Zero Press - Sizing

[Henryrifle]

I just bought an Area 419 Zero press and have been using it for a few weeks. Prior to the Zero, I used a Forster Co-Ax. When sizing on the Co-Ax the sizing die just makes contact with the shell-holding jaws but there is no bounce, over travel, cam-over or flex. On the compression stroke, the handle comes to a hard stop at the top of the stroke.

I am surprised at how much flexing the Zero press does. Maybe this is just a different design that works differently. So far, I have to set my dies up to contact the shell holder and then screw down the die even more and have significant over travel. No matter what I try with the Zero Press modular shell holder system, I have to "cam over" and bounce die against the shell holder a time or two. Shoulder bump is +/- .001" using this method for a total error of .002"

Is that what y'all are experiencing too or am I doing something way wrong?

Thank you,
Hank

P.S. I am sizing 7-6.5 PRC using a SAC modular die.

 

[Rank Amateur]

AREA 419 says they designed the press to have a "buffer" built into the 4 link system at bottom of the stroke. That is probably the "flex" you are feeling, possibly in addition to a tiny bit of flex from compression of the rubber o-ring under the shell holder. I don't think the press is flexing.

 

[Oso]

The Zero Press is a Beast. I was surprised about your experience with it flexing. It has been a while since I reviewed the owners manual...not all presses are designed for cam-over. I can't remember, but you can find the answer on proper press operations / die set-up on their website.

one other thought: Are you annealing your brass? If not then common to have springback.

 

[nettle]

It's made of aluminum. Aluminum is soft. It's not going to have the rigidity of a cast iron press like a Redding T7.

 

[ACard]

It's made of aluminum. Aluminum is soft. It's not going to have the rigidity of a cast iron press like a Redding T7.

Not the case at all. Its actually more rigid and shows measurably less if any deflection than my T7's

eta, especially when doing ops that require substantially more force than mere sizing or seating like necking brass up or down a couple sizes.

 

[jpjulian]

My first reaction would be to ask if you have the turret properly torqued down. If it is, then you may be doing something that is introducing flex, as you describe, into the system. When your dies are properly adjusted there should be no cam-over. The ram should come to a firm stop. Contact Area419 if you have any questions. They were very responsive to mine when I inquired about sticking primers during sizing operations.

 

[Benchrest Braxton]

i cam over on all my dies with the zero and i get identical bump everytime

 

[avidflyer]

Can’t or haven’t got cam over on mine, but do get a hell of a bounce / flex.

 

[muleystalker]

The press is designed to have that little bit of what you call "flex" in the linkage, it a bit of a shock absorber for lack of a better word. The press is capable of massive amounts of force so it's a safety net of sorts to keep from damaging something. Watch this video and at about the 2:24 mark it is explained. Also this press is designed to have a positive stop and no cam-over.

 

[rijndael]

It's made of aluminum. Aluminum is soft. It's not going to have the rigidity of a cast iron press like a Redding T7.

The overall engineering design probably matters more than materials alone.

 

[drop_point]

What you're feeling is in the linkage. It is a form of "let-off" like a compound bow. It was designed to be there to lower force at the end of the stroke vs slamming it all at once. I wasn't used to it when I got mine, but got over it pretty quickly.

Don't fool with die adjustment for shoulder bump. Instead, adjust your bump with shell holders. You can get the Area 419 modular shell holder kit or you can buy Redding competition style. For me, I have both and prefer the Area 419 to the Redding because I have .223-308-magnum case heads with one kit vs buying all three.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Design wise a turret press is like a c press. They are going to flex more than an o press design. You can look at any press out there and imagine where the forces are applied and then start to see the places flex will happen. Thats why I like the Hood design so much. Its basically an o design with a back on it. Theres really no place for it to flex.

 

[SeabeeKen]

"shortening the life cycle of the machine." They are protecting the aluminum press. Never had such issues with my redding or rcbs. Even my coax has no such problems and warnings. Be gentle.

 

[Dave M.]

Design wise a turret press is like a c press. They are going to flex more than an o press design. You can look at any press out there and imagine where the forces are applied and then start to see the places flex will happen. Thats why I like the Hood design so much. Its basically an o design with a back on it. Theres really no place for it to flex.

Big fan of the hood press. Simple and super repeatable sizing brass.

 

[Dave M.]

"shortening the life cycle of the machine." They are protecting the aluminum press. Never had such issues with my redding or rcbs. Even my coax has no such problems and warnings. Be gentle.

Seems like a strange warning for a press that costs more than my first “adult” car. Lol.
Dave

 

[J.d. Popkes]

Are we swerving into the camover thing again?

Sizing and shoulder bumps!

My guess is this thread will be 6+ pages by tomorrow, at a stalemate.

I’d like to have the zero press, looks amazing.

 

[K22]

I have no experience with this press, but my RCBS Jr. which is an "O" ring design frame, has quite a bit of flex in the linkages. No doubt because I have sized thousands of rounds with it over 50+ years. Thus, cam- over is required to optimally size my cases.

I would call the manufacturer and seek information from them if you feel something isn't correct. They designed the press and probably know more about it than anyone else.

With that said, your press is what it is. As long as your set up is producing the results that you posted it is working to optimally size your cases.

 

[drop_point]

I have no experience with this press, but my RCBS Jr. which is an "O" ring design frame, has quite a bit of flex in the linkages. No doubt because I have sized thousands of rounds with it over 50+ years. Thus, cam- over is required to optimally size my cases.

I would call the manufacturer and seek information from them if you feel something isn't correct. They designed the press and probably know more about it than anyone else.

With that said, your press is what it is. As long as your set up is producing the results that you posted it is working to optimally size your cases.

Same dies are more consistent in my Zero than my RCBS. The RCBS has tens of thousands of rounds loaded on it with three pulls of the lever per round. That and my kids playing with it pretending to load ammo.

 

[K22]

Same dies are more consistent in my Zero than my RCBS. The RCBS has tens of thousands of rounds loaded on it with three pulls of the lever per round. That and my kids playing with it pretending to load ammo.

The problems with my press being so old and cam over needed to size the cases, it's difficult to obtain consistent die setting. I think the reason is the cam linkage flex is somewhat variable.

This is the primary reason I used the Skip Shim system to make sizing adjustments, so I don't have to mess with the lock ring. However, other methods such as the Redding Competition Shell Holders and the Whidden Click Sizing Die probably work equally well. I like the shims, they are cheap but work just fine.