Bair Kodiak 150 or Pacific prO Deluxe Press! Anybody Use One???

[seagiant]

Hi,
Well,after years of wanting and waiting on a good deal, just said to hec with it and bought a Bair Kodiak 150 press off of our favorite auction site! I did not get the deal I was looking for but it seems everytime I see one of these the price is more than before so I grabbed it.

I admit to liking the Bair a little more than the Pacific even though there is no difference that I can see! Pressman??? The Bair seems to be more rare and this one looks to be in very good shape. The single stage presses are a first love and there are a few out there I want to own and play with yet!

http://pacificreloaders.awardspace.c...luxe%20prO.htm

[W.R.Buchanan]

Greg: What is that apparatus sticking out the left side?

Looks like a good solid press.

Randy

[Sweetpea]

Looks STOUT, to say the least!

Now I want one!

Brandon

[seagiant]

Greg: What is that apparatus sticking out the left side?

Looks like a good solid press.

Randy

Hi Randy,
That is a primer bar. How I THINK it works is that the bar has a primer cup on the end and SHOULD have a primer tube that will load a primer in the cup when you pull it back. There is a spring loaded stop that holds the primer back in the tube until you pull it back and it allows the primer to go into the cup!

There is a slot in the ram that allows the primer cup to go in and you seat the primer with the press handle pulling the ram down against the case!

I've looked for one of these for years and have missed a few on the bidding but got this one and glad I did,they keep going up and up in price! A year or so ago a guy had an RCBS A2 he wanted $200 for and I thought he was nuts! Today that would probably be a great price???

[Pressman]

Segiant, there is no difference between Bair and Pacific, they were both made by Bair. Bair began marketing reloading tools after Pacific fired Deitmeyer, quit, reorganized and then was sold to Hornaday. Deitmeyer went to Bair and got them to sell tools under their name. Where the trail leads from there is still a bit murky but Precision Reloader (Schissell) was aquired by Bair and eventually Bair, as Bear, did end up in Ohio.
Ken

[seagiant]

Hi,
Thanks Pressman!!! I was not aware that Deitemeyer had something to do with Harley Bairs decision to market the loaders he was making for Pacific! Interesting history,wish I knew more of the story!

I'm hoping that everything is there on the press except a priming tube to prime on the press. I use a bench mounted primer but want to have everything for this press so it is complete! Thanks again for the info!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Greg: got it!

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi Randy,
I'll put some new pics up when I get it of course! Hopefully this week! Still hoping someone comes along that has one!

[GLL]

Greg:

I have a Bair and a Pacific and have a line on another Pacific if the price is not "too" excessive !
I like them better than the A2.
Did you get the little blue plastic spent primer cup that goes on the back?

Is the gray machine yours?

Just like the A2s "deal" and these presses do not seem to go together !

Jerry

[seagiant]

Hi Jerry,
Yes the pics above are the sellers pics that I downloaded and the one I bought! Thanks for the info! I do not know if it has the cup? Hope it does but if not I will turn one for it out of aluminum on the lathe.

I always thought the RCBS A2 and this press was the best bigger type press ever made. I guess the CH Champion and Hollywood Senior fits in there also! None of them are cheap and this Bair Kodiak 150 keeps getting more expensive and harder to find as the days go by. I admit to having a soft spot for Bair products as they are not as easy to find as others and like the Pacific are sweet tools!

I came up on this loader with the bid at $120 and said to myself what is the most I would pay for that(the last one I bid on I lost for $5 difference) I put that amount down and actually won it. Kept waiting to be out bid again but it worked out and glad I got it. Any pics of yours???

[GLL]

$120 is a great price in my opinion !
I will get some photos for you.

Jerry

[seagiant]

$120 is a great price in my opinion !
I will get some photos for you.

Jerry

Hi,
I WISH I had got it for $120! That was where the bid was at when I found it! I paid double that with the shipping and 6 months down the road that may be a bargain!

In my 1970 Handloaders Digest it says the 150 was set to swage bullets! I don't do that, but is a testament to it's sturdiness!

[SWANEEDB]

I have a Pacific Deluxe Pro--complete-- but did not get the paper work with it as I recall, pat date is on a paper sticker on the left linkage arm, trying to find my primer tubes, as I recall they were just a little bit different than any others that I have. This press was bought in the late 60's along with a Star Universal, used for maybe a year before the gent got ill, covered them both up until a couple years ago, a friend bought them both with the idea of getting into reloading but decided he would let me do the reloading so I ended up with both machines, in my thinking the Pacific Deluxe Pro puts the RCBS rockchucker to shame, it is a monster.

[SWANEEDB]

I went out into the heat in the garage to look for the primer tubes and I found them, they are different than most tubes, as I was looking at the machine I did notice the letter O in Pro is larger than the rest of the letters, I also came across 2 more shell holder boxes from the Bair Co, thought Pressman got em all, neat little boxes----need some more Ken? Found some Bair shell holders too.

[seagiant]

I have a Pacific Deluxe Pro--complete-- but did not get the paper work with it as I recall, pat date is on a paper sticker on the left linkage arm, trying to find my primer tubes, as I recall they were just a little bit different than any others that I have. This press was bought in the late 60's along with a Star Universal, used for maybe a year before the gent got ill, covered them both up until a couple years ago, a friend bought them both with the idea of getting into reloading but decided he would let me do the reloading so I ended up with both machines, in my thinking the Pacific Deluxe Pro puts the RCBS rockchucker to shame, it is a monster.

Hi,
Cool! That is music to my ears! I have never seen one,only pics hope it is big! Jerry said he prefered it to an RCBS A2 which is the Rockchucker's Daddy! That's a pretty good endorsement!

The primer tubes have to be like others up to a point. They may have a collar or collet on one end to fit to the casting attachment point but that can be made! I see no problems to getting mine fixed up as original! Thanks for the info,Any pics would be appreciated!

[r1kk1]

I always thought the RCBS A2 and this press was the best bigger type press ever made. I guess the CH Champion and Hollywood Senior fits in there also!

The CHampion is a beast of a press as I own one. Solid ram measuring about 1-3/16" that is drilled through for primer disposal. Very ergonomic to operate. 30 pounder. My Ultramag is taller but much smaller diameter ram.

The largest ram single stage I know of is the OWS RockCrusher with 1-5/8" diameter.

Take care

r1kk1

[seagiant]

Hi,
If anyone has an original primer tube and the ability to post pics, I'd like to see the end of the tube that fits in the press! Thanks!

[SWANEEDB]

Hi,
If anyone has an original primer tube and the ability to post pics, I'd like to see the end of the tube that fits in the press! Thanks!

I'll see what I can come up with, i'm a little short when it comes to pic taking & posting.

[seagiant]

I'll see what I can come up with, i'm a little short when it comes to pic taking & posting.

Hi,
PM sent!

[salpal48]

Hi, I can see that you purchased that machine. I was also bidding On It . It seems you were the better man . by a few $. If it does not have a primer catcher. i believe the Pacific 550 shot shell press has the same design only in Black color. hornady still lists this part in there Misc. Or old parts list. You can get sort of a partial Photo from there posted old catalog
Great purchase and I hope to have better luck next time
Sal