Pacific 366 shotgun press

[abunaitoo]

Anyone reloaded on one of these????.
A friend has one. 12ga
looks like it works.
Pull the handle and it goes round.
I'm not looking for one, but it looks interesting.

[richhodg66]

I think they're a pretty common shotgun press. For a guy who shoots skeet and trap a lot, one of those could probably save a lot of money for at one time, now, it seems like inexpensive factory shells make it not worth anybody's while.

[curiousgeorge]

Bought one in poor condition about 20 yrs ago. Took it completely apart, figured out what was missing and needed to be replaced. Hornady very helpful with info, parts, and suggestions.

Once I had it put back together it runs great. As stated, pull the handle and a loaded round falls out the back. Really wished I'd had one 40 years ago when shooting trap.

[jaguarxk120]

They work well and will make some very nice reloads.
There is a lot of back ground on those press's, just
surf the net.

[DonMountain]

I am still reloading on a Pacific DL-350, a previous model of the DL-366 produced by Hornady now. I have loaded extensively on a friends two DL-366's, one of which is 40 years old now, and still a very good press. It feels mechanically very solid and stout when running it. Without the looseness and noise of loose attachments and parts like one of the competitor's full auto presses. Parts are still available from Hornady for these 40 year old machines and they all take the standard bushings for shot and powder that most other manufacturers use. Lots of them are sold on our favorite source of reloading parts (FleaBay). But I usually buy new ones from my local gun store because they are cheaper. I would buy it in a minute if you want to get into reloading shotshell ammo. Reloading shotshell ammo is similar to making custom rifle and handgun ammo for special applications that you can't get in the store. A Hornady 366 is a good buy. Get it.

[cat-mechanic]

My dad bought me one when I graduated 8th grade. It was a great machine to use and load on. I had some crimping issues then, that would surely have been solved quickly if I had internet, but instead I just kept the loader boxed away and instead of pulling it out and fixing it, I sold it. I should have kept it and fixed my issues and now I have a room full of reloading machines, but nothing for shotgun. Of course everything in the room is blue, so a red Hornady/Pacific press would stick out like a sore thumb.

[W.R.Buchanan]

I got my DL366 for $150 when I got into Trap and Skeet Shooting. I had to clean it up as it had been left in a garage uncovered for several years. But it cleaned up nicely and only took one day to do, and now it's like new.

They are excellent machines, simple to understand, run and work on, you can easily make 400 completed rounds an hour with one. Not as fast as a Dillon or Spolar or PW but not nearly as expensive either. The Hot Tip on these machines is to size and deprime your hulls with a Lachmiller Tool (see pic) and then wash your hulls in a Washing Machine and then dry in the Dryer.. That way you start with clean hulls at the priming station which saves you tons of time.(See pics below.)

Producing ammo on Progressive Machinery is just like working in a Machine Shop producing production parts. Economy of Motion and # of Parts per hour is key to the entire operation and needs to be sussed out and followed. Once you have the set up done then you are good to go and just make ammo like the machine was intended to be used. Little things like having a hole in your bench or a chute for loaded rounds to fall directly into a bucket below the bench saves tons of time. Having boxes for your hulls and wads strategically placed is also important. Even having a MEC Boxing Fixture can save you lots of time boxing up your loaded ammo afterwards.

Everything matters when you are making lots of Shotgun Ammo, just like it does when running a Dillon making lots of Pistol or Rifle Ammo!

The Single Stage Version of this machine is the DL266 which is arguably the best single stage shotshell loader ever made. It would still be made if some idiot hadn't dropped the mould for the top plate and broken it. Hornady wouldn't replace the mould and dropped the product. Luckily there are lots out there and I have 3,,, a regular 12 ga, a .410 model, and a 12 3" mag which I'm currently rebuilding and will get relegated to loading Slugs and Buckshot. It was one of the ones left in a filthy damp garage and is taking a while to fix up!

The .410 is absolutely necessary if you shoot many .410s, as they are $12.50 a box at most stores. It makes perfect crimps on the .410 hulls.

Here's pics of all these machines. I mount all my Loading Machines on Aluminum plates so they can be stored off the bench under covers so they don't get dirty! You should always cover your machines when not in use, as dirt and moisture are the main enemies of Reloading Tools, many if which aren't used frequently.

I also highly recommend NOT keeping them in a dirty garage. In a spare room in the house is the best place, followed by a closed room in your garage, or an enclosed shed that you can keep dry. Mine are all kept in my Machine Shop which is both relatively clean and dry.

Randy

[dverna]

I believe it resizes as a separate operation. That means your production rate is cut about in half over something like a PW.

Unless you shoot a lot of shells it is not that big a deal. I only know one competitive shooter who uses one and he likes it....but he buys a lot of factory shells as well.

For most people it is a fine machine....but it would not be my choice. YMMV

[Three44s]

I believe I read somewhere if one is interested in a 366 you want to buy the red ones as they are the Pacific presses that Hornady still supports.

I have a red one in 12 ga. and really like it but mine does not have the auto advance and a while back I called Hornady and they still sold a conversion for that as well as the (gas?) assist if you wanted to fully upgrade it. A while later Hornady stopped making the 366 and I dropped getting the advance conversion for the time being. Now that the huge run on reloading and shooting stuff has been settled down I suppose that Hornady is more eager to fill out their manufacturering slate and they may well be available again.

My 366 is very smooth and other owners of them all remark on that. I am a fan of MEC but the differences between a Mec progressive and a 366 in good shape is like day and night with the 366 winning hands down as a smoother operating press. The MEC will be more versatile but the Hornady/Pacific is a much sweeter ride.

I have some PW loaders as well. One a PW 800B in 12 ga. which is quite a press but I have not run it yet. I have ran my 375’s some but I have not gotten warm and fuzzy with them yet either.

The PW’s have an interesting sleeve sizing system.

One more parting thought:

People are individuals and different brands of presses are layed out in a particular way or some other. When a press is layed out the way a prospective owner thinks and works all is much better. If you have to rethink the way you work ie. retrain yourself then you are fighting that presses design. You will not be a happy camper.

Trying out a press and liking the way it flows goes a long ways towards knowing what to buy.

I have had a hankering for a 366 in my beloved 20 ga. but I have a good many other presses in that gauge that it makes it hard to justify in buying one at this point.

Oh well!

Three44s

[BK7saum]

I believe it resizes as a separate operation. That means your production rate is cut about in half over something like a PW.

Unless you shoot a lot of shells it is not that big a deal. I only know one competitive shooter who uses one and he likes it....but he buys a lot of factory shells as well.

For most people it is a fine machine....but it would not be my choice. YMMV

It does resize in a separate operation, but doesn't / wouldn't cut production in half. The sizer is located on the front left corner and when starting the operation cycle, place shell in the sizer. After the first one, you have to move the sized shell to station 1 and add a shell to the sizer station. It is an additional step to the automation cycle, but I have never found it to be troublesome or time consuming. The sizing occurs at the same time a shell is loaded, it just requires an additional manipulation step.

[jmorris]

I have two, set up for .410,28,20 and 12. They work well.

[Walks]

Boy Howdy !!!

That old Lachmiller Tool brings back Memories from 50-55yrs ago. Sitting in My Dad's basement cranking out decapped WW12AA shells for the MEC 650. And then using another Lachmiller Tool to put a Taper on the Loaded Rounds.

And Yes there are some Houses in SoCal with basements. OLD Houses.

[W.R.Buchanan]

It does resize in a separate operation, but doesn't / wouldn't cut production in half. The sizer is located on the front left corner and when starting the operation cycle, place shell in the sizer. After the first one, you have to move the sized shell to station 1 and add a shell to the sizer station. It is an additional step to the automation cycle, but I have never found it to be troublesome or time consuming. The sizing occurs at the same time a shell is loaded, it just requires an additional manipulation step.

This is why I suggested sizing and depriming on a separate tool thus avoiding the two step process on the 366. Starting with an empty hull in the Loading or Depriming Station, nothing happens to the hull on the first pull, when the hull advances to the next station It gets primed, then powder drops, then Wad, then shot, then pre-crimp, then full crimp, and then Post Crimp taper on the hull mouth, and then ejection Done.

The only thing I don't like about these machines is that they will drop Powder and Shot with no hull present. This makes a mess! You really need to have an air hose available to blow the powder out of the works. There are shutoffs for both the powder and shot and you must pay attention while starting up and shutting down the machine. I never leave mine open. When I'm done with a loading session I clear the machine. Leaving it cocked is a guaranteed mess as soon as you pull the handle.

Here's a pic of the carousel of a DL366

Randy

[abunaitoo]

It came home with me.
Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I'm a mechanical junky.
Like tools and mechanical stuff.
Attachment 249083

[DonMountain]

It came home with me.
Not sure what I'm going to do with it, but I'm a mechanical junky.
Like tools and mechanical stuff.
Attachment 249083

I would suggest purchasing a shotgun in the gauge of the press you just purchased. And then taking up hunting rabbits and buy a Beagle dog. And then join a trap shooting club and take up trap shooting. And then get married to a girl you meet at the trap club and reload for her too.

[abunaitoo]

I do have a couple of shotguns.
We don't have rabbit hunting here.
Dog sounds like a good idea, but the cat might object.
Trap and skeet clubs here are for the rich guys only.
I'm poor.
Getting married has been an on-going project for way to many years.
All good suggestions though.

[abunaitoo]

I found an on-liner manual for the Hornady 366.
It it the same as the Pacific 366????
They look the same.

I seem to be missing the priming tray/tube.
Would the Hornady fit????

[abunaitoo]

So i was looking on evilbay for the primer tray and tube.
Saw many of these presses for sale.
I didn't know they went for so much.
Kind of feel a little bad for what I paid.
He is a friend, and offered to give it to me for free.
He's hauled it to the gunshow for two years.
Being that I don't reload shotgun, didn't need it, didn't know what I was going to do with it, I just gave him what I felt it was worth to me.
Earlier he said a guy was going to buy it, but he never came back.
Show ended at 5:00p. I got it at 4:40p.
It was a good show.

[abunaitoo]

Played with it a little.
It is for 12ga
Found some problems.
The depriming rod is missing.
Not that much of a problem, because it has on in the sizing station.
The wad holder is sticking. Not going up and down.
"E" clip is missing, and the rod is not moving free.
And I think there should be a set screw holding it to the rod.
It has a bolt, and it looks like it would be in the way.
Need to take it out and see if the rod might be bent.
Tube and tray for the priming is missing.
No bushings in the powder slide.
Can I use MEC bushings, or would only Honady ones work?????
The parts diagram show a depriming punch guide.
Mine doesn't look like it takes them.
Looks to have been used very little.
A few paint chips, very little rust, still smooth moving.
Interesting machine.
Hope I can get it to work again.

[W.R.Buchanan]

You're on the right track. All the Hornady parts will work on that machine. Get a new primer tube and tray, not that expensive. Also get a powder bushing and shot bushing for a common load like 16 gr of Red Dot and 1 1/8 oz of shot. That way you will get a load that will work for anything and duplicates the common Winchester and Federal Walmart loads.

Your machine is not missing the deprimer, your's has it in the sizing die. Mine is an older machine which has them on two different stations. Since your's does the sizing and depriming on the same station you can use the machine to break down your hulls then wash them, then start loading them at the first station on the carousel.

Randy