RCBS case activated linkage kit? Plus parts?

[Maximumbob54]

I'm posting this in several places to try and get the best answers. I will reply if anything positive pops up.

Does the linkage kit + the powder expander+ Uniflow powder meter= the ability to take a previously sized and primed case and both flare it open and drop the powder at the same time? As in I already have a Uniflow but if I buy the linkage kit and the powder expander, will that all work in one station on a press? I want to have an alternate to a Lee Pro Auto Disk system on a Classic Turret or to be able to load on my Rock Chucker. Am I missing some key component to this happening? Without having said parts to test I can't tell how you even adjust the flare. How far the threaded tube is into the press opening? I got to thinking about this from the threads that have the different options for trying to meld various powder meters with various linkage kits and one guy had an adapter milled to match up with his Lee powder through expander die. This seems a whole lot less complicated unless I'm missing some important part still.

Linkage kit in question:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=802477

And expander add on part:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewproduct/?productnumber=152982&cm_vc=S015

I do note that Hornady offers a similar add on as well:
Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Reloading :: Metallic Reloading :: Powder Measure & Accessories :: Lock-N-Load Powder Measure & Accessories :: PTX™ - Universial Powder Through Expanders

Does the bottom part of the linkage kit act as a die body that the expander set inside of??? I feel like I'm missing something somewhere somehow... I know I'm onto something here but it sounds too good to be true. So does this work, am I missing parts still, or does the reality just not match the dream???

 

[Broker50]

I'm posting this in several places to try and get the best answers. I will reply if anything positive pops up.

Does the linkage kit + the powder expander+ Uniflow powder meter= the ability to take a previously sized and primed case and both flare it open and drop the powder at the same time? As in I already have a Uniflow but if I buy the linkage kit and the powder expander, will that all work in one station on a press? I want to have an alternate to a Lee Pro Auto Disk system on a Classic Turret or to be able to load on my Rock Chucker. Am I missing some key component to this happening? Without having said parts to test I can't tell how you even adjust the flare. How far the threaded tube is into the press opening? I got to thinking about this from the threads that have the different options for trying to meld various powder meters with various linkage kits and one guy had an adapter milled to match up with his Lee powder through expander die. This seems a whole lot less complicated unless I'm missing some important part still.

Linkage kit in question:
MidwayUSA - The page you were looking for could not be found...


And expander add on part:
MidwayUSA - The page you were looking for could not be found...

I do note that Hornady offers a similar add on as well:
Hornady Manufacturing Company :: Reloading :: Metallic Reloading :: Powder Measure & Accessories :: Lock-N-Load Powder Measure & Accessories :: PTX™ - Universial Powder Through Expanders

Does the bottom part of the linkage kit act as a die body that the expander set inside of??? I feel like I'm missing something somewhere somehow... I know I'm onto something here but it sounds too good to be true. So does this work, am I missing parts still, or does the reality just not match the dream???

That's how it works, Bob. I have two of the Hornady units. Hornady & RCBS are virtually identical. Best upgrade I could have made to an old RCBS progressive press. After buying a Hornady LNL, I realized most of my problems with my old RCBS stemmed from the primer system, & the powder dispensing system. Bought another Hornady linkage kit & couldn't be happier (it actually helped the primer system too, not having spilled powder all the time).
Yes the powder thru expander die fits in the lower part of the activator "die", & replaces the part that pushes up on the case. It's a whole lot easier to adjust the whole set-up than to try to explain it, too! While I don't use or have a need for powder thru expanding, I considered it for the same reason you are considering. I too, have the Lee Classic Turret (and really like it for quick, short runs of ammo) Either the Hornady or RCBS (I would just buy the one in stock, & the best price) units will work great for what you intend.

Darrel

 

[Maximumbob54]

Darrel,

Thanks for the positive answer. I love your setup!!! I'm half way to that same collection. I think I'm going to hit the go button on this trial.

 

[Rule3]

This looks and sounds good!

Bob your Midway links are dead.

Darrel,

Can you explain in more detail how you hooked up the Uniflow to the Lee Turret?? ( I am guessing its a RCBS Uni) is it painted??

I have one and would love to hook it up to the Lee Turret.
It drops automatically when a case is in?

 

[Broker50]

This looks and sounds good!

Bob your Midway links are dead.

Darrel,

Can you explain in more detail how you hooked up the Uniflow to the Lee Turret?? ( I am guessing its a RCBS Uni) is it painted??

I have one and would love to hook it up to the Lee Turret.
It drops automatically when a case is in?

