Ever since I purchased my Rock Chucker back in the 70's, I have struggled with having spent primers bounce out of the plastic primer tray and end up on the floor. I was processing some cases tonight, watching the primers dropping all over and an idea pop in my mind. I grabbed a big rubber band and wrapped it would the spent primer tray and then around the back of the press and low and behold, I did not lose another primer. Now why didn't I think of that 30 years ago. Better late than never I guess.

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You're missing the little arced green plastic piece that holds the tray on. It snaps into the little notches on the in-board sides of the "lobes" of the tray.

That’s a good way. But when I lost that arch piece. I drilled two small hole near the slot for the arch piece and cut a piece of wire hangers which went around the back of the press and holes it in place for the last twenty years.


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I've noticed the same thing with my 2 RCBS presses. Never had the problem again after switching over to decapping manually (steel base with a hole to pass the primer through the reloading bench into a trash can underneath). I also prime as a separate operation using the RCBS priming tool.

This also does away with the need for the decapping rod in the sizing die. I removed that and started using the Lyman M-die for neck expansion, which is very precise and applies much less force to case necks than the usual neck expansion button on the decapping rod, thus increasing case life significantly.

That is how I typically put the plastic PCs on mine. I have 5 or 6 of the aluminum PCs down in the vault and they were held on the presses by rubber bands and are a nostalgic change from the later plastic primer catchers. When I sell one I usually get about 30 bucks for them. I don't think they catch primers any better though. I like them

There are a few primer catchers on the retro market that catch the primer and send it down a tube into a plastic soda bottle. Finally bought one for myself and can’t believe how much I like it!

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S&W factory revolver armorer

When I lost the little arched green plastic thingy, I fabricated a substitute retainer with a couple of inches of electric light pull chain material fitted with pull chain "bells" on both ends. Cost was less than $1 30 years ago and works better than the original! PM me to see a photo, it's so simple and easy to use!

I have a Redding Turret press that was missing the catch tray.

I cut a Rolaids plastic bottle to hang in place and use a garbage can to catch [most of] the ones that pop out and go flying..

There must be an island of lost green arches because mine is gone too. I bent a paperclip to hold the tray on to the frame.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

I cannot even remember which year that went missing. Even with it, it never seems to catch all of the spent primers.

LoboGunLeather, So you made up a steel plate with a hold large enough to pass a spent primer, put a collection pot under it and then just knock out the primers with a small rod and hammer? It sounds pretty simple and quick?

Been there.....done that. Contact RCBS and they my comp you a replacement.

Just sayin'...

JPJ

Well I'll be.
I have an RCBS JR from the seventies and it has the primer catcher like yours and I still have the little green strap that crosses over and holds it together but that don't stop them spent primers from taking flight and bouncing out and hiding in the carpet where I can't see them. I will try that rubber band trick and thanks for posting the tip.

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James
On the Llano Estacado

I have the same press as yours. My rubber band serves a dual purpose.
It retains the tray closely to the press and goes around the bottom of the primer arm. A thumb tack secures it to the tray and goes up and around the arm.It stopped springing back a long time ago. the rubber band works great.
Another saver of grief is to jam a piece of tissue in the slot that guides the priming arm when decapping . It keeps the spent primers from jamming up the feed arm.
Have not seen the need for duct tape yet in 40+ years with this press but you never know.
Jim

Good idea on the tissue in the slot. I also put a piece of doe skin sticky cloth in the primer catcher. Stops many primers from bouncing out of the catcher....but some still get away especially with the plastic catcher

Am I missing something? I don't understand how a rubber band keeps the spent primers from bouncing out of the catcher. It seems most are referring to keeping the catcher in place on the press. Am I just dense?

I solved that, (and other problems), differently. I craigslisted the RockChucker and bought a Lee Classic Turret.

I use the same green tray for my RC.

The issue I had over the years was that as primers popped out, they'd hit the bottom of the green tray and bounce out of it and onto the floor.

Simple remedy: I cut out a little piece of cardboard to fit into the back of the primer tray as a backstop. The primers hit the tray, bounce up, hit the cardboard and fall right back into the tray...none hit the floor...

Bayou52

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Bayou52
NRA Life Member

I’ve had the primer catch tray on my Rock Chucker attached with a rubber band since the 70s. Lost that piece that is supposed to hold it in place.
But I still have a fair number of spent primers bounce out of that primer catch tray.

My RC is the older pale/pastel green color, and has the aluminum tray. There are two posts or ears at the rear for a shorter rubber band to do the same job as your larger one. However the taper on the horns allows the rubber band to slip off. So I drilled an 1/8" hole in the back end of each side and used a 3 inch long 1/4" bungee cord to hold it tight against the press. This also creates a secure space to store a spare primer are of the size I'm not using. About 7 years ago I removed the threaded bushing at the top and installed Hornady's Lock-N-Load kit. this press now dose the work of a turret press. (I still use my Redding T-7, but now I will never bother with a second turret top!)

Ivan

One of my buddies puts a five gallon bucket on the floor under the press. Works like a charm catching the primers, and is easy to empty too.

Been doing that for years on my RCBS primer catch tray.

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S&W Accumulator

For the life of me, I can't picture what you are describing. Could you post a picture please?

Somehow, I still have the original primer catcher and retainer that came with my RCBS press when I bought it in 1980. The spent primers jump out while de-capping; very irritating.

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Exactly. I do like the idea, although. Same problem here with discarded primers bouncing out occasionally . Solved that with inserting a plastic straw in the ram slot. Works great for me. Some say a McDonalds straw is the fix. LMAO. I use the RCBS RC for low volume stuff now. Dillon 550 B for everything else.

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Steve
The Lounge Rant Master

I lost the little bridge piece almost 40 yrs ago. Still using the big wire tie I replaced it with. Like your rubber band, but doesn't rot off, and can remove easily to empty. Still get a bouncer once in a while though, especially if a RCBS de-capping die is used, that thing sends spent primers to outer space.