???'s for Pro 2000 owners

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codefour

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I have finally made up my mind. I decided to add another piece of green to my bench. I currently have two Rock Chuckers and a Redding press on it.

Tomorrow, I am going to place an order for a RCBS Pro 2000.. I have done as much research as I can and I decided on the Pro 2000 for many reasons. Such as: iron/steel construction, powder measure, APS strips (I'm tired of tubes), and the use of my current inventory of RCBS dies, etc.

My question is should I get the manual indexing or the auto.? I have reloaded a lot on my friends Dillon 550B which is manual and ok. But I think I would prefer an auto indexing. I hear the powder spillage can be a problem with the auto due to its fast index speed. Can I order an auto and disable the auto index making it a manual..?

It is only fifty more dollars for the auto over the manual. I can order the manual from the get go but to upgrade to auto is 130 to 140 bucks.

Any thoughts from THR inmates would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance. ;)
 
Um, I've seen the pro 2000 run and have loaded on one. I would go with the 550 or the LNL AP over it. By the way, virtually all presses can use your RCBS dies. The pro is SLOW, and it shakes powder everywhere. Plus you get to search for primer strips every so often.

Whatever, TEHO.

Koski
 
My question is should I get the manual indexing or the auto.? I have reloaded a lot on my friends Dillon 550B which is manual and ok. But I think I would prefer an auto indexing. I hear the powder spillage can be a problem with the auto due to its fast index speed. Can I order an auto and disable the auto index making it a manual..?
Click to expand...
Definitely get the auto-index. Yes, powder spillage can be a problem, but you learn to control the speed of the advance by controlling the speed of the press handle. Also, contact RCBS for a reduced-power spring for the ball detent - this helps to reduce the violence of the advance. Or, just cut a coil off of the existing spring, to lessen it's power.

You can easily disable the auto-index feature by removing one of the black brackets that causes the auto-index pawl to reciprocate. You can then add a star wheel to your shellplate and manually index (not really sure why you'd want to, as I've never felt the need to go manual on mine, but the option is there).
 
This is my thoughts, I have loaded on my PRO2000 for 9+ years and for me it is WAY better than the 550 or L-N-L . I could not get my big paws into the 550, the powder charge is not as easly repeatable, calber changes are much more expensive and the L-N-N had all kinds of primer feed issues that I here, have been corrected but the auto index DID spill a lot of powder ( it is a two stage type thing).
The manual indexing is just as fast, you have total control, it is less money and you would have to make several errors to get a double charge, so safety is not a issue, and you can post size and crimp.
AT 9+years and almost 150,000 rounds loaded, I have replaced one primer punch and have replaced the springs once, that is it. No spare parts kit needed, no chaseing primers around, and by anyones standard the best CS in the bussiness. Not saying The Dillon or Hornady are junk they just were not for me. I really did not like the auto-indexing after giving it a good try.
BTW, the 650 IS faster, but if I needed to load 1000 rounds per hour I would get a CAN-DEX, just don`t have the money or time to shoot that much. You asked, just my thoughts.
 
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two thumbs up on the rcbs pro2000. I'd get the manual-index version, but like others have said, perhaps get the autoindex, then decide if you like it, and disable it if you don't?

The APS primer strips are a breeze to use. I've used the same 8 strips for my last 3000 reloads. Buy more than you need at first, you might destroy a couple strips as you learn to use the machine (do *not* half-cycle the handle, as it'll partially advance the strip, causing a destroyed primer and strip). Other than, that it's a breeze to use.

You can add a new caliber if you have 80 bucks and 5 minutes. I'm up to five.

cool,
-edfardos
 
I have the auto-index Pro2000 and I like it. It allows me to pick up a case and a bullet in my left hand as I cycle the press, speeding things up.

The biggest advantage of this press is the quick caliber changes--since the powder measure stays on the press and just needs to have the micrometer turned to the new setting.

The auto indexing doesn't splash powder when loading 45 auto, but it does with 9mm. I went to the hardware store and bought a weaker spring which I cut to size. I use that spring only for 9mm and that solved the problem.

I like the primer strips--I've never had a problem with them. Just don't push the handle forward if you are not going to seat a primer, because that will push a primer up out of the strip. If you do, just pluck the primer off the shell plate with some tweezers.

