Any RCBS Green Machine users out there?
- Thread starter sahara
- Start date
blacksmithden
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
If you're refering to a Rockchucker press, yes, I have one. Love it.
No, there's not much to go wrong on a 'Chucker. The Green Machine was a complicated, finicky piece of engineering that is it's own ammo production line. You put 100+ empty cases in one end, 100+ primers in the tray, filled the powder measure, and if everything is correctly adjusted you crank out a loaded round with every pull of the lever if you dropped a bullet into the case mouth as it went by. It's a facinating thing to watch that can crank out about 800 rounds per hour on a good day.
I have one that I picked up really cheap, finally have a gun to shoot the ammo from it, so going to have to fire it up. I only loaded about 100 rounds to see how it worked, a very slick machine, I'll have to consider that lee die for crimping. Mine has had the original primer tray replaced with just a tube, I've read the orginal priming tray was a pain in the butt.
The primer tray is pretty much like the rest of the machine; fantastic when it works and a complicated butt pain when it doesn't. There's a few of things that have to be timed correctly for it to work right. Two pieces of advice I can give you are to carefully check the machine for proper timing BEFORE you start loading, and use the LEE CARBIDE factory crimp die. It's cheap and helps you turn out factory quality ammo.
To get back to the timing thing, once you get it all set up you'll get a "feel" for the machine. There should be no forcing anything, nothing should be stiff or hard to operate. When you're loading ammo if that "feel" changes, even slightly, find out why and fix it. Could need lube, could be a live or spent primer caught somewhere, could be a few grains of spilled powder making things drag. Whatever it is, find it and fix it immediately. Also, never force the machine to do anything or you'll be bending or breaking parts that RCBS may not sell anymore. Lightly lube the parts that rub when you operate the lever. Because of the way compound linkages amplify drag you'll be amazed that what felt like a jammed machine was just dry from lack of lube.
To get back to the timing thing, once you get it all set up you'll get a "feel" for the machine. There should be no forcing anything, nothing should be stiff or hard to operate. When you're loading ammo if that "feel" changes, even slightly, find out why and fix it. Could need lube, could be a live or spent primer caught somewhere, could be a few grains of spilled powder making things drag. Whatever it is, find it and fix it immediately. Also, never force the machine to do anything or you'll be bending or breaking parts that RCBS may not sell anymore. Lightly lube the parts that rub when you operate the lever. Because of the way compound linkages amplify drag you'll be amazed that what felt like a jammed machine was just dry from lack of lube.
Well I'm in the process of moving right now, but that green machine will be one of the first things set up at the new place, then I'll get to give a real test. What I tried so far seemed to work very well, I can see it being very fast.
When I had it set up before, I did put a couple of tubs hanging off the bench in front of it, one to catch loaded ammo and one for bullets, keeping the bullets very handy seemed to be the biggest factor in how fast it works.
When I had it set up before, I did put a couple of tubs hanging off the bench in front of it, one to catch loaded ammo and one for bullets, keeping the bullets very handy seemed to be the biggest factor in how fast it works.
