Old reloading tools

[abunaitoo]

I was looking through some old Gun Digest and saw some of the old tools that are no longer made.
How about posting pictures of your oldest, unique, or not normally seen, tools.
I've got some. I'll post pictures after I get home.

[Roundnoser]

OK, I'll start it off. Here is a Potter Standard Duplex machine. Made in 1939 or 1940. Only 600 of these were ever produced.

47520

[Pressman]

OK, where to start? RCBS I suppose. Here are three of the more rare RCBS presses. The aluminum frame JR 2, the prototype for the Rockchucker made on an early JR2 frame and the first RCBS press, one using a welded frame with no castings.

There are a lot of old tools in the early Gun Digest, plus try locating some early American Rifleman copies from the late 1930s through the mid 1950s. Lots of early tools in them.

Ken

[abunaitoo]

I've never seen anything like that.
Looks like one of those "all in one" machine".
Would be great to reload with one of those.
Do you still load with it?????



OK, I'll start it off. Here is a Potter Standard Duplex machine. Made in 1939 or 1940. Only 600 of these were ever produced.

47520

[Roundnoser]

Abunaitoo,

Yes, it is an interesting "all in one" tool. The powder measure station makes the sequence complicated, but it was ahead of its time...The infancy of semi-progressive machines. I load on them once in awhile when I get all nostalgic.

You should check out the ARTCA (Antique Reloading Tool Collectors Assoc.) website. There are pics, descriptions and discussions about every antique reloading tool, article, instruction manual, etc. that you can imagine. Along with its members; an invaluable knowledge base. Check it out.

[Catshooter]

Wow. Four very cool presses.

Moar please.


Cat

[Roundnoser]

One More... A Potter Super Twin. Only 30 ever made between approx. 1955 and 1966. I had help from a fellow CB member to acquire this from a gun show vendor in Oregon. Unbelievably, it was not the press I thought I had purchased. I believed I was getting a very good condition Automatic Duplex press with a couple of die sets. Instead this rare beauty arrived. Imagine my surprise when I opened the box.

47526

[texassako]

Those are some neat old presses. I never knew there was a collectors assoc. for these old tools. Now I have something new to lust after since they match my vintage woodworking machinery. The only old stuff I have is not so old dies since I reload several obsolete calibers that were much more common in the past.

[Kevin Rohrer]

My Hollywood Universal Model-B swayback turret, allegedly 1 of 100, made >1945.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0504.jpg

[abunaitoo]

Anyone know when Hollywood and Pacific stopped making reloading tools?????

[abunaitoo]

Here are two of my old Pacific powder measures.
I still use the bench mounted one. It's as accurate as any of my other measures.
It's kind of works like a B&M.
The hand model I got a while ago a the gunshow. Never used it and it looks like it was never used.

[Spruce]

That Hollywood Model B is a serious piece of machinery.

The Potters are neat too. New to me. Great pics. Keep them coming.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Anyone know when Hollywood and Pacific stopped making reloading tools?????

"Hollywood" may still be in business. The guy who bought the excess inventory has been selling new presses on a hit and miss basis.

[kd185]

"Hollywood" may still be in business. The guy who bought the excess inventory has been selling new presses on a hit and miss basis.

i met old Joe from Hollywood 2 or was it 3 years ago
he was old but still making parts and presses
i have read some horror stories about trying to get new ones from him though

[W.R.Buchanan]

The thing about the older tools is they will never wear out from normal use. The cast iron tools will still do everything that any new single stage or turret press will do. And since they have already lasted for a long time it's a cinch that they will last for another long time.

None of this stuff ever goes obsolete. How much can you change or improve a single stage press? The only real improvement I have seen is drilling the ram so the primer falls out the bottom, and really that is not much of an improvement.

My RCBS Rockchucker was made in 1976 and it will out last me easily. The new ones are virtually identical. I also use it more than any other single reloading related tool I have. The single stage press is a Primary Reloading Tool, and everyone needs one.

The whole reason why newer machines are not made like the older stuff ,,, is cost. Pure and simple.

With older tools the paint may get old and flake off, and the exposed metal might rust a bit but all of this can be fixed in a matter of a few hours of work.

Just look at Kevin's Hollywood, it is beautiful and will last many lifetimes. It will also load any metalic cartridge known to man, and will do so until you can no longer find metalic cartridges to reload. He has also got several other vintage presses and tools that have been restored beautifully and will outlast him and his offspring literally for generations. This stuff just doesn't go away!

There are many here that do this as a matter of course just to see what makes the tool tick and to revive it to it's former glory.

I am here to tell you that this is not hard to do, it just requires some patience and elbow grease.

IF I buy a used tool and it comes in dirty or in need of a little cosmetic help. I immediately take it apart and clean it up and repaint it if necessary.

That way I am starting with essentially a new tool.

Here's a pic of a redone shooting rest. I bought it at a gun show, came home, stripped it and repainted it with Hammertone gray within 1 hour, I reassembled it the next day when the paint was dry. I've got $10 in it and it is essentally new and will last me forever.

You can do this too.

Randy

[abunaitoo]

Not sure where I got this.
The screw in bottle looks like a good idea. but it dosen't work to well.

[abunaitoo]

Got these reloading tools that look like they have never been used.

Potters buttom pour pot. Still has grease on the inside. No signs of it being used. Came without the cord, but I found one that fit. Plugged it in and it started to heat up. Really small, maybe #1 1/2.

Potters ingot moulds. Still has grease inside. Have three.

Redding scale. Original box. Pan is as new.

Potters press. Ram is oppsite of the newer presses. Have to pull the handle up to move the ram up. Haven't tried to reload with it. I have two of them.

Ideal iron pot with the drip pan. Original box with instructions. Still has grease in it.

I kind of don't feel like using any of them. To me their kind of looking at past history.

[Roundnoser]

The Potter casting equipment was made into the late 1970's. The Potter reloading equipment tools ended in 1966.

That C press is a Pacific, I believe. Potter didn't make a single stage C press.

The Ideal stove top protector and melting pot combo is somewhat of a collectors item. I had the stove top protector, but sold it to a member on the ARTCA website who collected vintage Ideal items. The original instruction manual for the pot and protector maybe the real prize. Our own CB member Pressman manages the document repository. If you can copy or scan that document and send it to him, it would be great to have on file.

