fully raised and under pressure (cam-over or sizing operation), the 'slice-of-daylight' is gone.

My first thought was that Redding must be aware of this and have designed it to be concentric/aligned when the back of the turret head hits the 'stop' at the back of the press. Maybe that's why they said to never interchange the bushings between turret heads? But are they really that smart/motivated?

Regardless, my OCD got to me, watching the turret head tilt (ever-so-slightly) each time I sized a case or seated a round. I had to fix this somehow or it would drive me crazy... I stacked some bullet boxes up behind the press until they were just the right height, then set two feeler gauges on the boxes with 0.003" feelers in the gap between the turret head and the 'stop' on the press (one feeler gauge blade on each side of the ball detent). Depending on which turret head was in use, sometimes a little bit of Imperial Sizing Wax was needed to slip the gauge blades into place. This made me feel better. Everything was tight, no slop...

Then I acquired a concentricity gauge and started using it... Seemed like no matter what, I rarely got less than 0.002" runout. It was as if when I did things right, every round was 0.002" runout, maybe a < 0.001" here-and-there, but no more frequently than a > 0.003"... Then the other day as I was sizing cases and measuring runout on every 3rd round, I thought about it for a minute and removed the feeler gauges... Suddenly my measurements start coming in at 0.000", 0.0005", 0.001", with a 0.002" here-and-there and the rare 0.003". Hmmmmmm.... FYI, I did adjust the die appropriately for shoulder bump when the feeler gauges were removed.
Click to expand...


That has not been my experience, run out has been less than .002 with a majority in the neighborhood of .001. I do not bounce back and forth between stations. I size all, then mandrel, and then seat.
 
The one problem I've had was that one station's thread was off a bit, I had a mandrel die in it that never failed to hit the neck rim. LOL, I call it my T-6 head.
 
Willie said:
The one problem I've had was that one station's thread was off a bit, I had a mandrel die in it that never failed to hit the neck rim. LOL, I call it my T-6 head.
Click to expand...
Surely they would/should replace that for you?

It may also just be the "stop" hole on the opposite side where the ballbearing pops into that was drilled slightly off centre... either way - I would send that back...
 
ppaul said:
Purchased a T-7 a couple months ago. Set it up and proceeded to find it's problems.First issue was 7/8-14 tapped holes were so tight the last 3 or 4 threads that you could not run a die in by hand, not even close! Second issue was in my opinion there was a lot of slop or rocking of the head on the base. Not to worry Redding has always taken care of any problems I've had so I made the call. Found out at that point that S L Coumo (supreme leader) had them shut down. Tried their email with no response. Being a patient fella (just ask my bride) I proceeded to address these issues myself. Fortunately had a tap so the holes were no problem. The rocking appeared to be caused by the bushing that the turret turns on. The turret itself mic'd out at 1.1247 to 1.1255, the bushing measured out at 1.1285 to 1.1290. Put a piece of 280 grit wet/dry on a cast iron table saw wing and got to it. Took it down to a rch under 1.126. Still turns freely and I had to readjust a full length die .0015 to get back to where I wanted it. I imagine if I get another turret I will also need another bushing as the fit is so close I would not have any faith in it working. The end result is for me, I have a lot more confidence in this press now.

Just thought I would share the experience, Paul
Click to expand...
REDDING IS UP AND RUNNING! I was in a panic when I read your post an hour ago, so I called Redding. They're back in business! Supreme Leader Cuomo failed.... at least this time. My dies are all Redding, so I was particularly concerned. I also live in New York State (rural upstate,) so I've had to deal with Cuomo for way too many years.
 
In Cuomo's mind a family business employing machinists and techs (50) in CNY is not essential. except to the guys and gals who work there and need money to pay the huge property taxes that keep NYS government running.
 
The T7 is excellent and all you need for the class of loading it is intended for.
Anything else added is a waste of money.
If you want a better press for more precise loading buy a better press.
The T7 is prefect for hand gun loading and can be set up for fairly fast cycles of 50-100 cases.
Extra top assys with dies set and installed is better spent money.
 
Another fan of the T7, I've had mine for about 15yrs still works like new, I also have 2 Lyman Brass Smiths like them just as much as the T7!
 
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