It's a very well-built press, and I'm sure you'll be happy with it. RCBS customer support is excellent if you have questions, or ask your questions here for that matter!
 
Just wanted to chime in because I've never seen so many "pro" Pro 2000 owners in one place.

Mine doesn't have the auto-index, but I plan on laying down father's day hints regarding it. This thread has solidified that decision.

Is there an easy way to turn off the auto-indexing if not desired for some particular job? I don't think so, but I'm asking anyway.

The Pro 2000 was my first press and is my only press. I got quite lucky with this purchase. I've owned it for 10 years but only started loading with it about a year ago. Now, I'm an addict.
 
Is there an easy way to turn off the auto-indexing if not desired for some particular job?
Click to expand...
Yes. Remove the two 5-40x3/8" socket head cap screws that hold the upper cam bracket to the lower cam bracket. This bracket is what resets the auto-index pawl. With it removed, the pawl will no longer reciprocate, and the shellplate will not advance.

To restore auto-index functionality, just bolt the bracket back in place.
 
Thanks

Thank you for all the responses.. I ordered the Pro 2000 with auto index, a few shell plates and extra die plates. I will add more as time and money progresses.

I just have to wait for it to come in the wonderful big brown truck that I look forward to seeing since I started reloading..
 
Scott_R said:
Just wanted to chime in because I've never seen so many "pro" Pro 2000 owners in one place.

Mine doesn't have the auto-index, but I plan on laying down father's day hints regarding it. This thread has solidified that decision.

Is there an easy way to turn off the auto-indexing if not desired for some particular job? I don't think so, but I'm asking anyway.

The Pro 2000 was my first press and is my only press. I got quite lucky with this purchase. I've owned it for 10 years but only started loading with it about a year ago. Now, I'm an addict.
Click to expand...

I'm surprised at all the RCBS Pro 2000 traffic as well. Most of us are reloading and shooting, not trying to find answers to problems that never happen.;)

I'm addicted to this and a couple of other forums is my excuse for being here. All it took was the Obama economy to slow down my construction business enough to get me hooked. I learn something new every day, and I try to give back when I can.

Now for the meat of this post: I bought a "manual" version AND a $100 kit to convert it to auto-advance on day one. I outgrew the manual part after the second day! (Well I had the kit and it was causing an itch!) Never looked back and certainly have never had a need to retro it back to manual for any reason.

In AR15.com I posted some tiny inexpensive mods to make it easier to recover from operator error. (made possible because it is such a simple working press with few moving parts to sync up compared to the blue machines) Mod 1 and Mod 2


Next, I wanted a way to prevent (I'm a forgetful type) forgetting to change primer strips. Counter Project. You young guys probably don't need that.:rolleyes:

Next, I wanted a bullet feeder for pistol. Posted threads on that here on THR Bullet Feeder Part One and then Bullet Feeder Part 2and finally, Part 3 enhanced.

BTW...DO email RCBS and request the lighter spring referred to in one of the first posts....it makes all the difference. They may be supplying it standard now....ask. Hope some of this helps.
Oh and about
The pro is SLOW, and it shakes powder everywhere. Plus you get to search for primer strips every so often
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The only problem I had was with .45 acp and 9mm (AKA short pistol cases) and the softer spring solved it. The only other problem with "powder everywhere" is operator error with double charges. Any press will look bad with an inexperienced operator. Take my friend with his month-old Dillon 650 when he demonstrated it to me.....ha, ha...he not only dumped powder everywhere, but 100 primers too....I helped him pick them all up. I wasn't exempt either....when I demonstrated my new Pro 2000 to him, it worked like a champ for 50 rounds....uhh...then I realized...I forgot to feed the second primer strip....25 rounds with powder, bullets, and no primer....at least I didn't have to pick them up...just pull 25 bullets.

As for the charge of being slow...take away the expensive case feeder on the Dillon 650 and you'll experience feeding cases and bullets on opposite sides of the press. Try to change calibers and you experience slow, especially with the case feeder. It's all a matter of point of view.

I'm not color blind, my Red bullet feeder helps make my setup even better....its fast on the caliber change too....and that's the point of view important to me. I load 8 calibers...and I change often. That's where the green machine really sings.

