Let's discuss the rcbs 2A press

[labradigger1]

I won one of these last night on evil bay. Some of the handle is missing but shouldn't be too hard to turn a new one with a shovel handle.
From what info I have read the 2A was made about 10 years and around 500 were made.
Also, these were cast steel (STEEL BABY, NOT **** ALUMINUM).
I have many presses on the bench now but my only single stages are a co-ax, a jr3 and a ch111. The coax is great but you are limited to not being able to do all things such as use a collet puller.
I would like to throw the jr3 across the room every time I use it when the handle falls down. Ps, I tried the weight on the lower part of the ram linkage but that stinks too.
I don't really need a press this large or strong now but may in the future and I like quality USA tools.
What else do you know about the 2A's ?
Any problems?
How do they compare to other large presses?
Thanks,
Lab

[seagiant]

Hi,
I rate it as the best single stage press ever made!

Pressman wrote that article and is the best write up ever done on it!

Gives the history also!

[Pressman]

the original handle is a steel tube that just slips over the 4 inch stud you have. Other than the ugly sort of OD green color it is a great press. In my not so humble opinion I think the early A series presses deserve the cult following that Hollywood has. They are far better presses. Just ask me, I know. (said I was not humble in my feelings for this press).

Ken

[labradigger1]

the original handle is a steel tube that just slips over the 4 inch stud you have. Other than the ugly sort of OD green color it is a great press. In my not so humble opinion I think the early A series presses deserve the cult following that Hollywood has. They are far better presses. Just ask me, I know. (said I was not humble in my feelings for this press).

Ken

You certainly are correct about the horrible OD green paint on the 2a, it is ugly! That being said, I'm STILL super excited to receive it around Saturday. I broke my tmag cast iron base just by camming the action over. I think this one will be heck for stout.
I couldn't tell in the listing pics but do these take standard shell holders?

[Nueces]

The earliest RCBS presses often took shell holder rams, not the currently available small shell holders. My own A2 has a sub ram that takes standard holders, though. Yours could be anything, as it's likely changed hands several times in the last 50 years. If you are unlucky, call Huntington's ( http://www.huntingtons.com ) to inquire about a new ram.

[beeser]

Not to steal any thunder from the early RCBS presses but there are features in the Prazi Press that set it apart from most if not all single stage presses.
http://www.grauwolf.net/turban-praez...nenpresse.html (http://www.grauwolf.net/turban-praezipress-einstationenpresse.html)

[skeettx]

Yes, I like the A-2s, I have four of them :)
Some are plain top and some have inserts
Mike

[Bent Ramrod]

RCBS invented the snap in shell holder (at the beginning it was set screwed in, I think). An RCBS press with the ram holder would be an early one indeed.

[fguffey]

Let's discuss the rcbs 2A press (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?289226-Let-s-discuss-the-rcbs-2A-press)

The RCBS A2 press is a cam over press. I have 3 Rock Chucker presses, not one of them cam over. I can modify the Rock Chucker to cam over but that would complicate using it with the Piggy Back 11 attachments.

F. Guffey

[EDG]

My Rock Chucker was made in 1971 and I bought it new. It cams over at the top of the stroke.

If you examine a RockChucker ram to toggle block pin you will see that the cross pin has to sear in 2 places to break the pin.

The same pin in the 2A/A2 presses has to shear in 4 places to break it.

[fguffey]

It cams over at the top of the stroke.

How much? If your Rock Chucker cams over it is also called a bump press. None of my Rock Chucker presses cam over. All of my Herter presses cam over, When adjusting the die I can adjust the shell holder to bump the bottom of the die or I can adjust it to cam over.

I am lucky, none of my Rock Chuckers cam over, if they did the cam over (reverse in direction) the cam over would play havoc with my auto advance, anyhow my Rock Chuckers do not cam over.

F. Guffey

[Ickisrulz]

My Rock Chucker was made in 1971 and I bought it new. It cams over at the top of the stroke.

