Hollywood Update

[LUBEDUDE]

Rather than hijack a previous thread, I though I would just start this one for those interested.

Pertaining to the Hollywood Automatic.

It Was available for Rifle and Pistol as well as the shotshell.

Roundnoser found a 1961 price of $575.

I found a price of $675 which I believe was from the very late 60's.



Another press I've never heard anyone talk about is the Hollywood "Progressive".

It is manully indexing, like a Dillon 550 and rated at 350 rounds per hour. It came
in Rifle, Pistol, and Shotshell.

If you added "Automatic" attachments, the loading rate increased to 800 rounds per hour.
I surmise that it does not become self indexing, otherwise it should be rated at 1800 rounds per hour just like the "Automatic".


So there you have it, the Automatic was the Dillon 1050 of the day and the Progressive was Dillon 550 of the day as well; except from the start you could build it up with automatic attachments to increase capacity. Not, like the 550 today where all the add ons were an after thought years later.




http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_75704f9f08b790b16.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5006)

Hollywood Automatic, without powder tubes.


Sorry I could find any photos of a Progressive.

The base platform is the Senior Turret

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_75704f9f0a6c83e26.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5007)

Hollywood Senior Turret

[brassrat]

well I find this interesting :D

[NPBullets]

That looks pretty cool!

[Kevin Rohrer]

The press you call a Hollywood Automatic was for shotguns only as far as I know. That's why the pic you have posted shows two "powder measures". One was for shot.

[LUBEDUDE]

The press you call a Hollywood Automatic was for shotguns only as far as I know. That's why the pic you have posted shows two "powder measures". One was for shot.


I have an actual catalog/flyer that states it was available in Rifle and Pistol.

I guess it would still function the same without the shot measure. Or maybe some kind of "substitutioin" piece had to be put in its place.

Since you are the only one I know with an Automatic, maybe you can tell us.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_75704fa0acaef1d82.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5020)

From main flyer

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_75704fa0acd239fd3.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5021)

Check out third sentance- ,,,,1800 Rifle, Pistol, or...

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_75704fa0ad1af1419.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5022)

From the Flyer

[ReloaderFred]

All this discussion about the old Hollywoods is filling me with regret. I bought my first Hollywood Senior press used in 1963, and still have it. Shortly after buying it, I was cruising Hollywood Blvd. with some friends and we drove right by the Hollywood Gun Shop, but didn't stop. Now I'm regretting not stopping and browsing............

Fred

[Kevin Rohrer]

Interesting. The one I know of only does shotgun. There would have to be some basic changes made to the shell plate for it to load anything else. Am guessing they were built for either shotgun OR metallic cartridge with no changeover possible.

I have two Hollywood catalogs, one from the mid 1950s and the other from the mid 1980s, and neither shows this press. What year is yours?

[LUBEDUDE]

All this discussion about the old Hollywoods is filling me with regret. I bought my first Hollywood Senior press used in 1963, and still have it. Shortly after buying it, I was cruising Hollywood Blvd. with some friends and we drove right by the Hollywood Gun Shop, but didn't stop. Now I'm regretting not stopping and browsing............

Fred


Being an Ex- gunshop "stray" or hang out. I would have loved to check out that gun shop back in the day and hang out.

I don't have the time to hang out in gun shops anymore.

[LUBEDUDE]

Interesting. The one I know of only does shotgun. There would have to be some basic changes made to the shell plate for it to load anything else. Am guessing they were built for either shotgun OR metallic cartridge with no changeover possible.

I have two Hollywood catalogs, one from the mid 1950s and the other from the mid 1980s, and neither shows this press. What year is yours?


Going by the information I received from the guy I got the Catalog/Flyer and price sheets from; I fiqure it to be from the very late 60's.


I also wonder if the Metallic version of the Automatic was a typical marketing "cart before the horse" ploy. That is, they advertised it to check our pulses before they even had it built- or maybe even a prototype wasn't even built yet.

[Roundnoser]

[QUOTE=LUBEDUDE;1694343]Rather than hijack a previous thread, I though I would just start this one for those interested.

Pertaining to the Hollywood Automatic.

It Was available for Rifle and Pistol as well as the shotshell.

Roundnoser found a 1961 price of $575.


I found a price of $675 which I believe was from the very late 60's.

The 1966 Handloaders Digest lists the Hollywood Automatic (shotshell), at $475. There was no listing for a Hollywood Automatic metallic reloader.