[abunaitoo]

My mistake on the press.
I ment to type Pacific and not potters.

I don't have a scanner, but I can take a picture of the instructions.

I've been looking for someone who collects these old tools. Some who would save it, insted of use it.
I would be willing to sell it. Have no idea what it worth.

[Pressman]

Here is a reloading tool that is seldom encountered. The Bellows scale dampner. It is an oil dampner desigend to fit the eary Redding presses with the exposed brass beam to add oil dampning. This was all the hot thing to do in the very early 1950's. The non-nickle plates Reddings were around for about three years beginning around 1951. After that Redding added an oil resevouir to the base.

The Bellows clamps on the beam at the pivot point and the paddle extends to the side where you put a small jar of oil. It works and is less messy that scales with an oil in the frame system.
Ken

[LUBEDUDE]

Here is a Hollywood Model A. One of the original first "one of a hundred". This is a little different from Kevin's in that this is the original Universal desigin from 1935. This was before Hollywood made any changes. Kevin's above shows the first improvement Hollywood made my adding 9 additional stations to 3 already in place, by making a round 12 station turret.

[Roundnoser]

LUBEDUDE and Kevin -- Great presses! I love those crinkle coat finishes too. Its great that we have folks who enjoy collecting the old stuff. Collectors and knowledge of the old machines are slipping into history.

[LUBEDUDE]

Roundnoser - you are so right! I just wish I knew about this old stuff 20-30 yrs ago. I have been soooo ignorant. I always thought it was just a handful of players with the main colors of the rainbow. But thanks to sites like this, I have been informed and HOOKED on old school presses!

Thanks to all contributers present and past.

[Pavogrande]

I still have, though I don't use any more, a pacific scale. You set a marked "weight" or "weights" in the pan and adjust it by means of double nuts - The beam is a threaded rod.
Works quite well but obviously rather slow to change settings. Have to sort through the little tin for the correct weight combinations to match your charge weight and be careful when adjusting the nuts that you don't damage the knife edges.
I think I bought about 1957 for about $8 --
If I recall correctly it has the oil dampener also -- I found the oil dampener not worth the bother.
The tools I started with then were tong tools, still have them but hardly exotic.

My Lachmiller press and bench Priming tool are a bit less common and still in use. Shell holders are a bit of a chore to find -- Herters will fit, sort of.

I also Have the Potter electric pot and ingot mould as well as the lyman pot and dipper. No flame plate though -- They are all used though.

Darn, now that I think of it, everything I have is old including me!

[Kevin Rohrer]

Here is a Hollywood Model A. One of the original first "one of a hundred". This is a little different from Kevin's in that this is the original Universal desigin from 1935. This was before Hollywood made any changes.

Are you saying this is an original "Universal", or a Hollywood Universal?

[LUBEDUDE]

Oh man how I wish it was!

Sorry for the confusion Kevin.

It IS a Hollywood as stated in the first sentence.

It's design, with the 3 stations is of the original Univeral design along with being wasp waisted.

It was BEFore Hollywood made any improvements, like yours.

So basically as I understand it, Hollywood bought the design from Universal and really did not make any frame changes for the first 100(metal reinforced slide/guide plates). However, SOme of the first 100 with original frames did have have Turret improvements, i.e., the 12 hole station, round turret. Which would Model B's (like yours) later to have numerous names.

The Model A wasp waisted frame,3 station turret held true to the original Universal design(Mine). Hollywood's improvement to the Model A was to go with a full back frame for more strength. I found a 1952 ad calling this a Model A Universal. And of course, later they added extra shell, primer post turrets and renaming.

It appears that my press, the Model A came out in 1946, about 6 months before the Model B's were introduced.

Did I clarify this Kevin?

I know that you know this extra stuff Kevin, I am just stating for the benefit of the other readers.

[Char-Gar]

Old reloading tools represent a bargin price for todays reloaders. There are very few of them whose price increase has kept up with inflation. Compare the price of a high end Hollywood with a high end Dillon and the Hollywood comes out looking very affordable.

Compare the price of a basic cast iron Pacific, Lyman, RCBS etc single stage press to a low end Lee breakable press and the old equipment is very much a bargin.

Vintage reloading tools still remain the biggest bang for your reloading buck. This will continue to true for years to come.

[LUBEDUDE]

Old reloading tools represent a bargin price for todays reloaders. There are very few of them whose price increase has kept up with inflation. Compare the price of a high end Hollywood with a high end Dillon and the Hollywood comes out looking very affordable.

Compare the price of a basic cast iron Pacific, Lyman, RCBS etc single stage press to a low end Lee breakable press and the old equipment is very much a bargin.

Vintage reloading tools still remain the biggest bang for your reloading buck. This will continue to true for years to come.

Basically to sum up: they don't make 'em like they used to.

Gee I sound like the old codgers I listened to as a kid.

Am I already an old codger?

[Kevin Rohrer]

Vintage reloading tools still remain the biggest bang for your reloading buck. This will continue to true for years to come

But you can't tell a neophyte that. They have been indoctrinated by our disposable appliance economy into believing that nothing lasts >10-years, if that (e.g. Lee).

[abunaitoo]

Pictures of the Ideal pot box and instructions for Roundnoser.

[abunaitoo]

This is an old Lachmiller shotgun shell base resizer.
I don't reload shotgun, but I've been told the new loaders do this when depriming the case. So this is not needed anymore.

These old tools are so interesting.

[LUBEDUDE]

This is an old Lachmiller shotgun shell base resizer.
I don't reload shotgun, but I've been told the new loaders do this when depriming the case. So this is not needed anymore.

These old tools are so interesting.



Don't retire this tool to the junk barn quit yet.

If you load shotgun on a Hollywood, you need to size first with a tool like this or another loader rather than the the Hollywood sizer. It takes a lot of force to extract the hull from the Hollywood sizer most times and this is hard on the tooling as well as the hulls which sometitmes results in hull/brass separation.

Also even when using the almighty Spolar, when mistakes are made, the dies are easily taken out of the machine, however many times the hulls are quite difficult to release from the die once out of the machine. If you pre-size first with a tool such as the Lachmiller, things go awful smooth.
I would assume the same for a P/W with removable dies.

This is why these as such an easy sell on ebay.

[Char-Gar]

But you can't tell a neophyte that. They have been indoctrinated by our disposable appliance economy into believing that nothing lasts >10-years, if that (e.g. Lee).

