Antique Pacific Press

[DonMountain]

I am interested in acquiring an antique Pacific C reloading press to add to my small collection of old presses. I have a few 1960's Pacific and Bair shotshell reloading presses that work well for me, so thought I would look for one of the 50's or 60's black or blue painted C reloading presses to do some limited reloading. Can anybody offer me some recommendations on what to acquire and what parts I need to make a functional press? And what to watch for in terms of defects to avoid? I would like to have the priming fixtures as they were offered originally and use them as designed. (I don't use off-the-press priming tools) Thanks everybody on your opinions.

[mdhillbilly1]

I am interested in acquiring an antique Pacific C reloading press to add to my small collection of old presses. I have a few 1960's Pacific and Bair shotshell reloading presses that work well for me, so thought I would look for one of the 50's or 60's black or blue painted C reloading presses to do some limited reloading. Can anybody offer me some recommendations on what to acquire and what parts I need to make a functional press? And what to watch for in terms of defects to avoid? I would like to have the priming fixtures as they were offered originally and use them as designed. (I don't use off-the-press priming tools) Thanks everybody on your opinions.

I wanted to inquire if this Antique Pacific Power C Press is the one in my collection that was repainted by previous owner. I also own a Texan Loadmaster Model T Reloading Press.

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[abunaitoo]

I think I might have a black one.
Let me look for it, and I'll get back to you.

[mdhillbilly1]

I think I might a black one.
Let me look for it, and I'll get back to you.

Thank you as I would love to blast it and Pacific reloader coat it in correct color and get a primer setup for it.

I want to confirm the color and model number of my Texan Loadmaster. I want to obtain the original small & large primer rods and deprimed setup and deprimed setup. I understand this unit can also be turned into a shotgun reloader with adaptor parts.


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[LUBEDUDE]

Thank you as I would love to blast it and Pacific reloader coat it in correct color and get a primer setup for it.

I want to confirm the color and model number of my Texan Loadmaster. I want to obtain the original small & large primer rods and deprimed setup and deprimed setup. I understand this unit can also be turned into a shotgun reloader with adaptor parts.


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Every Power C that I ever saw was red. But that doesn't mean that other colors were never used.

As far as your Texan; rather than duplicate a previous post, go to the Vintage Reloading Gear section and look at the post: Random Photos of Your Old Stuff. Scroll down and see photos and explanations of the Texan Turret Press.

[Bent Ramrod]

The postwar black Pacific C-press with the lugs on the die station for the primer magazine and tube would probably be your best bet. The prewar Pacific without the lugs needed an elaborate aluminum attachment which is seldom encountered. Check some of Pressman's postings here for pictures of old Pacifics, and go from there. I have a pic of the prewar Pacific somewhere on here, and I think Char-Gar has treated them pretty extensively on this section. Do a search.

As far as the more recent primer magazine parts, all I can say is do your research and haunt E-Bay and Gun Shows. The bottom primer arm (with either the Large or Small priming punch, but never both) is often still found attached to the press, but the upper block that is pinned between the lugs in use is almost never there. Neither are the two tubes to hold the Large and Small primers. The RCBS version says "RCBS" on it (I think), but the other ones are beyond my ability to distinguish.

I always found the primer magazines more effort to set up than to just put one primer at a time on the lower arm and do it that way. I also would have to clean the dead primers out of the slot and spring before I used the lower arm, so I gradually drifted to other means of priming. But the system worked well, and I never had the "lack of feel" issue that the Gun Writers always went on and on about.

[DonMountain]

The postwar black Pacific C-press with the lugs on the die station for the primer magazine and tube would probably be your best bet.

As far as the more recent primer magazine parts, all I can say is do your research and haunt E-Bay and Gun Shows. The bottom primer arm (with either the Large or Small priming punch, but never both) is often still found attached to the press, but the upper block that is pinned between the lugs in use is almost never there. Neither are the two tubes to hold the Large and Small primers.

