I now know what the BS in rcBS stands for - Bull Stinky Stuff. Take note if you are in the market for reloading equipment and are looking for a manufacturer that stands behind what they sell.

email traffic between me and rcBS n real time.

Me to RCBS - Hello, I have a RCBS Model 304 scale that is in need of some attention. I moved from OH to NY and the press beam seems to fall off the fulcrum. How do I work with the good folks at RCBS to get it repaired?

Best regards,

RCBS to me - Hi: That scale was discontinued over twenty years ago. There are no parts available for repair. Have a great day!

Me to rcBS - WAIT - what about all this I hear about the great service RCBS provides for their products? The guys on the shooters forums will have a field day with this. Are you sure there isn't something you can do?

I'm still waiting for their response.

I moved from OH to NY ..


I guess if I was Mr. RCBS, my question would be; exactly what was it about moving the scale from Ohio to New York that suddenly made it stop working?

If it is a defect that made it die I would expect a replacement, given their lifetime warranty. If a moving man put a sofa on top of it...

I sent them a photo, this thing looks brand new. There is a small metal part under the beam where it engages the fulcrum, I think this part is damaged. You make a good point if if were crushed I wouldn't look to get it repaired.

I "worked" with them last witer Flashole. My contact was a gal named Jeanie. I had one old sizer die that was scratching cases. I asked "What do you recomend that I use to polish it myself". The reply was "send it in"! I didn't like that idea and told her so. The reply was always to send it in!

So I did! Along with all of the die bodies of all of my RCBS sizer dies(minus the decap assemblies and lock rings). My instructions were too; repair and or replace as needed.

What I got back was completely refurbished dies! They were complete with "new" decap assemblies and lock rings. A few of them were replaced(not the one I was having trouble with).

It took about two weeks from begining to end. I was pleased with service and concider myself "bettered" by having spare die parts now.

I "think" your scale was made by a company named Ohaus for RCBS? Perhaps they do not have access to spare parts?
I would send it to them for evaluation. You will pay postage in. They will pay for the return.
I a'm sure they will treat you right.

Cheezywan

I do not have stock in RCBS!

I wanted to buy a second primer tray for my hand priming tool, they sent one free. Then I froze the shaft on my case trimmer and snapped the screw, again, new stuff on them. Sorry to hear about your bad encounter, hopefully you can work it out with them

I'll work with them if they let me but I'm not thrilled about their cavalier attitude. What does a lifetime warranty mean. The press has the RCBS label on it.

Never had anything but great customer relations with the RCBS folks.

Call them and talk to a human in person. I have never had anything less that outstanding service out of them.

Never had anything but great customer relations with the RCBS folks.

Add me +1

Cheers

Add me +1

Cheers
me 3 always great help

Call them and talk to a human in person. I have never had anything less that outstanding service out of them.
Ditto all the "positives"! Good advice to call them and talk to a customer service rep. A different contact may ask that you send the scale in so they can try to fix it.

Can recall the days when RCBS did not carry a lifetime warranty. All this came about when the reloading companies began to be more competitive (thank you Mr. Lee) and they fought for the market. Can't quite recall when RCBS went lifetime warranty so perhaps some of the older equipment may not be covered.

After twenty years of satisfactory service, you can no longer call this either a manufacturing or materials defect so if it's unfixable, perhaps it's time to treat yourself to a new scale.

BTW, even S&W has run out of parts for their older guns and are no longer fixing them in spite of their lifetime warranty claim.

I now know what the BS in rcBS stands for - Bull Stinky Stuff. Take note if you are in the market for reloading equipment and are looking for a manufacturer that stands behind what they sell.

email traffic between me and rcBS n real time.

Me to RCBS - Hello, I have a RCBS Model 304 scale that is in need of some attention. I moved from OH to NY and the press beam seems to fall off the fulcrum. How do I work with the good folks at RCBS to get it repaired?

Best regards,

RCBS to me - Hi: That scale was discontinued over twenty years ago. There are no parts available for repair. Have a great day!

Me to rcBS - WAIT - what about all this I hear about the great service RCBS provides for their products? The guys on the shooters forums will have a field day with this. Are you sure there isn't something you can do?

I'm still waiting for their response.

Update

Ohaus manufactured that scale for RCBS. After the scale was
discontinued, Ohaus did repair or replace many of the items for a long
period of time for RCBS. Ohaus has since quit manufacturing the parts
for that particular scale and they no longer offer us the repair service
for the model 304. You can return your broken 304 scale to RCBS and we
can offer you $100.00 credit towards anything in our catalog. Our 2007
Catalogs should arrive next week and we will send you one for review.
Hope this meets your approval. Have a good evening.

Looks like they are tyring to make good.

sounds like a fair deal to me

sounds like a fair deal to me

Roger that. A hundred bucks! :D

And how much did you pay for the scale over 20 years ago? And have 20 years service out of it. TF

Something I forgot to put in my previous post.

RCBS sent me, no charge, a universal priming arm and primer catcher tray for a Jr. 2 press
I bought the thing in 1969.
Is that service or what from sending them one email.
This occured last week.

Cheers

Call them and talk to a human in person. I have never had anything less that outstanding service out of them.

I agree 100%. Forget email when you're trying to negotiate. A fone call is so much more effective.

I foned RCBS, and got a new decapping spindle, expander ball, and set of decapping pins when I broke mine on a Berdan case. Also got a set of spare parts for a discontinued Ammomaster. All free. GREAT Warranty!

Looks like you came out way ahead, in the end, anyway.