Kevin..I wish that were not true, but it is so very true. There is an old saying, that "He knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing". That is certainly true about the new reloader and his penchant to jump on Lee equipment like a dog on a bone. Tis sad....

I have a press on my bench that is 80 years old and still just as good as the day it left the Pacific plant. It should have another 80 years in it.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Pacific didn't actually go out of business. They were bought out by Hornaday decades ago.

[Char-Gar]

Here is a 1930's Pacific C all original that cost me $15.00 on Ebay, plus another $2.00 in steel to make a new handle. This press is about 80 years old with another 80 years to go. It will do any and all reloading tasks short of bullet swaging. For the budget reloader or the guy interested in reloading history this is a great way to go.

This is the first modern press with the ram and 7/8 X 14 dies held in the top of the press. All modern presses evolved from this one.

[LUBEDUDE]

You are so right Char-Gar, why anyone would buy some of the presses offered today when they could buy Grade A, Prime American Beef like yours for a fraction of the cost is beyond me.

That sure is a beauty you have there.

[Roundnoser]

I have a Herters model 03 and Super 81 that are in excellent condition, and short of swaging, they can handle any metallic cartridge reloading task that the new single stage presse do! I purchased the 03 press for practically nothing, and its like new, with the primer catcher and primer feed attachment. -- I also have an old used Rock Chucker from the early 70's that has reloaded many thousands of rounds without a single hick-up.

These days, many folks are looking for the popular equipment. Its not just functionality, they also want the brand name.

[Char-Gar]

Old Herters iron is very good stuff. Here is my U3 I bought off Ebay. It came with both primer arms and four or five shell holders. I sold the primer arms and shell holders and came away with enough money to pay for the shipping, buy an RCBS shell holder adapter and pay for all of the press but $1.00. So the total cost of the press to me was one whole dollar. That is reloading on the cheap.

[LUBEDUDE]

I bought a Herter's U-3 off of ebay as well. It was from a guy who said he bought it when he was a kid and he put it in his closet and never mounted it. I believe him, for it looks brand new.

I don't remember what I paid for it, but it was very reasonalble, I have yet to find a place to mount it yet - but I will.

[Char-Gar]

I bought a Herter's U-3 off of ebay as well. It was from a guy who said he bought it when he was a kid and he put it in his closet and never mounted it. I believe him, for it looks brand new.

I don't remember what I paid for it, but it was very reasonalble, I have yet to find a place to mount it yet - but I will.

It took me many years to get a loading bench and place large enough to do what I want. When I retired I converted the double car garage into a shop. My loading bench is a solid core door topped with 1/2 plywood set on a frame of 2X6s with 4x4 legs. It sets in the middle of the room so I can work on all four sides.

[LUBEDUDE]

I really like that idea of working all 4 sides.

In my primary loading shop I have a 12 ft bench, but it's shortcoming is you can only work it from one side. However, it's strong point is, it is bolted to the wall as well as being a heavy 8 legged mother. It does not budge one iota with any job.

[Char-Gar]

My bench is not bolted down, but it has two shelves loaded with brass and such. It does not move either.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Dude with the Lube:


Am I already an old codger?

Yes you are.

It is not your age, it is your state of mind. [smilie=w:

Randy

[LUBEDUDE]

Dude with the Lube:



Yes you are.

It is not your age, it is your state of mind. [smilie=w:

Randy

HA Ha! You're right Randy.

My wife and kids call me the Big Kid though.

I guess I became an old codger when you guys and others sucked me in a couple of years ago.

I'm not buying guns anymore, just presses!

I'm lov'n it.

[Pressman]

For all you Hollywood fans, this is not a Hollywood. It is a Universal, made before 1940.
I need to find time to build a larger picture box, one that will let me get pictures of the Hollywoods and this Universal.
Ken

[LUBEDUDE]

Wow, thanks Pressman. That is quite a treat!

I can see quite a few minor changes/differences between it and my Hollywoood model A, but basically the same press.

What is the purpose of the adjustment ? screw/bolt on the back of the turret?

[Pressman]

The Universal turret can be adjusted for rotation travel with the two stop screws on the back of the turret. Ball bearings replced this arrangement on the Hollywood models.
Ken

[LUBEDUDE]

Thanks Ken!

[LUBEDUDE]

Here is a cast Iron Universal 3 Model. Or, may be referred to as a Model B Special or Universal Deluxe special. I guess it depends upon which ads you are referring to and if you know exactly when it was made, which I do not.

I refer to it as a Universal 3 because it is a Universal Press frame as noted by the casting and obvious design and it has 3 turrets, which differentiates it from Kevin's singe turret Model B.

[Kevin Rohrer]

You mean like my twin to yours, a Hollywood Universal Model-III Special (there may be a "Deluxe" in there somewhere).

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0458.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0460.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0459.jpg

[LUBEDUDE]

I wasn't sure from some of your other pictures if your press in the corner was another model B or a III. The shell and primer turrets were obscured.

Now, here you have much better photos than mine. Thanks!

[Kevin Rohrer]

Here is a tease.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/SuperTurret-3.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/SuperTurret-4.jpg



And no, I don't own it, I just lust after one. :bigsmyl2:

If I did own it, EVERYONE would know. :2_high5:

[LUBEDUDE]

Oh man, I thought you finally got your Holy Grail for a second!

I lust for one myself!

[Catshooter]

What is it? Besides unobtainium, I mean. :)

I love these old presses.


Cat

[Kevin Rohrer]

It's a Hollywood Universal Super Turret, and it *is* made of Unobtanium.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Kevin: explain the use of the small turret with the shell holder? Is it a multi caliber thing? What are the smaller punches for?

Randy

[FUBAR 6]

Here are some of my old reloading tools, my Grandfather may have purchased the Model A new, I know he had it for over 60 years...

I handload all precision rifle on a vintage press, except for what I load at the range.

Neck turning is on a Southbend 9" using a mandrel(s) made from the Redding mandrels....



http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_2418850524fa54cca1.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=6651)



http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_2418850525017631c3.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=6653)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_24188505250487a653.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=6654)

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/imagehosting/thum_241885052547be548b.jpg (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/vbimghost.php?do=displayimg&imgid=6659)

[LUBEDUDE]

Hey *****, I was wondering when you were going to join in on the Hollywood walk of fame!