If you examine a RockChucker ram to toggle block pin you will see that the cross pin has to sear in 2 places to break the pin.

The same pin in the 2A/A2 presses has to shear in 4 places to break it.

I have a RockChucker made in 1974. It does not cam over. The toggle casting hits the linkage and comes to a complete stop at the top of the stroke. I suppose with a die adjusted a certain way it might cam over a little. But, it is not the same as something like a Redding #25 that is a true cam over press.

[fguffey]

The toggle casting hits the linkage and comes to a complete stop at the top of the stroke.

When the linkage goes into a bind the ram is kicked back at the bottom and forward at the top. When I use a die and case everything is kept in line by the case.

F. Guffey

[Pressman]

The 1959 2A should have the correct sub-ram for standard shellholders. The A and the snap in shellholder were both brought out in 1955. Only the shellholder was never patented as no one thought it was a big deal.
The pre A presses used a caliber specific sub-ram. There is even one that takes Herter's shellholders.

Ken

[Bent Ramrod]

...The A and the snap in shellholder were both brought out in 1955. Only the shellholder was never patented as no one thought it was a big deal....

Ken

Holy cow! That should have qualified RCBS as a 501-C3 Charitable Organization!

A one cent royalty on that shell holder would have bought the Huntington family their own private island by now, methinks.

[labradigger1]

I got the 2A in the mail today. What a press! Heavy, very little wear, has the die bushing and priming tool. Paint is in excellent condition and it looks better in person than in the pics.
Looking forward to replacing the jr3 spot on the bench.
It has been a stellar couple of weeks for me,
I traded a Springfield trapdoor for 4-5k lbs of lead, most of it equally divided into ww ingots, pure sheet and pipe and about 20 buckets of ww's.
Won the auction for the 2A
And to top it all off at an auction tonight I scored an 8lb sealed can of 700x, 8lb of red dot and 8lb of Winchester powder of something.
At the same auction I bought a litscher 10x spot shot with unertil micrometer mounts for $360, of course it didn't hurt that the scope was attached to a Winchester model 52 with a heavy barrel.
I am planning to mount the scope to my Remington #2 rolling block in 25-20 SS.
What a great week!
Lab

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Congrats on your purchase. That press will never let you down. They are a true joy to load ammunition on.

[quasi]

Gunwriter Dean Grennell had an A-2 or A-3 , I can not remember which. He asked Fred Huntington of RCBS to start making them again and Huntington refused saying they would be so expensive no one would buy them.

Grennell recommended C&H`s Heavy weight champion as an available equivalent, and stated it was superior for bullet swaging.

[seagiant]

Gunwriter Dean Grennell had an A-2 or A-3 , I can not remember which. He asked Fred Huntington of RCBS to start making them again and Huntington refused saying they would be so expensive no one would buy them.

Grennell recommended C&H`s Heavy weight champion as an available equivalent, and stated it was superior for bullet swaging.


Hi,
Huntington was probably right, because that CH Champion is not cheap last time I looked and impossible to find used!!!

Uh, yea, I want one!

[1hole]

The A series of presses were massive but they were costly and priced themselves out of the reloading market. Great presses for swaging jacketed bullets (up to .24 cal anyway) but few people can afford to do that these days and they are vast over kill for common reloading. They really don't do anything better than any other brand's top line of single stage presses.

Wish I had one but not nearly bad enough to pay current eBay prices.

[labradigger1]

The A series of presses were massive but they were costly and priced themselves out of the reloading market. Great presses for swaging jacketed bullets (up to .24 cal anyway) but few people can afford to do that these days and they are vast over kill for common reloading. They really don't do anything better than any other brand's top line of single stage presses.

Wish I had one but not nearly bad enough to pay current eBay prices.

I got mine from eBay for $169 plus $20 shipping. I mounted it to a 3/4" aluminum plate and bolted that to the oak bench with three 3/8" bolts and heavy fender washers underneath the bench. After that I dissambled it and cleaned about 55 years of hardened oil and gunk. That being said, I am well pleased! Smooth, strong, no slop after all the years. Do I need a press made this strong? No, not currently but perhaps one day I may.
I am well satisfied with the 2A and would certainly reccomend one.

