RCBS and their dies

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THe Dove

THe Dove

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I love RCBS and their products and dies. However, I can't stand their set screws on the die lockrings!!!!! Geeeeeze... I have stripped out 3 of the brass set screws in the past month. They are stripping out where the allen wrench goes into the screw. :mad: Thanks for letting me vent. :banghead:

The Dove
 
I just said the hell with it and threw mine out and got a pack of lee lock rings and put them on my RCBS dies.

I like the lee a lot because they hand tighten and have the rubber o ring and after resizing 500 cases last night it never moved.
 
I got me a bag of steel set screws from fastenal and two pieces of lead shot each. Replace them all as I use them. All my dies are RCBS except a set of Hornady 40 SW that I got here.
 
You know you do not have to tighten those set screws to 500 foot pounds!!

Cut a small piece of plastic (round rod) and place it between the screw and the die threads.

Best source for the plastic piece is from one of those plastic thingy things in pizza box's, the ones that keep the cover from hitting the pie.

It's also good as a powder measure baffle, just clean off the pizza cheese first.
 
I immediately replace the lock rings on my RCBS and Redding dies with hornady lock rings. Superior design, superior in function.
 
However, I can't stand their set screws on the die lockrings!
Click to expand...

I've had the brass screw on the RCBS lock ring mar the threads of the die body. After I cleaned up the threads on the die with a file, I ordered Hornady lock rings.
 
I got a bunch of Hornady rings and sold all my Forster rings, they were too bulky and aluminum. I like the lee ones and the Dillon for different things. But the rcbs rings are my least favorite type.

Hornady rings can be had for less than 3$ ea.

I've purchased literally thousands of cheap Chinese "shaft collars" for industrial purposes over the years and I can assure you that 3$ for this quality collar is an extremely good deal!
 
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Yup - I love RCBS products, but I won't buy their dies anymore since they went to that stupid set screw (they had real split lock rings way back in the 70s).

If you are already are stuck with some set-screw lock rings, just throw them away and buy whatever brand of split rings are the cheapest (probably Lyman or Hornady), they will all work the same.
 
A brass set screw might sound like a good idea , but good old school steel set screws with lead shot to cushion the threads is still the best.

Just replace the set screw with steel ...that will do it !
 
I had shells with 7.5 shot, put one in and flattened with the steel set screw, removed and put second piece in. Did all my Rcbs sets and decappers too, 8 or 9 sets, problem fixed w some set screws and one shotshell sacraficed.
 
I replaced all of my Lee rings with Hornady ones. The Lee rings hold the die tight to the press but they never held the adjustment when I removed a die and then reinserted it.
 
I suspect RCBS dies are made in China now. I have some old USA made RCBS dies including a Rock Chucker press. I know the press in now made in China. Probably their dies too.

In the last 10 years or more, I have only bought Redding, Lee, Forster, and Dillon.
 
mikemyers said:
Just a thought - maybe you should try a better tool to tighten the set screws? I know lots of people who had this problem with other applications, and buying a high quality tool steel Allen driver solved the problem.
Click to expand...

Agreed. With a wrench that fits the screw you shouldn't be stripping the head, provided you are inserting the wrench to the depth of the socket.

If you contact RCBS they will send you new screws and some lead shot, which should be included in the die package. C'est la vie.
 
You can also use a regular Allen screw with head and just leave it proud of the ring. This buys you a much bigger driver interface.
 
Most of my dies are RCBS and I've had very few problems with the lock rings. I do use quality tools though! A quick easy fix would be a package of steel set screws and a size 6 or 4 lead shot. I do like the split rings better and just recently bought some from Sinclair for the cutters on my Giraud trimmer.
 
Good ideas and thanks for the in-put/responses. For the record, I was using the RCBS wrench set that came with my RC II kit that I purchased in 1993.

I called RCBS and they sent me a batch of new brass set screws and a batch of brass buffers. I will test these out and see what they will do.

Thanks again,

The Dove
 
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