Wishing I'd never bought this POS RCBS Progressive

There is nothing wrong with your press - most progressives have a learning curve - best suggestion is to work it out with the manufacturer. It does no good to point out what press you have as it is of no use to O/P
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There does seem to be something wrong with the press and I disagree, it could do the OP plenty of good to know that there are other presses that don't come with all that required tweaking. In my opinion, simple to operate and reliability in this case could have a big impact on safety and I want the OP to know that they are out there. I'm sure Dillon is not the only one but I do love how easy it is to use so I can keep my attention on the reloading process, not messing with the machine.

Look at it this way, I've read posts quite often were someone gets blasted for mentioning some distraction while reloading. I read one within the last day or so where a guy mentioned he couldn't reload because he was watching is two toddlers and he still got blasted. What could be bigger distraction that fiddling with that press? If I knew of a better press, I would let the OP know about it and get one myself provided I could afford it.

If that thing can not be made to operate smoothly, try another one. I can only attest to the Dillon 650 because that is all that I have experience with but I do know that it works. And yes, if you think about it in terms of safety, it could do the OP some good to know that!
 
If that thing can not be made to operate smoothly, try another one. I can only attest to the Dillon 650 because that is all that I have experience with but I do know that it works. And yes, if you think about it in terms of safety, it could do the OP some good to know that!
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I agree, it's either user friendly or it is not. I can only attest to the Dillon 550 because I have two. These are live reviews of differing brands! Dillon is well represented here.

Even the guys who don't think it's your press are not speaking from a pro2000 ownership perspective! Where are the pro200 owners with their reviews?
 
The pro 2000 is not a difficult piece of equipment to operate.

The key to the aps system is to make sure you insert the strips the right way and make sure it actually advances each time. It can occassionaly advance only half way. If I ever get a little extra cash I may opt for the tube prime system but the APS works for me.

To the person who said that finding loaded strips is impossible but you can find empty strips but then you have to load them yourself. It is clear you've never used the system because it only takes about 2 minutes to load a hundred primers into the strips. It is not a tedious one at a time process.

As to your issue with the case ejector. You just need to tighten it. Getting it set right for each caliber can be kind of a pain but I have never had an issue with it being loose.

If I had it to do over again knowing what I know now I would probably give dillon or hornady a hard look. That being said the RCBS does just fine for what I need.

Give RCBS a call I am sure they can provide some help.

I will give you whatever help I can as a pro 2000 owner for the last 5 years.
 
Also the color coding on the strips is not messed up.

Each color represents a type of primer not its size. Bevause each type comes in two sizes small and large
 
Did you really read all the reviews? This sounds typical for the RCBS press. There is probably nothing wrong with the press. You just don't have it tuned up right yet. The other problems you might have is loose powder jamming up the works or you might also have too much oil or lube on the press. Progressive presses have to be clean and dry to work properly.
I've had Lee progessive presses; they work but need a lot of fiddling to keep them running. I switched to a Dillon and don't have any problems now.
 
I love my Pro2000!

In many ways setting up a progressive is like setting up a CNC lathe, once you learn how to approach everything one step at a time you will see where you made your errors. There could be something wrong with your press, so don't take that wrong, my ejector wire never gave me any problems, and once I learned how to use the APS system it's been a dream. I suggest finding someone who has one to spend a few minutes with you at your bench.

And it's the only progressive press made of cast iron!
 
I have several Dillon Square Deals. The weak link in them is also the priming system. Never had trouble with anything else in 24 years or so.

Their CS is spectular, also. I called on a Thursday needing a 50 cent part (for the primer assembly, naturally) and got one the NEXT DAY!!

Maybe try the RCBS as a single stage and see if it will smooth out for you. Just an idea.:D

Best luck either way.
 
Be prepared to wait on the line for 30 minutes or more when you call RCBS. I bought a Rangemaster 750 that didn't work out of the box, and it took them 30 minutes to get to me in the queue. When I called I was #22 and this was last Wednesday. Still haven't gotten my replacement shipped yet, and it's been a week. :rolleyes:
 
I have loaded over a quarter million rounds out of my Pro2000 so I am the last one to say it has problems.