That's a Lee PM on the Lee turret. But that's what Bob is gonna' do with his, the activator linkage with powder thru option allows the use of a standard thread powder drop, such as the Uniflo, on the Lee turret press. I've actually been satisfied with the Lee measure on the turret press. The Uniflo on a powder thru case activator is a much better set-up, though.

Darrel

 

[Rule3]

That's a Lee PM on the Lee turret. But that's what Bob is gonna' do with his, the activator linkage with powder thru option allows the use of a standard thread powder drop, such as the Uniflo, on the Lee turret press. I've actually been satisfied with the Lee measure on the turret press. The Uniflo on a powder thru case activator is a much better set-up, though.

Darrel

My bad, I looked at the press in the fore front, I guess that is a Hornady?

Anyway, there is a way to hook up a RCBS Uniflow to the Lee Turret to enable auto powder drop? I know of the UniqueTek adapter to screw it in but you have to pull the powder drop handle each time.

So I should let Bob figure it out first and then copy his?

 

[Maximumbob54]

It's going to be trial and error on if the Uniflow with the case activated linkage frame is going to fit in the same foot print as the Auto Disk. Once it comes in I will post if it does or doesn't and maybe try some tricks to fit it. Right now I use the charge bar and I far prefer it to the disks. The disks work and I know I can buy the stacking kit for rifle loads, but I want to use the Uniflow for that. I always seem to find a load I like that I can't get from the disks and thus the Charge Bar purchase. But I don't know of a rifle volume method for the Charge Bar. This would fix that problem before I start loading rifle on the turret. Right now I'm loading them on the Rock Chucker. So if it fails to fit even after tricks then it will at least speed up the RC process. And I just think it's fun to do stuff like this as long as the results are safe. If I think for a second that it's going to be unreliable, fragile, or negative in any way then the plan is canx'ed....

 

[Broker50]

Guys, this will work. The only limitation is the availability of the powder thru expanders. I haven't really researched it, but I believe they're only available in a finite number of calibers, although they do come in different diameters in the same caliber. Oh, BTW, you can buy extra lower bodies, & leave the body & expander mounted to the turret, & only change the upper & powder drop to speed up caliber changes. Just thought of something else, on a two die rifle set-up, you don't need powder thru, you can expand in one station, & use the regular case activator in the next station to drop powder.

 

[Maximumbob54]

I'm on MidwayUSA looking up all the part numbers and going to use them as a base line for the price. Then it's shopping time. The wait starts now...

Looks like I need to add this if I want to do this on more than one turret:
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/?productNumber=231522

This may suddenly have developed a hitch. No matter the brand of the powder measure RCBS, Hornady, or Dillon, they each have to be adjusted if moved from turret to turret as part of the caliber change. So I'm back to thinking I need a custom part made. The top of the Lee powder through die unscrews to mount the Auto Disk system. But the Auto Disk is made to screw into the top of that die with the funnel well removed. So if I can come up with a connection to the die body that will connect to the other brands of powder measures and still use the same case activation feature then it might still be a go. So what would connect the two parts as an adapter...? Gotta think on that one...


Oh, oh...

http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1370

Oh, oh...

Noooo... it just stuffs in. So close. If they had made it replace the part it stuffs into then it could be close. If they had made it screw in and work with the case activating system on the powder measure then it would have been perfect.

 

[Broker50]

I'm on MidwayUSA looking up all the part numbers and going to use them as a base line for the price. Then it's shopping time. The wait starts now...

Looks like I need to add this if I want to do this on more than one turret:
Hornady Quick Change Powder Die - MidwayUSA

This may suddenly have developed a hitch. No matter the brand of the powder measure RCBS, Hornady, or Dillon, they each have to be adjusted if moved from turret to turret as part of the caliber change. So I'm back to thinking I need a custom part made. The top of the Lee powder through die unscrews to mount the Auto Disk system. But the Auto Disk is made to screw into the top of that die with the funnel well removed. So if I can come up with a connection to the die body that will connect to the other brands of powder measures and still use the same case activation feature then it might still be a go. So what would connect the two parts as an adapter...? Gotta think on that one...


Oh, oh...

The Perfect Adapter™

Oh, oh...

Noooo... it just stuffs in. So close. If they had made it replace the part it stuffs into then it could be close. If they had made it screw in and work with the case activating system on the powder measure then it would have been perfect.

Bob, you might be overthinking it. Don't know if I would bother with extra lowers & all that. It really isn't bad to change & adjust when changing calibers. Just unscrew it from one turret, move to another & adjust to the case. Doesn't really take that long, just a few minutes. Don't forget too, you don't want to end up spending $500.00 on accessories for an $80.00 press.