[Pressman]

Another seldom seen tool from the days of yesteryear. A Varco powder trickler.
Ken

[Catshooter]

Randy,

The bottom turret, I believe, is for primers. In the old days, primers came not only large & small, but also flat on the bottom (like today) and rounded. So, four different primer punches.


Cat

[Char-Gar]

*****..The pic of the lathe neck turning set up is to fuzzy for me to get a good idea of what you are doing. Could you go into some detail on that..please.

[FUBAR 6]

Char-Gar:

No problem, I made a support mandrel from a Redding case turning mandrel, any would work.

The mandrels just have to be long enough to reach a steady rest. I use dry lube in the case neck, and of course the case necks are miked and sorted prior to turning...

There is a dial indicator set up on the back side of the case neck which allows me to measure the neck size in real time.

I have used both a 3 C collet, and a 3 jaw chuck to hold the brass, each way produces a good result.

But the collet set up is less likely to damage brass.....

I can do most case prep work in this configuration, including polishing

Can you follow the above ramblings?

However I admit that if the case neck has miked "much thicker" in one area with a ball mic I will still turn the neck by hand, and I still do all of my comp case prep by hand--old habits

[LUBEDUDE]

Another seldom seen tool from the days of yesteryear. A Varco powder trickler.
Ken


I've never seen one.

I sure like the idea of large knob. Seems more precise.

Thanks Ken!

[LUBEDUDE]

Randy,

The bottom turret, I believe, is for primers. In the old days, primers came not only large & small, but also flat on the bottom (like today) and rounded. So, four different primer punches.


Cat

Correct, also, if you load Shotgun, you have room for a shotgun primer punch.

Funny thing about the rounded primer punches. They work great for our modern day flat primers.

I reckon the flat primer punches must not push the old style rounded primers in deep enough.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Catshooter is correct.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0748.jpg

[abunaitoo]

Not reloading tools, but still interesting.
These papers were in the box of old tools I got.
Catalogs, manuals, instructions, and the sales receipt.

[LUBEDUDE]

That's some cool stuff Abunaitoo!

[Pressman]

You do not see this one at avery gun show, a T.L. Bosler press. Three station with the ram on a center pivot. It works but the pivot pin is a weak part. And teh only chrome plated press I have seen. Patented in 1935 using Pacific dies and rams.
Ken

[LUBEDUDE]

That is really special. Now you're making this fun pressman.

Thanks!

[LUBEDUDE]

This is a good thread, it's made me dig into my Hollywood history. I just discovered that I have been calling one of my "Universals" the wrong name. It's bad enough that the early ones are confusing whether they are B's, B Specials, Universal B, Universal B Special, or Universal III, or Universal III Special.

It seems in Mid 1955 when Hollywood was pushing a fully loaded ShotShell loader, they had to stretch the frame from a 17" tall to a 18 1/2' tall (roughly) to accomadate a longer stroke. They decided to forgo the Universal name and just go with "Turret Tool".

So if you have a Universal frame that is 18 1/2", you have a Turret Tool as seen below, set up for ShotShells. The ads show them with all three turrets as well.

[texassako]

It is not as interesting as some of these presses, but I am guessing it is fairly old since it has a drum labeled for 5066 powder. A homemade powder measure with several extra drums(one adjustable), and I put some other pics in the homemade sticky:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47912&d=1348093443

[Roundnoser]

It is not as interesting as some of these presses, but I am guessing it is fairly old since it has a drum labeled for 5066 powder. A homemade powder measure with several extra drums(one adjustable), and I put some other pics in the homemade sticky:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=47912&d=1348093443

That looks like it could be the origins of the Little Dandy measure! Neat!

[bonza]

This thread has been a pleasure to browse through, so many neat old tools. Had never heard of a Potter press until today! I no longer have it, but I once had a Texan turret press that was a serious piece of machinery. Seem to think it had seven holes in the turret (maybe more), but do recall the shovel-handle & the toggle links.....very smooth operating press. cannot recall the model number/name, but would like to see some photos of one if anyone can identify it from my description.

[Roundnoser]

This thread has been a pleasure to browse through, so many neat old tools. Had never heard of a Potter press until today! I no longer have it, but I once had a Texan turret press that was a serious piece of machinery. Seem to think it had seven holes in the turret (maybe more), but do recall the shovel-handle & the toggle links.....very smooth operating press. cannot recall the model number/name, but would like to see some photos of one if anyone can identify it from my description.

bonza,

If you haven't visited the Antique Reloading Tool Collectors Association (ARTCA) website, I suggest you do! You'd like it. There are lots of pics and discussions about almost every old reloading tool that was made. It is a wealth of information and the members there have a wealth of knowledge.

[W.R.Buchanan]

So the lower turret is for the different shell holders and the Primer punches are on a turret too?

So you then rotate whatever combination you are using for that round into position and go?

Randy

[LUBEDUDE]

Yes

As in this pic loading 45-70

Rotate your very bottom turret in line with your dies that has your Large Primer Post, and it is set for your loading session.

Then rotate the middle turret containing your shell holder for the 45-70 in line with your dies, and it is set for the session.

Now all you do is rotate the ships wheel Turret Handle (top turret) with one hand for each operation; sizing, seating, crimping, and the operating(up/down) handle with your other hand.

Or if you prefer, use it as a Single Stage Press and do batches.

[LUBEDUDE]

I no longer have it, but I once had a Texan turret press that was a serious piece of machinery. Seem to think it had seven holes in the turret (maybe more), but do recall the shovel-handle & the toggle links.....very smooth operating press. cannot recall the model number/name, but would like to see some photos of one if anyone can identify it from my description.

Texan model 101-T-II as you described on the left.

On the right is anoher variation without the shovel handle and a different base. I believe it to be an earlier model but have no facts to go on. It seems that the newer?bases and shovel handle were an after thought of the MK series shotgun loaders.

Maybe someone with more experience/knowledge like pressman or SkeeTex will know.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Dude: got it, makes perfect sense.

Randy

[bonza]

Lubedude, I think that may be the one. It could just be the angle the photo is taken from, but the one I had seemed bigger/taller.

[STP22]

Oh my....all this is making me dizzy.

Hope Doug (aka Floodgate) is seeing this.

Regards,

Scott

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

will try to post a picture of my Easton single stage press. Pre WW-II.

