Added a touch of nostalgia to the bench finally!

[Mytmousemalibu]

I wished that piece of nostalgia was something from Hollywood but not in the cards right now. I have however always been a fan of the old tilted back C-presses, they just look neat and ooze classic reloading. I'm just a fan of older things and antiques in general. I picked up this nice old Pacific from Jason aka. Skunk1 off the S&S here a week or so ago. Great guy to do business with by the way! I peeled it out of the box and completely stripped it down to its individual components and proceeded to scrub it gently with a toothbrush and moose milk (Ballistol/water mix) as its a good enough cleaner but still gentle and wouldn't harm the original paint. It cleaned up real nice! I have the LEE bench plate system on my bench (adding another in the future to my bench expansion) and I really like it. Its not the best of the modular mounting systems but it works, its widely available, and value minded. The newer steel bases are great but for lower stress usage the wood bases are fine. I started making my own out of Hickory that I finish and stain. I use all stainless hardware on everything, cap heads where I can including the base. The press is held on the block with stainless cap heads with T-nuts embedded in the bottom in a pocket I routed out for flush fit. It all turned out really nice! It looks fantastic and I enjoyed loading some .38 wadcutters with it the other day!

This addiction could quickly get out of hand!

207852
207853
207854
207855

[OS OK]

Love 'old steel'...especially that one.

[Mytmousemalibu]

I would love to run into a Hollywood, any of them, at a garage sale or something for cheap!

[copdills]

nice press good find

[crashdummy]

I started with a used Pacific Super C press, with the leveling block. Heavy duty all the way. fitted a RCBS ram so the snap in shell holders could be used rather than a separate ram for each case head.
Still don't know why I parted with it.

[Bzcraig]

The addiction has ALREADY gotten out of han!!

[Mytmousemalibu]

The addiction has ALREADY gotten out of han!!

It has?........ Oh......... Well okay then, party on!

[LUBEDUDE]

Nice clean up job and mounting set up!

[Mytmousemalibu]

Nice clean up job and mounting set up!

Thank you! I'm glad that under all the dirt was a well preserved, original paint job! I like the touch of patina it has showing, it just looks right!

[flashhole]

Congrats, I hope you get years of service out of it.

Myself, I could never warm up to the backward tilt. Some fine presses were made that way but I prefer the 90 degrees configuration.

[nitroviking]

I have the LEE bench plate system on my bench (adding another in the future to my bench expansion) and I really like it. Its not the best of the modular mounting systems but it works, its widely available, and value minded. The newer steel bases are great but for lower stress usage the wood bases are fine. I started making my own out of Hickory that I finish and stain.

This addiction could quickly get out of hand!

Very nice, looks good, I use the Lee benchplate too for the same reasons... my addiction got a little out of hand too....
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?107444-Homemade&p=4198602&viewfull=1#post4198602

[Eddie17]

Very nice!
I have found with my Lee Bench Plate system, buying a hardwood ( I use popler) 1”x8”, actual 3/4” x 7 1/2”, then cutting opposite grain wise from the factory wood is cut makes a stronger base.
My 2 cents.
Add on info. You are able to use as a platform for lite duty use outside of your bench.

[TNsailorman]

I have a Super Deluxe Pacific and it is one really nice press. Mine is the one that has the shell holders held in place with a set screw. I am an old dinosaur myself and I like old iron. james

[17nut]

Is it a "problem" that the lever works in reverse?

[Mytmousemalibu]

Something else on my project list is to make a stand or fixture that I can slip all my benchplate mounted devices onto for storage off the bench. Currently my bench is a 3'x8' table that I'm going to add another 3'x8' in an L-configuration with an elevated shelf along the back of it. I was toying with the idea of part of that shelf being the press storage but I'm also thinking of just a separate rack in a sawhorse config or maybe a lazy susan kind of thing? I have a number of items setup for the benchplate already, couple presses, depriming machine, RCBS LAM II, RCBS Bench Prime, Redding case trimmers, Upside down Lee C-press for sizing and surely more to come.

I do prefer the standard 90° press mounting also and most of my work is done that way but once in a while its fun to get out the classic gear and enjoy the process! I do shoot competitively and load thousands upon thousands of rounds a year, cranked out on my Dillon 650. That's not really fun or relaxing, its just a task that needs done. If I want to enjoy it, I mount up a single stage or turret and have fun doing some load development or small batch, etc. That kind of stuff I enjoy as much as the shooting! If I'm not rushed, even gun cleaning is enjoyable! Its nice to slow down and enjoy it from time to time. Single stage some nice .38 wadcutters from one of my old H&G molds, lube them traditionally hand measure the charges, load the rounds up!

[Preacher Jim]

Hello my name is J. and I am addicted to reloading.

[Mytmousemalibu]

Is it a "problem" that the lever works in reverse?

It is a little bit different than I'm use to but it works just fine!

I'm curious to it's age. I know being blue it is a true Pacific, pre-Hornady but it does take snap in shellholders VS the specific rams. I'm guessing someone bought the updated ram some time ago as I think it's not original to the press?

[Wayne Smith]

Probably. RCBS and CH4D still sell them.

[Skunk1]

It cleaned up nice. I knew it would. It was a well taken care of press. It takes standard snap in shell holders. I believe the handle block allows you to use on the upstroke or downstroke. Probably early 60's manufacturing. Old pacific was usually a dark gray or black color. Enjoy the press and happy reloading.

[Mytmousemalibu]

It cleaned up nice. I knew it would. It was a well taken care of press. It takes standard snap in shell holders. I believe the handle block allows you to use on the upstroke or downstroke. Probably early 60's manufacturing. Old pacific was usually a dark gray or black color. Enjoy the press and happy reloading.

She's a nice machine for sure! It's been well cared for in its life and you did it a great service as curator too! I will continue with that tradition. It's in good hands!
Thank you again!

[tunnug]

Very nice, never thought about using "moose milk " for the cleaning, I'll have to remember that.
I also have the Lee quick mount but mine seems to work loose from the hold downs quite often even after getting a larger screwdriver for more torque down on the screws, how does yours hold up? I'm thinking of drilling a hole through the wood block and metal base for a snap pin to help keep it in place.