RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme

N

ninosdemente

New member
I was decapping 9mm and .380 acp brass with a Lee universal decapping die. So when lowering the ram no problem until I get 3/4 down, then it gets stiff and have to give it a good push on the handle to go all the way down. When raising the ram, stiff once I get pass the "stiff" section, then goes up fine.

It was a good amount of brass, didn't count. I can only guess it is due to not cleaning the brass prior to this but part of the reason why I got a universal decapping die. Is there a cleaning method or application that is commonly use by everyone to make the ram smooth again. It won't stop me from sizing brass or seating projectiles. But as not use to it... it is annoying to live it as is. Thanks in advanced.
 
De-capping produces considerable dirt and debris. In the case of the RC Supreme, some of that dirt and debris ends up in and around the press ram. You may find a build-up of gunk in the front and rear cavities of the press ram (where spent primers pass on their way to the spent primer tray), and on the press base around the ram opening.

I routinely clean the ram and top of the press base around the ram. Then I oil the ram and all the pivots. I do that with all my presses. I have not encountered a rough or stiff point in the operation of my RC Supreme so far.

Because of all the gunk introduced by the de-capping process, I've chosen to use a hollow ram press to de-cap. Such a press confines most of the dirt and debris to the inside of the ram.
 
BBarn pretty much said it all. Decapping tends to foul the ram after a fashion; clean and lube is necessary for smooth operation. I have my first press, an RCBS Junior set up for decapping duties to minimize debris in the ram area of my Rockchucker. Even so, I remove the ram of the Rockchucker once a year to clean and lube the ram and all pivot points on the handle linkage. Forty year old press works perfectly still. The Junior is cleaned a lot because of primer debris and dirt. It is sorta like a gun; you gotta clean and lube it, thought not after each use.
 
I end up cleaning mine every five hundred or so rounds. Easy to clean really. I then use a lithium grease for lubrication. It stays in place and makes for smooth operation. It also makes cleaning easier. Just wipe down the ram really well with a rag and arou d the ram.
 
I have cleaned around the ram with a Nylon brush to get out as much dirt/debris as I can. Seems will need to do more than just brush clean it. Do have grease, have used some of it in the past.

Thanks guys for the help.
 
Spray some liquid wrench penatrating oil/lube around the area where the ram slides up/down thru the base, and work the handle some, spray some more, work the handle some more and wipe off the excess from everything as it turns black. Then take a break from de-capping during the high volume days and lube the ram. Or lube the ram prior to those high volume days.
 
Does the press work smooth on other operations? Might check and make sure the linkage is not hitting in the back.
 
Thanks guys for the help/suggestions. Put some oil on it and work well after many up and down movements. Did clean as when oil turned black from ram movement. Now better.

10wt308, yes, press worked well for other operations. Just had that minor problem.
 
I think you are describing a problem I had years ago. What I figured out was that the case really needed very little sizing. I adjusted the decaping pin down
and set the die so it was only sizing maybe 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch, just the top of the case. Yours may be slightly different but give it a try.
 
I was wondering from the original description if Ninosdemente had got hold of some crimped military once-fired brass that what offering extra resistance and the moment the primer popped loose, but his description of the required shove seemed too great for that to account for.

Sounds like the clean and lube was a help. Mobile 1 synthetic oil not only has detergency but gradually breaks carbon down well. Some folks use it as a gun cleaner for carbon for that reason. A quart will last nearly a lifetime in these applications. I've been using the 0-W-10 figuring thinner was better for cleaning and dissolving.
 
I find that ATF works well in scenarios where a high detergent lube is desired. I use it on my Rock Chucker, along with firearms and fishing reels. Best thing there is for lubing locks and locksets too. Does not leave any gummy residue or dry them out like WD40. Like any oil, more is not better. Use it sparingly or you attract more dirt and crud than you prevent.
 
ATFs have only small amounts of detergents and dispersants. The idea that ATFs are high in detergents is a myth. Engine oils are certainly higher in detergents, and perhaps dispersants as well. Engine oils need to deal with all the dirt created from the combustion process, while ATF only need to handle a smaller amount of debris from clutch wear.