[bstone5]

Have had a A-2 press for many years.
Purchased new at a local gun shop. Got the press on sale, no one wanted it due to its size.
This press has loaded thousands of rounds and only needs to be cleaned up and lubed ever now and then. The press had the cast aluminum primer catch tray.

Been thru several other press but still keep the A-2 for large rifle reloading.

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

151035

[seagiant]

151035

Hi,
Wow! Thats some serious PORN!

Just made my wallpaper!!! THANKS!

[LUBEDUDE]

151035

Very nice Collection!

[IllinoisCoyoteHunter]

Thanks!!

[r1kk1]

Hi,
Huntington was probably right, because that CH Champion is not cheap last time I looked and impossible to find used!!!

Uh, yea, I want one!

151455

I love mine. It is by far the stoutest press of the four I own. Solid ram with drilled through primer disposal. The ram measures over 1-⅛" in diameter. Weighs in at a tad over thirty pounds. It is also the most ergonomic press I own or used. I grab the front of the frame for heavy case forming chores. My other heavy weight is the Redding Ultramag.

take care

r1kk1

[seagiant]

151455

I love mine. It is by far the stoutest press of the four I own. Solid ram with drilled through primer disposal. The ram measures over 1-⅛" in diameter. Weighs in at a tad over thirty pounds. It is also the most ergonomic press I own or used. I grab the front of the frame for heavy case forming chores. My other heavy weight is the Redding Ultramag.

take care

r1kk1


Hi,
Hard to see in the pic, but does yours have the primer arm cuts or is it solid???

[r1kk1]

Solid. Priming was a slotted ram. They don't make 'em with slotted ram anymore.

I I use a RCBS ram prime on mine.

Take care

r1kk1

[Ickisrulz]

Solid. Priming was a slotted ram. They don't make 'em with slotted ram anymore.

I I use a RCBS ram prime on mine.

Take care

r1kk1

When you read the Champion's description on the CH4d's website, it makes it sound like it is a relatively new press:

We worked over 2 years with several leading engineers from a major university to develop the new toggle system. Our computer designed toggle system is based on a proven compound leverage system and develops more force than any other hand operated reloading press - making the Heavyweight Champion the most mechanically efficient press in the world. This new toggle system allows you to swage the very heaviest bullets with ease !

But the press is shown in the 1974 ABC's of Reloading. It looks exactly the same as the press currently offered except for the primer cut out. I wonder if the toggle system was updated and improved, or if this is fancy advertising. I really to like the Champion press though and have done some swaging on mine too with the CH4d dies.

[r1kk1]

I think Dave said the toggle and linkage was improved around '91, don't quote me on that date. I think this when he bought CH and merged his company 4D die company with it.

take care

r1kk1

[LUBEDUDE]

I think Dave said the toggle and linkage was improved around '91, don't quote me on that date. I think this when he bought CH and merged his company 4D die company with it.

take care

r1kk1

Interesting about the name. I always wondered why he did not keep it simple with something like CH Mfg, CH Tool and die, etc.

I realize CH4D IS simple, but it took me a real long time to remember that name.

[seagiant]

When you read the Champion's description on the CH4d's website, it makes it sound like it is a relatively new press:

We worked over 2 years with several leading engineers from a major university to develop the new toggle system. Our computer designed toggle system is based on a proven compound leverage system and develops more force than any other hand operated reloading press - making the Heavyweight Champion the most mechanically efficient press in the world. This new toggle system allows you to swage the very heaviest bullets with ease !

But the press is shown in the 1974 ABC's of Reloading. It looks exactly the same as the press currently offered except for the primer cut out. I wonder if the toggle system was updated and improved, or if this is fancy advertising. I really to like the Champion press though and have done some swaging on mine too with the CH4d dies.

