reloading at the range press?

[riverwolf1]

Lee,
I am glad you have Mike's book, it would have been my next suggestion, for those cold winter days when you can't get to the range. You do need to really define to those of us that answer your question's a guideline as to what are your goals for your first season;
1 Are you going to shoot BR Group?
2 Are you going to shoot BR Long range 600/1000?
3 How about Hunter Benchrest?

Don't let the wobble in that Harrells bother you, it is a quality piece of equipment. The other thing you really need is a mentor, as discussed in Mike's book and this person is the most value too you first starting out. Make sure that it is someone that competes regularly in sanctioned NBRSA and IBS shoots.
Best of luck when you finally do get to shoot the gear you have.

 

[skeetlee]

i am going to focus on short range benchrest this year. I am going to spend a lot of time with the 6ppc. I also really enjoy the score game so i will be shooting my 30br a lot as well. I do have a good friend here in town that has been shooting for a few years now. He has helped me a lot! I enjoy talking with you fellas as well. I know enough to know who is full of it and who isnt, Thanks for your time fellas! Lee

 

[Skeeter]

Skeetlee,

I own two Harrel's presses and they both have some play in the handle body... however that has zero effect on the ram or other mechanics of the press. If you want to eliminate the extra play, just slide an additional brass washer on one side of the ram spindle to take up the play.

The slight amount of movement is there to allow easier removal of the ram spindle and arm assembly.

Skeeter

 

[skeetlee]

I was talking with a good friend of mine tonight about the press and the wiggle that it has. We both agreed that maybe they are made this way to help find its perfect alignment or to find its own center?? Just a thought, dont know this for sure!! Lee

 

[Winchester69]

Play in the ram is a poor rationale for correcting misalignment. Compensating for one problem with a second problem doesn't tell you why Joe in the next county is able to get away with it; figure you're not getting the whole story.

 

[skeetlee]

winchester 69
this was just a thought. why would such an expensive piece of equipment have this kind of play? Beats the heck out of me!!! The press looks like brand new, not a mark on it anywhere. you tell me why its so loose. Thanks Lee

here is the press in question.

 

[Skeeter]

I can assure everyone the ram does not move on that press. The movement is in the handle body... specifically the two chrome plated swing arms that attach the arm assembly to the press. The side to side play is normal for these presses as it is there for ease of removing the spindle that runs through the press.

I have several Harrel's presses and one of them I have owned for about 3 years. This press I load 38 & 45 Cowboy Action loads with it and have loaded at least 20,000 rounds through it. It has no more handle play today than it did when I bought it new. It also loads excellent rounds just as it always has with no bullet run out, binding or issues at all.

If your not happy with it, I suggest calling Harrel's and see if they will send you another or refund your money. They are good country folk and will take care of their customers.

Skeeter

 

[Winchester69]

It seems like the mfr's are happy to delude themselves that there will be no price to pay for the quality that's getting out of the doors these days. That Harrell is producing poorly fitted stuff is surprising to me. The best I can suggest is your calling them and letting them explain. I understand they're really easy to talk to. I would be very adamant about their making their products satisfy my expectations.

That's a pretty complicated piece of equipment, and I could see there being a little play anywhere except in the ram for the threaded die. The hand-die ram and links can have enough to prevent any binding, but outright slop doesn't serve any purpose.

 

[riverwolf1]

Skeeter,
You are absolutely right on,the only problem here is he really wants to sell it to buy something else that you and I both know he doesn't need! As for the comments from winchester69 he is clueless about the quality of this piece of equipment and the Harell brothers. I have a suggestion for Lee, go get your ppc gun out open the bolt and pull it all the way out till it stops see if it wiggles around,Whoops it sure does have some play in it! better hurry up and sell it and go buy something else. Maybe an old 40X in .222. Skeeter stop trying to educate someone that's never going to get it!!!

 

[skeetlee]

I appreciate the nice comments fellas. I didnt start this thread to bash anyone products. I dont do things like that. The fact is that there is play in the ram. Sorry you fellas take me out of content. sorry i asked! Lee

Just to clear this up, I am very grateful for a place like this to learn about this sport. I asked this question because i didnt know if i really needed such an expensive piece of equipment to fly the my pc cases. This harrells press is a great idea especially for someone who can afford it. I make 45,000 dollars a year. I am not a rich man by any means. While comparing this press with my 50 dollar rcbs i was a bit surprised to see the movement in the ram compared to my rcbs. I wasnt mad about it! After thinking about if for a while and talking with a good friend of mine i came to the conclusion it was a good thing to have that little bit of wiggle that it has. I didnt even for a minute think anything ill of Mr harrells or his products. Those words were put into my mouth. I wouldnt even think of such a thing!! I just figured my rcbs would be fine for the job at task, and wanted to see if anyone else agreed with me. I did not start this post to bash anything of mr. Harrell!!! Sure i could use 200 bucks for other things. Who couldnt! brass bullets and barrels cost a lot of money. Maybe someday i can afford to have extravagant things, but for now i have to make decisions. Sorry for the rant but this is plain silly. I dont bash anyone! Never have never will!! Lee

PS as far as the bolt on my hall action moving, no it doesnt!! Pretty darn tight!!!

