Liberty1776
06-18-2021, 11:45 PM
I was going to get the Hornady Lock-N-Load quick-change die system, but it was out of stock everywhere.
So I bought a Lee Spline Drive Breech Lock System, and eight extra bushings.
I don't do that much loading on my old RCBS Rock Chucker (most is on the Dillon 550) so I don't think I'll need to buy a million bushings.
Initial reaction: I like the Lee. 1/8 of a turn with your fingers allows removal or replacement of dies. And the lock rings are now integral with the bushing.
The adapter that replaces the Rock Chucker's steel 1 1/4-12 to 7/8-14 adapter is aluminum. It has a rubber O-ring under its edge that holds it tightly to the Rock Chucker. You'll need a big adjustable wrench to remove it.
284712
Once installed, I added some anti-seize to the threads to slick things up and slow wear on the adapter and matching bushing threads.
284713
284714
The bushings (like the press adapter) are aluminum with integral re-designed lock nuts that use a 3/32" hex key to tighten the bushing to the die.
284715
284716
1/8 of a turn locks the bushing into the adapter. If it's hard to remove, use the included little plastic wrench that snaps onto the lock ring.
284717
284718
If you want to use the press without a bushing on each die, you can simply install a spare bushing and lock a die with a normal locknut. Or you can unscrew/remove the Lee Adapter and reinstall the original RCBS steel adapter. To remove the Lee Adapter and install the original Rock Chucker adapter takes about as long as changing a die. (Thread, thread, thread; tighten.)
284721
The Lee Spline Drive Breech Lock Bushing system seems pretty durable, even though it's aluminum. Dies are centered and stable, yet easily and rapidly changed.
At Midway in June, 2021, the Adapter that screws into the press, a wrench and one bushing was $8.99.
A set of four more bushings is $21.99.
284723
One more thing: the bushings are anodized to different colors. You could make sizing dies Silver; expanders Blue; seaters Red, and crimpers Gold, or whatever.
So I bought a Lee Spline Drive Breech Lock System, and eight extra bushings.
I don't do that much loading on my old RCBS Rock Chucker (most is on the Dillon 550) so I don't think I'll need to buy a million bushings.
Initial reaction: I like the Lee. 1/8 of a turn with your fingers allows removal or replacement of dies. And the lock rings are now integral with the bushing.
The adapter that replaces the Rock Chucker's steel 1 1/4-12 to 7/8-14 adapter is aluminum. It has a rubber O-ring under its edge that holds it tightly to the Rock Chucker. You'll need a big adjustable wrench to remove it.
284712
Once installed, I added some anti-seize to the threads to slick things up and slow wear on the adapter and matching bushing threads.
284713
284714
The bushings (like the press adapter) are aluminum with integral re-designed lock nuts that use a 3/32" hex key to tighten the bushing to the die.
284715
284716
1/8 of a turn locks the bushing into the adapter. If it's hard to remove, use the included little plastic wrench that snaps onto the lock ring.
284717
284718
If you want to use the press without a bushing on each die, you can simply install a spare bushing and lock a die with a normal locknut. Or you can unscrew/remove the Lee Adapter and reinstall the original RCBS steel adapter. To remove the Lee Adapter and install the original Rock Chucker adapter takes about as long as changing a die. (Thread, thread, thread; tighten.)
284721
The Lee Spline Drive Breech Lock Bushing system seems pretty durable, even though it's aluminum. Dies are centered and stable, yet easily and rapidly changed.
At Midway in June, 2021, the Adapter that screws into the press, a wrench and one bushing was $8.99.
A set of four more bushings is $21.99.
284723
One more thing: the bushings are anodized to different colors. You could make sizing dies Silver; expanders Blue; seaters Red, and crimpers Gold, or whatever.