Hi,
You have the one with the primer arm cut outs????

I can't help but wonder if they stopped doing the cuts to make it stronger or increase profit!!!

[Ickisrulz]

Hi,
You have the one with the primer arm cut outs????

I can't help but wonder if they stopped doing the cuts to make it stronger or increase profit!!!

No, I got mine about 5 years ago. Dave gave me an explanation of why the press had no priming system, but I cannot remember exactly the reason and don't want to misquote him.

[quasi]

I have had my C&H for at least 25 years, maybe 30.

[dddddmorgan]

Just chiming in here, I got an A2 press (cast iron with no insert) and it has the small diameter ram and I'd like to use the press someday, for swaging jacketed bullets so I'd be interested in finding a full sized ram. Who might make these?

[oley55]

you've pulled up a pretty old thread. I have a fairly recent one somewhere here where I was looking for a solid ram extension due to problems I was having with the slotted ram not supporting a Lee push stub and ended up making one from a Lee hand press, but it is very slightly undersized. The Pressman recommended getting a CH ram, but I'd already purchased the Lee ram.

Here's a link sorta discussing the issue, but not the thread I am referring to: https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?429150-Ram-For-RCBS-A2&highlight=rcbs+a2

I'll keep looking for the other thread.

Edit added: found it here:https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?430587-RCBS-A2-Ram-extension-help

The short of it is you will have to make or have it made. For what it is worth, I routinely do searches on fleabay, but continue to come up empty.

[mf79]

I got one from a yard sale and it only needed minor cleaning.

[thorswhisper]

Any competent machine shop should be able to make you one. If someone here has one, a pic with a few measurements would help greatly.

[dddddmorgan]

Agreed

[Pressman]

RCBS snap in adapter on the left, it has very thin walls that are not suitable for swaging. Center is the normal shellholder. It has to be open for priming but is reinforced across the top. Right is the solid ram for swaging.


291572

[gnappi]

I've had a few RCBS presses over the years, and still have a BIG Max (despite its size did have issues) and RCBS's main problem with the company is support / spare parts for discontinued models. That's enough reason for me to stay away from their products.

To me it's not a very good strategy to abandon so many models so often either. In much the same time frame of say the last 40 years, they (like Hornady) have had many models discontinued with zero support while Dillon will either send parts or upgrade your press.

That said, I don't understand a cult following of RCBS, Hornady, Lyman, Redding, Hollywood or Star and owners who have to buy several presses as parts cows to keep them running if they break.

I'm not sure about Lee nowadays, back when Dick Lee ran it, he personally answered my calls and made good on any problem I had.

[quasi]

I seriously dought any Star press owners “have to buy several presses as parts cows”, or Hollywood owners.

Lee’s products are inexpensive, that’s their big selling point. Value engineering is their motto.

[gnappi]

I seriously dought any Star press owners “have to buy several presses as parts cows”, or Hollywood owners.

Lee’s products are inexpensive, that’s their big selling point. Value engineering is their motto.

Then I can only guess you don't know many Star or Hollywood press owners. It's a fact of life, even steel parts wear out. I knew a local range owner and an ammo supply house who had several of both brands scavenged for parts either for his own working presses or parts to sell.

Anyway, While I no longer own any Lee products, they are exactly what you say they are and I have no issues with the company.

[1hole]

Gunwriter Dean Grennell had an A-2 or A-3 , I can not remember which. He asked Fred Huntington of RCBS to start making them again and Huntington refused saying they would be so expensive no one would buy them.

Grennell recommended C&H`s Heavy weight champion as an available equivalent, and stated it was superior for bullet swaging.

Mr. Huntington was right. I would have loved to buy an A series press (still would love to have one but ... why?) when I started reloading but they were already quite costly and Huntington's own RockChucker put the A's out of business! That BIG press wouldn't have done anything my first much less expensive press couldn't do so it would not have been any more useful for me.

