How much pressure can a reloading press take

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How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by chookah » 02 Dec 2013, 12:14 pm

Another novice reloading question here.

I do a bit of reloading with a mate and his RCBS reloading kit and we're both reasonably new to it.

When sizing brass, some of them go through the press pretty effortlessly, but the occasionally one can be tough.

Really gotta apply the elbow grease to the extend it tips the table a little and so on.

Doesn't bother anyone if a bit of brass is unusable, but don't want to damage the expensive press or dies obviously.

Any risk to either if you get a particularly tough bit of brass? Best to skip sizing it or just muscle through?
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Noisydad » 02 Dec 2013, 12:37 pm

They'll take lot- a toggle press( which is what a reloading press is) can generate about 1.5 t of pressure. Lube your cases with STP engine treatment by wetting a sponge foam pad with it and just roll your cases lightly across it. Store you pad in a plastic tub and a bottle of STP will last for years. The force needed to resize cases will be significantly reduced when lubed this way.
There's still a few of Wile. E Coyote's ideas that I haven't tried yet.
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Lorgar » 02 Dec 2013, 1:04 pm

The way you've described it it just sounds like a few of your cases aren't getting enough lube.

Probably in the neck.

Pay particular attention next time you're lubing your cases to make sure they're all done thoroughly inside and out and I expect the problem will go away.
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Xerox » 02 Dec 2013, 1:18 pm

A bit of elbow grease isn't going to damage your press mate.

You'd just about have to be swinging off it to cause a problem...
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by jeener » 02 Dec 2013, 1:44 pm

Xerox wrote:You'd just about have to be swinging off it to cause a problem...


Well that's an interesting picture :lol:
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Bills Shed » 22 Dec 2013, 10:59 am

Agree with all of the above. If you get a tough case, you really need to ask why. Lube is the usual suspect.
Are all the cases from hand loads? If it is range pick up brass, military primers can be stubborn some times. A mates lever action spat out brass that was beyond tough. Ended up with a stuck case in a FLS die. The chamber was way oversize. If all the cases came out of the same rifle, I also lean toward the lube application. Please note, when people mention lubing the inside and out of the case they mean the inside of the neck only, and whole of the outside. May be obvious but good to clarify.

In regards to breaking a press, I have busted the linkages on an old C frame Bair press about 20 years ago. Had to build all new linkage pins. Probably more wore out, then failed. That press is still in use today. They are hard to break. Metal quality, machine work and castings are far superior than when I bought my first press.
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Noisydad » 22 Dec 2013, 12:26 pm

If you're going to lube the INSIDE of your case throat use graphite powder rather than a wet lube. I have to do this with my .222 cases on my old Super Simplex press other wise I almost cant pull the decapping pin/throat sizer out.
There's still a few of Wile. E Coyote's ideas that I haven't tried yet.
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Bills Shed » 22 Dec 2013, 5:33 pm

Noisydad wrote:If you're going to lube the INSIDE of your case throat use graphite powder rather than a wet lube. I have to do this with my .222 cases on my old Super Simplex press other wise I almost cant pull the decapping pin/throat sizer out.


Hi Noisydad, like your method of STP engine treatment. I have used many types of lube inc 2 stoke oil. With various degrees of success. Do you roll the cases on the STP and then dip in a container of graphite for the inside of the neck?
I am Currently playing with pure lanolin with a heavy mix of castor oil. Cheap as chips. So far so good
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Warrigul » 22 Dec 2013, 5:58 pm

chookah wrote:Another novice reloading question here.

I do a bit of reloading with a mate and his RCBS reloading kit and we're both reasonably new to it.

When sizing brass, some of them go through the press pretty effortlessly, but the occasionally one can be tough.

Really gotta apply the elbow grease to the extend it tips the table a little and so on.

Doesn't bother anyone if a bit of brass is unusable, but don't want to damage the expensive press or dies obviously.

Any risk to either if you get a particularly tough bit of brass? Best to skip sizing it or just muscle through?


You could try LEE sizing lube in the tube, it is very good and economical and won't contaminate powder or primers like oil can do. I tried them all and have used the LEE for the past four years, it goes a long way as you only need the thinnest layer. It was the only one that worked when making .303/22 cases.

Good for the hardest cases. I lube the outside up to the level of the shoulder and only lube the inside of every second case neck with a cotton bud and don't put any on the shoulder.

If just neck sizing then graphite powder in a small screw on bottle cap up to the level of the shoulder works well.

If it is pistol cases then buy carbide dies and ditch the lube permanently.
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Farmjer » 22 Dec 2013, 6:14 pm

jeener wrote:
Xerox wrote:You'd just about have to be swinging off it to cause a problem...


Well that's an interesting picture :lol:


I get Tarzan to do all my reloading for me.
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by Harper » 23 Dec 2013, 7:49 am

Xerox wrote:You'd just about have to be swinging off it to cause a problem...


If you don't lube your cases for full length sizing you can just about be swinging off it to get the friggen brass to come out :lol:
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Re: How much pressure can a reloading press take

Post by chookah » 29 Jan 2014, 8:29 am

Thanks for the feedback guys.

Seems it was in fact a case of not enough lube.

Paid a bit more attention to doing the inside of the necks, and when the bodies are done I rub a little up onto the outside of the next.

Still get the occasional stiff case, but it's pretty smooth sailing now.

Live and learn. Cheers.
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