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Thread: RCBS Warranty at a Personal Level

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    RCBS Warranty at a Personal Level

    From 1966 to 1968 I lived in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where my father, an air force pilot, was in a non-flying assignment in command of a radio intercept detachment. He befriended the local police captain, and he must have mentioned his interest in firearms, because Captain Preecha brought him an SKS carbine that had been recovered by the police in a firefight with guerillas.
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    The buttstock had been shot off right behind the wrist—I remember its splintered end, and you could see the partial bullet hole. My father had a new buttstock made by a local woodworker, and I recall him mentioning that he left it sitting in his office for a period of time, making sure it didn’t warp, before paying the craftsman.

    In those days rebluing of old military guns was "the thing to do," and my father had fabricated his own bluing tanks, so upon our return stateside the SKS unfortunately got the treatment. There was no 7.62x39 ammo or brass to be had back then, so he scrounged and converted. I have one box of Berdan primed brass squirreled away that another pilot had “found” somewhere in Viet Nam and brought back to him. The rest was converted from 6.5x54 Mannlicher brass—he had somehow scrounged a couple hundred of those made by RWS. I was still a kid then, and full-size .30 caliber rounds kicked more than I liked. But the SKS was perfect for me, and I loved to shoot it.
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    In those days 7.62x39 dies were not a regular stock item—I don’t know who else made them, but they were a special order from RCBS. Because he was an underpaid military officer with three kids, it seems he only ordered the sizing die, and from going through his stuff, it appears he shortened a .300 Savage die for a seater.

    Which brings me to the point of this post. The RCBS die came with only one neck expander, and that was for .308 bullets. When I recently decided to get the dies out and load some rounds, I discovered that it was just a little too small for a .310 bullet. So I wrote to RCBS through their website, told them I had a 1968-vintage sizer with the undersize expander, and asked if I could purchase the larger expander. They wrote back and said they were sending me a free one under their lifetime warranty. It arrived a short time later.
    Attachment 314225

    That’s not quite fair to them. My father was killed at An Loc in 1972 when his C-130 was shot down, so the lifetime warranty had expired. But I thank them for it—that was a really, really nice thing for them to do.
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    My thanks to RCBS, and on Memorial Day I’ll lift a glass to my father, and another to a fine company.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master

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    BP Dave, their "lifetime" warranty is for the infinite life of their die! You gall it, chip it, or crack it, using it like a hammer in this life, or the next, and they will replace it for free, no questions asked.
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  3. #3
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    Your father made the supreme sacrifice for our country and I send my condolences to you for the loss of your father.

    The fact that RCBS honored their warranty on a 55 year old piece of equipment is fantastic.

    I'll lift a glass to his memory this Memorial day too. My father was a WW II navy vet so he is in our thoughts this holiday.
    Steve,

    Life Member NRA
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  4. #4
    Boolit Master

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    I crossed the threads on a die and ruined it and the 11/4 adapter on a 70 something RC press. I called to ask the price of replacing them and they said they would send them at no charge, not even postage.
    NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Rapier's Avatar
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    On my shelves, counter tops, benches and in my cabinets are RCBS products for a reason. They are a great company.

    An Loc was the location of the orphanage as I recall. Been years ago, seems to me that we, the 101s Airborne Division, had a bit to do with the An Loc orphanage. Did your dad fly in to help evacuate the children? I got out in 67 and was told stories later of the evacuation of the An Loc orphanage in 72.

    Memorial day is a special day for me, got a few memories, on the memorial side of the ledger.
    “There is a remedy for all things, save death.“
    Cervantes

    “Never give up, never quit.”
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    There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.
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  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    No, he was on a night, emergency, low-level resupply mission while An Loc was under siege in the Spring of 1972. They were dropping supplies to a soccer field--the largest flat surface available, but a pretty small target for air drops. The night before he was lost, on a different mission, his plane got shot up pretty badly and he lost an engine. I'm sorry I never really got to know the man who would go back out again the next night and face the same thing.

    I agree that RCBS has a great warranty, but this is more than I expected: when my father bought the die some 55 years ago, it didn't even come with the .310 expander--it wasn't broken, they "replaced" under warranty a part that he never bought in the first place.

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
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    I made a simple inquiry about the vintage and die series of a die I got for getting it out of a tool head as I recall . I've never seen another RCBS die with a slick decapping pin and a split cone tension lock . The inquiry resulted in current production parts to update the 1969 Reloader Series die in 2019 . Nothing broken . No service request.
    They included a catch tray for my RCs too .

    There is often a place set for the missing man at our table .
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

    I was young and stupid then I'm older now. Me 1992 .

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    Without trial we cannot learn and grow . It is through our stuggles that we become stronger .
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  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    DAVE !! Great for you to share this and it is also something we all need to remember.

    Most of today didn't take the time to listen to the WWII vets, or the Korean vets most are gone.
    Vets from Vietnam are aging fast and still we have them that think yea yea.

    I thank the few I know.

    Only know one WWII vet left, Bill Wolfe thinking he is 97. He was in the Navy mine sweeper and only talked about them trying to keep up with the Aircraft Carriers of then. He explained how it was all they could do to keep up. The carriers were faster even then by a bunch. He said if there was trouble in the area the 30 knots was not even close to what those large ships could do. He said they would pull away like the were setting still. They would run hard just to keep them in sight. If need be they would do just over rated 28 knots of there ship but only if everything was right, wind etc. He said it was very impressive what we had for war.

    I now watch what they are doing in the world and think well they are at it again. China is wanting something and so is the rest of the world. We are into the second cold war, this time the player(s) are getting there ducks in a row. WWII we sat back and reacted to the war now we are proactive but ?? with China and how they treat their people. That whole area is a mess and just going to be trouble again.

    Thanks, Again

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Thats an interesting story. Thanks for sharing it.

    And yes, RCBS goes over and beyond to take care of their customers. There is a lot of Green gear on my bench!

  10. #10
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks for your comments.

    The SKS goes to the range this weekend--I believe it has only been out once since my father deployed in 1971.

    Wishing all a happy and reflective Memorial Day.

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