RCBS Pro-2000 -- First Impressions

[Jeff82]

I've had four or five sessions with my new RCBS pro-2000, have loaded about 1,000 rounds through it, and wanted to give my impressions of it. I bought it to speed up reloading for 350 round batches of 0.357 and 38-special ammunition, which is what I go through on a trip to the shooting range.

Reload Quality: One pleasant surprise is that the quality of the reloads compared to the single stage reloading that I was doing seems better and more consistent. The uniflow powder measure is equal in accuracy to my Reading measure, and the shell plates do an excellent job of holding the dies in place from session to session. I really like the lock-out die. In fact, I wouldn't use the press without it. I had cut-up some wooden dowels to stick in the cartridge cases to check the load. Now the press does it for me.

Speed: Well, I'm sure not chucking out 600 rounds per hour. After initial set-up, maybe I doing 250 or so. Also, the set-up time is pretty quick. The most time consuming part is dialing in the powder charge, and testing the lock-out die. As I get used to it the ease and speed of using the press are definitely improving.

Disappointments: Just one. The priming system totaling sucks; and when it goes wrong, or when I just forget where I'm at with it, then everything gets hosed up real fast. My solution has been to abandon it. I do my de-priming and priming with my single stage Lee Challenger press, which takes about 45 minutes, and then do the rest with the RCBS. This is not how I wanted to do it, but things still flow pretty smoothly and faster than my old method.

Conclusion: I like using it and it does make life easier. I'm not sure if Dillon or Hornady presses might not have been a better choices, but RCBS customer service is fantastic, and it works great with RCBS Cowboy dies.

[VHoward]

What do those aps strips hold? 10 or 20? And you have to remember to load a new strip every 10 or 20? That is what steered me away from the RCBS Pro 2000. I have been happy with my Dillon XL650 and loading tubes of 100 primers and having an audible alarm when my primers are getting low.. Dillon customer service is just as good as RCBS'.

You did however get a good press. Now if someone could figure out a way to load 5 strips of 20 primers in a chute and have them auto feed as they are needed, you would be rockin'.

[r1kk1]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/765442/rcbs-pro2000-progressive-press-tube-priming-conversion-kit

For some reason people think the 2000 only does strips, their is a primer tube conversion also.

Take care

r1kk1

[VHoward]

Well that's cool.

[ultramag]

The APS strips hold 25 primers and can be hooked together. I can load 100 primers in strips as fast, if not faster, than I can load them in a tube.

For the OP, if you were a little more specific about the priming issues you've had perhaps we can get it working for you. It's a shame not to get full use out of the press after you plunked down your entry fee. It's most definitely a capable system of priming.

[Firebricker]

Jeff, Good review I was interested because a friend has one we are going to set up soon. The only suggestion I have for you is do not give up on the priming system yet. Like Ultramag said get specific about the problem and get some ideas here and get it working I think you will like the press even better. FB

[Jeff82]

Thanks for the replies. I have multiple issues with the priming system. One issue is that is tends to jam. This is usually due to either a primer getting stuck, or the plastic strips getting mangled; very hard to clear the jams. The second problem is that the primers are sometimes seated either upside down or sideways. When this happens I have to disassemble the finished cartridge and start over. I'll usually have about a dozen of these to disassemble per 250 rounds. One thing about the press, and I imagine this is true of all progressives is that I can't monitor the primer seating while it's happening. So, don't know when there's a problem until there is either a jam, or a finished round to inspect. The frustrating thing is that everything seems to feed well and function smoothly, until is doesn't. So, I don't think it's a timing issue. Perhaps, it has something to due with the alignment of the casing to the primer, but I can't really tell. Switching to a different priming system as r1kk1 has identified might be an option.

There is much to like about this press, but the priming system just is not working out for me. I might try to take out the dies and seat primers as an isolated step to see if I still have the same problems.

[Jeff82]

Firebricker,

The press sets up pretty easily. One thing I would suggest is to not use the supplied spacer to align the powder measure measuring devise. When I used these spacers the powder measure would gradually back out of the threadings more matter how much torque I used. This would then really throw off the amount of powder thrown; big mess if not identified quickly. When I removed the alignment spacers the problem completely disappeared.

[DaveInFloweryBranchGA]

Jeff,

"I have multiple issues with the priming system. One issue is that is tends to jam. This is usually due to either a primer getting stuck, or the plastic strips getting mangled; very hard to clear the jams. The second problem is that the primers are sometimes seated either upside down or sideways."

If your primers are upside down or sideways, you have a timing issue with your press. What is happening is your shell plate is not in correct alignment with the hole the primer passes through at the time the primer is coming up through the hole to the bottom of the case.

This seems counterintuitive, but the primer strip is hardest to diagnose when it is close to alignment. It will not "jam" on every primer, but only "every so often" and there your problem will be. One of the causes can be the timing setup on your advancement cams (the stamp steel ramps the roller rides on to advance the shell plate. Another cause can be the spring that supports the detent ball is out of spec providing improper tension and either slowing down the shell plate advancement or allowing it to go too fast.

My suggestion is to give RCBS a call on Monday and get them to send you the timing tools for the press and some spare parts for the primer mechanism as well as a new detent ball spring and some primer strips to replaced the damaged ones. Following the provided instructions, go through your cam/timing adjustments very methodically. Be very careful to make sure everything is just right. Replace the detent ball spring. Go through the primer mechanism and make sure it is clean with no damaged parts and is adjusted properly.

Final suggestions:

There is a modification for adding a "stop" for the primer mechanism and a couple other mechanical improvements for this press over on arfcom and The High Road. Take a look at this and implement them if you can. They allow you to shut off the primer mechanism, a very convenient thing if you need to stop and straighten out an issue elsewhere in the press.

Hope this helps,