Hornady - improve your RCBS equipment

I don’t know about you, but I often find myself wondering how companies can make products that are exceptional in one respect, and incredibly lacking in another. Okay, so I’m the only one who has had this thought. Anyway…

Lately I’ve had the opportunity to use some Hornady equipment, which has proven to be a positive experience. On the other hand, I have a heavy investment in RCBS equipment that I use routinely, which 90% of the time meets my handloading requirements. The 10% grumble factor is almost totally related to changing over from one cartridge to the other, or in the case of the ancient Rock Chucker, just changing dies. The standard RCBS steps aren’t difficult, just tedious and distracting.

Hornady, on the other hand, has been luring me over to their product line with promises of quick changes through their proprietary Lock-N-Load system, however, I’m….equipment frugal, so tossing presses, dies, shell holders, etc., to get to the Lock-N-load system and recover a few minutes of change over, was clearly not in the cards. Fortunately, Hornady in its product marketing wisdom, decided to put RCBS users out of their misery by offering a Lock-N-Load system conversion for RCBS equipment. 

I ordered a conversion kit from Lock Stock & Barrel for $12.45. This kit consists of an adaptor bushing that replaces the die holder in the Rock Chucker press, and three Lock-N-Load quick change bushings to place on any three dies of your choice. The kit also contained the compulsory oil soaked, folded in quads instruction sheet. If you prefer, or already own Lock-N-Load bushings, you can get just the conversion bushing for $8.50. Lock-N-load quick change die bushings are sold in various quantities; a set of 10 runs about $30.

This is a little bit better picture of the two main characters in this story; the top is the conversion bushing for the Rock Chucker, or any other press utilizing a 1 1/4″-12 die holder. The lower component is the quick change bushing that holds any standard 7/8″ – 14 die.

The rubber “o” ring on the quick change bushing provides resistance against the lugs to take up any vertical slack when the two parts are locked together. The “O” ring has no impact on holding vertical dimensions as this is determined buy the metal to metal bushing fit. If you fit the two parts together you find they hook up solidly, not unlike the multiple locking lugs on a Weatherby Mark V action. My point is this is not a sloppy assembly.

The first step in the conversion is to pull the standard Rock Chucker die bushing. Yes I know this is the wrong tool to use to remove the bushing, however, in my own defense it is labeled the “Professional” model. Next, plop in the Hornady conversion bushing, and screw it down into the press finger tight. 

This part of the installation was a little off the written path. The idea is to engage the die bushing lugs and press bushing spline, then turn the die to tighten the press bushing. The instructions assume a Hornady die with a hex top, although I don’t know why since the installer is obviously using an RCBS press – RCBS dies do not have a hex head.

The easiest approach is to screw the die into the L-N-L die bushing and set the RCBS die’s lock ring, then turn the entire assembly to tighten the press bushing. I’m not sure why they didn’t put a hex head on the press bushing; could be this wouldn’t work with Hornady equipment.

I already knew the L-N-L system was faster than installing and changing out dies with each step, they popped in and out with not much more then a little grip and twist pressure. I thought the real issue was whether or not they would hold adjustment.

I selected 60 recently fired .243 cases; Winchester, PMC and Remingtonmanufacture, and ran them all through an RCBS Precision Mic to get the “before” readings and to place them in a controlled order for processing through the sizing die. 

I thought I would ignore the absolute reading and look at the relative variances between un-sized and sized, while periodically pulling the L-N-L mounted RCBS die from the press and remounting it.

The raw material, once fired brass from two bolt action and one lever action rifles mic’d between 1.649″ and 1.654″, or .005″ variance amongst rifles. I pulled and reinstalled the sizing die every 10 cases, yet every single sized case measured 1.649″ coming out of the die. The press actually felt a lot more positive in actuation. Maybe the “O” ring allowed the die to float into positive position.

The best part is the die with the L-N-L bushing fits in the RCBS die box and closes.

I went on and ran the same check on bullet seating and the results were the same, each measurement, no matter how many times I pulled the die and reinstalled, was virtually identical. In anticipation of the system working, I had purchased a 10 pack of die bushings. They are now located on my most frequently used dies. I have some range time coming up on .257 bore rifles, so I’ll have a chance to see if there is a difference that shows up in accuracy.

Thanks
Joe