 

[Maximumbob54]

A huge part of my draw to and love of the Classic Turret is the ability to change what I'm loading in all of seconds. I was assuming too much thinking I could just add the Uniflow to this and still have the same results. There just isn't an adapter made that will give me this option. I'm going to ask a few of the machinists at work if they think it could be done.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Project killed.

Linkage kit: $55 for Hornady or $75 for RCBS

Additional linkage part to reduce stress on powder measure: $7 for Hornady part

Expanders for less than half the calibers I load for: $12 for RCBS or A few bucks less for Hornady

It just doesn't make sense to give this a try for the cost of the parts. I'm already at a shopping list of at or over a hundred bucks. Maybe with a Redding turret with the seven stations I would be able to make this work and not have to combine the expanding with the powder drop and the seating with the crimping, but trying to make everything happen with only four stations just isn't turning out like I had hoped. Maybe Lee will get smart and make a part that mounts the Perfect Powder Measure to their powder through expander dies. There seems to be something to the Universal Charge die they offer that would combine the two but still it doesn't do what I'm wanting to do with what I want to do it on. But I did take a real hard look at the Hornady Lock and Load press. Five stations, Powder COP die, dies lock into the head instead of having to pull the whole thing, super easy to pull the powder measure out and dump the powder and clean. Optional bullet feeding, case feeding, and all kinds of add on stuff for it. The basic setup can be bought for $400 or less right now. I'm thinking real hard on that.

 

[Rule3]

Project killed.

Linkage kit: $55 for Hornady or $75 for RCBS

Additional linkage part to reduce stress on powder measure: $7 for Hornady part

Expanders for less than half the calibers I load for: $12 for RCBS or A few bucks less for Hornady

It just doesn't make sense to give this a try for the cost of the parts. I'm already at a shopping list of at or over a hundred bucks. Maybe with a Redding turret with the seven stations I would be able to make this work and not have to combine the expanding with the powder drop and the seating with the crimping, but trying to make everything happen with only four stations just isn't turning out like I had hoped. Maybe Lee will get smart and make a part that mounts the Perfect Powder Measure to their powder through expander dies. There seems to be something to the Universal Charge die they offer that would combine the two but still it doesn't do what I'm wanting to do with what I want to do it on. But I did take a real hard look at the Hornady Lock and Load press. Five stations, Powder COP die, dies lock into the head instead of having to pull the whole thing, super easy to pull the powder measure out and dump the powder and clean. Optional bullet feeding, case feeding, and all kinds of add on stuff for it. The basic setup can be bought for $400 or less right now. I'm thinking real hard on that.

Naaa, just buy 4 or 5 Square Deals

 

[Broker50]

Project killed.

Linkage kit: $55 for Hornady or $75 for RCBS

Additional linkage part to reduce stress on powder measure: $7 for Hornady part

Expanders for less than half the calibers I load for: $12 for RCBS or A few bucks less for Hornady

It just doesn't make sense to give this a try for the cost of the parts. I'm already at a shopping list of at or over a hundred bucks. Maybe with a Redding turret with the seven stations I would be able to make this work and not have to combine the expanding with the powder drop and the seating with the crimping, but trying to make everything happen with only four stations just isn't turning out like I had hoped. Maybe Lee will get smart and make a part that mounts the Perfect Powder Measure to their powder through expander dies. There seems to be something to the Universal Charge die they offer that would combine the two but still it doesn't do what I'm wanting to do with what I want to do it on. But I did take a real hard look at the Hornady Lock and Load press. Five stations, Powder COP die, dies lock into the head instead of having to pull the whole thing, super easy to pull the powder measure out and dump the powder and clean. Optional bullet feeding, case feeding, and all kinds of add on stuff for it. The basic setup can be bought for $400 or less right now. I'm thinking real hard on that.

I can very much recomend the LNL progressive. Regular ammo factory. The LNL is a closer comparison to the Dillon 650 than the 550, (I don't consider manual index progressive) & the Square Deal isn't even close. IMO the Hornady is a MUCH better value. If you don't already have a progressive, I would put the money toward that. Ultimately, a better solution.

 

[Maximumbob54]

Naaa, just buy 4 or 5 Square Deals

I'm already the umteenth reloader with more gear than he uses. I have two single stage presses and two turrets. I only have the RC for single stage and have removed the Pardner press and only one of the Classic turrets up. I used to keep the Pardner up with the Lee Universal Depriming die so I could have clean primer pockets for tumble cleaning before reloading. But then I mounted the Uniflow to a stand and the small bench got even smaller. I know someday I'm going to add a progressive press to the bench. I may really need to look into deciding on one of the various mounting plate systems.