The characteristics desired in a firearm lube aren't really very close to that of engines or transmissions. In addition, there are potentially additives in both engine oil and ATF that aren't beneficial to firearm lubrication. And the same is true for lubricating a press.
 
BBarn said:
ATFs have only small amounts of detergents and dispersants. The idea that ATFs are high in detergents is a myth. Engine oils are certainly higher in detergents, and perhaps dispersants as well. Engine oils need to deal with all the dirt created from the combustion process, while ATF only need to handle a smaller amount of debris from clutch wear.

The characteristics desired in a firearm lube aren't really very close to that of engines or transmissions. In addition, there are potentially additives in both engine oil and ATF that aren't beneficial to firearm lubrication. And the same is true for lubricating a press.
Click to expand...
We are not talking about firearm lubrication. We are talking about Rockchucker lubrication.
 
...and we are talking about firearm bore cleaning, but not lubrication. As far as press lubrication goes, you will find a lot of inexpensive lathes and tools from China tell you to use a single weight (20W) motor oil for the ways and the low-speed gearboxes like the feed gears in the saddle (spindle oil for the head and its gears, of course). It may not be an engine, but a slow sliding machine like a press should do just fine with motor oil.
 
Some of the "we" in this thread have talked about lubrication. But the detergents in motor oil and ATF aren't well suited as a gun or bore cleaner either.

Most oils specified for use with lathes are non-detergent. Commonly available detergent motor oils will cause no harm in such applications, but probably aren't the best choice either. One thing to be very careful of in gearboxes is the use of yellow metals. The extreme pressure additives in some lubricants (but not typically in motor oil) can slowly etch away those yellow metals that are sometimes used in sleeve bearings.

Likewise, using a detergent motor oil to lube a press or gun will provide lubrication and is unlikely to cause any harm. The biggest drawback to motor oils in gun lubrication is the high viscosity at low temperatures. That's not a significant issue for a reloading press. Most press manufacturers recommend oil on their presses, though it seems a suitable grease might be better. Some of the presses even have grease fittings on the ram bore and link shafts.

Considerable chemical science goes into modern vehicle lubricants. In some cases, I doubt the same is true of many gun lubes on the market.
 
I've got a cheap Lee press that I strictly use for decapping range brass with the universal die in the garage. I have a lot of range brass in 5 gallon buckets, some of which is pretty dirty or muddy. I clean mine on an ultrasonic machine before decapping because I was having the same issue that you were. If you don't have a separate setup for just decapping I recommend cleaning your brass first.
 
BBarn said:
But the detergents in motor oil and ATF aren't well suited as a gun or bore cleaner either.
Click to expand...

Former 2-time U.S. Palma champion Mark Humphreyville and the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit disagree with you regarding Mobil 1, specifically. Ed Harris (Ed's Red) had a chemist work with him on his cleaner and his gun lube version that both use ATF, and they disagree with you. So you are down to a proof in the pudding situation, to demonstrate otherwise somehow. I expect an experiment is in order.

In the name of full disclosure, I should state that I am not personally using either one of the aforementioned products, though I have tried both. I am not against them, but have found my cleaning practices, which involve some penetration and waiting time, are better served by the Bore Tech line of products and when required, by Gunzilla and Slip2000 Carbon Killer, which are all newer chemistries than Ed's Red. The Mobile 1 I tried did as Mark suggested by acting to dissolve fresh, warm carbon in a bore, but I don't find the final cleanliness any better than I get by letting Bore Tech Eliminator sit in a plugged barrel while I drive home from the range, and it gets the copper out simultaneously, saving me extra cleaning effort.
 
Unclenick said:
...and we are talking about firearm bore cleaning, but not lubrication. As far as press lubrication goes, you will find a lot of inexpensive lathes and tools from China tell you to use a single weight (20W) motor oil for the ways and the low-speed gearboxes like the feed gears in the saddle (spindle oil for the head and its gears, of course). It may not be an engine, but a slow sliding machine like a press should do just fine with motor oil.
Click to expand...
You know, the discussion is supposed to be about the O P. The O.P. is a Rockchucker.
 
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