[Jesse Heywood]

I cannot recommend anyone buy one of these. :what:

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=129363&stc=1&d=1287634162

[grubbylabs]

Why?

[bomb dropper]

I'll take it off your hands lol. I'll even pay for shipping and send you a cigar ;)

[Gadzooks Mike]

You have anything else to go with that post or is that it?

I'll see bomb dropper's offer and raise it a pound of gormet coffee.

[loadedround]

I'd be interested in an explaination also. RCBS does not make POS equipment. Sounds like someone didn't have a nice day.

[grubbylabs]

Yup plenty of us would love to take it of your hands. Heck I would even consider a reasonable offer.:)

[THe Dove]

Nice side by side!!!

The Dove

[sansone]

well this thread is going nowhere

[altitude_19]

Can't recommend what? The reloading tray? What do you have against it?

[Jesse Heywood]

I did this as an attempt at humor. But due to requests, here is my laundry list of problems with the press.

In October 2009 I decided to rejoin the reloading community, after an absence of 25 years. After doing some research, I purchased a RCBS turret reloading press. In the past I had used a Rockchucker press, and knew of the company’s stellar reputation. This weighed heavily in my decision to purchase the RCBS system.

Now that I have had the opportunity to set up and use the press, I have assembled the following list of issues that I have encountered.

PRESS FRAME

1. Press handle – continues to unscrew from the toggle block. A locking device is needed.

2. Turret head – threads in the frame are very rough. The counterbored hole is too deep. Three heads, each has a different dimension between the base and counterbore. Dimensions are short by .002, .003, .005. I bought some arbor shims that helped correct this problem.

3. Primer feeder slot in frame – No way to brush out the slot, which catches unburnt and spilled powder.

4. Primer catcher – While functional, the plastic halves are warped and come apart when removed from the frame, which results in spilled primers.

5. Ram hole – The hole for the lever linkage has been bored through the ram hole. This leaves a pocket between the ram and pin ends, which line up with the cuts in the ram. Drop a primer and it goes down the ram and gets caught. I have sheared some primers. Finally made some aluminum plugs to fill the pockets. Didn’t want to chance a detonation.

PRIMER FEEDER

1. Primer dispenser – The hole for the primer tube required deburring so the tube would seat. The hole is also off-center, but this does not appear to effect the function.

2. Primer plug – This part is difficult to tighten. I have been using the smallest hex key to tighten the screw, but it difficult to do this while holding down the sleeve to insert the wrench in the hole. A small tool would be helpful.

UNIFLOW POWDER MEASURE

1. Hex die lock nut – Requires tightening with an open-end wrench, which is not in the catalog, 1-3/16.

2. Baffle – Per the FAQ on your website, this is a needed part for the proper function of the dispenser. If so, one should be included with the measure.

3. Powder hopper cap – Plastic part is warped, doesn’t always want to remain in place.


QUICK CHANGE ADAPTER

1. Metering screw – An index feature would be helpful for adjustment of the powder charge.

2. Measuring cylinder – Required deburring of both end of the measure hole, along with deburring the threaded locking pin hole so metering assembly could be installed.

3. Metering assembly tube – Required deburring the end of the tube so it could be installed in the measuring cylinder.

4. Locking pin – Spring is too stiff making it difficult to remove the metering assembly.

CASE ACTIVATED LINKAGE

1. Cylinder link – If the end of the link was extended, a handle could be added for ease of use when establishing powder quantity.

DIES

1. Lock nut – You documentation makes a case for need lead shot under the set screw. Inclusion with the die set would be helpful.

GENERAL

1. Knobs – All knobs have an uncomfortable ridge from the mold parting.

2. Instructions – The only instructions included were with the dies, electronic powder scale and vibratory case cleaner. I was able to download instructions for the powder measure an turret press from your website. However, these instructions were far from what was needed to assemble the press.

Overall, I am extremely disappointed with the quality of the product. It is my understanding that RCBS has a good customer service department that could have helped in correcting these problems. I chose to correct most of these issues myself, rather than relying on having replacement parts shipped that would probably have had the same quality issues.

[UniversalFrost]

sounds like you got a press that was made on a friday afternoon right before closing up shop. contact RCBS and they will make it right.

I have the same turret press and have had zero problems with it. only turret press that is better is the Redding T7 (built like a tank and could probably survive being ran over by a tank)...

if you are unhappy with the press, then either contact RCBS for a replacement one or just sell yours here. lots of folks will be willing to take it.

