just bought a hollywood press tell me what I have

[Tom R]

26785
26786
I was going to use it for a project, but I don't want to cut it up. It is to cool. Please let me know what I have.

[Bent Ramrod]

It looks like a relatively early Universal Turret Tool. The scooped out back bracing portion was later filled in for extra strength (and weight). Earlier versions than yours had the ways screwed into the casting with set screws rather than cast in place, and a "sector" holding three dies instead of the turret. Your tool should have "Hollywood Gun Shop" cast into the left side of the frame and "Universal" and the patent number cast into the right.

Your model appears to have the single shell holder station, and has the single priming setup, where the large and small priming punches have to be changed out. Other models had two priming punches which could be swung into battery as needed. The more sophisticated model had four punches for large and small, and for flat and domed primers. Another upgrade was a four-station shellholder base, which could be indexed as desired for the battery of reloading dies in the turret.

Accessories included two "dies" which held stacks of primers that dropped into the priming punches, a powder measure and a core cutter for bullet swaging. I would not recommend using your model for swaging; the Senior with the strengthening rod was the tool adapted to swaging.

You have all four of the ship's-wheel handles on your turret. In my experience, that is very unusual; generally one is lucky to have one left on the turret.

[Tom R]

Thank you. I was hoping to use it for swaging. I guess that wont work. This is a heavy mother.

[.357]

i am doing my best not to covet your press, those older presses really interest me. Good find!

[Tom R]

Well I think I will be selling it. I need swaging equipment.

[WILCO]

WOW!!! That looks like a solid rig.

[Pressman]

Hollywood called it the Model B. If you want to sell it eBay will bring the best prices. There is a demand for these presses with prices approaching $300.00

Ken

[Kevin Rohrer]

That is a duplicate of the press I just got and mounted on my bench. It is strong and smooth in operation.

Because of the thickness and steel makeup of the turret, I would think you could swage with it. But I defer judgment to those who do. You need to ask that question to Hollywood owners who swage.

And it's worth considerably more than $300.

I'll buy three of those knobs off you if you want to sell them.

[Tom R]

That is a duplicate of the press I just got and mounted on my bench. It is strong and smooth in operation.

Because of the thickness and steel makeup of the turret, I would think you could swage with it. But I defer judgment to those who do. You need to ask that question to Hollywood owners who swage.

And it's worth considerably more than $300.

I'll buy three of those knobs off you if you want to sell them.

Thanks but I will keep them with the press. I really appreciate the offer but I think they should stay with the press as they made it this far.

[Tom R]

I really appreciate the help i put the press up for sale. I really don't need it as another reloading press. I hope someone will enjoy it very much It is really cool. But I am hooked on the idea of making bullets out of fired 22 cases right now so this will go to fund that. This thing is a beast but I would hate to break it using it for something it was not intended. Again I really appreciate the help on this board. It is nice to see other people that can be friendly online.

[Harry Eales]

Tom,

That press will swage bullets better than most swaging presses. The Old Timer, Elmer Keith, used to use one of these for reloading all of his British Big Game Nitro Express rounds.

The operating handle looks to be a replacement and should be much longer. The original
manufacturing company no longer exists, and it's successor appears to be not too reliable. You may need to shop around to have made some bushings made for the die holes. If I remember correctly they were 1.25" diam., as opposed to the usual 7/8" x 14 tpi. Any machine shop or home lathe user should be able to make you a set of bushes.

I'd suggest you get your press bead blasted and then repaint it and continue to restore it to it's original configuration, they're damned hard to come by in good condition.

Good luck.

Harry

[Tom R]

Tom,

That press will swage bullets better than most swaging presses. The Old Timer, Elmer Keith, used to use one of these for reloading all of his British Big Game Nitro Express rounds.

The operating handle looks to be a replacement and should be much longer. The original
manufacturing company no longer exists, and it's successor appears to be not too reliable. You may need to shop around to have made some bushings made for the die holes. If I remember correctly they were 1.25" diam., as opposed to the usual 7/8" x 14 tpi. Any machine shop or home lathe user should be able to make you a set of bushes.

