Rock Chucker Failure

I was attempting to swage a bullet today and it happened. My Rockchucker failed. Snapped one of the connecting links where the pin goes through. Contacted RCBS and they gave me the option of sending it in and getting a new press orthem sending me the part. I opted for the part. It appears that the links are made of a cast and not a forged metal.

Does anyone make a sturdier link for these. It's an RC4 or supreme, which ever you prefer.

LOL Sorry about your trouble Glad RCBS is making it right for you... How big a cheater pipe did you have on the handle?


Gosh I wanna say something soooooooooobad but id get my hand slapped LOL
lol Ok slap my hand Shoudda bought you a LEE they never break

Yea, Lee has been doing very well. A buddy of mine uses the Lee cast iron and has had it in so many stress level, using a 3' bar, which I told him not to and it has yet to fail.

My RockChucker, I have to contact RCBS as well. I will prob end up getting a new press as the linkage isn't broke, however, the ears that are made into the press has a crack in it now where I had been swaging. Not sure that is a fixable problem. I may have to take a picture to show the crack.

My RockChucker is really really old. Bought it off a guy in Anchorage Alaska. It is one of the original ones. Glad RCBS is going to take care of that problem for you. Sorry it did not fair so well... Can you give us a description of how it happened? Did you feel like at any time you were having to exert a ton of pressure to swage? How many have you swaged before the failure? Did this particular one feel any different than the rest?

Dang...I have put alot of force on my RCII swaging bullets and have yet to break anything. Of course I don't use a cheater or extended handle either. The cast links are pretty robust to begin with...adding stronger links might cause a failure somewhere else. The link could have been weak to begin with....at least RCBS is standing behind their product.

Also remember, you can only compress so much...if excess lead doesn't have a place to go...something has got to give. Just be sure you are not trying to swage a too much core than required for the final weight desired.

Right Hawcer, also, be sure the lead core you are using isn't too hard. This is another reason I like using pure lead to swage with...

I was using moderate force, nothing I would consider extreme. I was using the original handle that comes with the press. I have swaged less the 50 bullets so far. If you would like to see pictures I have posted the on Cast Boolits sight. Sorry Tommy it's easier to do there.

Oh and by the way Reload, Consider yourself Slapped.

It is easy to post pictures here too LOL. We have our own hosting service. If you look above this box that you type in to post, 6 little boxes to the right you will see a big sqare and a little square. The big square looks like a polaroid and the little square looks like a computer disk. CLick on that square and it will ask you for location of the picture and click host copy and paste the link it gives.

It's ok, I understand....

But you have to have them somewhere on a public hosting sight don't you. Can't up load the pics right to the sight host if I am correct?

Straight from you computer to the site. ATGreloading hosts them...

Looks like you got it figured out.

Hmmm, I think that is where mine is cracked. I was thinking mine might have been to the left on that ear that the linkage is in between... I have ot go and look at mine agian...

ok, The picture was here......did you delete it?

LOL I was being facetious .... I am a known Lee hater

OK I had them there, where did they go? Try again.

what model press is that RC?

ok, mine is no where near there lol. I was way off. Here is where mine is cracked...

It's the RC4 or Supreme if you chose.

That is why I opted for an older RCII....the IV seemed a little puny in the linkage dept when compared to the older models.... like they lightened up the metal here and there.

I may just bite the bullet (so to speak) and look into buying the Blackmon press. It does take the standard die, correct? I really dont want to spend the money on a Corbin.

The blackmon press does not take standard dies. He does have a kit to convert a Rock Chucker to use his dies. If you want to use standard dies as you are now, then your gonna have to stick with a regular reloading press.

Your choices in press of course a really good one to start with is the Lee cast press. It has already proven itself over and over again for swaging with ch4d dies.

Then you have the older Rock Chucker Press. The original Rock Chucker press was built for swaging when RCBS first started. The older ones seem to be built stronger than the new ones. Which makes sense being that they do not produce them anymore just for swaging.

Then, you have the option of getting a Champion press I do believe from CH4D. Will have to look again to see if that is the name of the press or not.

The only standard die that Blackmon's press takes is the one with the nose punch I do believe on the upper portion. Reload3006 and BillArrington knows more on the Blackmon's than I do. BillArrington did convert my RCBS for use with Blackmon. I have both rams plus the hole in my RCBS for the pin to eject in the ram.

Reload3006 wrote:LOL I was being facetious .... I am a known Lee hater

i knew that lol lee hater!! its ok everyone has a right to there own opinons !

Impossible the RockChucker cannot fail!!!!

Does it bother anyone else that a Sasquatch broke its press?!?

RichBirdHunter wrote:Does it bother anyone else that a Sasquatch broke its press?!?

No.. Just feed him some jerky and he will be ok.

RemMan700 wrote:

RichBirdHunter wrote:Does it bother anyone else that a Sasquatch broke its press?!?

No.. Just feed him some jerky and he will be ok.

I like the spicey teryake!

yea it bothers me hate it for him mine broke one time it sucked! my press is a lee though so it could be expected! lol

LOL I give people a lot of grief over LEE but hey listen I actually Like The llincs and frame on the Lee classic cast press the only thing I dont like is they designed it to Not Cam over their classic cast is as strong as any press on the market.