[Pressman]

Sharpshooter, I really, really want to see a picture of that press. Please?
Ken
The Big Giant came out after WWII, the ad is from 1946. But there is a Little Giant made before the war. Examples are scarce.

[Pressman]

Anyone remember JC Higgins? A marketing name for Sears and Roebuck hunting equipment. Around 1959 they also tried to sell a small line of reloading equipment. Press and dies mostly. The venture did not work pay well and was soon dropped. The press and dies were made by C-H.
Ken

[LUBEDUDE]

That's a whole new level of privite label as far a loading gear goes.

Thanks for sharing.

[BillP]

Anyone remember JC Higgins? A marketing name for Sears and Roebuck hunting equipment. Around 1959 they also tried to sell a small line of reloading equipment. Press and dies mostly. The venture did not work pay well and was soon dropped. The press and dies were made by C-H.
Ken

Wow, thats nice to see and it brings back memories. Does that press take standard shell holders and modern dies? I met JC (Jack) Higgins about 40 yrs ago. At that time he was over the clothing division at Sears. He was quite a character and a very cool dude.

bp

[Pressman]

Vamco primer seater.

Yes, the JC Higgins takes standard dies and shellholders. There are variations of this press with the name clearly milled off and another with no name at all but still using the same blue color.
These presses are slightly different in dimension to the C-H press of the time.
Ken

[abunaitoo]

It's so great to see that some of these old tools are still around.

[Isaac]

Anyone remember JC Higgins? A marketing name for Sears and Roebuck hunting equipment. Around 1959 they also tried to sell a small line of reloading equipment. Press and dies mostly. The venture did not work pay well and was soon dropped. The press and dies were made by C-H.
Ken

Now that is unique! A J.C. Higgins press. Right up my alley with the old store labled items. Thanks much for sharing.

Isaac.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Unless the physically get thrown in the trash or recycled for scrap metal all of them will be around for longer than we will.

It will be up to future generations to figure out how to use the stuff. Hopefully there will be old books around and people will be able to read.

I have yet to see and older reloading press that has been worn out. They might look used up but in reality you would have to get up pretty early in the morning to wear a cast iron press out by using it. There is just not that much stress put on the tool to cause any significant wear.

The paint can be redone many times.

Randy

[Bent Ramrod]

Had to do some digging, but here is a Yankee Model C, with all the dies and accessories.

[Bent Ramrod]

Here is a sadly incomplete Newton reloading tool.

[Bent Ramrod]

And, finally, this little horror, easily one of the worst reloading tool designs ever, is the Modern Bond Model C. Minimum speed and maximum hassle. Missing the bench clamp, but that wouldn't slow it down much:mrgreen:.

[LUBEDUDE]

Bent Ramrod, thanks for sharing!

Could you please tell us the approximate age of those old tools?

[Bent Ramrod]

I think the Newton was pre WWI to early/mid 1920's. The Yankee was mid 1920's to sometime in the late 30's/early 40's. The Modern Bond was maybe in the early to mid-30's. Ken would probably have better dates for this stuff than I could find in my references.

[abunaitoo]

I've heard of grand kids here truning grandpa's firearms to be destroyed, and all his reloading equipment thrown away in the trash, after he passed away.
I was even there when a grand daughter broght in her grandfathers shotgun to be turned in. Told her she should take it to a gun shop, and they could sell it for her. She told me she didn't want it being sold to anyone. That she wanted all guns destroyed.
Useless cops were all smiles when they took it.
Feel sorry for the kids of today.

[W.R.Buchanan]

It is a shame that senseless idiots like that girl are allowed to have a voice.

They are so stupid that they don't even know that "they don't know."

I hate to say it but unless we have a war here in the US, on US soil,,, people like her will never understand freedom. She has never had to fight for anything in her life.

Hopefully most of the hard to convince ones would not make the survival cut in that war! In that case I like the Russian method of forcing the conscript to fight. Nothing like a machine gun behind you as an effective form of motivation.

Of all things abhorant to me,,,, fools are at the top of my hate list. They are at the top of that list, simply because they insist on everyone being like them.

I refuse to humor them,,,, with contempt!

Randy

[Bent Ramrod]

Here's a couple shots of the Meepos Reloading Tool. There have been several photos of the Meepos Sizer-Lubricator on this site; this is the companion press the Meepos Gun Shop offered. Mid-30's to maybe early '50's at best.

The designs by Pacific and RCBS cleared these oddball designs off the field the way the Macintosh and Windows operating systems blew away all those early, marginally-user-friendly DOS's. Ave atque vale!

[LUBEDUDE]

BR - thanks for the info and enjoyed those Meepos too!

[Rory McCanuck]

The designs by Pacific and RCBS cleared these oddball designs off the field the way the Macintosh and Windows operating systems blew away all those early, marginally-user-friendly DOS's. Ave atque vale!

That sure looks like a Co-ax press. Granted, the co-ax is a bit of an oddball alright,
but they do still serve a purpose.
Great pics too, btw. Thanks.

[oldtoolsniper]

I love auctions. A pile to figure out. 59349

[FLHTC]

Some good looking stuff. Thanks for sharing everyone

[Bent Ramrod]

Oldtoolsniper,

Looks like you have two Modern-Bond presses, with the factory bench clamp for both and a homemade base put on one of them, with a lot of dies and attachments for both of them. Generally you can find the caliber markings on the larger dies, but you may need a magnifying glass as the markings were put on very faintly, with a scribe or an electric pencil.

You also have a bunch of dies and a couple of seaters and bases for the Belding & Mull straight-line reloading tool. The seaters are those long cylinders with the chambers and plungers in them and the bases fit the bottom ends. The chamber bodies should have caliber markings and "Belding and Mull" on them. The neck sizers are the short cylinders with the rim of knurling on one end and should have the caliber or diameter marked on each. The expanders are those knobby things with the threaded ends. You probably have the decappers as well somewhere in there; they will have the pin on one end and threading on the other. The shell holders are those square things with the cradle for the cartridge rim and the chute for the spent primer.

Loose parts for Belding and Mull tools are very rarely encountered. Usually it's the press with the shell holder and nothing else attached.

And at least one single-adjustable die for an Ideal tong tool. There should be a number on it to compare to the chart Green Frog and others have published that will give you the caliber. You also have a couple top punches for an Ideal or Lyman sizer.

