RCBS C Press replacement rams

[Char-Gar]

Back in the day, RCBS made replacement rams for the old Pacific and other presses that had the old solid ram for one caliber. The new replacement RCBS took the interchangable shell holder heads we know now. They were held in place with a 10-32 set screw.

In the past couple of months I have picked up two of these RCBS replacement rams on the used market and both had set screws that were messed up. I ran a 10-32 tap into the hole to chase the threads and installed a new set screw and all is good.

I am wondering if the screws and holes were "user boogered" or whether they came from RCBS with some kind of defect. Two out of two seems a bit much.

[Longwood]

I am wondering if the screws and holes were "user boogered" or whether they came from RCBS with some kind of defect. Two out of two seems a bit much.

The smaller the set screw, the easier it is to crack it which usually results in the Boogering.
It is much more common now that there are so much metric stuff out there.
It is an art to use a chinese made set screw without cracking it.

[Char-Gar]

I am thinking that previous users over tighten the set screw.

[Longwood]

I am thinking that previous users over tighten the set screw.

Yup!
Either it boogers them or cracks them, then boogers them.
On better set screw wrenches. the ends are not flat which will contribute to how simple it is to crack smaller screws. I grind the ends flat/square like the cheap ones (that come with a screw boogering guarantee) are made and that helps them to NOT break screws.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

There are a lot of "BOOGERMEN" in the reloading world and they are running around unsupervized.

[1hole]

"Damaged set screws ---------- There are a lot of "BOOGERMEN" in the reloading world and they are running around unsupervized."

Yep. We can spot those people by the fact they use pliers and wrenches to lock dies into their press.

Pacific designed both the dies (7/8" x 14 threads) and presses we use today but they started with rams machined with shell holders built in. When other makers starting copying they all went to the then 'new' universal and interchangable shell hloders so, yes, a lot of the old rams will interchange and replace the Pacific originals.

Rather than fool with set screws on my one remaining press from that period I lathe cut a ring for the current "C" spring shell holder retainer and installled that instead of using the set screw.