Rantable Devices

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  • Last Post 22 July 2017
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GP Idaho posted this 10 July 2017

We've all purchased equipment that left us less than satisfied with it's performance. In the $75+ bracket what product left you the most dissatisfied?  For me, I'd have to say the old Hornady Apex shotgun press and the old RCBS Powdermaster were the biggest clunkers. Gp

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BigMan54 posted this 11 July 2017

I also had a HORNADY Apex 91 12ga shotgun reloader. I got the "manual" version as a "freebie" from the HORNADY Sales Rep to take it around to the other stores in the TURNERS OUTDOORSMAN chain & give shotgun reloading seminars to the sales people.  I was a Store Mgr for them back in the late 80'S-mid 90'S. I was intrigued by the concept of being able to buy a low priced press & upgrade it to full auto by purchasing the add-on auto upgrades.  Auto powder & shot drop, auto index/eject & so on. My 8yr old daughter operated that press through every upgrade without a problem.  I can't remember how I managed to break it. But I had to send it back to HORNADY.  They replaced it with a APEX 3.0, I've used it ever since without a problem.  But I'm in the minority as the APEX was discontinued. 

I can't really remember any thing that gave me trouble except the Dillon. And that RCBS Green Machine, felt bad for the guy I sold it to.

But I do remember trying to cast an H&G 10cav #50 .38 wadcutter mold using a Bottom Pour pot. My Dad & Uncle used giant ladles out of a plumber's pot for        8-10cavity molds. But that problem was operator caused & not a poor design or bad equipment.  

A real exercise in frustration. 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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Ross Smith posted this 12 July 2017

Nothing wrong with my stuff that a new owner wouldn't fix!

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David Reiss posted this 12 July 2017

I have thought about this thread a lot and can't think of a single tool that disappointed me. Don't know if I have just been lucky and have chosen well. 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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M3 Mitch posted this 14 July 2017

Same here, I have everything from 310 Lyman tool sets to a Dillon 450, have had good service from all of them.   I do have a Hornady shotshell press that I got for free from one or another mail-order outfit, because I bought a big enough dollar amount of stuff from them.  It's still in the box, have not needed it, maybe it's an Apex.  Maybe if I unbox it and try it out it will disappoint me. 

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Maven posted this 14 July 2017

You folks must be  luckier than I.  While not exactly "rantable," I've been disappointed with two Bonanza/Forster reloading tools:  their Benchrest Powder Measure and the Co-Ax Priming Tool.  The latter is tricky to set up and operate without dropping primers or seating them sideways (Oh, the joy!)* while the former doesn't throw consistent charges of even slippery ball powders (WC 860, for example).  By contrast, my Lyman #55 powder measure is much more reliable and easy to set up...if you keep a record of the settings for different powders and charges of same.

 

*I mounted mine on a pc. of 2 x 4, which I can tilt upward to prevent the primer tube from spilling [some of] its contents once it is in place.  Although this helps, it hasn't eliminated the problem.

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BigMan54 posted this 16 July 2017

I just want to know why/how I managed to wear out 2 LEE Auto-Primes in less that 3 years, I kept them lubed in the appropriate spots and They just wore out. I'm glad the RCBS hand tool came out just in time to keep me from going back out to the garage just to prime.

It may seem strange today, particularly for the youngsters, but once upon a time we were "chained" to the reloading bench for priming. To use either a bench mounted tool or the press itself.  My Dad had a bench mounted LACHMILLER priming tool. Or if you were lucky you could use a LYMAN 310 tong tool w/priming chamber.  I bought the RCBS version of the LACHMILLER TOOL as RCBS had bought out LACHMILLER by then. Used it until the LEE Auto-Prime came out.

I bought a LYMAN Spar-T press as my 1st reloading press back in '75. I thought the turret with the attached Auto-Prime set up would really speed up my reloading. It might have if the priming system had been worth a damn.

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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Maven posted this 16 July 2017

BigMan, The Lachmiller priming tool was one of the best and least troublesome priming tools I owned.  The round tray Auto Prime and single red plastic Lee were also quite reliable, but the Auto Prime body was prone to stretching and separating around the shell holder.  Alas, I gave the Lachmiller to a new reloader, but now regret it.

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BigMan54 posted this 17 July 2017

My Dad's old LACHMILLER  priming tool had a round body & was blue in color, My later RCBS STANDARD PRIMING TOOL,  was squared & Rcbs green. But they both used the same priming posts.

I too have given away many reloading tools to new reloaders, that I wish I still had.

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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Maven posted this 17 July 2017

"My Dad's old LACHMILLER  priming tool had a round body & was blue in color...."

That's the one, BigMan.  It also had replaceable shell holders (although I only had the one for at the .473" head diameter) and a seating depth adjustment.

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Scearcy posted this 17 July 2017

This is not a rantable device but just disappointing. I have a Lee press with the interchangable bushings. Actually I use the thing all of the time because changing dies is so convenient but the quality of the press is questionable at best. I really isn't suitable for heavy tasks including full length sizing. I would like to find a heavy press that took the lee bushings.

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45 2.1 posted this 17 July 2017

 I have a Lee press with the interchangable bushings.  I would like to find a heavy press that took the lee bushings.