I'd suggest you get your press bead blasted and then repaint it and continue to restore it to it's original configuration, they're damned hard to come by in good condition.



Good luck.

Harry

It has the 7/8 holes. I checked today I think I cold load my 50 bmg on this thing if I start the bullet up in the die. I would have to bore out the 7/8" hole however.

I have thought about it and I can build a dedicated press for what I need. I don't want to break this thing trying to use it for something it is not ideal for.

I don't think it needs to be repainted. I have restored some presses and this one is in good shape. It is dirty but some simple green should clean it up.

Thank you for the input.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Tom,

The operating handle looks to be a replacement and should be much longer. The original
manufacturing company no longer exists, and it's successor appears to be not too reliable. You may need to shop around to have made some bushings made for the die holes. If I remember correctly they were 1.25" diam., as opposed to the usual 7/8" x 14 tpi. Any machine shop or home lathe user should be able to make you a set of bushes.

I'd suggest you get your press bead blasted and then repaint it and continue to restore it to it's original configuration, they're damned hard to come by in good condition.

Good luck.

Harry

That's the same handle I have on mine, so I believe both to be original.

Here's my press:

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0381.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0382.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0383.jpg

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/IMG_0385.jpg

Hmm, these photos reveal a couple rust spots that need attended to.

The die holes also look like they match mine, which are normal 7/8x14. The story someone told me was that you told the manufacturer the number and size of die holes when you ordered the press. That's why some come with a combination of 1.25" and 7/8".

As for restoring it, don't do too much as collectors like them "original". I'd disassemble it, degrease it, then lube and reassemble it. Then I'd scrub it with Scotchbrite pads and Breakfree to get the rest of the grime off it. The paint should still be good; it's the unpainted surfaces that are rusted.

[Kevin Rohrer]

A Senior Turret w/ the tie rod that would be perfect for swaging:

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/HollywoodSuperTurret.jpg

[quasi]

the large die holes are 1 1/2 x 12 t.p.i., which is the thread Hollywood, RCBS and Hornady use for 50 bmg and other large dies.


here are 3 of Hollywoods Universal 3 presses I owned at one time. They are not rigid enough for swaging in MHO, that is why the Super Turret and later models of the Senior press have mounts for a tie bar.

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s320/buckbrush1961/DSCF0004.jpg

[Kevin Rohrer]

Those three presses are aluminum.

My goal in life is to locate a 1960s, steel Super Turret.

[Tom R]

updated pics
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26815

[Pressman]

Most large die holes were 1.25x18 tpi. Herter's and Hollywood used the same 7/8x14 adapter bushing, they are identical and turn up on eBay from time to time.
RCBS used the 1.25x18 tpi die bushing in the early presses. The actual "A" seems to be different and the presses differ from what their literature stated. They changed to 1.25x12 tpi with the Rockchucker for some reason.
Hollywood and Herter's would build your press with none or all or any number in between of the holes bored 1.25x18.

Ken

[Bent Ramrod]

One of my Hollywood Turret tools also has the wooden ended operating handle with ferrule that looks like a large screwdriver-handle. The man who gave it to me said his father bought it new, so it is likely the original equipment. However, I have another with a heavy metal rod handle and no wood or plastic cover on it, so apparently they varied over the years.

TomR--the paint on yours looks very good, actually; the only problem is dirt in the crinkle finish. It should only need some wiping with WD-40 to loosen the dirt. It already looks pretty pristine there on the stove; it would be much easier just cleaning the thing up and living with the imperfections in the finish than try to repaint.

The tools were made in an era where the thought was that you needed massive rigidity to reload accurate ammunition; tools that resembled those that stamped out blanks for cartridge cases and drew the shells. If you check, the stroke on the Hollywoods is no more than that of a normal C-press, and the leverage no better. But all that cast iron sure looks impressive!

I'll get some pictures of mine posted in a couple days.

