reynolds357
New member
RCBS Summitt
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
You should upgrade or use an alternative browser.
Anyone else hate RCBS DIES
- Thread starter Cavitation
- Start date
Seems to me that a separate crimp die could provide more crimp than a combo die would allow. In a seat/crimp die, if the bullet locks up while the ram can still move, the case collapses, and you have a round that won't gauge of plunk. You go to a Lee Crimp die to iron it out. Seems to me that less crimp is always the answer, but under magnification it may not be the degree of crimp you really want. There are also rounds that don't quite plunk into a gauge or test chamber that once given a little more crimp off to the side on a single stage using a dedicated crimp die, all is suddenly well. I see that sort of thing only with lead bullets and maybe with a bit much lube involved.
onespeedbiker
Inactive
The only problem with RCBS dies I have had is their 357sig forming die. RCBS is the only die maker that forms 357sig cases to headspace on the case mouth rather than the shoulder. The end result is as the case stretches the neck becomes progressively shorter while the length between the case and shoulder increases, until bullet will not chamber. Other than that I have both RCBS and Lee dies that work without any issues.
To the OP: NO
Good post 44AMP:
Good post 44AMP:
<<<WE HAVE A WINNER HERE>>>I'm amazed at the number of people, today, who can operate a computer, get on the Internet and post in a forum, but can't seem to manage adjusting a seating die correctly. It is a ridiculously simple process, compared to many other things we do daily
Last edited:
What press & dies do that?? I don't know of any!
RCBS Summitt
Thanks for the heads up. I was unaware of that model, though I must admit I haven't been keeping up on what "new" presses have come out in recent years. My O and C frame presses from the 70s work just fine, so I haven't been looking much at what else there is out there.
Seems like a clever solution in search of a problem to me.
I can see where the "top down" system could have some quirks/problems that don't appear in the usual designs.
Seems to me that a separate crimp die could provide more crimp than a combo die would allow.
Other than allowing for a slight dimensional difference between different die makers products, I don's see how the crimp only die and the seat & crimp die could provide different amounts of crimp, other than by the user adjusting them differently.
In a seat/crimp die, if the bullet locks up while the ram can still move, the case collapses, and you have a round that won't gauge of plunk.
If the die is adjusted correctly, this does not happen, unless something "goes wrong", and that, is the responsibility of the user.
You go to a Lee Crimp die to iron it out.
I don't.
Seems to me that less crimp is always the answer,
Less crimp is not always the answer. And giving rounds
is a (possible) fix for a user caused error. (and it can be done with a standard seater/crimp die as well, adjusted to only crimp.)a little more crimp off to the side on a single stage using a dedicated crimp die
I'm talking about roll crimping here, pistol and rifle rounds, lead and jacketed bullets. There are a couple of simple steps that need to be done, before seating & crimping the bullet, but once done, nearly all issues with seating & crimping in one step go away.
The first step is you need a bullet that has some place for the case to be crimped into. The second step is your brass needs to be uniform in length.
If you don't do both of these, you ARE going to have problems. Every problem with crimping comes down to a matter of proper adjustment of the die, for the specific case being crimped.
If your cases are not uniform in length, then some are longer than others. If you adjust your die using a "long" case, then a shorter one gets too little, or no crimp. If you set your die using a short case, then longer ones get over crimped, and that is what causes "ripples" (bulges) in the case neck, and in extreme cases, bulged shoulders that will not chamber.
Seating the bullet in the "wrong" place creates the same issues and results. Seating the bullet so the cannelure /crimp groove does not line up properly with the case mouth gives the case no where to go when it is crimped, and results in the same bulges in the case.
You can, and I have, loaded and crimped rounds that were not uniform in case length. To do that, without over or under crimping, literally requires adjusting the die for each and every individual case, both for seating depth and amount of crimp. It is tedious, and very time consuming, but working carefully, it can be done.
It's much simpler and easier to just trim all your brass to a uniform length before loading. .38 Special to .30-30 to .458Win mag, uniform length brass eliminates most crimping issues.
YOU still have to correctly adjust your dies, but uniform case length means that once you do correctly adjust your dies, the adjustment is correct for all the cases you are going to load.
44 AMP, I don't think you understood what I wrote, and you seem needlessly argumentative and smug here. You can't argue with my experience, only the assumptions made or conclusions drawn. When a combo die is not in fact able to handle all the variables, regardless of adjustment, and indeed following the setup instructions, you use whatever options are available to get ammo you can use. There are no awards for avoiding a separate crimp die and no credibility for those who try to say that every one of their rounds passes gauging on the first try. Note though that I don't judge rounds on how they plunk in a specific gun's forgiving chamber. I load to a cartridge gauge because I usually have more than one gun for a specific cartridge. If a single gun needs something all that customized, I get rid of it. The exception to my gauging is that Lyman's 327 Federal Magnum gauge is tight, while the Ruger Single Seven cylinder freely accepts the rounds. There is nothing I have found that will make the gauging work, because the sizer does not get close enough to the case head. I am thinking of having the gauge reamed for a fraction at the mouth.
I mostly had trouble with the roll crimp on them.
Trim all brass to the same length.
Seat the bullet to the COL you want , without crimping.
Back out the seating stem so no contact is made with the bullet.
Turn the die down by hand, setting the crimp. Lock. Adjust seating stem.
Geezerbiker
New member
Said by no one, I hate their warranty... RCBS has the best warranty in the business. I called to order a few parts for a couple sets of used dies I bought only to have them send them to me for free...
Tony
Tony