Speaking of RCBS Jr's...

[StanDahl]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v405/StanDahl/RCBSJr.jpg

Does anyone have any advice on how to keep the lever on one of those in the up position without rigging a spring to the ceiling? (Pardon the 12 ga. wire, but it was a little touchy about me photographing it with it's lever drooping, so I gave it a boost.) RCBS told me to take out the link bar gizmo and bend it, and that worked for a while, but either it needs to be done again, or I could put more washers in the linkage (haven't tried it - just thought of it) or...?

I don't think it's worn out, it looks great, and, I just found a nifty metal primer catcher for it at a recent gun show - way better than the plastic one that I never had! Is that supposed to be held on with a rubber band? It has way more capacity than the piece of soda straw that used to be tucked into the slot in the ram below the shellholder.

BTW, what's supposed to go in the slot at the top front? Stan

[StarMetal]

On the one I had the handle stayed up. That slot on the top front is for the primer feeder. It's diecast assemly that two allen setscrews clamp on, then your primer filled tubes insert into that. The primer seater mounts in the slot on the bottom directy under the top one. All that is availiable from RCBS too.

Joe

[OldBob]

Yep, looks just like mine...... bought mine in about 1969 and its still going strong....but its lever sags too !

[keeper89]

Mine is a 79 vintage and the lever stays up like the day I bought it--and I lost count of rounds over twenty years ago, but the total is waaaay up there! Every time I get an itch for a Rock Chucker I end up asking myself why? But then again I guess you really DON'T need a reason.....[smilie=1:

[StarMetal]

Keeper,

I'll tell you why a Rockchucker. It's like the Jr is a Chevy Biscayne and the Rockchucker is the Impala SS. Plus the Rockchucker has way more leverage then the Jr and all operations are smooth and easier. The Rockchucker also had the removeable die thread insert so other accessories can be adapted to it.

I don't think they make the Jr anymore and replaced it with some new fangled aluminum jobbie.

Joe

[GP100man]

stan dahl i have 2 of the jrs , dont ask the rounds no telling how many. itake a rubber band & hold up the handles during storage & keep my fingers out of the way dur ing use!! got single stages mounted on 8 ft table 3 people ,agood bucket of cleaned brass& we have a big time & put out abit of uspsa that shoots gooooood!!!PS i mount the press on about a 25 or 30 degree angle. got mine from a person who was upgrading, for 25.00$ for both !!!!!

[Beau Cassidy]

Give it some ******. That'll keep it up!

[sundog]

Yeppers, I've had one since early 70s. Got it at a house sale along with a Ly 450 and parafanalia - dies and such. Cheap. No telling how many rounds its loaded, but it's a BUNCH! It's now relegated to the range box along with its droopy handle that's whacked me good a few times. But..., it's a good press. It's been replaced by a rocknrollchucker (also from a garage sale - cheap, and a second rocknrollchucker, still in the box, again from a garage sale cheap, for backup). Glad to have them, all. sundog

[Marshal Kane]

Does anyone have any advice on how to keep the lever on one of those in the up position without rigging a spring to the ceiling? I don't think it's worn out, it looks great, and, I just found a nifty metal primer catcher for it at a recent gun show - way better than the plastic one that I never had! Is that supposed to be held on with a rubber band? Stan
Does the handle stay up when the primer catcher is removed? If so, might have to be left off when not in use. If the handle still drops, suggest you obtain the RCBS wedge block made specifically for the Jr. that tips the tool back 9 degrees or fabricate something that does the same thing. There is already one curved spring washer in the ram pin, might try replacing that washer. Adding more washers will only tend to bind the ram and make using the tool more difficult.

Yes, a rubber band is used to retain the spent primer catcher. The later ones were plastic and are thinner and possibly slightly smaller in order that the handle would stay up.

I had a RCBS RS (Reloader Special) which was really a Jr. with a new name before they reused RS again for their new series of presses. I really liked my RS and had no problems with the handle falling by itself. Replaced the RS with a Rockchucker in order to have more power to fl resize rifle cases. Believe this will be the last press that I will ever need. It is a great tool and built to last!

