Rockchucker Failure

[Reload3006]

If I hadn't done it I would not know what I am about to tell you. I bought a Walnut hill swaging press and you would not believe the power that press has. Even if I could get one of the old monster RockChuckers I dont think it would. I Have Dr. Blackmons conversion for my 1" ram RockChucker. not sure but think i got it in the late seventies. still it is cast iron it has done a great job with Blackmon Dies but it doesn't have near the power that that walnut hill does. and I am sure the same is true with the Corbin S and Mega Mite presses. I would imagine Upnorths press is a monster too. I started making gas checks with half hard .o15 brass shim stock and the rockchucker was doing the job but it was work. Put the same set up on that walnut hill and it was like night and day the difference. No effort at all on the Walnut hill. When I read all the things Richard Corbin had to say about linkages being weak on reloading presses I figured Yea hes just wanting to sell presses. But the more of this stuff I do the more I know he is just stating the facts. All that being said if you want to swage bullets a reloading press will do the job but with that comes breaking things etc. To me it was worth the money for the walnut hill. But you wouldnt have to go that route if you just wanted a swaging press you could get a seagirt for about a hundred or so less. Still Ch4d has that monster press out and hes asking 1300 for it so that even quells Corbin MFGs prices who I think is exorbitant.

[TNsailorman]

I just got back from the CH4D sight and the Champion price is $300.00, not $1300.00. It states that it will handle any swaging job and that the linkage was designed to be the strongest of all the swaging presses--salesmanship or fact--I don't know from first hand experience but those links sure look like steel to me. I have never even seen a Corbin press but the write-ups I have read seem to be impressed with his knowledge and his presses. I am too old to start putting serious money into swaging presses at this late date but if I was 40 years younger--well--but that is water onver the dam. Take care, James

[Airborne Falcon]

If I hadn't done it I would not know what I am about to tell you. I bought a Walnut hill swaging press and you would not believe the power that press has. ... Put the same set up on that walnut hill and it was like night and day the difference. No effort at all on the Walnut hill. ... To me it was worth the money for the walnut hill. But you wouldnt have to go that route if you just wanted a swaging press you could get a seagirt for about a hundred or so less. Still Ch4d has that monster press out and hes asking 1300 for it so that even quells Corbin MFGs prices who I think is exorbitant.

Yeah, but you realize you are comparing apples to oranges, correct? I agree though, the Walnut Hill is a sturdy press - and worth the money. I got mine for $395.00 if I remember correctly, but I believe they are going for around $450.00 these days.

If you were looking for just a swaging press then the Sea Gert would be the way to go - but you cannot reload with it of course.

[Reload3006]

I just got back from the CH4D sight and the Champion price is $300.00, not $1300.00. It states that it will handle any swaging job and that the linkage was designed to be the strongest of all the swaging presses--salesmanship or fact--I don't know from first hand experience but those links sure look like steel to me. I have never even seen a Corbin press but the write-ups I have read seem to be impressed with his knowledge and his presses. I am too old to start putting serious money into swaging presses at this late date but if I was 40 years younger--well--but that is water onver the dam. Take care, James

I was not talking about the champion
http://www.ch4d.com/?com=catalog&vie...ct&alias=RC000
1,326 to be exact.

[Reload3006]

Yeah, but you realize you are comparing apples to oranges, correct? I agree though, the Walnut Hill is a sturdy press - and worth the money. I got mine for $395.00 if I remember correctly, but I believe they are going for around $450.00 these days.

If you were looking for just a swaging press then the Sea Gert would be the way to go - but you cannot reload with it of course.

Yes I do agree its apples to oranges. You can make a fruit salad with both. OR you can swage with both successfully but the press that was made for the job is going to do a lot better job with a lot less work. And with a lot less breakage.

[Sasquatch-1]

Well for those who were following this thread, I received the link for my press Saturday and put it back together Sunday. I swaged few bullets to see how it is working. It seems to be fine but now I am a little gun shy, pardon the pun.

[Pressman]

Regards BT Snipers post about linkages construction. For a very short time in the 1980s there was a Rockchucker made with machined steel links. Public feedback was so negative that after just a matter of months they switched back to cast linkages.
The perception was the cast links were stronger than machined steel. Steel was chaeper to make than casting the links, but public preasure does not understand that.
Ken

[BT Sniper]

I have read about the older presses actually breaking the frame due to the strength of the compound leverage. Perhaps the links are intentionally made weaker to prevent breaking the frame on the newer presses.

My thought and first hand experience EXACTLY!

[nody]

FYI, both the US Capitol Dome and the Eiffel Tower are made of cast iron, puddle iron actually for the ET.

[Steelbanger]

Is swaging with a RC abuse? Lots of people do it. Do the instructions say not to?

RCBS stands for Rock Chuck Bullet Swage so who could fault using it to swage?

[Sasquatch-1]

OK this is a direct copy from a manuel on RCBS's website for the Rock Chucker Supreme:

INTRODUCTION
The Rock Chucker Supreme Press has been designed specifically for heavy-duty reloading, case forming, and bullet swaging. It is engineered to handle the largest and longest magnums down to .17 caliber. The compound leverage system of the Rock Chucker Supreme Press can fulllength resize cases with less effort than other presses neck size. Using RCBS Case Forming Dies this press will form .30-06 cases into many other calibers.

So I quess I sould not have broken it.

[M-Tecs]

FYI, both the US Capitol Dome and the Eiffel Tower are made of cast iron, puddle iron actually for the ET.

Puddle iron is a type of wrought iron. It has much different properties than cast iron. Cast iron is significantly more brittle than wrought iron. Wrought iron has been mostly replaced with mild steel.

[quasi]

I broke the frame of a Rockchucker in the early 80's.

[Char-Gar]

RCBS stands for Rock Chuck Bullet Swage so who could fault using it to swage?

RCBS built it name and reputation around the old A series of presses which were cast steel. The RC is a different critter.

[o6Patient]

Any casting can have a defect inside. As long as they made good I don't see a problem.

If I were designing some thing like the RC one would typically design it to be at least
200% strong enough to do the job expected of it:and I'm sure they are.
A defect in the casting could bring that down to maybe 100%. All metal can
experience fatigue so poof: cracked casting.
Also when designing it one would look to design in a weak link so if it
were to be pushed beyond its limit a simple part would fail in lieu of a more
expensive one so hence: a cracked link arm.

( it's as clear as mud to me)

[EDG]

I forced .467 diameter 7.62 Nato brass into steel RCBS and Herters .44 Mag sizer dies with an ID of .450 using my Rockchucker. The tremendous forces required to swage the case heads down split both sizer dies. My press is an old 1971 model Rockchucker with the large cast or sintered dumbell/dog bone links.

BTW if you look at the end of the A2 ram and at the A2 toggle block you will see there are 2 blades on one and 3 on the other. The result is the link pin that drives the ram has to shear in 4 places rather than 2 like the Rock Chucker.

[7of7]

Yes I do agree its apples to oranges. You can make a fruit salad with both. OR you can swage with both successfully but the press that was made for the job is going to do a lot better job with a lot less work. And with a lot less breakage.

I have two of the Corbin CSP1 presses. I broke one die once, and have bent a few punches.. They are incredibly strong. I too found it much easier to cut the gas checks on the swage press... I made a form for the disks so they go through the bottom and use that on the RC press. makes it really easy to do the work.