[grubbylabs]

Wow that is a well put together list, At least you are not just whining. It looks like you have put some effort into this and do have reason to complain. It looks like this list was put together to send into RCBS, did you, are you? Let us know what you find out.

[A and O]

Email RCBS a link to this thread as a follow up to a call. They will do right by you and could use a chuckle as well. :)

[Jesse Heywood]

After all the work it does pretty good. I have not sent this to RCBS. Initially I was going to, but decided that since I got it working I didn't want them to replace it with another piece of junk.

I have dealt with RCBS on some things. They replaced my powder hopper when it got foggy. They sent me another primer catcher, but the replacement wasn't much better than the original. After 3 attempts at replacing the shell holder spring that broke they sent a new ram that had the correct spring on it.

I have worked enough in manufacturing and design that most of the issues came from farming out the work. One manufacturing shortcut after another, then throw the parts in a box leads me to believe that this stuff now comes from China. Some things were labeled from there. The turret rings were made in USA, that I know. And the dies are still made here, which are my preference.

I have cranked out about 4,000 rounds in the last year. Most have been for testing powder and bullet combinations, so they were in small batches or 10 or 20. My plan is to keep the press for loading .32-20, but to get a good progressive. If I can scrape up enough money, my favorite color will probably be blue.

[rsrocket1]

Sorry to hear your sad story about the RCBS Turret press. No I don't want yours, even for free thank you, I have 2 ss and an LnL AP. If you loaded only in batches of 10-20 you would have been better off with a simple single stage press. If you loaded 4000 in the last 12 months, that's averaging only 300+/month and you could easily do that in a couple of nights or just a few minutes per night spread over the time between range visits.

If you go blue (or any other progressive), make sure you know the cost in time, effort and money when switching calibers. From everything I read, the 650 is great for cranking out industrial quantities of a single caliber, but not too friendly to someone who wants to load up for a 4 gun session on the night before the outing, the 550 is better for that. Better yet, see if you could trade in that turret press back to RCBS for a couple of rockchuckers and use that money for more bullets, powder and primer. After all, you can never have enough of that stuff, right?

[billybob44]

After all the work it does pretty good. I have not sent this to RCBS. Initially I was going to, but decided that since I got it working I didn't want them to replace it with another piece of junk.

I have dealt with RCBS on some things. They replaced my powder hopper when it got foggy. They sent me another primer catcher, but the replacement wasn't much better than the original. After 3 attempts at replacing the shell holder spring that broke they sent a new ram that had the correct spring on it.

I have worked enough in manufacturing and design that most of the issues came from farming out the work. One manufacturing shortcut after another, then throw the parts in a box leads me to believe that this stuff now comes from China. Some things were labeled from there. The turret rings were made in USA, that I know. And the dies are still made here, which are my preference.

I have cranked out about 4,000 rounds in the last year. Most have been for testing powder and bullet combinations, so they were in small batches or 10 or 20. My plan is to keep the press for loading .32-20, but to get a good progressive. If I can scrape up enough money, my favorite color will probably be blue.
You're on the right track Jesse. I have an older model RockChucker on the right side of my bench, and a RL550 on the left side of my bench, and life IS good....

[Flatbush Harry]

FWIW, my experiences with RCBS customer service have been excellent , as have been the experiences with their products. I just got an RCBS turret press, some missing parts but RCBS has responded courteously and professionally...I'm not sure their dealer didn't take the missing parts to help someone in line before me.

I handload 8 calibers (4 handgun, 4 rifle), soon to be 10...for me the turret makes a ton of sense. In the past month, I've reloaded at least 100 rds for each of them, 400 rds to get ready for CAS season with many more to follow. Having dedicated turrets for my most heavily used calibers will improve efficiency.

FH

[Bwana John]

RCBS WILL make it right.

I have drank the green Cool-Aid, and it is GOOD!

[918v]

RCBS does not make POS equipment.

That is a matter of opinion. I have seen and owned some POS equipment manufactured by RCBS.

[mbruce]

Can I have the rangemaster? I haven't read where that's been claimed yet... few of those ammo trays would be great too!!

[floydster]

This sounds like my new LNL AP when I got it.
If you want to know all the trouble I have had with this press, do a search.
Floydster:(

[Clark]

I can't remember if this is the one, but I think some years ago, Joe at Realguns figured out that RCBS turret presses were repainted and re packaged Dillon presses, that Dillon had dropped from the line.

