single stage press??

[jhalcott]

I have come into possession of a single stage press.It is blue in color and slants back at about 30 degrees,compound linkage and takes standard slip in shell holders (came with an RCBS# 3) Standard 78-14 dies fit it.On the side ,in the casting are the letters s i. There are no other marks on it. 3 bolts hold it to a quarter inch piece of steel. Any info as to the maker will be appreciated.

[Scrounger]

Dillon??? That's the only company I can remember using blue.

[Beau Cassidy]

Sounds like some variety of Bair press. Not sure if they made one slanted back, though. Their prime was before mine!!!

Beau

[versifier]

Can you post a pic? that would make identification a lot easier.

[gbair]

I agree with Beau Cassidy. Seen a few on Ebay. It's the only other blue press that I know of. The Bair press drew my attention because it wears my last name. Tried to find history on it, but my web searches never came up with anything. It looked like a good press. Iwonder what happened to them? Probably went the way of Herter's.

Greg Bair

[KCSO]

Floodgate will come on soon and have all the info on Bair. They were a predecessor/maker for Pacific, I believe. I have had a Black Bair and have seen them in light blue, but the s i are not familiar and the Bairs i have seen all had the shell holder built into the ram.

[walltube]

Is the press of an "O", "C" or "H" configuration? Lachmiller were painted a shade of blue IIRC before RCBS' takeover.

YT,

Walltube
FEMA watches over me.

[jhalcott]

I thought the press seemed light so i tried a magnet on the side.it does NOT hold.Maybe cast aluminum.Definetly not a Dillon,but is well made. I guess it's worth $20 to me! I have seen one similar years back,but don't know who made it. Possibly an over seas outfit. This is an open front press like the one Lee makes only slanted back .3 bolts one on each side and one in the bach,hold it down.

[floodgate]

Floodgate will come on soon and have all the info on Bair. They were a predecessor/maker for Pacific, I believe. I have had a Black Bair and have seen them in light blue, but the s i are not familiar and the Bairs i have seen all had the shell holder built into the ram.

KCSO, jhalcott:

Nope, not me. But PM me and I will put you in touch with a friend who can probably identify it for you. You might try taking a couple of digitable photos of it to show him.

floodgate

[Pepe Ray]

Texan Flight Weight Scopes and reloading machines.
Si is cast into the frame. Stands for Sovereign Instruments Co.
Dallas, TX.
Pepe Ray

[floodgate]

I have come into possession of a single stage press.It is blue in color and slants back at about 30 degrees,compound linkage and takes standard slip in shell holders (came with an RCBS# 3) Standard 78-14 dies fit it.On the side ,in the casting are the letters s i. There are no other marks on it. 3 bolts hold it to a quarter inch piece of steel. Any info as to the maker will be appreciated.

jhalcott:

Here's an answer from our expert on mid-20th Century loading tools, confirming and expanding on Pepe Ray's identification:

"That is a Texan after they were taken over by Sovergien. I have two, one black and one Gold, never heard of a blue one. Texan/SI turret presses were red or black.

ken"

Anyone with questions about presses, scales, powder measures, etc. form this period is welcome to post an inquiry (free!) on the Message Board of the Antique Reloading Tool Collectors Association, at www.antiquereloadingtools.org

floodgate

[Bucks Owin]

Floodgate will come on soon and have all the info on Bair. They were a predecessor/maker for Pacific, I believe. I have had a Black Bair and have seen them in light blue, but the s i are not familiar and the Bairs i have seen all had the shell holder built into the ram.

My old Pacific C-press "tilts back" at a slight angle which kinda jives with your post. It originally had the shellholder in the ram and I had a gunsmith machine the ram to use "regular" shellholders. It's from the 50's I believe...

FWIW,

Dennis

(The high zoot primer catcher is my own design made from a sardine can...)


http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a356/BucksOwin/Pacif002.jpghttp://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a356/BucksOwin/Pacif001.jpg

[floodgate]

Bucks:

That Pacific "C" press was actually intoroduced in 1930 at Camp Perry, though initially it did not have the lugs for the primer feed. It wasn't actually patented until 1933 (#1,933,940). It was the real "breakthrough" home handloader's bench press, using standardized 7/8" x 14 tpi dies that everyone else soon glommed onto - though Lyman was slow in doing so with their "All-American" line. RCBS "invented" the slip-in interchangeable shell-holders - which everyone else immediately copied again with Lyman among the last, with their "Spartan" and "Spar-T" presses. RCBS made - and I believe Huntington still offers - conversion rams to take the interchangeable shell-holders. The Pacific went through a couple of modifications: beefed up as the "Delixe" with a bit sturdier "C", filled in at lower back, and later as the "Super" with linkage reversible for up- or down-stroke. You've got a real "classic" from the '30's there; but howiny'ell did it get to be LYman orange? The originals were black crackle finish.

floodgate

[Bucks Owin]

Bucks:

That Pacific "C" press was actually intoroduced in 1930 at Camp Perry, though initially it did not have the lugs for the primer feed. It wasn't actually patented until 1933 (#1,933,940). It was the real "breakthrough" home handloader's bench press, using standardized 7/8" x 14 tpi dies that everyone else soon glommed onto - though Lyman was slow in doing so with their "All-American" line. RCBS "invented" the slip-in interchangeable shell-holders - which everyone else immediately copied again with Lyman among the last, with their "Spartan" and "Spar-T" presses. RCBS made - and I believe Huntington still offers - conversion rams to take the interchangeable shell-holders. The Pacific went through a couple of modifications: beefed up as the "Delixe" with a bit sturdier "C", filled in at lower back, and later as the "Super" with linkage reversible for up- or down-stroke. You've got a real "classic" from the '30's there; but howiny'ell did it get to be LYman orange? The originals were black crackle finish.

floodgate


Ya got me there Floodgate! It was my Dad's press, bought in the 50's and I doubt that he painted it. It has "Pacific" on one side of the "C" and a patent number on the other....

I've seen the black ones you spoke of, in fact I know of one for sale...(The "beefier" one too...)

I'm gonna update soon with a Forster Co-Ax for my rifle loads and a Lee "Classic Turret" for wheelgun fodder. But until I get a "round tuit" the ol' Pacific still does the job!

(And I feel like the ol' man is still looking over my shoulder when I use it, and that's priceless...) ;-)

Dennis

BTW, I have an old brown "Herter's" press too that sizes on the downstroke. I like the old stuff....

[Swagerman]

Bucks, I like the improvising you did on the primer catcher tray, neat setup.

That old press is a sturdy model and will last two or three life times.

Missed a chance to buy one like it only it must have been a larger model and weighed twice as much...would have been great for swaging...its handle was about 2.5 feet long and thick.

Jim

[Bucks Owin]

Bucks, I like the improvising you did on the primer catcher tray, neat setup.

That old press is a sturdy model and will last two or three life times.

Missed a chance to buy one like it only it must have been a larger model and weighed twice as much...would have been great for swaging...its handle was about 2.5 feet long and thick.

Jim

Hey Jim,

As I said, I know where there is one of the bigger black ones..... (with one ram). Gimme a PM if you'd like me to check it out for you.....

Dennis

BTW, the sardine can works fairly well, once in awhile a primer sneaks past it down the slot in the ram....:neutral:

[Swagerman]

Thanks, Dennis. But I really don't presently have space to mount such monster...though I wish I did. Got 8 or 9 presses, getting to be a collecting hobby so it seems.

That press would have ample stroking leverage, to case size or swage bullets without breaking a linkage pin. 50 caliber would be a snap, probably handle 20 mm as well. :mrgreen:

Jim