16 Kg gold reloading press identity

[jimmyboy]

Hi Guys, New member trying to find some information on a reloading press I inherited years ago from my grandfather. I have gotten keen on reloading again after quite a few years and will be trying to get this press working again. (Needs shellholder to fit magnum rims.) Press details are
Weight 16 kg/35 pounds
shaft 1 3/8"
stroke 2 7/8"
shellholder 1/2" UNF 1 1/2" thread
No names or numbers.
Have looked on the net without luck so hope someone can help and my apologies if it is a common press. Thanks in advance :grin:

Photo attached.

/IMG_0026.jpghttp://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_222164f1c8cf791616.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=3558)

[hiram1]

i dont have a clue.never seen one like that .i bet you will find out here .lots of good guys on here

[RayinNH]

Can't help in the identity, but it looks plenty strong. Good luck trying to break it...Ray

[jimmyboy]

Thanks for the replies ,I was a bit concerned about how new members are received and if anyone would even bother to read the newbies post.
My grandfather was a interesting man, WW1 veteran and professional roo and fox shooter into his eighties to supplement his farm income and the press isn't the only heirloom left to me that we are having trouble with. A mauser 98 without markings but looks the same as a commercial 1950s FN, if you can point me in the right direction in the forums for that as well would be much appreciated.Cheers...

[RayinNH]

Jimmy I hadn't even noticed you were new here. If I had you would have been given a hearty welcome, so, a hearty welcome to you sir...Ray

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

Its definitely an "O" frame :mrgreen:
And its very cool! I love old stuff

[1hole]

I don't know what it is but I don't think it's American!

Welcome to the forum mate! You'll find that few of us pay any attention to post counts! ;)

[jimmyboy]

Could be Australian made? And any time between 1920s to 1960s.
Is well made with very tight tolerances and would have loaded thousands of rounds of 303 wildcat cases. Shell-holder is magnum size but will only fit rimed cases or maybe magnum cases without the belt.

[Norbrat]

Welcome to a fellow Aussie!

I don't know much about presses and even less about older ones, but maybe someone can help to identify it from the 1/2" UNF shellholder.

You should be able to get an adaptor made to fit standard clip in shellholders.

[jimmyboy]

Thanks Norbrat,

Have some friends who were west coasters and moved to Qld years ago, still love their coffin bay oysters though.

There is a shellholder with a long shank available that might be able to be threaded. Original has a lock nut. Any one know the hardness of new shellholders.[smilie=s:

[Norbrat]

Thanks Norbrat,

Have some friends who were west coasters and moved to Qld years ago, still love their coffin bay oysters though.

There is a shellholder with a long shank available that might be able to be threaded. Original has a lock nut. Any one know the hardness of new shellholders.[smilie=s:

Shellholders are usually pretty hard. I modified one once to fit a Lee priming tool and basically couldn't cut it with a hacksaw so ground it down.

The existing shellholder, if it fits a 303, will fit a number of other cartridges. Have a look at the Lee catalogue www.leeprecision.com Page 16 has a list of cartridges and shellholders. Anything which fits Lee shellholder No. 5 will fit in your shellholder.

I still reckon it is easy to get an adaptor made. A bit of googling has found similar items for similar older presses with oddball shellholders.

Any half decent machine shop should be able to make something for you, or try a bloke on here (Buckshot) who by all accounts does great work.

[jimmyboy]

Yeah think you are right may as well get adaptor made so it fits standard shellholders as this thing will see out generations to come.
Am certain 6 feet of pipe on the handle would result in one broken bench.

[milprileb]

Compound leverage and "O" press design but entirely unknown to me.

I have been seduced by press designs for 51 years and that is a new one on
me.

I don't think its made in USA.

[Mk42gunner]

That certainly is a heavily made press, perhaps it was originally built for swaging bullets? It seems way overbuilt just for reloading, especially with a stroke length of only 2 7/8".

Have you tried contacting Simplex? They are the only maker of reloading gear in Australia that I can think of.

Could this be something from North Devon Fireams Services in England?

There is an antique reloading gear website, I do not know the website but you may be able to google it.

Robert

[Pressman]

Not an American made tool with that fine thread shellholder. Something about it tells me it is Austrialian made most likely in the early to mid 1950's.

Ken

[jimmyboy]

Thanks for the replys and sorry about the slow response ,blame it on the time zone .

Some local feedback about it possably being home built had me examining the press thoroughly and embarrassingly enough finding a very faint name stamping on the top.Fancy it being bolted to our bench for the last 25 years and not noticing!!!

Name is Bruce Hill in a cursive type of stamp like what maybe a gunsmith would put on a action etc.
Seems too well made and too much effort to be a one off. Perhaps a NSW Gunsmith or foundry. Won't be the end of the world if I don't know the history but is interesting to know these things. Cheers...

[LUBEDUDE]

Welcome to the forum Jimmyboy.

Nice looking press, my first thought was European.

[Cherokee]

Welcome to the forum. I have no idea about the press. Good luck.

[Redeye]

I have a Bruce Hill!!!
These are a case forming press, with lot of power. Misalign a case in the shell holder and it comes out looking like shinny coin.

I've made an adaptor that fits on the top of the ram and takes Lee shell holders, and it works well.

To be honest I didn’t think I’d ever see another one of these presses. I current run 10 Lee pro 1000’s presses and only use “Big Bad Bruce” for special thing.

Oh, and if you have you haven’t worked it out by now “don’t get your fingers court in this press”

[jimmyboy]

:grin:"Big Bad Bruce" Yes that describes it very well!!

Thanks for joining the forum to let me know [smilie=s:

What do you know about its origins? Age or any other details. Do you mind me asking how you came by yours?

This one I remember from my youth during the 1970s being used by my Pop reloading 303 wildcats and would never have sized anything other than 303 cases.
He used to buy most of his gear out of Tamworth or Sydney so think he would have purchased this press new.
As you can tell from photo he used it enough to wear the paint off the handle but it is still totally play free and smooth as silk to operate.

[lesharris]

Try 98 mauser site for ID on rifle.

[Redeye]

The guy I purchased my press from was an ex fox shooter, he had some really nice reloading gear. This was back in the late 80’s.
The twist to this is that the guy he purchased the press off (each purchaser is about 10year young than the owner) found out that the press had changed hands and was desperate to buy it back. I wasn’t selling, but was interested to find out what the press was used for. (This guy was one of the pistol shooters I’ve ever seen, but didn’t want to shoot at international level) He told me the press was made for case forming wildcats cartridges.

I’ve loaded 10’s of thousands of 32’s, 38’s and 357’s in mine. But when I run out of spare time in my life I had to move to progressive presses. I’ve never used the power of this press but I have noticed that you can barely feel a 38 case when you squash it to nothing.

[jimmyboy]

Thanks Redeye and others for the replies.

Maybe given a bit of time someone might spot the post who has extra information on the Bruce Hill press.

Ive been encouraged by the replies and will be looking through the other stuff in boxes and will post anything that may be interesting to others.

Cheers Jimmyboy :cbpour:

[Redeye]

I’m only having a guess now, but I reckon the presses may have been made in Bendigo Victoria, as a bit of s backyarder. Bendigo has a foundry, a Government Ordinance factory and an Olympic full bore rifle range. You know how it is, after a big day of shooting, a few bloke, a couple beers an someone said lets build a press and then someone else says, No lets build a real press. And that how it can happen!