Catching Spent Primers - Rock Chucker

[Mal Paso]

The only flaw I've found on the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme is the plastic primer catcher. It needed tapping every so often or it would clog and it would spill primers when you unsnaped it from the press to empty. I bent and shaped a piece of 1/2" OD copper tube and soldered a couple copper straps to hold it in place. I also plugged the unneeded openings with strips of high density foam to direct the strays. All the primers go into an old powder bottle.

[novalty]

That is a real neat set up. I was given this suggestion over at accuratereloading.com from R D McMillian.

With respect to the RCBS dumping spent primers all over the floor,RCBS Rockchucker presses do have a bad habit of bouncing spent primers all over the place. This can be controlled by cutting a large plastic “soda” straw to a length that will reach from the bottom of the shell holder to 1/4 inch above the bottom of the slot. Cut the bottom of the measured piece of the straw off at approximately a 45 degree angle and press the straw into the slot of the ram with the angle-cut point to the outside. This will keep the de-capped primers going all the way down the slot and let the primer catcher tray get most of them. If you have any trouble with them bouncing out over the front edge of the primer catcher, you can put a small wall on the front edge to stop them. Most straws are long enough to modify two presses.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Mal, I have four Rock Chuckers and I have the same problem with spent primers. I have a question with your fix however. What directs the old primer into the tube?My spent primers fall to the front of the ram, not to the side.

[Mal Paso]

Mal, I have four Rock Chuckers and I have the same problem with spent primers. I have a question with your fix however. What directs the old primer into the tube?My spent primers fall to the front of the ram, not to the side.

If you look at the second picture, In The First Post, the white stuff in the slot is a thin strip ( about 1/4" thick and 3/8 wide ) of high density packing foam press fit into the slot. There is also one in back covering the top of the slot. Actually I lile novalty's suggestion of sleeving the hole with a straw.

Which got me to cut a piece of 3/8 OD Precision brass tube 1 7/8 inches long and slide it in the hole.
The tube is from K&S Engineering which has displays of 12 inch pieces in hobby shops and hardware stores.
Now I have to shoot some more in order to try it out.

[Mal Paso]

Caught your signature. A good friend now passed, Jeremy Slate, was a member of Ned Peppers Gang. The one who plucked the chicken. Directed us in the play "Point of Departure" and lived just down the hill.

[novalty]

Mal Paso, thanks for posting the pics. I am very new to reloading, and just starting to get some equipment and a bench set up, so I wasn't extremely clear on the "straw" technique. I like the brass tube idea as well. Would you mind if I posted your pics over at accuratereloading.com?

[Mal Paso]

Post away, it's about sharing information. I've still got to unload some brass and test it.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Thanks Mal. Yes, I stole that line from Rooster. Still one of my favorite westerns. Sorry to hear about Mr. Slate's passing. Another actor I used to see at gun shows was Leo Gorden. He made several movies with the duke.

[Mal Paso]

Just ran yesterday's brass. The brass tube Is an improvement. It reduced the 1% strays out the back to 0. I would not have thought of it without your input. Thanks!

[Wild Bill 7]

I have an older rock checker and spent primers would go everywhere except in the plastic cup. What I did was put a straw in the ram, then bent a coated clothes hanger around the back and hooked it on the cup. That kept the cup tight up against the body and most primes stayed in the cup. I also used another piece of hanger about three inches long with a little hook on one end and stuck in one of the two holes on the left side and added a small piece of card board with the hanger holding it in place to deflect wild primes that wanted to get away. Works pretty good for me. I just deprimed about 8 or 9 hundred 223 cases and only had two primes hit the floor.

[dale2242]

Big Tom, a member here, makes a 3D printed primer catcher for a lot of presses.
A great value and it works like a charm.

[porthos]

i built a "dam" with duct tape around the primer tray. its is about 1 inch high. never loose a primer.

[15meter]

I have an older rock checker and spent primers would go everywhere except in the plastic cup. What I did was put a straw in the ram, then bent a coated clothes hanger around the back and hooked it on the cup. That kept the cup tight up against the body and most primes stayed in the cup. I also used another piece of hanger about three inches long with a little hook on one end and stuck in one of the two holes on the left side and added a small piece of card board with the hanger holding it in place to deflect wild primes that wanted to get away. Works pretty good for me. I just deprimed about 8 or 9 hundred 223 cases and only had two primes hit the floor.

An eleven year old thread. Somebody's got their search-fu going. Good deal.

Instead of a bent wire, I use a length of ball chain, like off a pull chain on a light. Hook on one side, around the back of the press and hook in the notch on the other side. It holds the primer catcher much more securely than that silly little thing that went over the top. And the straw in the slot on the ram is a must. Reduces the lost primers to almost zero.

I like zombie threads.

[Carrier]

The only flaw I've found on the RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme is the plastic primer catcher. It needed tapping every so often or it would clog and it would spill primers when you unsnaped it from the press to empty. I bent and shaped a piece of 1/2" OD copper tube and soldered a couple copper straps to hold it in place. I also plugged the unneeded openings with strips of high density foam to direct the strays. All the primers go into an old powder bottle.

Have a picture of this?

[AnthonyB]

I can’t recommend the primer catcher designed by member Johnny_V highly enough. A search will turn up his name and a few threads.
Tony

[Mal Paso]

Have a picture of this?

Actually I do. Even though it burned up 5 years ago it lives on in pictures

[Mal Paso]

The new one isn't as nice but it works fine. The tube goes through the bench to a big bottle.

[Carrier]

Well that’s so simple that even a simpleton like me can do it. Thanks for the pictures.

[Mal Paso]

Well that’s so simple that even a simpleton like me can do it. Thanks for the pictures.

I don't know how the pictures got separated from the post. The newer one is 3/8 copper tube and fittings. I think the first one that's one piece of 3/8 looks better but you need to anneal the tube between bends, it work hardens.

[Cast10]

Wow! And I just thought mine was a lemon! LOL

Great idea, Map Paso! Sorry for you loss, as I fit in the same mold back in the 2011 Texas Fires. All new, and primers spewing everywhere!

THANKS!

[Randy Bohannon]

i just put a small waste basket under my press (older Rock Chucker) and don't worry about a couple of spent primers hitting the carpet that gets vaccumed regular.

[Rick R]

I just set a trash can directly under my press and it catches 90% of the 10% of the primers that evade the RCBS primer catcher. But then I spill at least as many trying to unclip the catcher from the press when it’s full.

I’ve got some 3/4” copper out in the shop…

Mal Paso,
Thanks for sharing, now I have a project.

[Shawlerbrook]

I do similar to Randy only with an old 5-gal. pail.

[jason367]

The 3d printed ones on ebay work great and cheap. Has them for a bunch of different presses and colors.

[GregLaROCHE]

I bought a Rockchucker a few years ago. It didn’t work out well with primers. I went back to using my Lyman turret press from the eighties. Now the Rockchucker is only used for sizing boolits and it is great for that.

[fivegunner]

Looking at the pictures I can`t see how it would work ? My primers come out the front of my press. I must have missed something in the pictures that were posted.

[Mal Paso]

Looking at the pictures I can`t see how it would work ? My primers come out the front of my press. I must have missed something in the pictures that were posted.

I used a piece of brass tube from the hobby shop but others have used straws in the hole under the shell holder. The slot is milled from the other side and is lower than the bottom of the tube.

[Walks]

My RC goes back to 1975, I added the now discontinued "Case-Kicker" 35yrs ago, slung an empty 12ga case box underneath the press, still lost a few. Bought a 3-D printed primer catcher off ebay a few yrs back, had to turn the ram around and make a small cut in the case-kicker ejection plate. It can hang up a bit, but I check it and a bit of wire restores to outflow of spent primers. Gotta finagle the shell holders in and out. I'm happy with it.

[762 shooter]

The soda straw in the slot trick to direct spent primers to the bottom of the slot works well for me.

One McDonalds straw will do me for life.

762

[Liberty1776]

I have a 1979-era Rock Chucker and two Dillon 550c's (one a converted 450 from the mid-80's)

Both throw primers everywhere.

Then I got a Lee APP, dedicated to decapping and/or primer pocket swaging. Not a single primer on the floor ever, and faster than anything I've ever used.

My 2-cents' worth.

[parson48]

I purchased a RC press a couple of years ago. Didn't like the amount of primers that hit the floor because of the slop between plastic catcher and ram. Simply folded a piece of cardboard and placed behind plastic catcher to hold it against the ram. I still have to empty catcher when it gets full.

[Three44s]

Actually I do. Even though it burned up 5 years ago it lives on in pictures

Sand blast and a can of paint?

Three44s

[Mal Paso]

Sand blast and a can of paint?

Three44s

I wish! It would have to include metal spray and machine as there was heavy scale on the ram, all metal lost. I got excited about a mold until part of a cavity flaked off.

I thought the jackhammer steel was fine until I used it. Bit broke off in the hammer and had to tear it down to get the piece of bit out.