New/old 1050

[Ironman]

I got an old RL 1050 last week that was packed with dust & old gun powder worked together with oil and/or grease. It is set up in 40 cal, which will work for now even thought I would like to reload 223 with it as well. I could not stand to just start loading with it because it was so dirty (and I just have to know how things work) . I have started to clean it by pulling off the powder funnel and removing the dies. I down-loaded the 1050 manual so I have the step by step procedure. Are there any do's or don’ts? Any tips or tricks for cleaning? How far have you taken your 1050 apart?

Jim

[shred]

I pull my 1050 apart for cleaning/lubing as in the "maintenance" section of the manual (P 17 in V3.3) every 10-15K rounds. That involves removing and greasing up most every moving part except for the bearings themselves, and they get a good shot of grease through the zerks. Also grease the Cam Guide Bolt (12486) every few thousand rounds. You can rip out the toolhead ratchet while you're back there if it isn't already gone.

Tip: Highlight each of the remove-and-lube items in the pictures in the manual beforehand. That way you aren't paging back and forth through the manual with greasy fingers trying to figure out what/where the "Indexing Lever Cam Bolt Surface" or whatever is.

Clean out the primer mechanism occasionally if it gets dirty.

[Ironman]

Thank you for your reply Shred.

Jim

[j1b]

Jim

The 1050 is a massively picky press. I've had mine long enough that I can tear the sucker completely down, and throw it back together.

It is also the best press on the market. The one thing I would advise is tear the sucker down as much as you feel comfortable, clean it well, lube it well - and when you put it back together be meticulous. The press won't work as well unless everything is pretty much perfect, so take the time (and effort) to insure you do every step "to the book"

I Love my 1050. The first couple of years were awesome - then I started tinkering and it took me a good 6 months to learn the ins and outs of the press. Part of that was impatience - so just take your time. You will enjoy thousands upon thousands of rounds with that sucker.

The only negative is that you'll find yourself loading for matches 10 minutes before you have to leave for a match - because you can

JB

[Loves2Shoot]

I'm with J1B the best investment there is for reloading, it takes some getting used to, but the time saved and quality of ammo produced is well worth the learning curve. I've taken it down all the way a few times and it isn't that hard to put back together. Go 4 it and enjoy years of easy reloading.

[Ironman]

Thanks again to all who responded. This weekend I will take it down to the conversion plate. Wish me luck!

[gregl]

I have an old 1050 (it's nickel plated) that I purchased new in 1989. I've loaded over 300,000 rounds on it and have only torn it completely down to the bearings twice. It did go back to Dillon at about 100,000 rounds for some minor upgrades/tweaking. As far as cleaning, I try to do as little as possible (I do blow it out regularly with compressed air). About once a year I'll pull the head off, remove the shellplate and primer feed and do a complete cleaning/regreasing. I do have to remove the primer bar about every 15,000 - 20,000 so I can clean the slot thoroughly. Usually cleaning is preceeded by some problem - usually a crushed primer getting crud everywhere. If everything is adjusted correctly and the right amount/type of lube is applied my 1050 has been amazingly trouble free.

[SAB]

Lots of good advice. I would just add that you need patience during reassembly/setup. Don't disassemble/reassemble when you are in a hurry or you'll end up getting frustrated (hey, that sounds like the voice of experience ).

SAB