Deitemeyer No. 100

[DDriller]

Just broke my Dad's old reloading press out of storage, complete for both 20 and 12. Does anyone happen to have a chart on the charge bars? I have a 12 F DL and a 20 U DL. The 20 powder hole looks like an equivalent of a MEC 24. Don't have a MEC bushing for the 12. Can't seem to find anything online.

[Green Frog]

You might try Pacific bushings. Deitemeyer worked for them for a while, IIRC.

Froggie

[Green Frog]

Had to go back and check my facts... Pacific was bought out by Hornady, and IIRC, they all use the same inserts for their shotgun bars. Check for sure, but I think I’m correct here.

Froggie

[DonMountain]

I'm betting that these two charge bars measured powder and shot for long forgotten hulls no longer available. Along with stacked wads instead of the newer plastic wads. And possibly long forgotten powders not used anymore. Your best bet would be to look in your latest Lyman Shotgun Reloading Manual Number 5 to select a load, then actually run that powder and shot through the charge bar to actually measure the weights of shot and powder dispensed. And of course you can dump them back in the powder bottles to save for the next step. You will probably find a normal 1-1/8 ounce of 7-1/2 shot is thrown which is still usable, but you will find an excessive amount of powder thrown, such as Red Dot for the 12 gauge. The next step would be to adjust the powder drop hole of the charge bar down by putting some epoxy in one smooth narrow lump on one side, and adjust it with a small file after hardened. Keep adjusting until you get the load designated by the load manual for the combination of hulls, primers, powder, wads and load of shot.

[DDriller]

I'm betting that these two charge bars measured powder and shot for long forgotten hulls no longer available. Along with stacked wads instead of the newer plastic wads. And possibly long forgotten powders not used anymore. Your best bet would be to look in your latest Lyman Shotgun Reloading Manual Number 5 to select a load, then actually run that powder and shot through the charge bar to actually measure the weights of shot and powder dispensed. And of course you can dump them back in the powder bottles to save for the next step. You will probably find a normal 1-1/8 ounce of 7-1/2 shot is thrown which is still usable, but you will find an excessive amount of powder thrown, such as Red Dot for the 12 gauge. The next step would be to adjust the powder drop hole of the charge bar down by putting some epoxy in one smooth narrow lump on one side, and adjust it with a small file after hardened. Keep adjusting until you get the load designated by the load manual for the combination of hulls, primers, powder, wads and load of shot.

Finally found a copy of the manual. Only load is for the 12 gauge is Alcan AL5 with 1 1/4 oz. shot. Like you said it was with stacked wads with certain pressure, using paper hulls. I remember loading that for Dad back in the 60's. Also was able to find, with some help, the I.D. of MEC bushings to be able to convert to modern powder. The 20 is a 7/8 oz. load with Red Dot.

[Green Frog]

DDriller, I'd still check into the Hornady powder bushings if your bar uses interchangeable bushings... a lot less effort than altering bushings. Of course the shot bushings throw the specified weight regardless of what shell you put it into, it's only the powder you have to worry about. For simplicity's sake I load one brand of modern hulls, get the proper wads to match the case and shot charge, then get the proper sized bushing for the powder and charge the book says to use with them. Easy peasy, which is good because I mostly load metallics instead of shot shells.

Froggie

[DDriller]

DDriller, I'd still check into the Hornady powder bushings if your bar uses interchangeable bushings... a lot less effort than altering bushings. Of course the shot bushings throw the specified weight regardless of what shell you put it into, it's only the powder you have to worry about. For simplicity's sake I load one brand of modern hulls, get the proper wads to match the case and shot charge, then get the proper sized bushing for the powder and charge the book says to use with them. Easy peasy, which is good because I mostly load metallics instead of shot shells.

Froggie

The charge bars are bored and doesn't use bushings. Looks like I can use Unique or Herco with the size of the hole.

[Green Frog]

Now I understand... you’re stuck with the holes bored in the bar, no interchangeable bushings. :|

You might want to check into the bars currently available from Hornady, or you also have the option of boring your bar(s) to accept MEC or Hornady bushings. Forty years ago I was gifted with a Glacier Bair which was part of the convoluted history that led to Hornady via Pacific. The charge bars on it had interchangeable powder bushings that were the same size as then current Hornady bushings. Problem solved! :bigsmyl2:

Froggie

[Pressman]

I should have done this earlier, sorry. The D-L 100 uses fixed cavity charge bars that interchange with MEC bars. No problem there. But, inside there are two rubber washers about the size of a garden hose washer that fit into a recess around each drop hole in the press. These must be in place or you won't be able to drop a charge without making a big mess. Mine has both of them, but they are old, tired and dried out. Pull the bar out and they fall out. It's not difficult to hold them in place and re-insert the bar but they may not be very effective any more.

277037

277038

[DDriller]

Thanks Pressman. I've got it all apart cleaning it up. No rubber washers in this one so I need to figure something out for that. I tried my MEC bars but the screw won't fit in the slot for the bar unless I turn the bar upside down, then the bushing won't stay in place. Interesting that the load order is Left to Right rather than Right to Left on the MEC.
I also found 12 and 20 size dies I vaguely remember but don't have the press for them or the heater post for re-waxing paper shells.

[Green Frog]

Not to hijack DDriller's thread, but that press of Ken's looks like it has a Pacific label on the base... is it a transition model from independent to Pacific, or were all of Dietemeyer's early presses manufactured under the auspices of Pacific?

BTW, I just picked up a Bair catalog off eBay last night. I can't wait to get it in hand since it's full of Dietemer's touches. The guy was a reloading genius! :bigsmyl2:

Froggie

[Pressman]

Froggie [smilie=b:

An announcement in the October 1961 Shooting Times brought the news that in the previous year the Pacific Gun Sight company was sold to 34 year old R.R. (Bob) Deitemeyer of DL Products Co., maker of the popular Deitemeyer shotshell loaders. The tool colors changed to blue with the move from California to P.O. Box 4495 Lincoln, Nebraska. Dietemeyer reassured gun owners that the new firm would continue to maintain the high standard of quality Pacific was known for. Several new products and product upgrades were also announced along with a continual new product development program.

While in Lincoln, Pacific tools were made by Bair Machine Company until there was a parting of the ways in 1969. Bair was using nearly 200 tons of metal annually to produce the Pacific tools. The disagreement resulted in Bair entering the reloading tool market by offering many of the Pacific tools under their own name.

In 1972 the company name was changed to Pacific Tool Company while the address remained the same. In 1974 came another change, the address was moved to P.O. Drawer 2048, Ordnance Plant Rd., Grand Island, Nebraska. Pacific tool Company was now a subsidiary of Hornady. By 1992 the Pacific name had been dropped as Hornady began offering reloading tools under its own name.