[Pressman]

Bent Ramrod you just hit it correctly. Short stroke, and up stroke at that, and limited leverage of these presses makes them no easier to reload with. I am still trying to work out why they are so popluar, almost a cult following. It must be all that cast steel that is impressive.
Still pondering?
Ken

[Kevin Rohrer]

From reading Sharpe (I just got a clean 1949 edition for $12 as well as owning the Wolfe Publishing reprint) and an old, online ad, I am guessing that these frames were made from cast iron and the shiny parts from tool steel. The Seniors were made from cast steel.

As for popularity, Sharpe's endorsement had something to do with it, and also, bigger is always better and stronger. They are also unique looking, which adds to the desirability.

I bought mine for all the available die holes--and because they look SO KEWL!


Short stroke, and up stroke at that, and limited leverage of these presses makes them no easier to reload with.

Pressman: You and I recently had a phone conversation where we talked about not knowing why the Model-3 was so much taller than earlier presses. Perhaps they were made taller to add to the stroke length for the longer cartridges?

[winelover]

updated pics
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26815

I see you have it listed on E-bay. GOOD LUCK! It's in my Watch List.

Winelover

[Kevin Rohrer]

If the press were cleaned up, it would sell for between $500-600. It will be interesting to see what it goes for in its present condition. I have it added to my Watch list also.

[Tom R]

I see you have it listed on E-bay. GOOD LUCK! It's in my Watch List.

Winelover

Thank you. I hope it goes high I plan on buying swaging equipment with the money;-).

[Pressman]

The Universal press is interesting for its design and development. A patent was issued for the Universal in 1935. So development began in 1933/34. At that time there was only one reloading tool on the market that would be its "real" competition, the Pacific. And the Universal borrows from Pacific the 7/8-14 dies and the up stroke operating system with 4 to 1 mechanical advantage.
Marketing of the Universal is almost non-existant. For instance there are no known factory pictures of the press. There is a single line drawing of the press that was used for illustration in Sharpe's books and on Universal factory brochures. The press did sell, but slowly. At the end of WWII Hollywood gunshop took over production. They began making changes to the design immediatly. From a man tool stand point the line drawing positions the press at such an angle to make it look overly large, super man like in appearance.
It has to be the size that makes them so appealing to reloaders.

Ken

[Kevin Rohrer]

It has to be the size that makes them so appealing to reloaders.
Ken

I agree that size makes big turrets desirable, but what other presses have *12* stations? And in spite of what some say, this is a very rigid, strong press. Any iron and steel press with a turret made from tool steel >1" thick is not a pansy. :bigsmyl2:

[Bent Ramrod]

Here's a few pictures of the Hollywood tools I've accumulated. The three station tool is the one I use most. It has a single station for the priming post and a single shell holder. The operating handle is a piece of rod stock I put in to replace the lost original handle.

The box beneath it is indispensable, as it is designed and positioned to capture perhaps 85% of the spent primers that get thrown out like popcorn when these presses are in full-blown operation. This, IMHO, is the poorest part of the design; the fact that in order to keep the spent primers from getting all over the place you have to disable the priming post and put some sort of funnel or tube in its place.

The big Universal tool has both the large and small primer tube magazines and the four station turret for four priming punches. It only lacks the priming punches for the obsolete domed large and small primers. It has the turret for the four shell holders, and a heavy round bar with no grip for an operating lever. In light of the completeness of the rest of the tool, I suspect that this was the original lever.

The other turret tool hasn't been fully cleaned up yet. It has the wooden handle on the operating rod, the single priming station with the two-position priming setup. Next to it is the Hollywood Core Cutter, which is certainly the most elaborate arrangement for cutting lead cores for bullets ever devised.

The weak point in these tools is the slight looseness that is always there in any turret arrangement. The turret can be dogged down tightly by tightening the cap and locking it with an Allen wrench, but it will still be able to flex slightly, because no tie-rod is there to make an O-frame configuration. Even if one was there, I would think that swaging might crack the cast iron ways that the shell holder rides in, or loosen the screwed on ones in the older versions. The large cylindrical post and the large surface area on the shell holder slide on Kevin's Senior Turret, plus the tie rod, make this tool much more rigid against the stress of swaging. The two holes halfway along the links are for repositioning the pins for better leverage when swaging with the special Hollywood swage dies. I don't think the ram would move far enough to use Corbin dies unless the punches were lengthened unduly.

