Catching Spent Primers On a Hollywood Senior?

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have the HUGE Hollywood Universal 12 station turret press and have the same problem.

Is this a newer or older one? I have never seen one and am curious as to how rigid they are for FL resizing large calibers.

[Dannix]

So the next model up includes a case tumbling station?

I have the HUGE Hollywood Universal 12 station turret press and have the same problem. I dont think they ever worried about primers on the floor for some reason. Heres a pic of what I have to deal with. LOL. The shell holder turret slides up and down in the main body and theres no where to put anything to catch the primers.

[mikenbarb]

Kevin, Its the Universal Model "B" from the late 1950's?? and you wont EVER come across a case it wont be able to FL size or reform. They made them to tackle just about anything even swaging. The main parts slide within each other making it work like one solid piece with lots of leverage. All the tolerances were held to a .0001" during the machining and fitting process. If you can find one in good shape for a good price I would jump on it because you will never see another press made like them again with the workmanship and accuracy they offered. It would cost wayyyy too much for someone to try to duplicate it. I think when I weighed it a while back it was close to 70-80 pounds on a pretty accurate bathroom scale. Heres some closer ups. The coffee can in the 5th pic is for size comparison. The main turret is over 1" thick to give you an idea how well they were made. It has a 12 station main turret, A 4 station shell holder turret and a 4 station priming turret for all sized primers in both the round and flat face styles. It looks rusty but its actually grease on the parts.

[Kevin Rohrer]

It is gorgeous. What locks each of the turrets in-place?

I have to have one.

[noylj]

1. What do you feel is the ultimate single-stage press in current production?
Forster Co-Ax, unless you are into necking .50BMG to .22 in one step or swaging bullets

2. What do you feel is the ultimate single-stage press not in production?
A Forster Co-AX with a better method of priming. With the Forster, you want an RCBS bench priming tool or do the job by hand.

[Kevin Rohrer]

In-Production: Probably the Forster, which I don't own. Everyone who has one seems to love them. I don't swage, so I have no use for one. If I consider my CH '444' as a single-stage, even though it has 4-stations, that would be *my* ultimate in-production.



Out-of-Production: Hard to say as there are lots of them. I know I REALLY like my Hollywood Senior for its strength and smoothness. I just got a Dunbar and once it has been restored in a week or two, will see how it compares. I consider it a single-stage even though it has two stations.

[NoDakJak]

I use an old RCBS plastic box that I believe held a shell holder. I cut the hinged top off and trimmed the sides down to just sit under fit under the ram, just perched on the machined boss for the priming tool. Its seat there appears rather precarious but I have only gotten a caseof the clumsys a couple of times and spilled it. It has served me well for over thirty years.
I own at least a dozen presses and have owned at least that many others. I really like my Hollywood and have loaded umpty thousands of rounds with it but if I were only allowed to own one single stage press it would definetly be my RCBS A2. It can do it all and do it with ease! I acquired an old Star Turret a couple months ago and the quality workmanship on this classic just has to be seen to be believed. Neil

[Kevin Rohrer]

I am not familiar with the Star. Could you post some pics?

[NoDakJak]

When I began reloading in 1962 my large,somewhat crude but extremely effective Herters Model 3 press cost me $12.99. At the other end of the spectrum was the Star Turret Loader that cost almost twenty times as much. I guess that you would have to call it semi-automated as my version has to be rotated manually. That was about six weeks worth of my take home pay at that time or about the same price as a darned good used car. Very few private shooters could afford one and most were owned by shooting clubs and Police Departments. My specimen came from the estate of a retired police officer that reloaded for his department. It is set up for 38 special wadcutters and the powder measure marked for 2.8 grains of Bullseye.
The quality of this press is much greater than required and must be considered as the Rolls Royce of presses. When the folks that now produce the Star Luber/sizer purchased the company they very wisely dropped the loader from production. Dillon presses are now state of the art and much more cost effective. My Dillon 450 is considered obsolescent but still has many advantages over the Star and would cost less than half of what the Star would cost at todays prices. My Dillon is a very well finished piece of machinery by todays standards but when placed beside the Star it appears to be somewhat unfinished by comparison. The Star must be considered to be a Dinosaur by todays standards by man oh man, what Snob appeal!
I am rather computer illeritate and need my grandcildrens aid to post pictures. I see that you are an ARCTA member and they should have plenty of pictures and data on Star presses. The 38 Special is my favorite revolver cartridge and I intend to put this loader into full service.

[NoDakJak]

Addendum: The Star loaders certainly are not common. In almost fifty years of keeping my eyes open this is the first that I have run across. Neil