Hollywood press comparisons

[MightyThor]

My Hollywood collection is growing and I thought I would show some comparison pictures so others can see the differences between some older Hollywood Gunshop Reloading Presses. The left one is my Hollywood Senior. The center press is the Hollywood turret that evolved from the universal turret press. The right side is the Super Turret.
http://www.antiquereloadingtools.org/discus/messages/8/1685.jpg
http://www.antiquereloadingtools.org/discus/messages/8/1686.jpg
http://www.antiquereloadingtools.org/discus/messages/8/1687.jpg

[Dale53]

Back in the days when money was really scarce (at least MY money was really scarce) I lusted after these finely made and finished reloading presses. Never could justify the expense and by the time I was "in the chips" it was a Dillon for me (to keep company with my RCBS Rock Chucker and Lee presses. Hollywood Presses were definitely the "Cadillac" presses of their day. They used to "set up" at the Grand American Trap Shoot "back in the day" and I got to talk to the owner on occasion, but could never spring for one (said with a tear in his eye[smilie=1:).

Dale53

[scrapcan]

MightyThor,

Glad to see you posted here also. And glad to see another fellow member of the ARTCA. I saw your post over there earlier.

[Longshooter]

Over the years have owned three or four Hollywood presses. Still have the Senior Turret although I sold the shotshell dies some years back. With the paper cases back then it couldn't be beat, especially with the Federal paper. Should mention that this press was a freebie. I had sold a 12 gauge turret to a trapshooting friend and set it up and ,loaded a few cases to make sure everything was working as it should and also took pics of the various steps. Eventually I wrote and article about this and received a nice letter from Lyle Corcoran thanking me for trhe story. Explained what I had done. In a very short time I received a new Senior Turret set up for 12 gauge.
As Dale said he was generally at the Grand with his various tools. He was a slow easy going guy,normally. Someone sneaked a grass stuffed empty into his top of the line tool and of course it jammed the machine. He turned a bright red color and headed out to find the bad guy. I for one am glad that he didn't as I would have hated to have blood spilled at the Grand. Great tools!

[MightyThor]

As an indication of the quality, I am the third generation of my family to own these presses. My Grandfather knew Mr. Corcoran and purchased many Hollywood products. He shot trials in California with his dogs for many years and so reloaded his own. I have the shotgun dies, bullet making dies and reloading dies for these presses. Although I also use more modern equipment, In many cases these tools function as well or better for either special projects or short runs of ammo.

[EMC45]

How many stations on the Super Turret!?!?!?!?!?! It look like you could load about 12 different cals. at once on that thing!!

[Bret4207]

When I saw the thread title I thought I was going to find out which glossy magazine had the best reporting on Brittney, Lindsay, Jay Lo and poor Heath.....

[quasi]

Man that super turret is a monster! I have had 3 Universal 3 12 station presses, I thought they were big! I am down to one Senior turret now. Great press, especially for .475 #2 and .50 BMG.

[Stevejet]

I had never heard of, let alone seen, the Hollywood presses. Thanks for the pictures and a great post overall!

[MightyThor]

If you look at the super turret you will note two caps that are right above the handle pivot, one on each side. Those caps are filling two threaded holes. When using the super turret for bullet making you screw two steel rods into those holes and then up through the turret to stabalize it for swaging. It is a beast for sure.

[Char-Gar]

Great collection of fine tools. I still think Hollywood is the RollsRoyce of loading tools. I use a pair of Hollywood powder measures over all others on the market today.

[MightyThor]

on the turret presses there are two rotating platforms one stationary and one that moves up and down. The stationary platform can hold primer seating posts and or punch posts for swaging etc. The moveable platform is your ram. it can hold caliber specific shell holders or universal shell holders. On mine I have a combo of specific holders for all the 30-06 base stuff, 38/357 stuff and an adapter that lets me use all the RCBS shell holders. I usually hand prime in batches so I don't use the priming posts much.

[2400]

When I saw the thread title I thought I was going to find out which glossy magazine had the best reporting on Brittney, Lindsay, Jay Lo and poor Heath.....

Who? :confused:

[MightyThor]

Who? :confused:

You know, Hollywood, and the press, Comparisons. Similarities, differences, Different Hollywood press, but it fits sort of.[smilie=1:

[MightyThor]

I just bought another Super Turret off E-Bay, and if the price is any indication they are still the Cadillac of reloading presses. $790 plus shipping. Granted I got powder measures and dies as well, but bidding on this stuff is not for the faint of heart.:mrgreen:

[Lloyd Smale]

very cool.

[MightyThor]

My second Super Turret arrived this weekend and as it was already apart for shipping I decided to clean it up before reassembly. Virtually all of the paint is off so I decided to leave it in natural aluminum for now, may consider powdercoating or something like that for later. Anyhow I found the #315 stamped into the bottom plate and so went looking on my original and found the #317. How cool is that! :mrgreen:

[quasi]

I have found that flat black "hammertone" paint is a decent aproximation of the original Hollywood wrinkle paint.

[MightyThor]

I am debating with myself on exactly what to do here. I am giving some consideration to powdercoating but If these big Turrets are as rare as some say they are then I will likely try to repaint it. If anyone knows how many of the various Hollywood presses were made I would certainly be interested.

As an additional research aid, I am posting a picture of a Hollywood JR press that was provided by Ken Neeld on the Antique Relaoading website.
http://www.antiquereloadingtools.com/discus/messages/8/439.jpg