 

[BoydAllen]

If you have an unacceptable amount of slop in the ram of your Combo press, I suggest that you call Lynwood about it. I assure you that based on the two Harrell's presses that I own, a turret and a combo as well as the others that I have looked at at matches, this is an unusual situation. Nobody has better customer service. Also, if you don't have one, pick up or borrow a good concentricity gauge so that you can "look" at your ammunition, and compare the results that you get with various pieces of equipment, then you will know what works and/or matters, and what does not. As far as looking at what the best shooters use, recently someone posted a picture of Tony Boyer's range loading setup. I believe that he was using an RCBS Jr. I guess that that means that those who think that this is the ultimate qualifier for what equipment to buy should sell what they are using and run right out and buy one. Actually, I don't think that there would be any harm done, and it might give them that all important mental edge. As for me, if given the choice between the best dies with an average press, or the best press with average dies, it would be an easy decision, after all one of the one of the best shooters in Texas uses a rack of three Partner presses that have had their rams slightly turned down, to allow cases to self align with dies. Do you really think that that a tight ram is proof that the press is well aligned?

 

[skeetlee]

Like i said. I figured it was made this way. I will call Harrells tomorrow and see what they have to say. Its probably not a big deal. I just want one thing to be clear. I did not bash Harrells in any way shape or form. I already have an arbor press that i like very much. I dont see the need to own such an expensive piece of equipment if it isnt needed wont sell it like it is, as i wouldn do that either. I am a very fair and giving person. I talk to much, maybe. But i dont bash other people or there things!!!! I have to use every resource available to play this game. It is very expensive. That was the hole idea behind my post. Not to bash this product! Thanks and sorry lee

 

[Winchester69]

Lee, you have no play in this confrontation. Don't take it upon yourself to feel responsible for a bunch of curmudgeons going head to head. Try to learn from what is offered.

One of the uncertainties of the forums is that you never know when you're taking on someone like a professional engineer who is not invested in mythology. Sacred cows make the best burgers.

The following is a description of a Harrell press:
The very best presses on the market, in my opinion, come from Harrell's.... They are "perfect." The ram is centered, straight, and has very close fit (just enough for the ram to stroke).

Does this quote describe the press in question? I'm reluctant to reveal the source since it is not from a BR shooter and could come under attack from the present audience. However, the author has no formal technical background, dealing solely with empirically derived knowledge, if that establishes his credentials here.

 

[Winchester69]

I dont bash anyone! Never have, never will!!

If you hang around here long enough, you will learn. ;D

Here's a good example of the art:
As for the comments from [W]inchester[ ]69[,] he is clueless about the quality of this piece of equipment and the Har[r]ell brothers.

I'll be curious to know what results your phone call bears. Since the press is secondhand to you, I have to wonder if someone reduced the ram's diameter thinking he was improving it. Mythology.

 

[riverwolf1]

Lee,
I do not think anyone is accusing you of bashing the Harrell's press, if you think that is what I implied it wasn't.
I would however like to know what Lynwood said about the press in question, and I am sure others that posted would also like to know! To the last comments posted by Winchester 69, I certainly would have expected a more intelligent post other than pointing out a couple of typing error's. Remember this is from someone that does not own one of these presses and has only read about one and has only heard that the Harrell's were easy to deal with! You did get some good comments from others using a Harrell's press and they were honest in their assesment of the press.

Gary Vanlier

 

[Winchester69]

To the last comments posted by Winchester 69, I certainly would have expected a more intelligent post other than pointing out a couple of typing error's. Remember this is from someone that does not own one of these presses and has only read about one and has only heard that the Harrell's were easy to deal with!

I can't imagine why you would have any expectations of someone who, by your estimation, doesn't know what he is talking about.

 

[riverwolf1]

Your previous post were written in an intellegent manner, so that is why I had expectations that you would respond in that manner! I have read other posts about reloading from you and they are well written and thoughtful, but in this instance you have interjected yourself into a conversation about a piece of gear that you neither own or have any experience with, so how does that make you an expert on this particular press? Can you actually be an expert just by virtue of reading an article about an item? You have certainly read the posts from several others regarding this press all of whom actually use it yet you persist in portraying your expertise on this item, and the larger question is why?

 

[Winchester69]

My expertise has to do with press design.

Your expecting me to respond to you is presumptuous.

 

[Moderator]

At every registered BR match I've covered I've see plenty of inexpensive RCBS partner presses -- and yes I've seen them used by top shooters. While I'd certainly not turn down a quality Harrell's combo press, a simple O press CAN load straight ammo. Seeing a LEE is less common but only because the Lee Cast Iron press is pretty darn heavy.

 

[bdotson]

I have a question to throw in here. I have been loading at the range with a arbor press and wilson dies neck size only. Now I would like to fl and bump the shoulder back. I have a lee and a rcbs press the problem I have is there is so much resistance how do you clamp the press down at the range? I have to push down on the handle VERY hard to fl the brass what am i doing wrong?