Not the same, but Hornady advertised a press that took Hornady bushings, it's been a while though.

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BigMan54 posted this 18 July 2017

Yes, the HORNADY does take artillery style bushings. But they are different from the LEE. I think they are cheaper too, because you don't hafta buy a whole lock-ring setup, but rather they just lock down into/on to the bushing. HORNADY also sells a conversion bushing that you can use to replace the RCBS Rockchucker bushing & convert your RC to use the HORNADY bushings. I believe that the new MEC reloading press will also take the same conversion bushing. You can buy the conversion with one bushing. They also sell the bushings in 2 packs, 3 packs & 10 packs. They are the same bushings as HORNADY'S single stage press & their Progressive L-N-L press. I have 4 pistol die sets & 3 rifle sets so converted. But they do take up a bit of extra room in the die box. The old smaller RCBS & LYMAN boxes don't have enough room to fit a 4 die set equipped with 4 bushings. But it makes it REAL convenient when your working on just a few cases/rounds. I think Cabela's sells or used to sell a 6 pack of bushings with the conversion bushing. Two sets together were cheaper then one 10 pack.

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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rmrix posted this 18 July 2017

In the worthless waste of money department I have only a few experiences.

At the top of the list were the (then) new electronic scales that came out for the reloader.

I ordered the larger of the two Lyman offerings and when it arrived I read the directions and set it up. It wondered off zero so quickly it was useless. A call to Lyman and some trouble shooting on their part, and no joy, they said send it back and they sent a replacement. The replacement was better but not by much. In the end, Lyman refunded my purchase. At least Lyman tried, had good customer service and did the right thing. Soon after I tried the  PAC I think it was. In those days I thought I needed to weight bullets - that is OT and bullet weighing is a thread all on its own. Anyway, It was battery powered, and I tried it to be free of all house current issues.  No joy either! It needed it be re-zeroed every few weighings.   No customer service on it, just lip service.

Tried the RCBS, it went back. They insisted it was fine. I insisted I did not want to re-zero for each bullet weighed.

In frustration I shot the lock off my wallet and used the money to buy the Answorth/Denver Instrument scale and have never looked back.

Wow! What a scale! It is on 24-7 (it is made to be). It is dense for its size, about 8" x 13" x4" high, and weighs as much as two bowling balls and very rarely needs a re-zero.  I use it hard. I shoot BPCR matches and produce four to six thousands weighed rounds of that and other match ammo a year. I have had it two decades or so.

 

Happy endings are good.

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shake posted this 18 July 2017

A couple of years ago I saw an advertisement in a magazine for a Hornady electronic powder scale. The ad pictured the scale with a pan on it and the pan was being fed by a powder trickler. I ordered the scale and when it arrived I read the instructions. The instructions clearly stated that the scale was not to be used with a powder trickler. I called Hornady and they said it was not to be used with a trickler. I told them about the ad and they said they were aware of it but the scale was not to be used with a powder trickler. It was only about $35.00 but I still will not buy another Hornady product.

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GP Idaho posted this 18 July 2017

shake: LOL reminds me of my Hornady  concentricity tool that was advertised to straighten cartridges. At least a couple of us fell for that one.  Creative advertisement at it's best. Straighten cartridges? Right. more like bend the bullet. Gp

 

 

 

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45 2.1 posted this 18 July 2017

If I'm going to rant about anything, it would be the pressed together parts in Hornady dies and the polymer guide sleeves. Not being able to change expander diameters or seat larger cast bullets is intolerable.

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David Reiss posted this 18 July 2017

Bought a set of .45-70 Pacific dies about 35 years ago. Replaced them with RCBS some years later, didn't like them, can't remember why though. All my die sets are either RCBS, Lee and some Lyman. Glad I haven't bought any Hornady dies, sounds like I wouldn't like them. 

David Reiss - NRA Life Member & PSC Range Member Retired Police Firearms Instructor/Armorer
-Services: Wars Fought, Uprisings Quelled, Bars Emptied, Revolutions Started, Tigers Tamed, Assassinations Plotted, Women Seduced, Governments Run, Gun Appraisals, Lost Treasure Found.
- Also deal in: Land, Banjos, Nails, Firearms, Manure, Fly Swatters, Used Cars, Whisky, Racing Forms, Rare Antiquities, Lead, Used Keyboard Keys, Good Dogs, Pith Helmets & Zulu Headdresses. .

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BigMan54 posted this 22 July 2017

I've  dies from LYMAN, RCBS,  REDDING, HERTERS, LACHMILLER,  HORNADY-old & new style  & even LEE.  I have OLD SETS for .44WCF & .38WCF from LYMAN that do a much better job than the sets from Hornady, RCBS (2) & Lee. The Lee's do a GREAT JOB of loading  .32 Smith&Wesson SHORT & LONG. I even have a Lee factory crimp die for .32ACP.  But I really hate those tiny round nose bullets. 

 

Long time Caster/Reloader, Getting back into it after almost 10yrs. Life Member NRA 40+yrs, Life S.A.S.S. #375. Does this mean a description of me as a fumble-fingered knuckle-draggin' baboon. I also drool in my sleep. I firmly believe that true happiness is a warm gun. Did I mention how much I HATE auto-correct on this blasted tablet.

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