[Kevin Rohrer]

There is at least one person here who knew the owner. Perhaps he could chime in here with information.

I am fairly certain some of my early Handloader Digests had info on the shotshell version, but no mention of the metallic version. I will do some checking.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Ok, I just spent some time in Der Fuhrerbunker checking my sources:

1. The 1959 Hollywood catalog has nothing about these presses.
2. The 1984/85 catalog has no pictures of these presses, but does list them individually. The shotshell reloader listed for $575. There were separate listings for the Progressive metallic cartridge reloader and the Automatic metallic cartidge reloader; both had a Price On Request listed. Am guessing they were only made when ordered.
3. There was a paragraph but no pictures in Handloader Digests #8-10 for the Automatic Reloader. The price listed in #8 was $1595. In the other two, the price was $2250.

I would be interested in knowing if any examples of either metallic cartridge reloader actually exists.

[brassrat]

Being an Ex- gunshop "stray" or hang out. I would have loved to check out that gun shop back in the day and hang out.

I don't have the time to hang out in gun shops anymore.


Thats easy to say now, back then The shop and machines probably would have been only able to moderately impress and most interest would be on females walking by :D Nice to think about thou. Hanging out was much better years ago, however imo

[LUBEDUDE]

Good work Kevin, and Thanks!

Thank you Roundnoser!

I'm real short for time this week , however I remember some of my old Gun Digests? maybe, fiom the 60's and 70's ; it looks like they just kept recycling the same Hollywood info and pics over and over, I mean word for word, at least almost.


It just seems there are so many scattered pieces of a puzzle when it comes to Hollywoods.

It sure would be nice to be able to fit them together nice and smooth.

[LUBEDUDE]

Thats easy to say now, back then The shop and machines probably would have been only able to moderately impress and most interest would be on females walking by :D Nice to think about thou. Hanging out was much better years ago, however imo



Amen, brother!

[kd185]

Good work Kevin, and Thanks!

It just seems there are so many scattered pieces of a puzzle when it comes to Hollywoods.

It sure would be nice to be able to fit them together nice and smooth.

good luck with that
ive meet hollywood joe i few years ago at the FCSA world match
hes an aging individual

[Kevin Rohrer]

Re: Hollywood Joe

He bought the parts from Lyle Corcoran, but am guessing he didn't get any original records. Someone from ARCTA who lives in the area needs to contact Corcorans' relatives and locate the records.

[Roundnoser]

I just found a little note in my Handloaders Digest 3rd edition (1966). It says "Hollywood Gunshop's Lyle Corcoran tells us that three new automated loading presses are about ready for the market. Two will be for metallic cases, the other a new shotshell tool."

[LUBEDUDE]

I just found a little note in my Handloaders Digest 3rd edition (1966). It says "Hollywood Gunshop's Lyle Corcoran tells us that three new automated loading presses are about ready for the market. Two will be for metallic cases, the other a new shotshell tool."

That's good info Roundnoser, that sure helps with a timeline.

[ReloaderFred]

I found an ad in the April, 1962, Guns & Ammo for the Hollywood Junior press on sale for $14.95 each, regular price $25.00. There is another small ad for the Hollywood "Senior Turret Shotshell Reloading Tool" for $187.50, complete, FOB Hollywood, Calif. It says it "also reloads all rifle, pistol and swages all bullets. See Dope Bag in May Rifleman for more details. Combines outstanding quality with design and workmanship."

I can make a copy of the two small ads and mail them, if anyone is interested.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[Kevin Rohrer]

re: Senior Turret Shotshell Reloading Tool

This is a different design press from what we are talking about. There are lots floating around. I have one anchored to my bench.

[LUBEDUDE]

I found an ad in the April, 1962, Guns & Ammo for the Hollywood Junior press on sale for $14.95 each, regular price $25.00. There is another small ad for the Hollywood "Senior Turret Shotshell Reloading Tool" for $187.50, complete, FOB Hollywood, Calif. It says it "also reloads all rifle, pistol and swages all bullets. See Dope Bag in May Rifleman for more details. Combines outstanding quality with design and workmanship."

I can make a copy of the two small ads and mail them, if anyone is interested.

Hope this helps.

Fred


Those sale prices on the Juniors were "pre-closeout" prices per se. In 1963 they were advertising the Junior for the $14.95, but stating that they were closing them out "due to high production costs".