Whatta haul! I'm envious!:mrgreen:

[oldtoolsniper]

I'm going to sort it all in to like piles just like Sesame Street, take a better picture repost the picture and hopefully get some information on how to put it together. There are some strange to me boolit sizing dies in there too.

[mazo kid]

Hello all! Some very interesting presses here, guess I just like old timey stuff. I have an ECHO single stage press that wasn't mentioned; maybe it isn't that old? I heard that the RCBS press developed from it. It has threaded shell holders that screw onto the ram.

[yooper]

New kid in your Forum, but I'm an old codger. Been reloading since the 1950's when my folks got me a Lyman Tru Line Jr turret press. They'd likely be put in jail today for letting a high school kid go shooting. Twas a different time then.
I've been following this thread and finally going to try to post a pic of my latest press. I got it on eBay and it had years of crud on it. After a thorough cleaning, sandblasting and painting, here's my RCBS Model B (assuming the link works). http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/yooper35/step3-2_zps9b3d7950.jpg I'm not sure if I'm going to use it regularly, but if I do it'll take its place proudly alongside its big brother and my main press, my RCBS A2. Not a lot of B's around from what I understand.
I got some great help in choosing the paint from a post on this Forum recommending Rustoleum Hammered Finish paints. They work great.
Well, time to hit "enter" and see if my pic shows up. If it works maybe I'll show some of the "before" shots.
yooper

[LUBEDUDE]

Welcome to the forum yooper.

What a great find! And quite a refurbishing job.

Thanks for sharing.

[yooper]

Well, I got the first pic to show so here's a couple earlier ones. First is what it looked like when I took it out of the box on receipt.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/yooper35/step1-3701x800_zps471f14a3.jpg
It was REALLY grungy and didn't have a handle. Then, after I disassembled it and cleaned each piece in very hot soapy water, here's what the main castings looked like. There were lots of bare rusty spots and it looked liked somebody had painted half of it with a drab brown paint, to go with its original grey.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v305/yooper35/step2-5800x624_zps1e2a784e.jpg
Next it went to an auto body shop for sandblasting and priming. I didn't take any pix at this stage as I wanted to get it together. I got a new RCBS ram with the Universal shell holder to replace its original shell holder/ram combination which was for 7mm Rem Mag size cases. The handle is just 7/8" thin wall steel pipe with a bicycle grip on it and matches my A2's handle perfectly. The painting suggestion was taken from Kevin Rohrer's post on renovating his Dunbar press. Lots of fun and not everybody on the block has one.
yooper

[Gearhead1]

Hollywood Presses are still being made by a gentleman name Joe in Sun Valley Calif. The company is called Hollywood Engineering now. Back in the day the original presses were made in Hollywood Calif. by the Hollywood gun shop co. Then in the late 60s early 70s. Another man bought the company and started manufacturing products out in the Canoga Park area in Calif.
Till about the mid to late 80s.The company was called Hollywood tool. Then Joe Purchased the company and re named it. Hollywood Engineering. As far as Pacific, Hornaday bought them out in the late 70s to early 80s I have a pacific powder measure and two Hollywood presses. Hope this info was helpful.

[salpal48]

There are more Photos on ARTCA That are interesting6280662805

[209jones]

I was reading this last week, I thought it is something I'd like to have, a very cool little tool, just scared to ask what he wants for them though. A Hawkesley re & de capper. The pics he posted in Nitro Express are better than the ones on the website
http://www.stephencokerandco.com/accessories/

http://forums.nitroexpress.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=220610&an=0&page=0#Post220610

[LUBEDUDE]

209jones- thanks for those links. I enjoyed learning about how those Big Game decapper/cappers work.

A real neat tool!

[Bent Ramrod]

Here's a Red Head reloading press. It was invented by Earl Naramore, who wrote a very good book on reloading, and C.C. Johnson made and sold them for a time. The Lyman Tru-Line Jr. press obviously borrowed some of its features from this one.

It uses Tru-Line Jr. or 310 dies, although sometimes you can find original Red Head dies which were also offered for sale.

[Green Frog]

Here's a Red Head reloading press. It was invented by Earl Naramore, who wrote a very good book on reloading, and C.C. Johnson made and sold them for a time. The Lyman Tru-Line Jr. press obviously borrowed some of its features from this one.

It uses Tru-Line Jr. or 310 dies, although sometimes you can find original Red Head dies which were also offered for sale.

This brings back some memories! I found a Red Head @ OGCA a few years ago and met CC Johnson's grandson soon thereafter. The grandson was kind enough to provide me with a couple of key shell holders (yes, they are proprietary to this one press) so I could use it to load a couple of classic calibers. Then I got a wild idea to use it for my 1873 Maynard 40-40 cartridges, so I custom made a shell holder for the large rim and added a set of 40-65 dies that Lyman had re-introduced for the 310 Tool and which by happy coincidence were perfect for the job! ;) Voila! Now that press has a real purpose in life and is dedicated for loading that unique cartridge. I love it when a plan comes together! :D

Froggie

[LUBEDUDE]

I love these old presses, and it is especially cool when you can actually use them for specific purposes. Good story there Frog.

[danomano]

I have an Herter's Super 234 Turret. I really liked using this for my hunting loads, but it always bugged me having the ram on an angle. I had to steady the case as I ran the ram up. I made this mount for it to put the ram perpendicular to the floor. Works great!
80928

[seagiant]

I have an Herter's Super 234 Turret. I really liked using this for my hunting loads, but it always bugged me having the ram on an angle. I had to steady the case as I ran the ram up. I made this mount for it to put the ram perpendicular to the floor. Works great!
80928

Hi,
VERY,VERY NICE, Dano! You hurt me with that one! I sold mine for what I had in it($60) to a guy starting out in reloading! Maybe I was TOO nice!

[danomano]

Thanks Seagiant! You know of my other project, the Herter's 390 shotgun press. I hope to get it cleaned up close to this.

[starmac]

I picked up a nice one today, identical to Kevins in post # 50 except it just has one handle on the top turret.

Taped to it was a bag of parts some shell holders and primer arms and there are also 4 tubes with springs and ramrods, that appear to be primer tubes these have knurled handles identicle to the ones on the primer rams, but I don't see how they could work with this press. The two large ones measures 9 1/2 in long and the small ones are 7 7/8 in long. Any clue to what these are??

