RCBS Summit Press

[Four Fingers of Death]

I saw one of these for sale on an Aussie FaceBook reloading group and couldn't resist.

Weighs about 20lbs!

I'm pretty impressed, it is virtually new.

Has anyone used one of these?

[Sam Casey]

I bought one of the "red, white & blue" 2013 models NIB very reasonably on EB a few months ago. Took a while to get used to die coming down to base, but love the open access to shell case, it's strength & small "footprint" with no overhang.

[Gofaaast]

I bought one this summer and love it. I had always used a RCBS RC or RC 4 before. It is super nice to have all that space for big hands with the Summit. My only complaint so far is that I have to keep tightening the linkage so the press stays bound up and does not have to be raised to the top of the stroke every time I take my hand off the handle.

[StratsMan]

My only complaint so far is that I have to keep tightening the linkage so the press stays bound up and does not have to be raised to the top of the stroke every time I take my hand off the handle.

You can do that?? I've just accepted that my press will always go down when I let go, unless I put it all the way at the top. (With the long handle, the handle weight will counterbalance and hold the press at the top position...)

[Gofaaast]

Yes you can. Tighten the bolt (ram pin) that goes through the die plate. The original instructions said to tighten the pin that went through the toggle, my instructions came with a insert saying to disregard this. (People were breaking the cast ears off the toggle using the original instructions.) This is utilized using the short handle so you have less counterweight. It takes some getting used to though because you loose the feel with this added resistance, but it speeds things up if you are using a process that needs two hands and you can't keep your press held at half stroke.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Guys: Why don't you install a Bellville Washer or a Wave Washer in the pivot points? Either one will provide enough friction to keep the handle wherever you leave it without creating too much friction and prevent over tightening the pivots.

Simple fix available at any hardware store that has the stock pile of plastic boxes with everything known to man inside.

Randy

[Gofaaast]

It has a wave washer. After loading 300 pistol rounds they wear down some, and it has to be tightened to keep the die plate in place. I am going to test some new washers though.

[hornetman]

I bought one of In Line Fabrication's roller handles for mine. I already had the factory short handle and never really worried about whether the handle stayed up or down. However, the roller handle is a significant improvement.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Gofast: Try a Bellville Washer. They are cone shaped and are typically much stouter than wave washers.

Randy

[minmax]

Hornetman, do you have the ergo handle, or just the regular handle?

[dromia]

Should be a good press, it is a Wamadet copy and the Wamadets are fine presses, I have two.

[hornetman]

minmax. I have the straight handle on the Summit and Co-Ax. He doesn't make an ergo handle for either of those two, probably because of where the handle fastens on the upper part of the press. I have ergo handles on a Rockchucker and the Dillons. Everything I've purchased from them has been well thought out and well made.

[minmax]

I shot them an email awhile back. Got a response that they could make what ever I wanted, at a custom price

My Summit press the handle would not stay half way. Both bolts for the linkage were to long. They bottomed out on the threads before tighting up the linkage. After a 20 min. call to RCBS. new bolts and wave washers were on there way. RSBS customer service is awesome.

[Four Fingers of Death]

Well, after a few health issues and life getting in the way, I only just got the press mounted and havee been loading up a storm the last week and a half. Mine doesn't stop half way but sinks gracefully to the bottom. I sort of leave it in the lower position mostly and lift it high enough to place a case on the shellholder rather than raising it fully all the time.

I have been loading pistol and rifle ammo on it and it has worked well. I can't use the Lee AutoDisk or whatever it is called, but that's not a problem, when I have the loads sorted out, I will load them on the progressives.

Thanks for the help, much appreciated.

[Ozark Howler]

My original RCBS Summit press review when introduced a few years back

Being a fan of single stage presses (and I own and have owned quite a few), I decided to pick up a RCBS Summit single stage press and would to share a few thoughts on this press. I’m actually not sure what RCBS was trying to accomplish with this newer entry. While the concept is new for currently manufactured single stage presses, it not new at all to the shooting fraternity, (take a look at MEC Shot Shell, older Pacific presses, etc.). It appears to be more of a marketing project, rather than an engineering design improvement.

One claim is that it produces more accurate ammunition, I believe this could be debated heavily by any serious reloader. It does lack priming abilities, which would be somewhat of a negative to those interested in getting started in reloading. Ease of access?, actually no different than any common C press or Turret. I sometimes wonder how close they looked at the early Hollywood presses prior to working on this design. From my short experience with this press I find to be somewhat top heavy, meaning that the handle in the full upright position seems to be too long, requiring me to reach much higher than normal for a bench top press.

On the positive side, it is a well built unit, and does sizing operations with little effort (still far short of the old A2 which is still IMO their best ever press). Being a bench top mounted press, it does make for less obstruction below the bench, this might not matter to some, but to me, I do like less obstruction.

I feel that maybe they didn’t quite hit a home run with this product and maybe should have focused on something more like a re-introduced A2, or a real H type press, both of which IMO would appeal more to the serious reloading fraternity.

One last thought, if you offer a single stage press that retails for over $280.00, it should include all the parts needed to make it a complete package, offering a shorter handle as an option for reloading shorter cases is being a little tacky, come on RCBS, you skipped the priming operation, throw in the handle?

Well...mine went back to the dealer!

[David2011]

I have one and feel that it is not a good choice as the only single stage press if you can only have one. The biggest drawback is that I can't use the RCBS collet bullet puller with it. I have mostly used mine to seat bullets while my Rock Chucker is set up for neck sizing. I haven't used it for full length sizing so have no opinion on how powerful it is. I made a shorter handle for it and rarely put the long handle on. It's permanently mounted next to the RC so I use them more as compliments to each other.

[KenT7021]

I use mine to load pistol ammo.For all around use with only one press I would use an RCBS Rock Chucker.The Summit is a nice press but it doesn't have the leverage of a Rock Chucker.

[country gent]

I purchased a summit several years ago and while I like it, it ounts up easily and is very useable with a short learning period. Priming on the press is a little trickier I'm currently using a lee ram prime when I don't prime with a hand tool. It does have a grease zerk on the main beam also. Something I would like on my other press rams to be able to easily lube them. While I like it I am partial to my old bonanza co ax for all around use and ergonomics of use. More leverage better more easy priming. easier die changes. One of my complaints on the summit is changing dies ram up or down I'm banging my fingers on the link bars. I may pick up a 6"-8" length of 7/8" Id tygon tubing to use to screw dies in and out. Push it over the die a little bit and use it as an extension above the linkage.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I started with a RockChucker in 1981 (if you don't count the Lee Loaders I started using in the late 60s) and still have it. I feel that the RC is a lot quicker generally to use (especially with the RCBS Case Kicker I have).

One thing I do like about the Summit is the way it doesn't seem to pull much on the benchtop.

I bought it in a rush of blood (like most things), but having used it I feel that the RockChucker and my Lee Classic Cast Turret are easier to use all round presses (although, I don't like the priming set up on the Lee CCT).

As far as priming goes, I use a pair of RCBS hand held priming tools. They are not as smooth as the old Lee priming tools that I have been using since the early 80s, but don't need shellholders, which is a plus. I always use two tools, one set up for small primers and one set up for large.

I can't see a big future for the Summit at my place.

[omgb]

Good to see you're still around Mick