The old magazine Gunsport once put out a Reloading Edition in which a writer described the proper use of a turret tool for reloading. One of the engineers at Lyman complained to him that the average turret press owner just used the press to store his dies, using them in turn like a single station tool. He then proceeded to show how it really was done. From the written description, he must have resembled that Hindu god Vishnu(?), with all the arms, as he popped in shells, dropped in powder, seated bullets, caught spent primers, pulled off loaded rounds and spun the turret round and round.

The auto-indexing machines have relegated the turret tools to a sort of a twilight region, but they are still pretty "kewl" all right.

[Tom R]

very nice collection.

[Kevin Rohrer]

I am guessing the first one is an "A", the second a Model-2 Special, and the third a "B" like mine.

It sounds like you don't swage w/ any of them; have you ever done case forming using them?

I just got a concentricity gauge and plan on checking all my presses. It will be interesting to see how these old behemoths stack up against newer technology.

[scrapcan]

You guys that are interested in the Hollywood tools need to get Pressman's article that was in the ARTCA newsletter. For that matter you guys need to be members of the group. Ask Pressman for the info on getting back issues.

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have it and the article is quite informative.

[scrapcan]

Kevin,

I was sure you had it already, but wanted to make sure.

[Bent Ramrod]

I would guess that case forming (with the proper dies) would be eminently practical, at least with the presses with the single shell holder station. I've never used mine for such work. My workhorse press for heavy stuff is my Rockchucker, although I recently got a RCBS A2 that ought to work just as well.

For some reason, the words "case forming" always put me in mind of that Pacific ad in the old gun magazines which showed a .30-06 shell squooshed into a long-necked .250 Savage, allegedly in one stroke. The Hollywood turrets are definitely not indicated for that kind of case forming!

My first reloading press was a Pacific Super, but I quickly moved on to the Rockchucker. Making .22 Jet cases out of .357's and swaging .22 bullets in Corbin dies really shows up the advantage of that compound linkage. There was nothing wrong with the Pacific strengthwise, as it had the reinforcement wings cast around the die holder, but the indifferent leverage and the lack of a stopping point at the top of the stroke made for a lot of extra effort for the heavy duty jobs.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Bent Ramrod:

That first press is cast iron. Are the other two also cast iron?

[Bent Ramrod]

All of them are cast iron.

[MtGun44]

So what can you tell me about this one? It says Universal on the side, has
two primer postions. I need to get the adapter for the shell holders, but I
have one for .30-06 which fits a lot, and .38 Spl.

Really huge and heavy. Just for grins, what would it bring on that big
auction site?


http://castboolits.gunloads.com/picture.php?albumid=161&pictureid=2904

Bill

[Kevin Rohrer]

That's the newer version of the "B", called the Universal Model II. It's the same model as the middle press in Bent Ramrod's first two pictures, except that yours doesn't have the additional 2-turrets. Provided you have the handle, it will go for the same amount as Tom R's "B".

I FL re-sized some 30/06 and 22/250 casings yesterday and was amazed at how easy it was to do, it being the first time I ever used an upstroke press. I had to double-check my dies to make sure I wasn't just neck re-sizing them.

[MtGun44]

I have a friend that has an even bigger one for loading 50 cal. It makes the
Universal Model II look like a miniature press. Must weigh literally 75-80 lbs.

Bill

[Kevin Rohrer]

It is probably some version of the Model III, many made in aluminum. I'd be interested in seeing a picture of it. My goal is to secure an all-steel Super Turret.

[Kevin Rohrer]

All of them are cast iron.

According to Pressman's article, those presses are cast steel, not cast iron. Am guessing the silver guide bars on them are tool steel. :smile:

[gunsbrad]

I was wondering about these. does the turret index or just sort of float. I am interested in one of these, and was wondering about repeatability going back and forth between dies.