[howlnmad]

I've only had to use their customer service once and it was something I did and they sent out a replacement part.
If you ever plan on parting it out, I'd like to call dibbs on the uni-flo and the case activated charging die :D.

[jpwilly]

I think the press will win...you'll need some 30 cal AP to ventilate that press.

[CraigC]

Conversely, mine has run flawlessly for 12yrs with zero problems. I've got four or five turret heads that I swap back and forth and have had none of the issues described here.

How can you gripe and complain about a product when you refuse to let the manufacturer make it right?

[Funshooter45]

I wanna see the pictures of what it looked like after he shot the press :D

[Jesse Heywood]

How can you gripe and complain about a product when you refuse to let the manufacturer make it right?

It started with one small fix. Then another, and another. By then my thought was that if I send it back and get another, it probably wouldn't be any better.

I have had several dealings with their service department since I bought this press. They are usually very helpful. They will send you replacement parts whenever you call, no questions asked. But all the customer service in the world doesn't make up for poor manufacturing quality.

[CraigC]

So, let me get this straight, you assume that every example of a product that has been in production for quite a few years, about which there is zero online presence of complaints, which comes from a very reputable company with an excellent reputation for customer service, with which you have had good experience, is garbage??? I think it's an understatement to say that your conclusion is a bit of a stretch. :rolleyes:

[UniversalFrost]

can't please everybody.

gues rcbs is only 99.99% perfect and not 100% anymore..

[Friendly, Don't Fire!]

Make that 99.9999999% good with only 0.0000001% bad.:uhoh:

[Flatbush Harry]

For those following this thread, I noted that I had just gotten an RCBS Turret press and found some parts missing from the box. RCBS Customer service was totally responsive and professional and sent me the missing parts by USPS that day...I had them in two days.

The press works well in all particulars so far (I use the RCBS Universal Hand Primer as I like the feel it gives me for correct seating)...it feels like it has slightly greater leverage than my Lyman T-Mag II. Primer catcher works perfectly, operates smoothly, indexes accurately. My only design issue would be that the pin that rotates the turret ought to have a spring-loaded ball in it to lock it in more securely so that it does back out while operating. That's easy enough to deal with...I take it out when not using it and put it in a cup hanging from the pegboard behind my bench.

One feature I like a lot is the ability to mount the press on the accessory base plate. While I have two base plates on my bench (the Husky $199 home workbench I got from Home Depot) (so as too keep my trimmer and press and powder dispenser mounted), if I want to mount other tools, the accessory base plates are very convenient. I've bought the green Kool-Aid; the orange one is less responsive and some of their stuff (like the 1200 Powder Dispenser) are not well-designed nor especially functional, in contrast to RCBS.

FH

[JSimpson65]

Another one-time dissatisfied RCBS customer here, so they aren't perfect. I bought one of their progressives about a year ago that had multiple issues (primer feed, auto-indexing, jams, etc). I took off early from work more than once because the tech support dept. has such short hours, still no resolution, and was faced with sending it back to to multiple problems, possibly at my shipping cost, or just returning it altogether. I ended up returning it to Midway and bought a blue one instead. Blue one worked from day one and never gave any problems.

I have no doubt that RCBS would have eventually made it right, but I just wasn't willing to spend any more time on their defective product, or to wait around and see how long, and a what cost to me, it would take to make things right.

I'm sure my experiences are rare, but they do happen. FYI, I couldn't be happier with the Rockchucker on the other side of the bench.

[LAH]

I have a RC press & it's 100%. Most their dies have done good work & part are always free. Bullet Mould? I could go on & on but I won't. No one or no company is perfect & RCBS is no different.

[oneounceload]

Been using a Jr. press for 30 years and The Grand for several months - ANY part is replaced for free, forever, no questions asked. If you got a bad one all around, call RCBS - they will either send you the parts or have you send it in to make it right.

And when you find that manufacturer that walks on water and never makes a mistake, please let us know who it is and what they make - NO one is perfect - the difference is some companies will make it right - RCBS is one of those companies

[DM~]

Obviously, this thread was started just to generate some controversy.... BUT, if i bought that press new, and was as unhappy with the workmanship as you are, i would have called RCBS, telling them what i found, and asked for my $$ back. I'll bet you they would have taken it back and gave you a full refund. Problem over!

DM