As for looking for APS strips....huh? They're always in the primer boxes, loaded, and ready. No pecking tubes full. If you buy 5000 at a time at Graf's they are the same price as other primers.
 
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I got the manual because I've never used a progressive. You can always add the auto-index if you want. I don't see the benefit or auto-index unless you have a case feeder and/or bullet feeder. BTW, I love mine. Cast iron and the industry's best warranty.
 
Even for a smart person like you who (who doesn't feel he has to be in a load-speed contest), an important benefit to the auto-index kit would be that the automation doesn't ever forget to index the tool. Mistakes like that may not happen very often or ever for you, but if they do you could drop a second load of powder....or even crush a primer into another primer. Either of those not detected soon enough, can cause a bad day.

Auto-index, or manual....RCBS, Hornady, Lee, or Dillon....one thing's always true:
Always make sure what's in the case before you press a bullet over it. A lock-out dies helps, if you have room for one. Otherwise slow down and look...every time.

On another subject...kind of but not really....

RCBS now makes a case expander for pistol loading using the Uniflow. Seems they finally realized that for pistol, expanding and powder charging in one station makes sense if you ever desire to get a bullet feeder and still use a lock-out die. With the case expander added, you can move the Uniflow Powder Measure from the stationary station 3 to station 2. You can then put a Lock-out die in station 3, a bullet feeder in station 4 and your seater in station 5. The Expander is $12.50 per caliber.
 
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Forget to index??

If you complete the stroke (#1 rule), you would also have to forget that you just placed a bullet and brass, then if you did forget, and went ahead you would have to notice the case in station 2 already is primed, you would have to be "hell bent and bound" to complete the stroke to crush the primer that is in waiting, they are hard to crush, even on the Green Monster. There would have to be several errors made to get to a double charge. As I said eariler 9+ years loading on this press, not one double charge. Auto-indexing and a powder check is great if that is what one likes, or "feels safer" with, but I can find no advantage. Not trying to sway anyone, just offering my thoughts.
 
Next, I wanted a way to prevent (I'm a forgetful type) forgetting to change primer strips. Counter Project. You young guys probably don't need that.
Click to expand...
I forget to add another primer strip every now and then.... but I'm instantly reminded when I feel no resistance in seating a primer. Then it's a simple matter of feeding in a primer strip, clicking it twice (to position a primer over the plug), and repeat the priming stroke.

I find I'm very sensitive to the feel of the press handle, and can tell when something's not right.
 
I'll chime in too. The reasons you listed for wanting the Pro-2000 are all valid. The stock handle is also very stout (3/4" steel) and the whole press is overbuilt.

I have extensive experience with the Dillon XL-650, the Hornady Lock-N-Load AP, the RCBS Pro-2000, and the Lee Loadmaster. All of the presses have pro's and con's.

I would vote for the auto-index as I feel it's a good safety feature when used properly. Like GW Staar said- get the powder check system (Hi GW!)

I too like the APS system when you can buy pre-loaded strips from CCI (not too hard last time I checked but in a shortage you'll have to "load your own" with the included tool). I'm working on a mod for the press that helps with powder spillage- the lighter spring does help, and you can cut them down too.

One thing I don't like is emptying the powder measure. If you put it in the intended position, you'll have to screw it out to empty it...

Just got videos posted of loading .223 with the RCBS rifle bullet feeder on the Pro-2000. Very good setup!

Hope that helps,
Gavin
 
I just received my case expander for 45ACP, yesterday. Hope to try it out, soon. If I had an extra case activate linkage kit for the Uniflow, I'd probably like it even better.

I also happened to call RCBS today because of some little things I'm missing (I lost them, and they refused to take my money to replace them), and asked about the weaker spring for the auto index kit. The guy I talked to (Larry) said that the one I have is the weakest one they have, and I can just use the one that is in my press now. I'll try that first, I guess.

Just laid down the Father's day hint... :D
 
One thing I don't like is emptying the powder measure. If you put it in the intended position, you'll have to screw it out to empty it...
Click to expand...
No you don't. Pop off the return spring, remove the thumb screw, and lift the measure out of the base.
 
J2FLAN said:
Forget to index??

If you complete the stroke (#1 rule), you would also have to forget that you just placed a bullet and brass, then if you did forget, and went ahead you would have to notice the case in station 2 already is primed, you would have to be "hell bent and bound" to complete the stroke to crush the primer that is in waiting, they are hard to crush, even on the Green Monster. There would have to be several errors made to get to a double charge. As I said eariler 9+ years loading on this press, not one double charge. Auto-indexing and a powder check is great if that is what one likes, or "feels safer" with, but I can find no advantage. Not trying to sway anyone, just offering my thoughts.
Click to expand...

LOL! Okay so not everybody is capable of that. I'm just suggesting that because I remember reading about a 550 user who did just that. (Absolutely NOT blaming the 550!) It was back when I was looking for a progressive press nearly three years ago, and I guess I thought (having 15 grandkids that do interrupt things at my house often enough) that I might be capable of such a harried act of stupid. IMO anyone who has never done anything stupid before is about to. That ought to be a corollary to Murphy's Law.:)

I'm happy to report that the kids have so far obeyed the rule not to enter where I'm reloading. And I obey my own rule....I get to the first safe stopping place and quit when I get such company. My #1 rule is "no distractions, period!"

As for crushing a primer, I've seen it done on a Lee Pro 1000 and on a Dillon 650...so far. One went boom and one didn't. In both cases the primer was turned sideways. I'm happy to report, that sideways is pretty hard to accomplish on the APS system.

Auto-indexing is obviously something you have to experience to see the advantage. It's faster and is one less thing to do on each stroke. I enjoyed indexing manually, but I had the kit. So I converted it, and I'm glad I did. And what other press gives you that choice?

As for a Lock-out die...that's a personal thing, for sure. I don't use one...yet. But then I have another way to do the same thing...lights and mirrors!:) I would like to try one though...and I will one of these days. They get nothing but positive reviews.
 
UltimateReloader said:
One thing I don't like is emptying the powder measure. If you put it in the intended position, you'll have to screw it out to empty it...

Just got videos posted of loading .223 with the RCBS rifle bullet feeder on the Pro-2000. Very good setup!

Hope that helps,
Gavin
Click to expand...

Hi Gavin!
He's right you don't have to unscrew anything.:) Hornady has their Lower assembly of the case-activated linkage for sale separately at Midway for to accomplish the same thing on the AP.
t-17795.jpg RCBS's almost identical part can be bought directly from RCBS. If you get one for each pistol tool head you have (and screw it in each station two spot), then you only have to disconnect the spring, pull the measure off the lower assembly,dump the powder in the measure, replace the tool head with another set up tool head, then drop in the powder measure, reattach the spring, and reset the mic. Now your GTG for another caliber. The new expanders drop into the RCBS lower assembly just like the Hornady counterparts. That way you can have changeover speed on Hornady's AP and RCBS's Pro 2000 without having to buy a powder measure for each caliber. Hornady sells theirs for $30. Don't know about RCBS. They would be smart to add that to the line at Midway like Hornady did.

RCBS needs to offer a part like this Hornady part too.
viewproduct
(now also available at Midway) It controls the amount of case mouth expansion to a gnat's eyebrow.

My Uniflows have Hornady's Case activated linkage and lower assembly (and expanders) because the new RCBS expanders didn't exist until now. Yes they fit perfectly! If RCBS had done this sooner I would have saved a lot of money!:mad:

BTW Looking forward to viewing your rifle bullet feeder stuff. It appears to me the seater they use is very similar to their Gold Medal Seaters, plus parts. You think?
 
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I'm happy to report, that sideways is pretty hard to accomplish on the APS system.
Click to expand...
I've had it happen a couple of times, but that's when I was playing around with various detent springs. If the shellplate doesn't advance all the way and lock into position, the primer can catch on the edge of the shellplate, and flip itself as it's being driven upwards into the case.

Other than that, which I consider my own doing, I've never had a primer problem either.
 
As far as the rifle bullet feeder, I'd be interested to know if the linkage between the powder measure and the bullet feeder could be modified, such that the powder measure could be located in station 2, bullet feeder in station 4, leaving station 3 free for a powder check die.
 
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