RCBS Summit...Thoughts?

[BlackoutBuilder]

I'm planning on doing .22lr to .223 conversions on the RCBS Summit Press.

I wondered if any of you have experience with the press for either that, or for general reloading. What are your thoughts on the press?

[runfiverun]

I have one.
there is no way on earth I would try to swage with it.
even de-rimming 22lr cases would be more work than it's worth.

I seat cores and point form on an RCBS JR. but you need something with a bit of leverage and handle length to remove the rims.

the summit will full length size cases if you leave the handle that comes on it, but even that ain't worth the effort if you have another press.
it's at it's best with the short handle installed when seating bullets/boolits.

if you want to de-rim and core seat or squirt cores get the LEE classic cast press.
or a rock chucker and get them with a threaded Ram.

[BlackoutBuilder]

Rats. I bought it for the 22 conversions. It wont be here till Monday, maybe I should send it back to Midway?

[BlackoutBuilder]

I had hoped to build an adjustable stop that would mimic the auto-eject system by contacting the ejection pin for the BT Simple dies, on the up stroke of the press.

[country gent]

I have a summit press I use mostly for BPCR rounds currently. It is on the light side of leverage for heavy sizing reforming work. The last 45-70 I reformed to 40-65 I did in my orange crusher as the Summit was more work than I wanted. Its a great press for what its for though. Like most overhead linkage presses some tooling just dosnt work in them do to clearance issues around the linkage

[runfiverun]

you could probably build your own ejector for an 0-frame just as easy.
the summit would probably do core seating and point forming.
but flipping the handle to eject at the upstroke would get a bit tiresome after a bit.

your gonna be doing 3-4 press strokes to turn out a bullet depending on whether you core swage or not.
making them as easy as possible will lend itself to you actually using the die set.

[Drew P]

The summit press is garbage. Hated mine, tried to love it, failed. Sold it and never looked back.
Maybe I'm too harsh, but it just has a few limitations that, if it were the onlyning available it would be great, but for the money there are much better presses. I'd also suggest the lee classic cast. Its-

Stronger
More flexible in use
Cheaper
More adjustable
Superior primer handing
Less runout
More ergonomic

[BlackoutBuilder]

Yep. It gets here Monday, and I'll just send it back, unopened.

I talked to BT and he said that I should ue the LEE press as well.

Since the LEE press is about 120, and the threaded ram thingy is 75, and BT has a LEE press set with auto eject for 200, I might just as well go through him for the dies and the press too.

[runfiverun]

you'll be a lot happier.
Brian puts his stuff together in a nice tidy package and it works perfectly with the LEE press.

[BlackoutBuilder]

Midway is a good company, it only takes 3 weeks or so to get the money back on the card, I'll just send it to BT.

[sw282]

l have a Summit. l wanted a press that would mount on top of my Harbor Freight l got to celebrate retirement a couple years ago. l wanted a press that would mount on TOP of the bench.. My Rock Chuck hung down the front blocking the front drawers... Also eliminating bumped knees and elbows.. l have no need for the leverage provided by the Rock Chucker.. l only load straight walled cases and 223s... No case forming or bullet swaging for me. l bolted it to an RCBS accessory plate to help distribute the load on the thin top Harbor Freight bench.. l am not a big fan of the primer catcher. l think it could be designed better.. 0ne annoying point that bothers me is having to readjust dies from one press to another.. l still use my Rock Chucker quite a bit.. Since retiring l enjoy my front porch like never before... The Rock Chucker sits on its Midway pedestal out there with my rocking chair That's where l do most of my reloading now.. lf the weather gets bad l come inside.. But l have to tweak my dies between the Summit and Chucker... Good Press made of good steel. No pot metal ..

[Drew P]

l have a Summit. l wanted a press that would mount on top of my Harbor Freight l got to celebrate retirement a couple years ago. l wanted a press that would mount on TOP of the bench.. My Rock Chuck hung down the front blocking the front drawers... Also eliminating bumped knees and elbows.. l have no need for the leverage provided by the Rock Chucker.. l only load straight walled cases and 223s... No case forming or bullet swaging for me. l bolted it to an RCBS accessory plate to help distribute the load on the thin top Harbor Freight bench.. l am not a big fan of the primer catcher. l think it could be designed better.. 0ne annoying point that bothers me is having to readjust dies from one press to another.. l still use my Rock Chucker quite a bit.. Since retiring l enjoy my front porch like never before... The Rock Chucker sits on its Midway pedestal out there with my rocking chair That's where l do most of my reloading now.. lf the weather gets bad l come inside.. But l have to tweak my dies between the Summit and Chucker... Good Press made of good steel. No pot metal ..
A small shim on one or the other press should prevent the adjustment issues.

[BlackoutBuilder]

SW282 Try this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kj4V9TqHuE&t=1s

[nitro-express]

I have one.
there is no way on earth I would try to swage with it.
even de-rimming 22lr cases would be more work than it's worth.

I seat cores and point form on an RCBS JR. but you need something with a bit of leverage and handle length to remove the rims.

the summit will full length size cases if you leave the handle that comes on it, but even that ain't worth the effort if you have another press.
it's at it's best with the short handle installed when seating bullets/boolits.

if you want to de-rim and core seat or squirt cores get the LEE classic cast press.
or a rock chucker and get them with a threaded Ram.

"it's at it's best with the short handle installed when seating bullets/boolits."

I use mine for that and with a LEE Hardness tester, fantastic feel for the precision stuff. Recently bought a LEE classic cast and reworked the stops for a "almost to toggle" feel. It does a great job of FL sizing, doesn't even need a 1/4 turn past contact.

Definitely not a mod for the timid, the mechanical advantage at the end of the stroke is enough to seriously damage the cast frame.

(LEE customer service says it better: "It is not designed to toggle over and modifying the toggles to allow the press to toggle over will most likely result in damage to the press linkage and or the press frame.")

Also the 2 piece ram introduces another tolerance factor. LEE went back to the one piece ram in the breech lock cast, but digressed on the spent primer collection, IMHO.

[runfiverun]

you'll break the linkage on them.
they sell replacements for a reason... :lol:

[BlackoutBuilder]

The Summit Press is now on its way back to Midwayusa, unopened. Thanks guys, I think you all saved me a headache. Whenever the funds are restored to my card, I will be ordering a Classic from BT, with the auto eject, and threaded ram head.

[Drew P]

Sorry to pee in the cheerios but I think you will be much happier this way. I know I sure am. Part of me still wants to try a co-ax but I wonder if it would annoy me with some of the same limitations. They might make up for it in other ways however. The summit did not.

Post pics of your setup when you get, well, setup.

[country gent]

Ive been more than happy with the Bonnanza Co Ax I bought in the mid 80s. Its a great press and plenty of leverage. Only draw back is the yoke Handle on top limits die hiieghts and tooling that can be used some

[dverna]

I have a Co-Ax and love it but do not do any heavy work on it. I may be overly cautious but it does not seem beefy enough. I got a used Rock Chucker and it does the job. I even use the RC for the initial sizing of military brass as some is shot in oversized chambers.

[BlackoutBuilder]

I'm planning on swaging out .308's on it eventually as well. BT says he's making a simple 30 set too. So for next month, I'll get the press withy auto eject, the dies, and later in the year, on to the 30's.

[Drew P]

Don't forget to order a sleazyject!

[BlackoutBuilder]

Yep thats one reason Im going through BT I cant wait