Brad Hurt

[quasi]

Kevin, was the Super turret made in steel? I thought they were Aluminum, but I have never seen one other than pictures. If they were made in steel-iron, they must weigh a lot. My Senior Turret is close to 50 lb. I believe.

[jaguarxk120]

The turret index's on a ball detent on the top of the press. It is quite positive and the bearing surface on top is very large.

This press is a turret press not a quasi-progressive lee press.

[Tom R]

I was wondering about these. does the turret index or just sort of float. I am interested in one of these, and was wondering about repeatability going back and forth between dies.

Brad Hurt

Mine is the only one I have used or seen but It has a 3/8 or so ball bearing that fits in a deep detent in front of each die. The top has a wheel that works like a clamp to lock it down tight.

[jaguarxk120]

My top nut/wheel has a set screw in the top, after all play is taken out the set screw is set and the turret will turn with no play at all.

[Tom R]

Yep your right I did not look very close at mine.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Kevin, was the Super turret made in steel? I thought they were Aluminum, but I have never seen one other than pictures. If they were made in steel-iron, they must weigh a lot. My Senior Turret is close to 50 lb. I believe.

My all-steel Senior Turret weighs 42lbs.

You can find these presses in both aluminum or steel. As far as Pressman and I can determine, the really tall one (the press on the right) was always in aluminum. Their 1960s Super Turret with the twin tie rods is steel.

Part of the problem is that either these presses changed names over time; or the names remained the same, but the appearance changed. Very Confusing. It also didn't help that not all presses were labeled with a name. My Senior Turret is obviously a Senior Turret, but has no markings whatsoever. This leads me to believe that it was made by the person who bought out the company (but not the rights to fabricate new presses) from Lyle Corcoran (who bought Universal and started Hollywood, but not necessarily in that order).

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/vv29/KevinRohrer/Reloading/1685.jpg

[Tom R]

I have to say thank you to all on the info on this press. we are in the final minutes of the sale on ebay and I am thrilled. I have learned alot about these presses and did not know any of the history behind them. In turn I have really become interested in pacific stuff alot more. Manley because I live in lincoln NE. Again thank you to everybody that helped.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Your press went for quite a high dollar amount. I bid it up to $600 but stopped there. The winner must have really wanted it. I hope he is a member here.

[jaguarxk120]

The press went for $607.77, nice amount. Now you can go out and get a real nice Redding UltraMag.

[WILCO]

I just realized that I'm now suffering from "Press Envy"................

[Pressman]

That was an interesting sale. 14 bids by 5 bidders. One bidder ran it up to 600. The winner raised his own winning bid two more times. I wonder what his top $$$ was if his original bid was more than $600.
That is a lot of $$$ for that model. Normally the three turret models bring this kind of $$$.
Glad to see a board member come out on top for a change.

Ken

[Kevin Rohrer]

Do we know who the winner was?

[Tom R]

I don't want to give the winners name out but I will say he was the first person to bid. At least I think he was. Kevin I saw that you bid I was gunning for you. You were the only person I recognized. again thanks to all that helped.

[Kevin Rohrer]

My bidding on it doubled your money. You owe me a percentage! :drinks:

I don't mind losing that auction as I just made a deal here for a Model II. :bigsmyl2:

[Tom R]

Ok time to confess my purchase price. I paid 25.00. I am so happy that I was able to score a deal like this.

[Kevin Rohrer]

Don't tell the person you bought it from. If he doesn't kill you outright, expect him to put a contract on you. :kidding:

There are deals to be had provided you spot them and know enough to take advantage of the opportunity.

Another guy and I had a conversation today about this very subject. Widows are giving away their dead husband's guns and reloading equipment for free or pennies on the dollar. The reloading equipment goes for nothing in estate sales, while the guns are bought by unscrupulous gun dealers and attorneys handling the estate who turn them around for big bucks.

[Tom R]

I bought it from my gun shop. They nor I knew how much it was worth.

[jefferyc22]

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321865513749

[Daddyfixit]

wow, for that kind of $$ maybe a few for may come out from under the bench!

[Kevin Rohrer]

I have the current high bid, but don't expect it to last.