Free Float Press Shellholder

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Fyodor
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by Fyodor »

From a mechanical point of view, I don't get the point. The spring clip has an insignificant force, compared to the ram. So it will always give way if something is canted. Only advantage I see might be that the case enters the die more easy. But on a single stage press you could also easily guide the case if necessary.

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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by buckeye43210 »

Fyodor wrote:From a mechanical point of view, I don't get the point. The spring clip has an insignificant force, compared to the ram. So it will always give way if something is canted. Only advantage I see might be that the case enters the die more easy. But on a single stage press you could also easily guide the case if necessary.

If I miss something, please explain, I want to learn, but don't get the point by myself.
Your ram is probably not perfectly concentric with respect to your reloading die. Free floating the shellholder "should" help to compensate for that...
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by Fyodor »

Yes, but the spring clip is insignificantly weak in comparison to the ram force. So if it isn't concentric, and it will free float to the correct position with the O-ring, it will free float with the spring clip, too. The clip isn't limiting the range of movement. it just gives a little more resistance.
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by EdgeOfEden »

:) All I can say is that from my own experience (and that of Glen Zediker's), it does allow the shell holder far more movement for self-alignment. In other words it offers even greater range of movement than the spring clip. Try it yourself and you'll verify the accuracy of Glen's statement.

Bear in mind, the average shooter would never need to do this or even notice the difference down range. Typically only competitors and snipers shooting beyond 500 yards are looking for this level of precision. And of course a few of us OCD folks. :lol:
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by buckeye43210 »

Would be interesting if someone with an accurate concentricity gauge were to load up two batches of rifle ammo and measure the average runout of each batch to see what difference (if any) this modification makes.
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by Macd »

Part of the issue is the shell holders. I have two that the bottom lip is not concentric and they jam tight in my single stage press but work on the turret. One other seems to have too narrow a channel and it also binds in the single stage. I don't have the right equipment to check if the surfaces of the holder are parallel to each other and also to the bottom of the die. This could be another source of misalignment.
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by Fyodor »

EdgeOfEden wrote::) All I can say is that from my own experience (and that of Glen Zediker's), it does allow the shell holder far more movement for self-alignment.
OK, from looking at the ram on my classic turret, I didn't expect that. Since I couldn't even hit the broad side of a barn from 500 yards, I won't do any test runs myself :oops:
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by Ranch Dog »

What I did for my 25 & 32 Auto reloading while it was on the turret press was buy both the Lyman & RCBS shellholders for the calibers. The Lyman corrected the play with the 25 Auto and the RCBS the 32.
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by buckeye43210 »

FortuneCookie45LC conducted a run out experiment using several presses, some of which had some free floating characteristics. I've asked him to repeat the experiment on the Lee press using the o-ring modification.

[youtube][/youtube]
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Re: Free Float Press Shellholder

Post by EdgeOfEden »

I watched this when it was first released. I know it was a small sample, but I sure was impressed with the Classic Cast performance even without the O-Ring. It matched the Co-Ax.
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