I just looked at the Ohaus website- under mechanical balances they still have a model 310 and 311 - which appears to be identical to your 304- only in grams. I wonder if the part you need is interchangable?

This is one vendor that carries the scale http://balance.balances.com/scales/420

john

I started loading about 1976 with a used Rockchucker and all RCBS set up. I've called them a very few times for advise and have been happy with them. I always look for green boxes when I go to buy loading stuff.

Me too only they say Redding.

Flashhole, I have the green stuff all over my loading bench.( Not money... :D I use that for more guns) ;) Sounds like a good product I hope.(rcbs) :( I hope everthing works out for you.Q

My RCBS AmmoMaster has a clear plastic tube to mount the powder measure, so one can see the powder fall into the case. I didn't put the actuator rod back in place properly after adjusting the charge weight, and the first case jammed the rod into the measure with full press force. Broke that plastic tube right off with a horrible crunch sound.

I called RCBS, and said I need a new P/N 88723. He just asked for my name & address, didn't even ask how it broke. Said he'd order one sent to me immediately.

So far, they're 100% perfect customer support for me, every time I've had to call.

Added: Ordered the part on Monday PM; it arrived on Thurs.

.

I always liked RCBS but I haven't talked to them since 1994. Fred is gone but his son Buz might still be connected to RCBS and the one man Kieth is helpful. I know that all might have changed, but I really don't want to know how much!

The best customer service in this business BAR NONE. you get it?
Jim

I called them last week about my old worn out JR and badly worn RockChucker II presses. Jeanie, yes that sweetheart told me to ship them in. The RC II was discontinued in 2000, no problem we'll get it fixed. The Jr will no doubt be replaced.
While I was on the phone with her we discussed my problems getting bullets seated crooked in my 30-30 dies. 1975 vintage RCBS dies. After discussing it she said she'd send me a couple new expander decapper stems and a new shell holder.
I got them yesterday.

Forget email, call and talk to a person. RCBS is one of the best to deal with.

Joe

I called and talked to them late last week. They held to their offer of $100 credit toward any new scale. What was not satisfying was the fact they wouldn't agree to look at my scale to see if they could repair it. "Those have not been sold or serviced for some time."

So.........I took it apart this weekend and fixed it myself. Now it works like new. I'm sure the folks at RCBS could have done the same thing. Sorry but I do not share others lofty opinion of RCBS.

Well in fairness to them, they didn't make the original scale, it was subbed out and they put their name on it. Their contractor doesn't make the scale anymore or have parts for it, so really, what CAN they do? They could tell you, sure send it back, we'll take a look at it, then call you and tell you,"sorry, can't do anything for you". What would you think a fair solution would be. I am not trying to be disrespectful if it comes across that way, I just don't understand what you want them to do.

I didn't like their glib comments when I first contacted them and I didn't like the fact they wouldn't look at it to see if anything could be done. It turns out the rocker arm was somehow jammed and torqued. The fix was to loosen the set screw relieving the tension that allowed the rocker arm to seat squarely into the V-groove swivel, a simple fix but it took me a couple of hours to figure it out. Some people like.......even love RCBS, I'm just not one of them. If you like them, good for you. I hope you have continued success with them.

I can't "love" any company flashhole. All are in bussiness to make money. To do so with a "I don't care. We will fix it" warrenty must be "difficult" at best?

Snap-On tools are the best example I can think of? They will replace a broken wrench "if you turn in the broken wrench"?
You paid the price when you bought the wrench! Ya sure don't want to loose it!

Buffalo tools is another one. Life time warrenty. They are priced so "cheap" that if?, you can get the job done? You are money ahead! ( I melt Buffalo tools down for alloy in bullet metal).

RCBS makes good stuff. RCBS treats customers well. NOTHING lasts forever.

Cheezywan

I can understand about not liking their attitude, but to rip them for not wanting to look at something that they don't fix, is beyond me. Years ago, my grandfather sold water softeners that had a tank that had a lifetime manufactures warranty. The company that made the tank ended up going out of business. We didn't warrant the tank, we have no way of repairing a tank, but once every couple of years, one leaks, so we do what we can to help the customer out on the price of a new tank, but we don't warrant it fully. That sounds like what RCBS is offering to do for you. Shouldn't your beef really be with ohaus? They were the ones that made the scale, apparently, they were the ones that handled the warranty for RCBS. Again, I don't intend any disrespect, and I am not affiliated with RCBS in any way

Hardly anybody 'fixes' anything, from computers to cars to washing machines. They stock spare parts and replace as needed. Some times it's cheaper and easier for the manufacturer to just do a total replacement than to have someone dig into the details.

No spares.... no fixing. Just a reflection of the way the world is. And it's much cheaper to keep a parts-replacer on the payroll, than a machinist....

IMHO, flashhole, you are turning off every RCBS user who was in your corner. You could make your point better by disposing of your powder scale and purchasing a better one from a different company.

I have RCBS equipment on my bench that I use and like it for its quality and service. Maybe I don't understand something......to me a lifetime warranty is just that.....lifetime. I understand JB's point but my press says RCBS, not Ohaus. I'm not discouraging people from buying and using RCBS equipment, I'm just sharing with the group what I thought to be an outlandish response to my inquiry for help with their stuff. I'm not looking to rally support or flame anyone about RCBS. They just won't be high on my list of equipment suppliers. I use CCI products and shoot Speer bullets, both of whom are affiliated with RCBS. I've said all I intend to say on this subject.

As Flashhole says - there's been enough said for this thread. Thanks to everyone who participated.

Thread locked.