Looking for education on C presses

[Canuck Bob]

I am looking to learn about older C presses. I looked at the little Lee Reloader C press but then thought I would like an older Cpress in cast iron.

I'm interested in building a suitable list of small single stage press to load one cartridge 32-20. Small is preferred as the press will be dedicated to this round.

I understand some old presses won't take the easy to find modern shell holders. Also some are smaller threaded. Drilling and retapping is within my abilities but the shell holder issue would count a press out unless easy to find adaptors exist.

I also understand some presses don't have compound leverage. I don't think I need it for neck sizing thin 32-20 and push through lead bullet work, opinions?

Please don't bother to advise that I should just step up to an Ultramag or a RCBS. I am a nostalgia buff and would real enjoy buying a cheap old press and putting it back to work. If I was sensible I wouldn't be a lever action 32-20 fan in some peoples eyes.

[Storydude]

Herters(late style with universal ram), Pacific and Lyman.

All are very good, and I use a Super6 for swaging with zero issue.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

Hi, A reasonably good place to find older or vintage C presses is on E-Bay under "Reloading Press". They have other types listed as well. Every major manufacturer made at one time a C press and there are numerous models; Lyman, RCBS, Hornady, and Pacific just to name a few. They were well made. I have a Lyman O press; it has the old style linkage and although not a C press, it still does a good job doing all the functions. Same for C&H which is neither a C or an O design. C presses originally had no front strap to minimize springing/flexing and later as time went by all the makers made them with that front brace which then made the C press into an O design. Much later they went to the compound or power press type linkage which is still popular nowadays. Shell holders should not be a major problem unless you go way back in time. Adapters are available for most major brands where needed, for reasonable prices. LLS

[Char-Gar]

Most any good older single stage press will work. Pacific, Heters, Redding, Lyman and others. Most older presses can be retrofitted to use the snap in shell holders that are so common today. I have two that would meet your needs.

1. I have a 50's Herters U-3 Super that cost me less than five dollars on Ebay after some wheeling and dealing and selling off part's I didn't want.

2. I also have a late 40's Pacific Super C that cost me $15.00 plus shipping on Ebay. It was missing a handle but I turned one on the lathe. The handle off my Redding six hole turrent works just fine also as would many others.

Both of the presses are just as good as the day they were made. About the only thing to wear out would be pins and a trip to the hardware store will produce some bolts that can be adapted to fit.

You should have no problems picking up a good old cast iron single stage press on Ebay for less than $40.00.

[Pavogrande]

I have an older CH press that I used for 32-20 -- It is a light weight, alum casting but does use "pacific" ram type shellholders. In effect the ram is the shellholder which is changed to change calibers. The 32-20 holder is good for 218b and 25-20 as well. There are still plenty of these holders around, I have about a dozen.
RCBS makes a replacement ram that holds the newer button type holders as well as adapters for the texan and lyman "bolt in" type holders
I guess my point is that I would not turn down a press using these shellholders -
Most all presses are 7/8-14 threaded -- exception, tru-line jr press is "5/8" lyman.

[Canuck Bob]

I understand The Tru Line uses the same dies as the Lymsn 310 hand tong tool?

[HeavyMetal]

Yes the Tru-Line uses the 310 tong tool dies.

I think if you really want that "Old School" Nostalgic reloading experience get Tru Line, the one with the compound linkage is best.

The 310 shop can get you the correct dies and anything else you need. Lyman still makes a conversion to the new style universal shell holder and a conversion priming ram to go with it if you want to prime on the press.

I figure I will want to clean the lube off the case's before I go any futher in the reloading cycle
so I would prime with a Lee hand tool rather than deal with the press mounted system and save the ten buck for components!

As I have several of the Tru lines I do have some experience with the priming set up.

[Kevin Rohrer]

For cheap, old, and sturdy, try a Herters Super 3.

[Pressman]

Just a correction, The Tru Line JR uses 310 dies, not the Tru Line, they are totaly different.

I would recommend the RCBS JR 2/3/RS presses for a small case. They are great presses and readily available.
Ken

[skeet1]

I have a Lyman Spartan a good press that I paid $15.00. well worth the money.

Skeet1

[Canuck Bob]

I reloaded years ago and thought I was leaving the hobby. I donated all my reloading gear to a single Dad so he and his son could shoot more. So I've got experience loading.

I always use the Lee hand primer. It was just so handy and I prefered the feedback from the tool while seating primers.

Thanks for the clarification on the Tru Line Junior. I have put out feelers on a couple of Canadian classified areas looking for available tools. I also Googled the 310 Shop. Wow, nice to see interest in old equipment still active.

Fleabay would add about $50 in shipping, exchange, and border fees so the tool would need to be extra cheap to qualify. I'm patient and the little 310 Tool looks like it might be fun too.

[Bent Ramrod]

If you are a nostalgia freak and have to have a "C" press that feeds into your nostalgia, there is only one to get. The black japanned Pacific with "Pacific" on one side and "Patent 1938940" on the other cast into it. You would probably have to scrounge for a press ram/shell holder for .32-20 (or .25-20 or .218 Bee) but these show up at gun shows and auction sites.

This was the first "C" press on the market, and it caused the extinction of a dozen other designs, and was copied by everyone after the patent ran out (and still is copied). It is very classy looking, too, and uses 7/8" x 14 tpi dies, another Pacific innovation. They run about $20 at gun shows when they show up, unless accompanied by the primer feeder, but even so are generally pretty underappreciated for the landmark design that they are.

The snap-in shell holder was an RCBS invention, and came later.

[Freischütz]

Another vote for the Lyman Spartan. It uses modern removable shell holders and can be set up to operate with upstroke or downstroke. 32/20 brass is easy to resize so you won't be straining the press.

[stephen perry]

For nostalgic C presses that have provision for snap in shellholders you might look at 3 . First the CH 204, I've had one since 1963, works fine. Second the Lyman Spartan as others mentioned, and third the RCBS Junior. I see all 3 on ebay regularly.

Stephen Perry
Angeles BR

[Bret4207]

An admirable search! Ebay is of course the easiest place to find such gear. A look through the catalog section of old Gun Digests or Shooters Bibles will give you some idea on what used to be available. How about a Bair or a Texan or a SAECO or Wells? Even Sears and Montgomery Wards carried loading gear at one time. The possibilities abound!

[buckbeans]

I have an old CH C press that I am selling for a friend.
Pm me if interested

[Green Frog]

My number one vote for a neat old C press is the Herter's Super U if you can find it... many are probably being used by their current owners as boat anchors because of the weight, though. If I were setting up for fun, nostalgia, and efficiency, I would pull out one of my Lyman T-l Jrs and put a set of .32-20 dies in it. JMHO, YMMV!

Froggie

[Kevin Rohrer]

re: Super U

There is one on Ebay now.

[Reverend Recoil]

I just bought two C-presses off of Ebay. A Lyman Spartan for $17.50 and a Redding C-press for $26.00, plus shipping. Both appear to have never been used. I think I got good deals. The RCBS JR presses sell for $45 to $65.