Suggest you contact RCBS Customer Service and try to obtain a new primer catcher, spring washer, and wedge block. There may be a problem with the block inasmuch as the Jr has been out of production for so long. May have to pay for the wedge block as it was an option when the Jr was still in production but the other two item will probably be sent for free. RCBS has great customer service and will try to help you. Best wishes.

[carpetman]

My 1967 Rockchucker has the metal primer catcher. Rubber bands would come loose and spilled primers resulted. First fix was to epoxy a bar across the top of the post the rubber band attached to. This kept rubber band from sliding off but rubber bands rot. So on one side of the catcher up at the front ,I drilled a hole and put a leather strap with a knot tied in the end (the knot keeps it from pulling through). The strap goes around the press like the rubber band did and on other side of catcher I cult a slot. I tied a knot in the other end of the strap at the appropriate place to make the length correct and the strap slides into slot and knot keeps it taught. To remove catcher just lift the knot out of slot. Never has fallen off again. Starmetal Joe---You mentioned the Rockchucker had a removal thread insert for other accessories. Back in the early 70's I thought with the insert removed that it would be possible to reload shotgun shells,so I wrote RCBS a letter to see if that was their intent for the larger opening. To my surprize I got an answer from none other than Fred Hunnington owner/founder of RCBS. He said the larger opening was to facillitate access for making the ram hole. He did agree that making shotgun dies could be done. He said if they made them and it cost $15 for example,they would be $45 by the time the customer got them. At that price,in those days you could buy a shotgun press which he reckoned would be faster and better. Now RCBS does have shotgun dies for doing such. A guy machined me a set and it was slow and not the best.

[StarMetal]

Carpetman Raymond,

I got a set of RCBS shotshell dies for 20 ga. Being I don't shoot trap, skeet, etc, just to assemble some small game load (which I don't do that much either) they are great. They also reload a shell that is very hard to tell from a factory one except you might notice that little piece of plastic is gone on Rem brand shells or a little black powder carbon on the othe brands. I'm totally satisfied with it.

Fred probaby told you right. I had only meant that they ended up making some assessories to screw in that big hole.

Great post on your case annealing, sometimes I use that method too.

Joe

[HTRN]

Jeez, it seems like everybody here had a Jr. follow them home, myself included. I wound up paying 20 bucks for mine, simply because The guy selling it was trying to unload it, and I had gotten paid the day before..

Guys selling stuff on payday have been the economic downfall of many a shooter.:mrgreen:


HTRN

[StanDahl]

No, the handle doesn't stay up without the catcher. I didn't know about the wedge, I'll have to try that - with wood, I guess. Thanks, Stan

[454PB]

I also owned a jr. for many years, used it so much it started getting loose. I bought one of the Lee turret presses when they first came out, and that was the end of the RCBS Jr., I sold it at a gunshow. I still have the matching Rockchucker I bought at the same time. It had a really cheesy plastic bar that secured the plastic primer catcher, which broke soon after purchase. I used a soldering iron to melt a slot on each side of the plastic, and have been using heavy rubber bands to hold it in place ever since.

[Marshal Kane]

I still have the matching Rockchucker I bought at the same time. It had a really cheesy plastic bar that secured the plastic primer catcher, which broke soon after purchase.My dog took a liking to my plastic spent primer catcher and decided to see what it tasted like. Called RCBS and asked if I could buy another one. The rep just laughed and took my address. A new spent primer catcher appeared in my mailbox in about 3 days. RCBS customer service is great!

[DLCTEX]

I bought a RCBS Jr. on ebay last year that came without a primer catcher. At a recent local auction one sold for more than I wanted to pay, then I bought a box of goodies cheap and found the aluminum primer catcher in the box. I felt it should have sold with the press, so I gave it to that buyer. After seeing what one brought on ebay ($22.00) I regretted my generosity.

