GW Staar
Member
- Joined
- Feb 26, 2009
- Messages
- 3,706
Wrist operation all healed up finally, so I have no excuses except laziness to get my Pro Chucker 7 operational. Anyway, I'm sure you all have been waiting on pins and needles for this project to launch. Yeah, right, yawn.
I'm beginning to see what this new press can do. For example, is there really a use for 7 stations loading rifle? Seems a bit much right? Surprise! I'm actually finding it's easy to fill them stations up........goes like this:
Station 1: Bushing sizer
Station 2: "M" style expander die to put a step in the neck so a bullet doesn't tip or fall over rotating to the seater.
Station 3: Powder measure....or since RCBS now makes a funnel for their also new separate powder die, you can even trickle if you have a need.
Station 4: Powder cop station (but I hate powder cops, especially the beeping ones.) I have two more options here....a mirror looking down station 4, or a video. I made a prototype of the mirror and I ordered the $21 borescope to try. If the resolution sucks, I'll use it for something else.
The probe is 10mm in diameter.....too big for sticking down a rifle barrel smaller than .50 cal. but just right to replace a powder cop station. We will see.
Station 5: Tube bullet Feeder $114……you can add a collator if you want to spend the money…..I don’t personally think it’s necessary…..but if you do knock yourself out and buy the genuine Mr. Bullet Feeder instead....but you have to buy a Lyman "M" too.
Station 6: Seater of your choice. (mine is an RCBS Gold Medal die)
Station 7: Crimper of your choice. (mine is a Lee FCD)
Anyway, that's the plan.........I'll let you know how it turns out. Pictures and vids below: It's not the easiest of tests……machine gunned but blinged 7.62 LC brass.
Other components will be, Nosler 165gn Ballistic Tips, IMR 4895, & CCI primers. And these prepped, trimmed, & tumbled 7.62 LCs :
As I said, I finished a prototype of the mirror case inspection option in station #4. Pictures and real short shaky one handed video below.
If I like how it works, I will grind it pretty and paint it black. It consists of 1/2" CPVC coupler, clear tube fitting inside with a "V" cut to angle the mirror I got from Hobby Lobby. I just used epoxy putty stuffed inside the clear tube's V-cut and stuck the mirror to it., Simple. I used PVC cleaner to soften the coupler, then I just force-screwed it into a die plate hole and let it dry.....resulting "threads" are laughable, but way good enough. Yes screwing it in a 7/8-14 die would be wonderful....don't happen to have one....and I don't live close enough to Jmorris to borrow one from him.
Yes…it's butt ugly, but it works....below is a .308 case.....got it focused but it's in a poor position. Tried again. The next picture...no focus but better picture of what one really sees. The video below is the best look at it.
Just a BTW....Notice the hex-head bolt with an O ring glued on the head. I HATE the stupid set screws that came with the press....you don't tighten them anyway so why not turn them into thumb screws....all they are for is to be snugged into die plate recesses to prevent sideways movement. Much faster to deal with.
The point is to be able to prevent no powder or double powder......I think that'll work as good as a powder cop. Now keep in mind I usually sit when I reload, if you stand, you may not need anything in station 4 as the case will come poking up through the hole......but considering that some like their presses up on a high stand.....then you can forget looking in direct.
The other option I think I'll like is the bore scope camera (on its way). I already have a "big" 5" screen a foot away from my face To show it on......the million dollar question is whether the resolution will be good enough....if not I'm out $21.
On the ole Pro 2000 a few years ago, I had to find the tiniest camera and attach it under & to the side of the die head. With 7 stations I just use another cpvc coupler and stuff the camera into it pointing down.....it has it's own lights! What can doom it is focus and resolution.
Tomorrow I hope to set the powder measure then try loading a few......if I get time.
Even as poor and shaky as the following one-handed video of station 4 is, it still shows, way better, how and why the mirror was worth making.....
If you've ever had a squib or worse you will appreciate this. Progressives just aren't safe unless you can see each and every case's powder level.
You noticed the flash holes in the pictures? Keep in mind that you are looking inside a deep .308 case, not a pistol case! Tumbling cases with a wet tumbler and stainless steel media, is what makes that possible.
The second video is of the .223 “Tube” bullet feeder. I made that video a month or so ago, testing it on my Rock Chucker. The case was already expanded on the “M” style expander in station 2 of the progressive. Notice the bullet is only dropped into a step that holds it fast until it rotates under the seater.......IOW's the bullet in the case you see upside down in the video is not seated yet. It stays...zero bullet stack! Impressed.
Click "Vimeo" in lower right hand corners to see the videos bigger.....once there click the full screen symbol. (escape Key to return)
Below: Picture of the populated press with bullet feeder, minus the tube full of bullets. Closest die is the RCBS .308 Gold Medal Seater die with its drop-in window that won't be used. To the right of it is the Tube Rifle Bullet Feeder......the tube of bullets drops into the clear plastic piece. Beyond that is the powder check station, then the powder measure. Yes! My bench is a mess.....got to clear it before I load anything....that's next.
One thing I really really like about this press is the placement of the stations. The most important stations are at the front where you can see them. On the old Pro 2000, you drop powder, then it rotates to the back.....so powder check isn't visible unless you have a video camera back there......that's why I made one for the old press. This time the criticals are at the front. Don't have to have a camera, but it still might be fun to have.
