JR3 User Input?

[PBSmith]

Are these a good choice for a low-volume reloader?

Any breakage or other issues?

I won't be loading anything over 35 Rem on it. Would the JR3 handle FL sizing of that caliber?

Thanks.

[Zingger]

That is the press I grew up on. Granted I am much younger than some of the more veteran reloaders, but I feel with confidence that it will handle that just fine. I was able to buy one last winter, the gentleman had loaded up to 338 WM on it with no issues. If I hadn't found an RS in like-new condition made the same year I was, I would probably still have it on the bench right now instead of in storage. Buy one with confidence.
Bill

[Pressman]

The JR series are excellent press, thousands sold. The 3 and RS are the best.

[country gent]

The Jr3 is a good solid press and will do a lot more than most think. As far as volume it depends on what you use for a loading "block". when sizing belling and such a couple coffee cans or 5gal buckets to run brass to and from works great. when sized and ready prime and put into loading blocks charge and seat bullets. Loke most equipment keep it clean and lubed goes a long ways

[rancher1913]

will work just fine but if you are buying a press you might think down the road and be better with the bigger press, never know what you might want to do in the future, never thought I would need a big max but now that I have one it comes in handy for certain things.

[Moleman-]

I like my JR3 which was made in 1974. Nice solid press. The longest round I routinely reload for is 30-06 which it works fine for. If I were to reload a lot of belted magnum cartridges I'd likely go with a bigger press solely for the press "O" height. In the last month mine has loaded 9mm, 375-6.8FUW, 243Win, 30 Carbine, 308 ,303 British and 450BM.

[winelover]

I do 90% of my reloading on a JR3. The other 10% on a Hollywood Senior Turret.

Winelover

[Petrol & Powder]

Outstanding press !

Take it apart, clean everything - The bore in the frame, the ram, the pivot points and pin. When it's all clean and ready to go back together - grease the pin with some type of wheel bearing grease and oil the ram and pivot points with straight 30 weight oil. Clean the threads where the die mounts, (an old tooth brush works well) grease the threads with a bit of wheel bearing grease. Reassemble and bolt that sucker down to a solid bench. Make sure the handle is screwed in tight to the toggle. After that cleaning and lubricating; it will out live you.

To remove the ram from the frame you need to remove the wire spring shell holder clip from the top of the ram. It's easier than it appears, you just need a sharp point to pry the short "tail" of the spring out of the ram. Once you get it out you'll see how it works. The main pin is secured with two "E" clips (You only need to remove one) and there's a wave washer in between the frame and the ram. The JR3 is one of the simplest presses ever made.

The JR3 is a GREAT press ! Although they lack the extreme mechanical advantage of some of the other designs, they will handle just about any basic reloading job. There's nothing wrong with the JR3.

Enjoy that classic press !

[Wayne Smith]

It is the one I started with and formed brass on it, expanded 30-06 to 8mm-06 without a problem. Yes, it will handle any normal reloading operation. I never tried swaging boolits on it, and wouldn't. But I would not call that a normal reloading operation, either.

[Three44s]

My first press was a RCBS Jr. and it took care of loading up through standard magnum full length sizing. I loaded with it for over 35 years and I still have it and use it from time to time. I do not have direct experience with the JR3 but as a single stage RCBS I can’t think that there is a lot of leverage difference or longevity issues.

I have graduated to a Redding Boss (compound leverage) and I like that. As has already been pointed out though, consider a compound press now if you anticipate making reloading a fairly significant part of your hobby list.

A single stage press will do all you desire right now but a compound will work you less particularily if you graduate to heavier brass working.

Three44s

[David2011]

The JR3 is a solid reliable press. At one time I had two of them; still have one and can’t come up with a good reason to get rid of it even though I have a Rock Chucker and a Summit on the bench.

[Slugster]

I started out with a Jr3, still have it and use it. Great press for just about any reloading chore until you get into really heavy re-sizing. Replaced it with a RockChucker (has more compound leverage). Both of my presses still have the green "bicycle handgrips" so that will tell you how old they are.
As another poster said, you should break down the press, detail clean, and oil and grease as needed. These presses will last a lifetime if properly cared for.

[Alferd Packer]

I have three jr's.
Love em.

[Wayne Smith]

I will say that my handle tended to flop down. I called RCBS for a fix and all they told me is that all of theirs did the same thing!

[winelover]

Installed a coil spring, on mine, to keep the handle in the up position.

Winelover

[frkelly74]

Regarding the flop down issue. The handle action can be reversed on the JR presses. I had mine apply force when raising the handle. So when the handle was down the ram was down also. It saved having to raise the handle up and hold it up while inserting a cartridge into the shell holder. I liked to use it that way, My Rock Chucker has no provision for doing this, but the handle does stay in the up while the ram is down .

[1hole]

Any of the old Pacific style "C" cast iron presses such as your's were and remain entirely strong enough to do normal reloading tasks for any sporting cartridges. For some 20 years that was the dominate design. What you lose is the reduced leverage a compound press provides - and that shouldn't be a deal breaker for a low volume loader.

Later, if you do get a burning desire for a bigger press with compound linkage, the JR needn't be a waste. You'll likely have enough occasional special tasks to justify keeping it on your bench.

What IS a major disadvantage for users of the old style simple lever presses is that they transfer a lot more pressure to the bench top than compound presses. That means you must have a very strong - rigid - surface to support it.

I liked to make my bench tops with 3/4" ply and 2x4" legs. Keep one leg directly under the press and bolt and glue a 4x4" (laminated 2x4" really) between the tops of the front and back legs legs for flex-free support for the press.

In the 60s, Fred Huntington (RCBS) started what would become today's Rock Chucker line. Other makers soon copied the RC's compound linkage, it's MUCH simpler to make a bench for!

I have an old RC 2 but I've not found any measurable difference in the function or durability between any brands of "O" (and "C") presses. (But I really like the user features of Lee's Classic Cast press!)

[1hole]

I won't be loading anything over 35 Rem on it.

Mr. Smith, my 336/.35 finally took over my woods hunting from my .30-06, 7 Rem mag and .243.

Recommend Remington's 200 gr RNCL bullet; it's made for that modest velocity cartridge. It shoots well and expands great on whitetail deer. With full charges of IMR 4064, it gives me consistent 1.5 moa groups and I've never seen a fairly hit deer fail to lie down quickly.

[KevH]

I have a JR2 made in 1973 I picked up almost new in the box for next to nothing. It's a great little press for what it is. I recently picked up a Rock Chucker 2. The difference with compound leverage is night and day. I'm not getting rid of the JR2 as I'm sure I'll have a use for it in the future, but I would hunt around for a Rock Chucker. Mine is pristine and found it for less than $100.

[Alferd Packer]

Great press.
I started with a new one in the 60's and resized hundreds of thousands of 30 06's surplus , many probably fired in machine guns.Makes them very hard to resize. Also swaged the military crimps from them and from 45 acps as well as resizing and recapping them. Occasionally I cleaned the ram and put some auto wheel bearing grease applied. Over years I have picked
up two more and now have all three mounted in a row.
Decap, flare, and bullet seating just because I can.
The decap has the handle mounted to pull down. The flare has a primer seating tube mounted and has the handle reversed to pull up to flare the case neck and seat a primer on the down stroke. The bullet seater also has the handle reversed for seating . I also have added a lyman spar t I found used to use for crimping when needed.
Best if your loading bench has a thick top on it and mount your press over a corner leg like you would mount a vise on a tool bench. It can also help to bolt your loading bench back to a wall. Resizing cases puts quite a strain on the bench and will make resizing easier on your body and arm as well.
Good luck!