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knotbrush
Joined: 29 Jan 2010
Posts: 46
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 Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 12:33 am Post subject: Ram slop update |
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In a previous thread I was a bit concerned about the .023" slop in the ram. I did contact Lee about it and Pat very kindly addressed my concerns and offered to replace the press but he didn't really think it was a problem. I have the good impression that Lee likes to make their customers happy. I'll keep it lubed and see if it changes.
Meanwhile, I bought 1,000 used 9mm cases and the amount of pressure needed to resize these is downright frightening even using "One-Shot" lube. I fear I'm going to break something and have no feel for the priming operation. |
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prs
Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 138
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:29 am Post subject: |
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They are brass cases, right? Same die that has re-sized previous 9mm brass, right? The dark colored ones from Russia are not really meant to be reloaded -- I think they are steel. I've never encountered or heard of 9mm cases with crimped primers, but that doesn't mean they are not out there. No real experience with 9mm here.
prs |
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knotbrush
Joined: 29 Jan 2010
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 5:35 pm Post subject: |
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| Nope, no steel in this batch. But I have reloaded steel without issue. Crimped primers aren't a problem, I save them up and do them all at once and ream the pocket burr. These brass cases were probably used in some firearm with a big chamber. I'll have to measure things...ashamed I haven't. |
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prs
Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 138
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| Posted: Tue Feb 09, 2010 10:39 pm Post subject: |
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You would think many of them would have split if shot in a chamber that fat.
prs |
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Jumping Frog
Joined: 12 Feb 2008
Posts: 483
Location: Central Ohio
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 12:21 am Post subject: Re: Ram slop update |
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| knotbrush wrote: | | Meanwhile, I bought 1,000 used 9mm cases and the amount of pressure needed to resize these is downright frightening |
You could always put in a turret with only the sizing/decapping die. Load up the case feeder, and zip through sizing all of them first. Since you don't need to be as careful about the stroke because you are not priming, belling, filling powder, or seating bullets, you could probably zip through all 1,000 of them in about 20 minutes.
Re-install the turret with all your dies. Then you can return to loading the previously sized 9mm cases with normal pressures and a return to primer feel. |
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prs
Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 138
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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See! That frog has a head on his shoulders.
prs |
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knotbrush
Joined: 29 Jan 2010
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:38 pm Post subject: Re: Ram slop update |
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| Jumping Frog wrote: | | knotbrush wrote: | | Meanwhile, I bought 1,000 used 9mm cases and the amount of pressure needed to resize these is downright frightening |
You could always put in a turret with only the sizing/decapping die. Load up the case feeder, and zip through sizing all of them first. Since you don't need to be as careful about the stroke because you are not priming, belling, filling powder, or seating bullets, you could probably zip through all 1,000 of them in about 20 minutes.
Re-install the turret with all your dies. Then you can return to loading the previously sized 9mm cases with normal pressures and a return to primer feel. |
I believe you are on the spot! My other thought was to set-up the sizing die on a 20 ton punch press at work and have somebody ELSE size them for me. They appear to be .003" over sized cases at the mouth. |
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slwroln
Joined: 17 Oct 2009
Posts: 50
Location: Central, OH
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| Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 1:27 pm Post subject: |
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| I measured mine today and it's .023" slop too. It really is inconvenient using the case feeder with 9mm. They are not lining up in the sizing die in station 1. I had it setup with a universal priming die in station 1 and occasionally it would miss the flash hole in the case and make it bigger. I thought about trying to make a way to line it up better. Not sure, maybe I will call Lee. I only have about 5000 rounds through it so far. Other then that it runs great. The reason I choose to size and deprime in station 1 is with 9mm(Which is all I reload) I get more consistent priming depth and if I happen to get a 380 case in, I can feel it when I size it and it's hasn't gone to station 2 for priming. I have kept it lubed and I even have took it apart and cleaned everything up and re-lubed it up. Any thoughts? |
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knotbrush
Joined: 29 Jan 2010
Posts: 46
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| Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 6:57 pm Post subject: |
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| slwroln wrote: | | I measured mine today and it's .023" slop too. It really is inconvenient using the case feeder with 9mm. They are not lining up in the sizing die in station 1. I had it setup with a universal priming die in station 1 and occasionally it would miss the flash hole in the case and make it bigger. I thought about trying to make a way to line it up better. Not sure, maybe I will call Lee. I only have about 5000 rounds through it so far. Other then that it runs great. The reason I choose to size and deprime in station 1 is with 9mm(Which is all I reload) I get more consistent priming depth and if I happen to get a 380 case in, I can feel it when I size it and it's hasn't gone to station 2 for priming. I have kept it lubed and I even have took it apart and cleaned everything up and re-lubed it up. Any thoughts? |
I started to use a silicone grease on the ram, that tightened it up considerably but it cycles a bit stiffer. I'm going to replace the oil fitting with a Zerk. One trick I've used in similar situations is to drill and tap the frame into the bore and screw in three brass screws with lock nuts at 120 deg. Or, you could contact Lee, Pat offered to take care of mine. I thought of boring it out and bushing it with a Nyliner or a bronze bushing, probably cheaper than shipping. |
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prs
Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 138
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| Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2010 8:30 pm Post subject: |
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| slwroln wrote: | | I measured mine today and it's .023" slop too. It really is inconvenient using the case feeder with 9mm. They are not lining up in the sizing die in station 1....................... Any thoughts? |
I've been wrong before, but I think you may be barking up the wrong tree. When I've seen cases get misaligned with the station 1 die, it has often been the anti-reverse pawl that has gotten bent (effectively shortened). That "pawl" is the long arm that is part and parcel of the ejector. The arm can be "lengthened" by straigntening it in the plane parallel to the shell plate. Only the very tip end needs to course downward, and that only very slightly. Since the holes in the shell plate into which it catches are round, you can also effectively shorten it by either bending it slightly toward the middle of the shell plate where it will catch a litte quicker -- or just the opposite, away from center which will also make it catch quicker. If the ejector is moving too much on the center pivot of the carrier as shown in Sled Dogs mod video, then his mod could help.
This may also be an instance where having the index rod set a bit more loose would help, Turn the plastic flipper one or more revolution in (shorten the rod)to make sure the press is not stopping on the index rod, but rather on its designed frame stops.
I also get better index if the turret is not rock solid in the frame, that is I run with the turret lock bolt just a tiny bit loose, using a wave washer to hold the setting. THus my turret has just the tiniest bit of rotational free play.
Then my last thoughts would be to make sure the press is not coming to a stop on the dies or the primer mechanism. For the primer lever, make sure that when the empty press is at fully closed (as in seating a primer) position that there is still some free play in the primer lever. For the dies, I know Lee says to turn the full length sizer down to make shell plate contact and then down another quarter of a turn, but DON"T DO DAT! Bring it down to just barely "kiss" the shell plate. The max down setting for any die shouldnever exceed just kissing the shell plate -- of you go down more the prime depth will be inconsistent and index will also be incomplete as the press stops on the dies and not the frame stops.
prs
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