Pacific DL-155

[beemer]

A good friend found a Pacific DL-155 in 410 ga at a local flea market for 20 bucks, knowing I was looking for a 410 loader he bought it. It is dirty with some surface rust but is sound and I think complete. I loaded a few shells to make sure it functioned properly and it is now stripped down for a cleaning. To say I was pleased would be an understatment!

I would like to find some more shot and powder bushings. Are the current Hornady bushings compatable with this loader, if not does anyone know what is ?

[W.R.Buchanan]

The current bushings are correct for that machine, but since the standard load for .410's is 1/2 oz of shot with about 15-16 gr of H110 I'd look close at the powder bushing. It might already be in there. You'd be wise to replace the two wipers, that look like water hose washers. I'm currently waiting for mine to arrive.

You'd be looking for a .292-.300 bushing for that charge. The bushing should be marked. If it isn't marked then take an ID measurement. The ID in thousandths is the bushing # on the chart.

You done good at $20 for a .410 DL155. I paid $200 for my .410 DL266 and was real happy to get it.

Randy

[beemer]

Thank you for the info, I've loaded rifle and pistol for years but am new to shotguns so I will probably be asking questions.

I had already checked the bushings,the powder bushing is a 303 and the best I can tell is about 18 grs of H110. The shot bushing is 13/16, I would like to have a 1/2 also.

I checked the wipers after reading your post, they are hard and brittle. Does anyone besides Hornady carry them?

Thanks
Dave

[LUBEDUDE]

Awesome find!

Please post pics after the clean up.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Dave: the 303 bushing might be a little much for H110. The max load in on the Hornaday Chart is 16.7gr. I made my bushing and it has a .295 hole in it and appears to drop at 16.2 -5 gr. A few thousandths of an inch makes a significant difference with H110.

The wipers look like garden hose washers, and they are about .140 thick. They need to be pliable to seal or H110 will spill out everywhere. (ask how I know this.). My old ones were the same size as the new ones they were just hard as a rock and wouldn't seal. They are cheap get a couple extra, and also get a pair of hopper baffles, they make the consistancy go up, add a pair of new wad guide fingers as well. You might as well order a 1/2 OZ shot bushing and a .292 powder bush while you're at it, they are $5 ea.

I got my DL266 running yesterday and loaded 2 boxes of shells. I need to shoot them to make sure they are going to work as advertised, and then I can start loading my 1000 O/F hulls.

You will run into some problems getting the crimp right. It is most contingent on the height of the load inside the hull. everything should be about 1/32-1/16' below the crimped part of the hull before the crimp is made. The pre crimp should close the hull until there is about a 1/8" hole in the end. The crimp should be a little less than 1/16 below the end of the shell when complete. Compare it to a factory load!!! When it is right it will look almost as good as a factory crimp;

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi,
Don't those old DL/Pacifics make a nice shell!!! Makes you wonder why people buy the latest out there??? Nice deal on the 155! I'd buy them all day for that price!

Looking GOOD Randy!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Yes,,, ol' Deitmeyer was a pretty fair toolmaker. Too bad Hornaday hasn't figured out that the older stuff they got from him is better than alot of their newer stuff.

Randy

[seagiant]

Hi,
I liked the story about Deitemeyer coming in hung over/drunk and firing everybody and then in the afternoon hiring everybody back!!! Sounds like my kind of guy! Interesting times!

[beemer]

In the same deal I ended up with a DL-110 in 12 ga for $15, it to seems complete and funcitional but is very nasty. I will clean it up also after the 410 is running.

Thanks everyone for the interest and info.
Dave

[300winmag]

I have a lot of extra powder and shot Hornady/Pacific bushing some used not much and some new not in package. $4 each, send me a email I can send you a list of the extra's I have. I had them posted to sell at 1 time here as buy all with no replies.
Thanks
300

[DLCTEX]

I have a Pacific DL366 that loads great 12 ga. ammo. My brother picked it up at a pawnshop for me at a cheap price. It loads the best looking AA reloads of any I have seen. I added the powder/shot shut off that Hornady now has. It is not auto advanced, but works quickly.

[seagiant]

Hi,
DLCTEX,if you look at my DL-300 above it is just a manual advance and put the primer in the primer post/cup and away you go! I have felt no remorse using this machine and it is my favorite! This is coming from a guy that has owned PW"s and SPOLARS which are arguably the Rolls Royce of shotshell loaders!

[r1kk1]

Seagiant,
I have a P/W 375c and you place a primer in the cup also. I use a bushing converter that allows me to use MEC bushings. Can the same be done for the Pacific? I have a plethora of Hornady, Ponsness Warren and with the adapter I can get the load I want.

Just a thought,

r1kk1

[seagiant]

Hi,
Well..if you look at the pic of my DL-300 you will notice that the shot/powder bar is bronze! I made one because the other was plastic and sloppy to me. This one is tight and smooth and I can use any bushing I want really! I'm not at home now so can't look but I can't remember exactly what bushing I cut the bar for. I use the same shotshell reload for all my shooting anyway,skeet and trap mostly! I'll never sale my 300 though! Oh yea the bushings sitting on the mill table in this pic!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Nice Boring and Facing head!
You don't see those everyday.
Randy

[seagiant]

Hi,
Thanks Randy,I got that from a real nice guy out in Cali! I don't want to hijack this thread,but sometimes when you want to use the older equipment you have to make or have made a part to keep it going! That's part of the attraction to me is keeping the old stuff running, hopefully so a kid can use it one day!

I am proud of my Gamet boring head though!