I'm beginning to see what this new press can do. For example, is there really a use for 7 stations loading rifle? Seems a bit much right? Surprise! I'm actually finding it's easy to fill them stations up........goes like this:
Station 1: Bushing sizer
Station 2: "M" style expander die to put a step in the neck so a bullet doesn't tip or fall over rotating to the seater.
Station 3: Powder measure....or since RCBS now makes a funnel for their also new separate powder die, you can even trickle if you have a need.
Station 4: Powder cop station (but I hate powder cops, especially the beeping ones.) I have two more options here....a mirror looking down station 4, or a video. I made a prototype of the mirror and I ordered the $21 borescope to try. If the resolution sucks, I'll use it for something else.
The probe is 10mm in diameter.....too big for sticking down a rifle barrel smaller than .50 cal. but just right to replace a powder cop station. We will see.
Station 5: Tube bullet Feeder $114……you can add a collator if you want to spend the money…..I don’t personally think it’s necessary…..but if you do knock yourself out and buy the genuine Mr. Bullet Feeder instead....but you have to buy a Lyman "M" too.
Station 6: Seater of your choice. (mine is an RCBS Gold Medal die)
Station 7: Crimper of your choice. (mine is a Lee FCD)
Anyway, that's the plan.........I'll let you know how it turns out. Pictures and vids below: It's not the easiest of tests……machine gunned but blinged 7.62 LC brass.
Other components will be, Nosler 165gn Ballistic Tips, IMR 4895, & CCI primers. And these prepped, trimmed, & tumbled 7.62 LCs :
As I said, I finished a prototype of the mirror case inspection option in station #4. Pictures and real short shaky one handed video below.
If I like how it works, I will grind it pretty and paint it black. It consists of 1/2" CPVC coupler, clear tube fitting inside with a "V" cut to angle the mirror I got from Hobby Lobby. I just used epoxy putty stuffed inside the clear tube's V-cut and stuck the mirror to it., Simple. I used PVC cleaner to soften the coupler, then I just force-screwed it into a die plate hole and let it dry.....resulting "threads" are laughable, but way good enough. Yes screwing it in a 7/8-14 die would be wonderful....don't happen to have one....and I don't live close enough to Jmorris to borrow one from him.
Yes…it's butt ugly, but it works....below is a .308 case.....got it focused but it's in a poor position. Tried again. The next picture...no focus but better picture of what one really sees. The video below is the best look at it.
Just a BTW....Notice the hex-head bolt with an O ring glued on the head. I HATE the stupid set screws that came with the press....you don't tighten them anyway so why not turn them into thumb screws....all they are for is to be snugged into die plate recesses to prevent sideways movement. Much faster to deal with.
The point is to be able to prevent no powder or double powder......I think that'll work as good as a powder cop. Now keep in mind I usually sit when I reload, if you stand, you may not need anything in station 4 as the case will come poking up through the hole......but considering that some like their presses up on a high stand.....then you can forget looking in direct.
The other option I think I'll like is the bore scope camera (on its way). I already have a "big" 5" screen a foot away from my face To show it on......the million dollar question is whether the resolution will be good enough....if not I'm out $21.
On the ole Pro 2000 a few years ago, I had to find the tiniest camera and attach it under & to the side of the die head. With 7 stations I just use another cpvc coupler and stuff the camera into it pointing down.....it has it's own lights! What can doom it is focus and resolution.Tomorrow I hope to set the powder measure then try loading a few......if I get time.
Even as poor and shaky as the following one-handed video of station 4 is, it still shows, way better, how and why the mirror was worth making.....
If you've ever had a squib or worse you will appreciate this. Progressives just aren't safe unless you can see each and every case's powder level.
You noticed the flash holes in the pictures? Keep in mind that you are looking inside a deep .308 case, not a pistol case! Tumbling cases with a wet tumbler and stainless steel media, is what makes that possible.
The second video is of the .223 “Tube” bullet feeder. I made that video a month or so ago, testing it on my Rock Chucker. The case was already expanded on the “M” style expander in station 2 of the progressive. Notice the bullet is only dropped into a step that holds it fast until it rotates under the seater.......IOW's the bullet in the case you see upside down in the video is not seated yet. It stays...zero bullet stack! Impressed.
Click "Vimeo" in lower right hand corners to see the videos bigger.....once there click the full screen symbol. (escape Key to return)
Below: Picture of the populated press with bullet feeder, minus the tube full of bullets. Closest die is the RCBS .308 Gold Medal Seater die with its drop-in window that won't be used. To the right of it is the Tube Rifle Bullet Feeder......the tube of bullets drops into the clear plastic piece. Beyond that is the powder check station, then the powder measure. Yes! My bench is a mess.....got to clear it before I load anything....that's next.
One thing I really really like about this press is the placement of the stations. The most important stations are at the front where you can see them. On the old Pro 2000, you drop powder, then it rotates to the back.....so powder check isn't visible unless you have a video camera back there......that's why I made one for the old press. This time the criticals are at the front. Don't have to have a camera, but it still might be fun to have.
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