[Kevin Rohrer]

Nope, the primer tubes don't sound familiar. I am not aware that Hollywood ever used a primer system w/ their presses beyond the primer arms.

A picture posted here of the tubes would probably solve your dilemma.

[starmac]

I can't do pictures, but they sure look like they belong to the press.

[LUBEDUDE]

In the late 60's Hollywood had a primer system that you had manually tap with your hand. I have shown it here before. It was really slick for the era. But can be difficult to get properly adjusted and running smoothly. Not so sure if worth the hassle.

[Bent Ramrod]

The primer tubes with the knurled tops should have a long thin coil spring running outside of them and a knob ended rod inside them which is displaced upward when the primers are stacked in the loading tube. This assembly then fits into a holder that looks like a loading die from the outside, complete with lock ring, which is set in one of the die stations on the turret. In use, the setup is swung around on the turret and lined up with the priming stake. The rod and tube are pushed down against the coil spring pressure until the tube contacts the cup in the priming stake and, hopefully, one primer is deposited therein via pressure on the rod. The coil spring raises the primer tube back into standby position. The shell holder, with shell, is swung around over the priming stake (if it isn't there already) and the lever raised to pull the shell down over the primer.

It's not the most straightforward priming setup in the world, but quality of materials and manufacture is better than a lot of the easily-battered primer tubes with squashed asymmetric mouths that one sees on the other press designs of the time. That spring loaded side arm that pushes into the slot in the ram would apparently damage the primer tube end if not carefully managed. On the Hollywood I have, the lips on the primer tube that hold and release the primer look to be well made, tempered and properly springy. Also, since the arrangement is straight up-and-down, no side pressures exist to mangle the lips.

[starmac]

Bent ramrod, that would be what I have, minus the holder that looks like a die. I would love to find that piece somewhere, even if I didn't actually use it.

[Kevin Rohrer]

In the late 60's Hollywood had a primer system that you had manually tap with your hand. I have shown it here before. It was really slick for the era. But can be difficult to get properly adjusted and running smoothly. Not so sure if worth the hassle.

Could you point me to the pic?

[LUBEDUDE]

Kevin- I'll try to remember. It wasn't the subject of the post. I mentioned it in passing as describing something else on the press. If I can't remember, I'll take some pics as soon as I get my stuff out of storage.

[Bent Ramrod]

Here's one of the primer feeders, disassembled. The "die" has the identification HOLLYWOOD GUN SHOP S AUTO PRIMER FEED on the clear strip between the knurled portions.

[starmac]

Thanks for the pictures, those dies are probably unattainable, but do you know if the same die is used for the large and small primer tubes. I guess I could measure the od of the tubes and answer that question myself. lol

I just got off the phone with Mark in anchorage, that makes the turret handles for these, and he ask if I knew where a picture of these were. lol

[thekidd76]

I love reading and seeing pics of these old presses. I'm not sure if the price is good, but if anyone wants to get into the vintage press game, here's one I just found with a set Buy It Now price...if someone buys it let me know, I would love to see it go to a good home. I don't think this one is THAT old, but who knows.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/CH-Reloading-Press-/271301655602

[starmac]

Mark just called me back, and has my handles ready and shipping them today. He told me this morning that he had some already roughed in, but had to be finished.
It is nearly unheard of to get this kind of service anywhere, so I thought I would mention it here, he seems to be a great guy to deal with and is a member of this site too. lol

I don't know what all he makes, but he does some dillon things for you guys into the blue presses too.

[snowshooze]

Hi Brent;
Have you used this?
If so, could you get a shot of it set up?
What lives inside the die? I am wondering what the spring does too. Collet closure?
I am thinking it is a split collet which deposits one primer into the primer seater at which time you would Insert brass...downstroke and seat your primer. Then either continue primer seating, or turret over to the next operation.
Thanks,
Mark

[Bent Ramrod]

Snowshooze,

I've only used it to see how it works. My priming is mostly done with the RCBS or Lee hand priming systems.

Enclosed are shots of the setup, pushing the primer magazine down to the priming stake and a blurry closeup of the two elements close together.

The two primer tubes are both 0.305" outside diameter. The inside diameter of the tubes are correct to fit large and small primers and the pushrods are thinner and thicker in diameter to correspond to the diameters. The sidewalls of the tubes are, of course, thicker or thinner depending on the size of the holes. The tubes are crimped slightly at the bottoms, with three saw cuts to form a collet arrangement that allows one primer at a time to pop through, if the pressure on the push rod is correct.

Both holder "dies" are identical. They are bored straight through with enough clearance to slightly wiggle the primer tubes into position over the priming stakes. They have narrow shoulders towards the top for the springs to seat against, and the combination of the shoulder, the spring and the knurled nut on top allows the tubes to sit in the "dies" without falling through. The spring functions to raise the primer tube once a primer is deposited in the cup of the priming stake.

[starmac]

Thanks for those picks Bent Ramrod I have the tubes, springs, and the ramrods, but not the die. mark thinks he can build one.
Looking at your pic's it appears that the spring actually goes inside the die, is this correct?

[Pressman]

The first Redding powder scale from 1947. Nice design that does not work well in practice. It is too sensitive and the beam never stops moving, plus it is hard to zero. The check weights are in a cavity under the oval name tag.
Ken

85030

[Bent Ramrod]

Pressman, I have a later Redding scale that still swings wildly and takes forever to weigh small powder charges with. The inventor of magnetic damping deserves some sort of prize from grateful reloaders everywhere.

Starmac, you should be able to make a primer tube holder by bushing an old 7/8" x 14 .38 Special length die and drilling a hole through the bushing. The spring sets down to a step or shoulder maybe 1/2" to 3/4" from the top of the die. Something on the order of a letter N or a 5/16" hole for the tube and a letter O for the step should do it. Measure your springs and tubes and find a convenient size to match. My Hollywood Universal needs a little wiggle room in order to move the tube directly onto the primer cup, so the hole sizes don't seem to be critical.

A lot of such specialty holders and even bullet swaging dies wind up mixed into random reloading dies and when nobody can figure out what they are, they get tossed. Really a shame.

[LUBEDUDE]

Bent Ramrod- My Hollywood primer system is just a tad different. My die has three ball bearings about a third the way up from the bottom evenly spaced 120 degrees apart. This provides the necessary friction along with an exposed outer spring to allow the primer tube to free float. Other than that, everything else is the same as yours.