[GP100man]

if i remember right cant you switch the handle to pull up in stead of down? may work mounted recessed like you got there.

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

Hand a JR that I purchased used from a gunsmith that he had used to manufacture ammo on for many years. I put many rounds through that excellent little press, ended up winning a RCBS turret and sold the JR to a friend who is using it now with no complaints. The only mods that I did to mine was to shorten the handle a bit, and epoxy a wooden ball on the end. The shortening didn't affect the leverage I needed, as all cases were straight walled and neck sized.

ps. mine sagged also...just made sure that my knees were out of the way when moving in front of it.

[QuAppelle]

I counterweighted the handle on my Jr. Pour an extra heavy 1 lb. ingot in a Lyman, etc, ingot mould and drill a 1/2 hole as close to one end as you can. Bolt it to the back of the toggle with a 1/2-2" NF bolt. Use a sharp drill bit and run slow or you'll solder the bit.

[Bubba w/a 45/70]

You know, I thought about this, and after I shortened up the handle mine didn't sag anymore. I think that I cut off enough shaft to make the handle just above the even line with the top of the press.

[Ross]

GP100man,
". . . cant you switch the handle to pull up in stead of down? "

The JR is not made to convert to upstroke. The back of the ram channel would have to be slotted like the front to enable the connecting rod to play.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross

[EDG]

The Jr is supposded to have a wave washer between the frame and the lever block.
you can even install one on both sides.

[Bad Flynch]

Seems to me that at one time Jr presses had a wave washer that was on the main pivot pin. I never really did know what that was for, but now I know. Is that wave washer on the main pivot pin right next to the block into which the handle screws?

[shootingbuff]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v405/StanDahl/RCBSJr.jpg

Does anyone have any advice on how to keep the lever on one of those in the up position without rigging a spring to the ceiling? (Pardon the 12 ga. wire, but it was a little touchy about me photographing it with it's lever drooping, so I gave it a boost.) RCBS told me to take out the link bar gizmo and bend it, and that worked for a while, but either it needs to be done again, or I could put more washers in the linkage (haven't tried it - just thought of it) or...?

I don't think it's worn out, it looks great, and, I just found a nifty metal primer catcher for it at a recent gun show - way better than the plastic one that I never had! Is that supposed to be held on with a rubber band? It has way more capacity than the piece of soda straw that used to be tucked into the slot in the ram below the shellholder.

BTW, what's supposed to go in the slot at the top front? Stan

I use rubber bands. Cheap not as ugly :mrgreen: Never thought of actually fixing them (I have two) :-D

sb

[jballs918]

stan,

having just redone mine, i called up rcbs and had them send me a new flex washer and a new ram. you may want to look into that to see what you think

[Bigjohn]

G'day from downunder JR owner,

Well, I think there are enough of us owning JR's that we could ask for our own Thread.

Mine is stamped "77" and I still have all the parts which came with it. Plastic spent primer catcher was missing the plastic hold down strap so I soldered up a copper one (We have to have some use for that 'J' word) out of 'C' wire, it is still working all these years later.

I bought the rest of the initial reloading kit as two reloader special packs which were offered by RCBS at that time including my first issue of the SPEER reloading manaul, Number nine I think (still have that to).

The only change was made recently, the plastic handle for a wooden round ball knob. As to the number rounds reloaded, who is keeping count! Many, many K's.

This press has seen several others come and go, including one of the partner press and a SIMPLEX 'O' frame.

These were built to last.

Keep on reloading, JR,

John.

[MikeSSS]

I use a Jr. The handle stays up unless I'm carrying it.

The Jr. just keeps on loading the ammo!

[4thebrdz]

The Jr will change to an upstroke press. Pull the main pin. Turn the ram 180deg. put the main pin back in. Place handle in the inside threaded hole.

You can also pull the pin that holds the lever to the ram and turn the ram back 180deg so the the shell holder slot and primer slot is back to the front.

My kids consist of 2 Jr's 1 RC and 1 Supreme. 4 kids are better then 1