Re- Senior Turret Shotshell Reloading Tool

To add to Kevin's info; the pic below is That is that press. The toolhead
could be ordered with any number of combination of sized threaded holes up to eight.
You find many Senior Turrets with 3 large and 5 Std, like mine. If you look close at the pic, the big, fat, tall,Black die on the left is a shotshell die.
To load shotshell, just change primer posts and your shellholder and you are good to go.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_75704fa80f214a9ec.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5100)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_75704fa80fd718286.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=5101)

[ReloaderFred]

I'm familiar with both types of presses, both the turret and the automatic, having actually loaded 12 guage on the automatic. I was just offering copies of the ads to anyone who might be collecting them.

I bought my first Hollywood Senior used in 1963, and it's still bolted to my bench.

It's interesting that in the ad in your picture, the Junior presses are offered by Martin B. Retting, Inc., while in the ad I have they were being offered for the same price by Hollywood Tools, 717 N. Highland Ave., Los Angeles 38, Calif., one year earlier. It was listed as a "Special Sale" Limited Time Only...

Hope this helps.

Fred

[LUBEDUDE]

Sorry for the misunderstanding.

That is so cool that you were able to load on an Automatic.

I guess that Martin B. Retting, Inc was a dealer or distributor for Hollywood Gun Shop ?

[ReloaderFred]

It was no big deal at the time, just something that went along with my duties as Rangemaster for our department. I have no idea how long they had owned the press, but I do know it was there when I first hired on in 1971, because I saw it in the range house during the academy. I also don't know if they still have it, since I retired in 1995.

I was the one who took the press to the person who owned the rights to the Hollywood Gunshop tools at the time for the conversion to automatically feed the wads from a rectangular aluminum feed tube when the handle was pulled. His shop was in a small industrial complex in Reseda, CA., at the time, all the way at the back of the complex. All I can remember was his name was Jim, and you had to call him early in the morning for him to be coherent. Sometimes he slept in the shop, when he wasn't able to drive home the evening before..........

The shop was littered with different castings, partially finished machines and the usual machine shop tools. And no, you couldn't eat off the floor! He was a really nice guy, working all by himself, with that one little flaw, but he was a great machinist of the old school. Someone on one of the forums told me his last name a few years ago, but I neglected to write it down or commit it to memory.

I wish I had paid more attention at the time, but other things were more important at that age and point in my career.

I had never heard of the Martin B. Retting company until I saw the name in the ad you posted, so I don't know where they fell in the grand scheme of things concerning Hollywood Gunshop tools.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[LUBEDUDE]

Thanks for the history info Fred!

Any Hollywood info is much appreciated.

[saintdel]

At the Orange County Gun Show last weekend I met the current Hollywood Engineering owner, Joe Mueller. Joe, an elderly gentleman... well, wait, I'm old so he's really old... regaled us with how he makes these presses. "Wait," I said, "I've been reading about Hollywood presses since the early seventies and I know they were around before that so are you the original Hollywood guy?" "No, the original owner died in 1968 and there was nobody else to carry on so it wound up in my lap and I've been working for 35 cents an hour ever since." Joe's an entertaining guy, but to the point, Hollywood engineering is still around and building presses. Joe pressed a catalog in my hand which proclaims their 40th anniversary, 1969 to 2009, which obviously is a few years ago now, but is still current. Current address is 10642 Arminta St., Sun Valley, CA 91352 818-842-8376 email cadqueen11 at aol dot com.

Edit: "last weekend" was Jan 19, 2013 to be clear since this is an old thread as Kevin points out below.

[Kevin Rohrer]

This is an old thread and I have not re-read the earlier posts.

I wish I was in his area so I could stop-by and root around in the corners of his shop. There is no telling what I might find. Not that I need anything as all my presses are complete and operating smoothly. But it is fun to look.

:bigsmyl2:

[Pressman]

reloader fred I would be interested in the Junior ads. Can you scan them as PDF and email? I was not sure that the Junior survived the 1961 model changes at Hollywood. Maybe it did not and those were left over models.
1961 was a pivotal year at Hollywood, that year the new designs were introduced, lots and lots of design changes and new ideas in press design. Prior to 1961 Hollywood model designs were fairly easy to track, after 61 it becomes more difficult due to a lack of advertising and surviving factory literature, most of which had no printing dates.
Ken