Truth is, virtually ALL common presses can make quite good ammo. So, making a press vastly stronger than it needs to be for what we actually do with it is a waste of both money and steel. (BUT, if I see a useable A in a second hand store for $35 or less I'll sure grab it! :))

[quasi]

Then I can only guess you don't know many Star or Hollywood press owners. It's a fact of life, even steel parts wear out. I knew a local range owner and an ammo supply house who had several of both brands scavenged for parts either for his own working presses or parts to sell.

Anyway, While I no longer own any Lee products, they are exactly what you say they are and I have no issues with the company.

I own 2 star progressive presses, 2 star lubesizers, have owned 3 12 hole Hollywood presses and currently own Hollywood Senior turret press. None have needed repair parts. Do you have any first hand experience with these?

[gnappi]

I own 2 star progressive presses, 2 star lubesizers, have owned 3 12 hole Hollywood presses and currently own Hollywood Senior turret press. None have needed repair parts. Do you have any first hand experience with these?

Owning? No but in the 80's I used to help out at the range and personally saw old rusty parts cows. Both I mentioned were reloading for either the range or store front, not as hobbies.

[jaguarxk120]

Could it be those presses you have seen were retired when
newer Dillon progressive or other high output tools were put into use.

[gnappi]

Don't think so, the codgers poo poohed other "new" brands :-)

Not long ago the range was selling off the gunsmith and reloading areas and one of the part cows was on the counter for sale. It sold in a day or two.

[skeet028]

I happen to have a few 2A/A2 presses. Even have a Rock Chuck Bullet Swage press. 3 sets of swage dies. 22,24,25. 25 does get a bit hard. Work better on the A2s. I have had 3 or 4 A3s. Ok presses but the A2 is better...and the paint doesn't flake/ fade. on the earlier RCBS presses...I was told by Buzz that they used WWII and later surplus paints on the early presses. True?? I don't really know but it was ugly paint .My B press is kinda ugly.

[S.B.]

Perhaps pictures would help the uninformed understand this tread better?
Steve

[Char-Gar]

When I got into reloading in 1959 the A2 was the nee plus ultra of presses, but way beyond my 17 year old pocket book, so I settled for a Pacific Super C. About 12 years ago, I finally bought an A2 and it is the crown jewel of my reloading room.

[skeet028]

I happen to have a few RCBS A based presses and some parts. To be honest I consider them to be strong enough for most any reloading use. And for swaging up to say 25 caliber bullets. I have also had 6 or 7 of the CH Heavyweight. All of them seemed to have more"slop" in them. I had to make an upper ram for an A2 as I got it without the upper ram. I used an early ram made as a replacement ram for presses with fixed caliber shell holder. It was made by RCBS to retrofit many presses that didn't have replaceable shell holders. The only fly in the ointment is that the pin that connects the upper and lower rams has a slight taper and has to fit just right. Not being a real machinist...it took me a couple of tries to get it to work. I think it is one of the ones I call a 2A(older different color) . RCBS made lots of stuff to fit other presses. I have a Pacific C (upstroke) press that has a bar mae by RCBS to make the Pacific ionto a swaging press

[dddddmorgan]

Well here are a couple of pictures of my homely setup for S.B.296512296513

I'm sure some others might have some better pictures.

[John Guedry]

All the pictures of these FINE old presses make me envious.

[S.B.]

My request for pictures was based on wanting to compare them to my 50 year old Rock Chucker.
Steve

[glhc46]

dddddmorgan, is that an inline fabrication handle on your A2. I ask because I have an A2 with no handle. I have friend who I believe could easily fabricate me a new one not sure how reliable he would be with following through. Did the threads match on the A2 with the new handle or did you drill out the threads on the press? I understand why one would do that but I don't think I could bring myself to do it on a 55+ year old press.

[dddddmorgan]

I received the press with the handle on it so I can't tell you where it came from.

I can tell you that it is wonderfully strong and beautiful to use. The leverage is awesome and the comfort goes without saying.

If I had an all original press I wouldn't put one on but this is how it is now so I'm happy.