Unfortunately no pics are available, everything is in storage.

[Pavogrande]

8504985050850518505285053

Got these in a large box lot I bought -- Made during WWII or soon after --

[starmac]

Pavogrande, I hate to sound plumb stupid, bbbut what exactly is that.

[Bent Ramrod]

Pavogrande has a set of Rock Chuck Bullet Swage Company bulletmaking dies. Do you have the punches for them? What is the caliber?

That was the first product made by Fred Huntington of Oroville, CA, so he and other bullet-starved wartime and postwar shooters could go on shooting their favorite varmints (in Fred's case, the Western Rock Chuck) despite a lack of commercial components.

In order to get the best use out of the dies without wrecking the customer's loading press and straining his arm, Huntington developed the O-frame, compound leverage press that is RCBS's standby. This made a great reloading press as well, so Fred started making reloading dies to go with it. By that time, he saw that he could go into mass-manufacturing of reloading equipment, with its more generous tolerances, or make bullet swaging dies on a one-off basis, and remain a small business perpetually behind in its orders. I doubt if he had to flip a coin to make that decision.

Today, RCBS Inc. makes everything for the reloader except bullet swaging dies and not a lot of people even know that RCBS stands for Rock Chuck Bullet Swage. Pavogrande, you have a very historic artifact there!

Lubedude, that setup sounds pretty sophisticated compared to mine. Maybe customers complained to Hollywood about the tubes sticking and they came up with the ball bearing solution.

[Pavogrande]

Sorry-- I got so involved trying to navigate the posting of the photos I forgot all the rest -

Yes, they are RCBS dies -- I have 22 cal and 25 cal sets.
Unfortunately the bottom punches were not with them -
The punches should be easy enough to turn out -- I expect they were originally rams with the proper diameter punch built in.
The dies are rather interesting, with a cannon breech thread -- they are marked - the red line - to fit one way. Apparently to assure alignment of upper and lower portions of the die. Off set bullets not being too useful.
While I got a few jackets and cores with them I have not tried to use them yet -

There was also two sets of hollywood swage dies in the box, 30 cal and 44 cal and a couple old Lyman shotshell tooling bits --

I bought the box for some 310 tooling and found all these other goodies --
Even a blind pig finds an acorn once in a while --

PS - I believe they were designed to use spent 22rf cases - jackets not being available during the war --

[Pressman]

Pavogrande I have a 22 caliber punch and I think the shellholder it fits. I would have to do some digging. I do have a complete 30cal set.
Ken

[Pavogrande]

Ken -- regarding the punch -- I did not occur to me right away that it fit in the shellholder. I have one that is built into the ram and got fixated on that method --
I do have some of the punches for other die sets, Herter and sas, that fit the shellholder. --

[Pressman]

Remember the shellholder is the one that fits the pre-A and A model RCBS presses. It won't fit anything else.

Judging from the pictures I have seen there are several different versions of the swaging dies differing mainly in how they fit the shellholder. I have yet to find any factory pictures of the swaging dies. Or a good copy of the instructions.
Ken

[Pressman]

I was having an old tool conversation with an elderly gentleman this week when he sent me this picture of a press that has seen some real use. This is a man who is an engineer and fusses over precise, correct machining. He likes presses with near zero movement in the ram and alignment error. After miles of use this old Pacific is still as good as it was when new. Yes, I said miles. Figure the distance the ram has traveled up and down over those 15 years.
Ken

"This is the press that was used in the test lab at Olin for 15+ years, 2 shifts 355 days a year.(10 day shutdown)
It is Ni-hard (Paxmite) about 2% nickel, unknown manganese, very low graphite.
With the ram out the bore is very shiney, ram dia is .873 = or minus .0002, bore is .8755 + or minus .0003.
True ram stroke 3.25. Very smooth, no drag or "spots"."


85529

[LUBEDUDE]

Very impressive.

[StuBach]

Thought I might try to revive this thread as I love seeing the old and the odd in this hobby.

Today I realized how useful a really old tool can be. When I inherited my grandpa's reloading tools I came across this old Belding and Mull powder measure which works via inserting a small adjustable brass tube into the base and cranking the handle. Perfect charge is then left in the tube. When I found it originally I thought, wow this is cool but completely unusable to me, boy was I wrong.

In working on some test loads, I was measuring out charges one at a time on the scale using my trickler (eg a modified 44 casing). Needed to get incremental charges of .1 grains and wanted ten of each. After a while of this I remembered the old tool and decided to try it out. Once dialed in it cut my time significantly.

Anyone have any history on these? Love to hear any pros/cons to use and any info on when they were being produced and used.
157797

[maxreloader]

Stu these are still being made today and the parts are all readily available from the Mfg in PA. If you google you can easily find them, they are great measures.

[StuBach]

Thanks for the heads up. I knew the measure bars were still available but didn't realize they were still making the reservoir system too. Thanks for the heads up, though now I'm tempted to order one of the newer micrometer adjustment throws to really make life easy when developing new charges. Maybe wife will let me order once I get some more done on the house.

[pcmacd]

Thought I might try to revive this thread as I love seeing the old and the odd in this hobby.

Today I realized how useful a really old tool can be. When I inherited my grandpa's reloading tools I came across this old Belding and Mull powder measure which works via inserting a small adjustable brass tube into the base and cranking the handle. Perfect charge is then left in the tube. When I found it originally I thought, wow this is cool but completely unusable to me, boy was I wrong.

In working on some test loads, I was measuring out charges one at a time on the scale using my trickler (eg a modified 44 casing). Needed to get incremental charges of .1 grains and wanted ten of each. After a while of this I remembered the old tool and decided to try it out. Once dialed in it cut my time significantly.

Anyone have any history on these? Love to hear any pros/cons to use and any info on when they were being produced and used.
157797

Whoa! Is that a PW 300b in the background? Awesome. I still have one, NIB that I've had for several years, no time to get to it.

:-)

[StuBach]

Whoa! Is that a PW 300b in the background? Awesome. I still have one, NIB that I've had for several years, no time to get to it.

:-)

Wow good eye. It is a PW but it's the original 800. Still has the original tubular shot and powder system. They are great machines if a bit finicky.

Highly recommend getting your out and used. They take a little getting used to but once you have the cycle down and a good rhythm they are great.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk