RCBS Pro 2000 adjustment question

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prickett

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The primer strips have quit advancing on my Pro 2000. I contacted RCBS who replied

"This is an adjustment issue with the cam #2 on the manual P-2000 parts list or #10 on the auto index P-2000. Move the P-200- cam closer to the cam guide by about .010” at a time or until it indexes the stripes with every pull of the handle."

Can anyone explain how to do this? I have that question in to them, but email turnaround has been taking around a week, and I need to load for a match. Thanks.
 
The are refering to the big aluminum 3" by 1" by 1" block on the right hand side of the press next to the actuating arm when the press is at rest. It has PRO 2000 engraved vertically on mine. There are 2 cap head (Allen head) screws at the base of it.

Loosen those screws and then slide the unit back and forth till the primer stroke is far enough to move the strip to the right position yet it comes back far enough to make it click.

Basically look at the right hand side (where the lever you pull is) and watch the black rounded shoe go up and past the angled top of the aluminum bar. The position of that aluminum bar is what controls the reset for the primer advance.
 
OR-- Have you checked to see if one or both of the two little Y shapped "fingers" on the strip pusher are not broken. If you had pulled the strip the wrong way they can break. Also could be a piece of primer holding up things. If you haven`t checked inside you might befor you adjust.

Peter M. Eick, is the go to guy, on the PRO 2000, just thought I would offer the above because that is what stopped my strips from feeding.
 
Good point. I had not thought about those.

To get to the y fingers (good description by the way). Pull your die plate off and the screw. Then with a small allen head wrench remove the black plastic ring that is bigger than the die plate of the tool head. This plastic piece has the spring clips mounted on it. You will see how the mechanism works underneath.

Clean it while you are there. Mine always gets filthy.
 
Maybe, add this.
When you get it up and running, should be easy as the press isn`t prone to mis-behave. Get some canned air ($5.00 at walmart) and give the primer strip channel a couple of burst after each session. You will be thrilled and amazed at how long you can go, befor you will have to take it apart for cleaning,
 
Thanks for the answers guys. I'll check out the fingers and/or try adjusting the cam guide/index. That was a very clear explanation of what to do.

Thanks again!

BTW, is this the best place to get Pro 2000 info? I'd be interested in learning of other's tweaks to improve their press. I've done two tweaks. One is to remove the spent primer cup. I placed a bucket underneath the spent primer tube, so instead of falling into the cup, it falls the last couple of feet through the air, landing in the bucket. I've also pitched the uniflow powder drop and use the Lee Auto Disc powder thru the expander die. That makes the Pro 2000 like a 6 stage press. I have the sizer die first, then the powder/expander, then a check die, then a seater, then a taper crimp die.
 
Maybe, add this.
When you get it up and running, should be easy as the press isn`t prone to mis-behave. Get some canned air ($5.00 at walmart) and give the primer strip channel a couple of burst after each session. You will be thrilled and amazed at how long you can go, befor you will have to take it apart for cleaning,
Yeah, I've actually owned this press for at least 10 years. Its a great press that is just going through some worn part replacements (spent primer tube keeps falling out, primer strip isn't advancing regularly). I have an air compressor next to the press that I blow the loose powder out with. Makes a big difference.

It is a great press (though I wish it had a case feeder).
 
After useing it for 10yrs you probably got down pretty well.
Got mine Jan. of `02 getting close to 150,000 rounds loaded.

If the primmer tube is falling out, and the set screw doesn`t hold it, it must be the screw because if it gouged a hole in the tube, it wouldn`t fall out.

I replaced the primmer cup with a slightly larger one, if too large, when it gets full, it sure will pull the tube out. For me a trash can or bucket would just get kicked over.

Mine HAS a case feeder (right hand) and bullet feeder (left hand) :)

Get up a list of parts that need replacing, as you know RCBS will send them out N/C but expect a longer than normal wait. I just got a Lg. primer punch, it took 8 days to get here.

About 6 months ago I changed out both springs, (only for the third time) on the press and the century spring on the measure, made it run like new. After 11 yrs of hard use, mine NEVER misses a beat.

Lots of Pro 2000 owners here --lots of help and ideas.
 
Thanks for the answers guys. I'll check out the fingers and/or try adjusting the cam guide/index. That was a very clear explanation of what to do.

Thanks again!

BTW, is this the best place to get Pro 2000 info? I'd be interested in learning of other's tweaks to improve their press. I've done two tweaks. One is to remove the spent primer cup. I placed a bucket underneath the spent primer tube, so instead of falling into the cup, it falls the last couple of feet through the air, landing in the bucket. I've also pitched the uniflow powder drop and use the Lee Auto Disc powder thru the expander die. That makes the Pro 2000 like a 6 stage press. I have the sizer die first, then the powder/expander, then a check die, then a seater, then a taper crimp die.

This is one of the better sites. Over on AR15.com, the moderator of the reloading section created a tacked thread where users can post important (in the moderators' view) stuff that stays tacked on the front page and out of the archives. I've modified my press quite a bit in the four years playing with this great press and I've taken advantage of their tacked thread. I've posted most of it here and you can use the search, but its all in one spot on that tacked thread. On Ar15.com I'm GWhis....why?...was clueless about using forums mostly.
You asked about a case feeder. Well I built one that works great for me, and it only cost me about $65.

About the Uniflow you removed. Peter Eick and I (Peter first) first used Hornady parts to make the Uniflow work as a powder-through measure. We used Hornady's expanders too. I bought a Hornady Bullet feeder and did a review on it here and on AR15.com (also tacked over there) Then a fellow reading that thread got the bright idea of using Hornady bullet feed dies and clear plastic tubing to make the famous "$28 Tube bullet Feeder" (you can google that) RCBS copied that in 6 months with their own version.

Finally RCBS came out with their own superior powder through expanders, and you can buy them and extra powder dies to populate station 2 of all your die heads for pistol calibers. No need to use Hornady parts anymore...or Lee measures for that matter.

Anyway, if you want to check out my mods go to the tacked Read First thread....drag the curser down to the bottom of page 1, then drag it up 8 threads. You will find yourself at the RCBS thread where all the mod threads are, including the case feeder video, and how-to.

On Page 2 of the same "Read First" thread, 7 posts down is the two review threads of the Hornady Bullet Feeder I use.....or you can check out the $28 Bullet Feeder.
 
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I've also pitched the uniflow powder drop and use the Lee Auto Disc powder thru the expander die. That makes the Pro 2000 like a 6 stage press. I have the sizer die first, then the powder/expander, then a check die, then a seater, then a taper crimp die.
As GW Staar mentioned, the RCBS Powder Expanders work really well with the Uniflow to allow you to expand and powder-charge in one station. I now have all my dies set up this way: I purchased several Hornady lower powder die assemblies (very similar, almost identical, in fact) to the RCBS powder die assembly that holds the Uniflow... the only reason being Hornady makes these available as an orderable part (they run about $25) - whereas RCBS doesn't. You can still buy them from RCBS, but you have to call them, explain to them what you want, and go through a little more work. Me... I'm addicted to Amazon One-Click, so that's what I do :)

Anyhow... with each die plate set up with it's own powder die, appropriate powder expander in the die, and the appropriate spacer(*), they get adjusted to the proper depth to provide the correct amount of case mouth expansion. Once set up, they stay that way - and I simply move the Uniflow from die to die as needed (loosen thumb screw, disengage case-activated linkage, remove spring from powder die pin, remove measure). This takes literally 10-15 seconds to move the powder measure from one set of dies to the other. And, of course, the Uniflow is much more versatile and reliable than an Auto Disc... no one's ever had their Uniflow spill powder all over the place, and when also equipped with the micrometer stem, you get very precise adjustment of the powder volume.

For me, the fixed station #3 has become a dedicated powder check station. I installed a Dillon powder check system (simple installation - just drill a hole), and use that now for both pistol and rifle loading. I used to use RCBS lockout dies for pistol (they work great), and the RCBS powder check die for rifle (works OK - with some issues). However, the lockout dies are a little less sensitive to powder level, and the powder check die is a visual indicator only. The Dillon is a little more sensitive to powder levels, and has an audible alarm when something's not right. It's also faster to adjust to a particular powder charge. To me, it's the best of the three powder check systems out there.

Station #4 for me is typically a bullet feed station. I use an RCBS pistol bullet feeder for my high-volume pistol (9mm, .40, .45), and a Mr. Bulletfeeder for rifle (.223, .308, and .30-06). I only recently added the MBF to my set-up... had I started with that, I would have done all my calibers with that setup. It's a VASTLY superior product to either RCBS or Hornady bullet feeders.

* spacers for the Uniflow - when using a powder expander, it's also necessary to use the RCBS-provided spacer to sit between the powder expander and the Uniflow drop tube, due to the short height of most pistol cases. Without this spacer, you won't be able to lift the Uniflow high enough to dispense powder, let alone bottom out to force case mouth expansion. The problem is, RCBS only includes one of these spacers with their kits. You can call them and get more, I'm sure... but that takes time. I've found that two 3/8-16 nuts are just about perfect. I take two of these, spin them onto the end of a long 3/8" bolt, lock the two nuts together (so they won't move on you), and knock off the corners with a bench grinder, until they just slip in to the lower powder die assembly. Then, remove them from the bolt, chuck them in a vise, and drill out the centers a little over 3/8" (just enough to remove all evidence of threads - so the inside is nice and smooth). Viola... custom Uniflow spacers.
 
Tom, I have a similar setup. I have dedicated Lee Pro Disc powder measures on station 2 for powder thru the expander. I have one on each of my three die plates - the Lee Pro Disc is very inexpensive, yet incredibly accurate (since it uses fixed sized cavities to measure the charge it never strays from the desired charge). Station three is the RCBS lockout die (I'll have to check out the Dillon as I had some squib loads recently - that the lockout die should have prevented).

Thanks for the info!
 
Thanks Peter for describing the primer adjustment. Just had 100% success tonight loading up 100 .45's. That did the trick.
 
Very nice work GW. Looks like I'm going to have a busy summer doing projects!

There is a really nice video on Youtube showing a homemade electric bullet feeder, BTW

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFxgXVmCoUI&list=PLA023C8A200FA4435&index=18

Then you'll have a fun summer! Your video link is similar to one on the tacked thread page 1, as linked in my previous post, near to my post there, and is has even more detailed info on building one. Obviously you can use my shuttle & tube idea to drop cases from any tube or collator, such as those home made collators, or even a commercial collator like Dillon's. The point of the exercise was to make a case feeder possible for our press. You can feed cases to the shuttle as cheap or as expensive as you want.

As GW Staar mentioned, the RCBS Powder Expanders work really well with the Uniflow to allow you to expand and powder-charge in one station. I now have all my dies set up this way: I purchased several Hornady lower powder die assemblies (very similar, almost identical, in fact) to the RCBS powder die assembly that holds the Uniflow... the only reason being Hornady makes these available as an orderable part (they run about $25) - whereas RCBS doesn't. You can still buy them from RCBS, but you have to call them, explain to them what you want, and go through a little more work. Me... I'm addicted to Amazon One-Click, so that's what I do :)

I have a hornady powder die assembly so I will have to try that. I'm betting RCBS will start selling them as accessories soon, and thus will start showing up on Midway USA. Since you don't need spacers when RCBS expanders are used with RCBS powder dies, I bought them direct. It isn't that hard...just have to know the part numbers. The difference between Hornady's and RCBS's powder dies is the internal lip position that stops the expanders from falling through. Hornady expanders are shorter than RCBS ones.

Station #4 for me is typically a bullet feed station. I use an RCBS pistol bullet feeder for my high-volume pistol (9mm, .40, .45), and a Mr. Bulletfeeder for rifle (.223, .308, and .30-06). I only recently added the MBF to my set-up... had I started with that, I would have done all my calibers with that setup. It's a VASTLY superior product to either RCBS or Hornady bullet feeders.

Mr. Bulletfeeder is indeed more efficient at collating bullets than the others, and jmorris built a super homemade version of it that does the same thing. The bullet flipper is a more complicated design that requires more work to change calibers, but it is a very slick design. He shows pictures of it on the $28 Bullet Feeder Thread on THR on posts 9,20 and 21.

However, my Hornady bullet feeder keeps up just fine. The real advantage to my modified Hornady unit (and the reason I went to all the effort) is the keeping the speed and simplicity of caliber change provided by their design, but with a stop switch and visible bullet stacking, as seen in this video I made showing me changing from .45 ACP to .40 S&W. No plate change is needed. (BTW this video is in the second Hornady Bullet Feeder how-to Thread linked above) Click on the picture below to see the video:
th_MVI_0935.gif "] th_MVI_0935.gif [/URL]
 
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they don't make the "y" clips any longer. The feed system is different now. If you break one, they send you a complete redesigned head!. The new head has a plastic "tray" around the primer foot. I haven't tried the new head as I made a new "y" from a paperclip.


edfardos
 
Interesting....didn't know that. Wonder when that change was made? It's good that they still tweak the system, and continue to try to eliminate weak links even if they are minor problems...........I mean the "y"s are super inexpensive to them and free to us.....they send several extras for insurance. So that would mean to me that they are confident in the new parts...that they won't be having to send out that many replacements.:)
 
I know is sounds dumb but I am cheap. I don't use canned air, but I use straws. I keep ones from McD's in a coffee can and occasionally use them to blow the powder and crud off and under the plate and system. Old toothbrushes also get used for cleaning the press. I just toss the straw when I forget which end I was using and get another one. Just one or two puffs of breath does wonders occasionally.

Glad it worked out on the adjustments.
 
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