I broke the handle on my RCBS jr2. I know this was a very common problem on them when they were new and RCBS had you ship the toggle block back so they could bore & tap it to 9/16 to fit the jr 3 handle. Today when I called the customer service person told me they no longer furnish the parts at no charge. A new toggle & handle is $50 dollars plus shipping. Does this sound correct for RCBS? Especially on a known product issue.
Hello Fox,
I had to go look at my RS2, it has a 5/8" shaft, turned to 9/16" for 1-3/8" with 3/4" of 9/16-18 threads. It would be impossible to tap the toggle block as it's a clearance hole for the 9/16-18 handle. Unless yours is different, any machine shop should be able to replicate. You might try a High School Industrial Arts Instructor, it would make a good turning and single point threading project. Also, mine is about 30 years old and I've never heard of this issue.
AntiqueSledMan.
Make a new 1/2" handle and keep it tight, loose handles break.
OR, keep an eye out at gunshows for a dirty JR3 or RS and buy it for parts.
Thanks Pressman. I figured that's what it would take and a less than tight fit in the counterbore is what broke it. What material do you use when you make a new press handle? This is a clean old original paint jr and I want it to look like it should.
AntiqueSledMan can you tell me what the overall length of the handle is on your RS2. Thanks.
I might go $50 to repair a JR2. I don't think that's out of line for RCBS. They supported those old presses for decades, I can't blame them for charging a bit at this point.
IF you wanted to keep the original toggle, It wouldn't be too difficult to just make another handle.
I'd keep calling them until you find someone who gives you the answer you want to hear.
Don't have a JR2, but the JR3 handle I have looks simple enough. 5/8" cold rolled shaft about 13.25" long, 1.265" section turned down to 9/16 with about 7/8" of it threaded 9/16-18. Is the JR2 the same only with 1/2"-? threads or do you have the measurements of the handle including the threaded section?
I use air hardning drill rod for handles.
If we can figure out the logistics I have an extra Jr 2 you can have. I was down there last week, twice. Not sure when the next trip would be. I could drop it in Iowa Falls if that works.
Just another reason to buy Dillon. My 550B was purchased in the Mid 80's and they sent me replacement bits a few months ago, at no charge...
Almost no high school shop class left. They've been killing those programs off for decades. The school I did my student teaching at in the 70's and the school I taught at in the late 70's, early 80's the shop programs are all gone. I'm not sure you can even get an industrial arts teaching degree anymore.Originally Posted by AntiqueSledMan
Thanks for all the offers and help guys it's much appreciated. I'll just have one of the old guys turn me one out. The one that is on there was broken once before so I'm not sure of the total length. 13.25 is probably pretty close. I'll use the 1/2" toggle and the dimentions from moleman and AntiqueSledMan. If anyone has a 1/2" JR 2 handle out dimentions would be much appreciated.
Pressman if you ever get near Iowa City or Cedar Rapids give me a shout and I'll buy you coffee. Would love to meet and chat.
I don't know why I'm such a sucker for old reloading gear that needs to be saved. Kind of like people and homeless cats I guess.
Jon D
Iowa Fox, I'll take you up on that. I have money in a bank in Montezuma and I stop and visit it from time to time.
Sounds good! Well that is if it isn't snowing which I hope we don't see until next year.
WOW! They sure went up on that price. Three years ago, I wanted to get my RS(1978) toggle drilled and tapped for a new RS handle. They said to send the toggle and $10.00. The price included machining, the new handle AND shipping.
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I would have been on that offer like a dog on a bone.
You may be able to drill and tap your handle and use a grade eight bolt in the toggle. If you don't have sufficient material in the handle, you could make another handle, OR thread the handle and make a coupler to use the bolt.
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A fix like that actually crossed my mind for an instant. This is such a clean original paint, no rust 1967 that I'm going to make a handle to keep it as original as possible.
Ken thanks for that comment about the loose handle as it really stuck in my mind. Here's the update to the handle. When the youngest son was home for Thanksgiving I asked him if he would knock out a handle for me. No problem so I sent the cast iron block home with him for a reference along with a sketch I drew up from the dimensions the good guys here furnished and I told him it has to shoulder up tight. He got home about noon yesterday with a new handle made from high strength 4150. He told me that when he checked it for shouldering up tight the block was out of square with the threads by over .020 in relation to the shoulder on the handle so he chucked the block in a mill, used a tap in the threads for reference and skim cut it square. Now the shoulder on the handle snaps tight when you turn it into the block. That's probably why a lot of them broke for RCBS. It was their cast iron blocks causing the problem.
Now I've got another question for you. Did RCBS use one or two wave washers between the block and the press frame ? In the parts diagram it just shows the washer with no quantity listed. I don't know why I'm such a sucker for getting the old reloading stuff right, the way it left the factory.
It uses a single washer.
I put a bronze washer on the opposite side on my Jr3, just because I wanted the toggle centered in the frame.
Yes, single washer. The bronze washer is a good idea if there's room. It not only keeps the block centered it adds a solid feel.
Ken
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