Regarding the ejector spring rod coming loose, that means you don't have it pushed down all the way prior to tightening it up. Yes RCBS should make one end about 1/4" longer so you can get a good bite on it.

Regarding the aps strip color. Ignore it if it bothers you. Just use the correct size.

Regarding getting it jammed up in the aps. I have only had that happen once when I spilled AA9 powder in the primer area while replacing a round I weighted as a test. Yes it is a pain to clean up and get working again.

My suggestion? Relax, call RCBS and keep after it. It is a good press works well and is easy to use. It just takes a bit of patience to learn how to tweak it and get it really tuned.

You should see my press, it is getting a bit loose from wear so I have to adjust things a bit more to get it just so. I am thinking around this summer I may send it back and "refurb" it with RCBS.
 
to the OP, the APS system can be tricky, but I found out that if you load the strips. say all four of them for a box of primers, make sure that you 'roll' down the tops of the primers. I use a ball point pen of something round and smooth. I run it over the strip several times to be sure they are 'down' none of the peeking up over the edge of the pocket. The nubs of the strip loader are supposed to sink them into the strip past the top edge, but with small primers not so much, so roll them.

The ejector pin; will tighten up if you loosen the set screw, insert the pin a little further, and feel for the pin with the set screw. you'll know when you make contact, and then just a little further and then success.

The press works best when squeeky clean, if (or should I say when) powder spills it gets into places that cause the auto index not to recycle all the way so it will pick up the next notch [so to speak], also when powder fets in the primer feed, it will cause it to jam too.

Hope this helps. Always have a can of "AIR' on the bench or a hose from compressor, best is to use the vacuum cleaner so powder doesn't occupy all of the corners of the reloading room. I take the powder form the vacuum and feed it to the gophers.
 
Anyone experiencing hard ships from a new progressive should field strip it to bear bones. The clean all moving parts and put it back together after checking timing and function....

There I'm better now:D


thewelshm
 
I would suggest reloaders learn to find good in everything, if I did not like something and considered getting rid it I would not want to do an outstanding job finding the faults.

There is a good chance I will never get rid it. The best way would to be describe the situation as 'having too many' or 'loss if interest'. The Pro 2000 came with a loader strip primer system, when the new and improved press came out everyone missed the strip system.

F. Guffey
 
The folks I know that own them really like the 2000 but they are fewer in numbers than the rest. If its your first progressive I would follow the advice of work with RCBS and learn more about what your doing.

Out of curiosity what in your pre purchase research pushed you in the direction of the RCBS? I would have guessed a 10:1 (or more) for other brands.
 
I would have guessed a 10:1 (or more) for other brands.
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If we are going to make this stuff up by guessing I would guess the Pro 2000 owners were so happy loading on their RCBS Pro 2000 press they did not have time to talk about it. Others that purchased other brands were so miserable with their progressive presses they wanted everyone else to be miserable so they spent all their time talking about reloading instead of, reloading.

F. Guffey
 
Really....five years old...give it up and start new thread if you want to keep re-hashing the "what color is best" progressive press debate, again...
and again...
and again...
 
Really....
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Yes, "Really....", I am a patient man, I waited and I am one of those that would not walk across the street to watch an ant eat a bail of hay. And I am one of those that worries about walking in to a store and getting run over by the rush on the latest fads. Again, I am a patient man.

F. Guffey
 
If we are going to make this stuff up by guessing I would guess the Pro 2000 owners were so happy loading on their RCBS Pro 2000 press they did not have time to talk about it
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I did say it was a guess and didn't state it as fact but I would bet money that all other manufacture of progressive presses combined out produce RCBS 2000's, by at least 10:1.

Doesn't state anything about quality, as hotdogs likely out sell tenderloin too, purely by number.
 
... I would bet money that all other manufacture of progressive presses combined out produce RCBS 2000's, by at least 10:1.

Doesn't state anything about quality, as hotdogs likely out sell tenderloin too, purely by number.
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I've always known the Pro 2000 is the tenderloin of progressive presses and the rest are hot dogs. Nice to see someone else agrees. ;)
 
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