Ok, what is the trick?

9

9.3X62AL

Guest
There surely isn't a lot of material for a socket or wrench to work upon in this operation. At one time, RCBS offered shotshell reloading dies for the RockChucker that required removal of this same bushing in order to use them. Being mindful of "Use The Right Tool" from my days turning wrenches on cars & trucks, I priced a higher-end hexagonal socket (1/2" drive) to do this removal. Its cost was a bit over half the price of a MEC 600 Jr. Then came the RCBS shotshell die set, and that pushed tooling price well past the MEC's tariff. Never mind. My RC's bushing die has remained undisturbed for 30+ years.

You might try a call to RCBS and see what they can do about R&R of the bushing die......timeline, any cost, stuff like that. I totally understand your determination to be self-reliant (we ARE bullet casters, after all), but in your position a call to RCBS if only to get info seems like a wise step. Their shops install the things--and I'm sure they have a method and/or protocol for such occurrences. The bushings DO have wrench flats for some reason.
 
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Ian

Notorious member
I took the one out of my Ammomaster (had been installed for 20+ years at the time) with a pneumatic impact wrench. Just a little "blip" of the trigger and it spun right out. Oh, and I did grind the end of the socket down a bit to remove the bevel as has been mentioned. Fortunately, being a retired mechanic with around $100K worth of professional-grade hand tools in my shop, I didn't have to buy anything new to do this.

If the bushing is junk, whack it around the edges a few times with a light ball-peen hammer, then switch to a heavier hammer and sharp cold chisel. Place the cold chisel against one of the flats near the point, tap a few times to start a groove in the flat, and whack it firmly to turn the bushing out. The threads are RH.
 

blackthorn

Active Member
While reading this, I had a thought (don't happen too often) if heat is not an option, how about cold? Could you utilize a careful application of dry ice? Just a thought.
 

quicksylver

Well-Known Member
Actually both cold and hot at the same time.

That is how we used to sleeve motor cycle cylinders.

Cool the sleeve in the refer and heat the cylinder.

A hair dryer or heat gun may be enough heat
To work.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
WELL IT'S OUT! .... I guess the near 24 hour bath in Kroil worked;)

Actually when I got home from work today I decided to leave it as it was
( Can't say my groups are suffering because of it. It was just one of those things that bugged me and since RCBS was so nice to replace the part free I figured I would try)

Well I took a light ball pien hammer to the edges that I buggered up and got them flat & tidy again.
Then I thought about my big D&H railroad spanner I have in my shop ( from the Steam Locomotive days) Figured it couldn't hurt to give it a try! I decided one tug ...they I leave it alone...bamm! It came right out the penatrating oil had passed all the way to the bottom of the threads. Got the new one installed in minutes. I 'm alway happy when hand tool can do the trick!
Thanks you everyone suggestion ( Funny I though someone would have recommended Thermite:rolleyes: just sayin!)
 

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Barn

Active Member
It is great that you got it out.

I was going to suggest don't use force -- get a bigger hammer.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Wow! I just ran a die down into it I can believe how bad the bushing was worn The new one hardly has any side play. The old one; the die could be rocked back & forth until you tightened the lock ring. Definitely make me feel better!
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
I have been burnt many times in my life by the old "If is ain't really broke ...don't fix it"
Almost started to get that feeling last night...guess luck was on my side
 

fiver

Well-Known Member
my problem is getting them to stay in place.
I was following along with some interest then it just fell out like mine usually do.

anyway I was gonna suggest the atf and acetone soak then tightening an old die down in there and locking the ring into place then just screwing out the die with a wrench.
that usually works for me without the atf mix.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
IN a word I used a big adjustable wrench on it A 150 year old wrench!
But seriously no modern wrench I know has such flat parallel jaws like this one
 

Ben

Moderator
Staff member
Jim,

Down here we call that one a " Big Daddy Wrench " ! !

Glad you got it out !

Ben
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
To very true . Tools aren't quite what they once were . The intended use may have something to do with the precision of the tool and it's strength too.
Glad you got it .
 

Ian

Notorious member
I'm with Fiver. After I removed mine to run .50 BMG for a bit I had constant trouble keeping it tight when I put it back in. Ended up putting a little medium-strength threadlocker on it. A while later I spun it back out and put more, since a little wasn't enough. What I should have done is found a hard HBNR Caterpillar O-ring that fit and snugged the bushing against that, like a Lee lock ring uses.
 

NAGANT

Active Member
Is that what gramps called a monkey wrench? Kinda like a toothless pipe wrench? Most people don't give the penetrating oil a chance to work, glad you got it.
 

smokeywolf

Well-Known Member
Kroil is just about the best penetrant/deoxidizer (rust dissolver) I've used. One of the very convenient properties of threadlocker (Loctite 243) is, the medium strength stuff holds pretty well, but lets go with a little heat from a propane torch.
 

Pb2au

Active Member
I have always carried a medium weight European cross peen mechanics hammer in my tool kit.
I engraved "Reason" on it with an electro-pencil. Other techs would always ask, "Why did you call it Reason?"
Every thing listens to Reason when diplomacy fails.
Another trick is to take a small cold chisel and catch a flat and tap it sharply. Typically I would resort to this when other gorilla mechanics would round off all of the flats of a fastener for me..........