Vintage night at the reloading bench

[singleshotbuff]

Gentlemen,

I have been enjoying a "vintage" night at my reloading bench this evening. I'm loading 7.62X54R ammo, with 180gr round nose bullets, with IMR-4320 from a metal can, using an old RCBS press and even older RCBS dies. Most of this stuff was made before I was born . I love it!! I truly enjoy reloading as the earlier generations did, using their techniques and tools. It really adds to my enjoyment of the hobby. Not that I don't keep up with all the latest trends in techniques and equipment, but for a milsurp rifle only capable of 2-3 m.o.a., the old ways are plenty and fun!!

It does lead me to a question though, maybe some of the more seasoned members can answer (seasoned meaning born before 1973 ).

My RCBS dies for this caliber I bought used at a gun show. They came in the original CARDBOARD box, marked 7.62 RUSS. When did RCBS quit selling dies in cardboard boxes and switch to plastic? I'm just kind of curious as to the "vintage" of these dies.

Thanks in advance for all input.

SSB

[RayinNH]

SSB, I don't know when they stopped selling them in cardboard boxes but I have a set of 270 Win. that my brother bought when he was in the service. He was in, in the mid "60's" and they were in a plastic box then. The two die set was marked $10...Ray

[nighthunter]

Singleshot ... Look on the top of the seating die. RCBS used to stamp the last 2 digits of the year of manufacture there. Hope this helps you.
Nighthunter

[ron brooks]

Singleshotbuff,

You saying I'm old, boy? I mean geez kid, I was graduated from High School before 1973.

I have no idea when RCBS went to plastic die boxes. I've always seen them in plastic.

Ron, feeling his years

[Ricochet]

I started handloading circa 1972, and RCBS dies were certainly in plastic boxes before then.

(I started with a Lee Loader for .44 Magnum.)

[singleshotbuff]

Ron,

Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel old. Not my intent at all. I truly enjoy collecting and loading with reloading tools that are "vintage", at least to me. Just seems like things were simpler back then, before super magnums, 1000 different powders and 9000 different bullets. I'm not sure that things have improved since WWII. Gotten more complicated, but not nessesarily better.

Nighthunter,

Thanks for the info, I'll check the seater die tonight.

Thaknks guys.

SSB

[woody1]

I'll have to look but as I recall, I bought my first RCBS dies and RCBS Jr. in 1966 and they were in cardboard. I bought another set, I believe a year or two later, also cardboard box. Regards, Woody

[hydraulic]

My first reloading tool was a 12 Guage Lee Loader in a red cardboard box and I wrote my name and date inside the box when I bought. I still have it and the date is 1964. My 8MM Mauser dies came from Herter's and the price tag is $4.79. I have several of the old Ideal loading tools and use them for loading black powder cartridges in .38-40, .45 Colt, and .25-20. No need for resizing. Decap with a sharpened nail, seat primer in the proper space, fill case with 2F and seat the bullet. There is a bullet mould on the front of the tool and a hole in the handle for sizing the bullet.

[woody1]

Dates confirmed. I have RCBS 30-06 and 30-30 dies dated 1966 and 1968 that are in cardboard boxes. I have RCBS 38-40 dies dated 1969 that are in plastic. Regards, Woody

[Char-Gar]

HooBoy!! Vintage!!! Give me a break!! When I started reloading everything came in cardbord boxes except gunpowder and primers which had a wooden insert.

I will well along in the reloading game, before plastic became the "package de jour".

An early 50's RCBS A2 is still my main reloading press and I don't the least bit "vintage" or "retro". But threads like this make me fell vintage..

[nighthunter]

Let's put Charger on EBone .... The vintage title alone ought to jack up the cost.
Nighthunter

[ron brooks]

Singleshotbuff,

Hey, it's okay. I was just funning with you. I do wish AARP would stop mailing stuff to me, I mean it's not like I CAN retire, you know. I mean, it's like they're teasing me.

Ron

[mike in co]

Singleshotbuff,

Hey, it's okay. I was just funning with you. I do wish AARP would stop mailing stuff to me, I mean it's not like I CAN retire, you know. I mean, it's like they're teasing me.

Ron

tape a brick to the aarpcrap... and send it back....they are another anti gun org........
they have to cover the return postage...

[40mmHEDP]

I just looked at a set of 30-06 dies I picked up off ebay for $6 plus shipping. New and un-used in a perfect cardboard box. Glad you posted that tip about the date. These have 68 on them. There is also a little piece of kraft paper in the box with 30-06 printed on it and the original yellow waranty slip.

[Buckshot]

tape a brick to the aarpcrap... and send it back....they are another anti gun org........
they have to cover the return postage...

.............HA! Yup, I shred all their crap, stuff it back in the envelope and send it back. I once checked the box to join and indicated I'd included a check, vs using my CC. That started a flurry of mail, then tapered off after awile. Haven't seen anything from them lately.


...............Buckshot

[NVcurmudgeon]

Singleshotbuff,

Hey, it's okay. I was just funning with you. I do wish AARP would stop mailing stuff to me, I mean it's not like I CAN retire, you know. I mean, it's like they're teasing me.

Ron

I scrawl "NO! TAKE ME OFF YOUR MAILING LIST" with a wide El Marko on the applications of AARP, credit card companies, and other pests, in the hope of appearing to be a nut. Then I put all their advertising, and the envelope it came in, into their postpaid envelope and send it back. It seems to have slowed them down some. More persistent cases will require the brick defense, I guess. I have over half an acre of suitable rocks.

[carpetman]

I bought a set of B&L binoculars off EBAY that were listed as vintage. In my mind,vintage would mean Rochester NY made. These were actually a current production Japanese made set. I considered it a missrepresentation and looked in the dictionary to see what vintage means. Well my "vintage" dictionary only listed it as pertainining to wine. So I guess for us old geezers here to be vintage we would need to be winos? Oh about the question--RCBS stuff I bought around 1967 was in cardboard and plastic shortly thereafter. Besides RCBS stamping the date on their products---Coleman lanterns also have date stamped.

[Phil]

Put an NRA membership application in the AARP envelope and sent it back to them. I still get crap from them, and they still get NRA apps from me.

I can remember when Hercules made HiVel 2. Used a bunch of it. A lot has changed since I started loading with a set of Black & White 30-06 dies and a Pacific C press in 1956/57 or so. I agree, most of the changes have NOT been for the better.

Cheers,

Phil

[singleshotbuff]

I just checked my seater die, made in 1964. I bought this die set from an older (vintage lol) gentleman who sells lots of used reloading equipment at local gun shows. I always make it a point to go to his table first, he always has some interesting stuff. I've also bought a Lyman 45 lubri-sizer from him that is fairly "vintage" too, but it works perfectly.

Thanks guys.

SSB

[NVcurmudgeon]

I just checked my seater die, made in 1964. I bought this die set from an older (vintage lol) gentleman who sells lots of used reloading equipment at local gun shows. I always make it a point to go to his table first, he always has some interesting stuff. I've also bought a Lyman 45 lubri-sizer from him that is fairly "vintage" too, but it works perfectly.

Thanks guys.

SSB

SSB, is your "vintage gentleman" possibly Mike Luft of Klamath Falls, OR? his table will be my first stop at the Big Reno Gun Show this coming weekend. I have several of his moulds, a couple of sets of dies, besides friendly priced GC. I think Mike is one of the very few table operators who actually sell anything at big shows. This is in contrast with the same guys who have the same exhorbitant price tags on the same guns, show after show.