I always found the primer magazines more effort to set up than to just put one primer at a time on the lower arm and do it that way. I also would have to clean the dead primers out of the slot and spring before I used the lower arm, so I gradually drifted to other means of priming. But the system worked well, and I never had the "lack of feel" issue that the Gun Writers always went on and on about.

Thank you very much Bent Ramrod for your information. This is exactly the type of information I am looking for. I have another question for you, and others interested in these old Pacific C presses. I often see these presses on eBay for sale with only one primer arm attached and no other screw in primer seating plugs for either the large or small primer. I assumed the presses were probably sold with both of them in the set. And sometimes I see these for sale with two primer arms, probably one with the small plug and one mounted with the large primer cup. My question is, can I still purchase from Hornady the primer plug/screw/cup/spring that fits these old presses? In fact, I have an extra set of the primer plugs for my much newer Pacific/Hornady 00-7 press. Will these newer primer parts fit the old press primer arms? Thanks everybody for your help.

[Bent Ramrod]

You're fairly lucky to find the one arm with the one punch, IME. Generally, detachable press parts get detached and put away somewhere, and the press is sold without them in the absence of the original owner. Less bulky things like primer arms might stay attached, but primer catchers and primer magazines stay missing. If you're really unlucky, the handles get removed from the presses. When the heirs and assigns find them later, they don't recognize where they came from, and they are often junked.

I once hit an estate sale where the dear departed had been in the habit of taking everything off of everything and storing it separately. His relatives were ignorant of shooting and reloading, and even though he had labeled the stuff, after a fashion, they didn't know the terminology. "Knowledgeable helpers" had carted off everything that looked gun-related to be sold at the gun store, leaving all the Ruger #1 ejector mechanisms, Belding and Mull charge holders, Hollywood, Dunbar and RCBS priming attachments, Lyman sizing dies and top punches, and other such "loose" stuff to the knowledgeable scavenger. In the absence of the knowledgeable scavenger, it would have all gone into the trash dumpster.

You'd have to check with Hornady about spare parts. Maybe e-mail them a photo of your press and ask them if anything they have still fits.

There are some floating "stores" at the larger Gun Shows where the proprietors buy up all the odd parts, as well as loading dies and components, from other table holders, figure out what they are and what they go to, and sell them, for a markup. You might go to a few shows and see if there is anyone like that around.

Remember, you are basically doing an archaeological reconstruction project here, and outside advice will not cover much more than generalities. You are going to have to do a lot of the specific searching and background research yourself.

[Char-Gar]

Don.....The pacific C press came out in the early 30s. It was the first press to use the 7 X 14 dies that we I consider standard today. It was the progenitor of modern reloading presses. Priming arms were available for large and small primers either flat face or round face primers so it took four for a complete set.

The shell holder Rams were solid and you needed a different one for each case head.

If you are interested I have a mid 1930s press that is in good working order. It was missing the handle when I got it, so I fitted a new one. If you are interested in it along with a set of four primer arms, a shell holder ram that takes the newer removable she'll holders. I also have quite a few of the older solid shell holder Rams for the guy that is interested in old school stuff. I would like to sell it all as a package.

I have no internet to my computer until next Wednesday. So no pics until then.

[DonMountain]

Don.....

If you are interested I have a mid 1930s press that is in good working order. It was missing the handle when I got it, so I fitted a new one. If you are interested in it along with a set of four primer arms, a shell holder ram that takes the newer removable she'll holders. I also have quite a few of the older solid shell holder Rams for the guy that is interested in old school stuff. I would like to sell it all as a package.

I have no internet to my computer until next Wednesday. So no pics until then.

I am interested in your press. Send me a PM with a price. I am not in any hurry, but I would like to see some pictures of what you have. When you get your computer back Wednesday. Or after that. I have been watching ebay for a year or so now and decided to go ahead and find one I like.

[mdhillbilly1]

Every Power C that I ever saw was red. But that doesn't mean that other colors were never used.

As far as your Texan; rather than duplicate a previous post, go to the Vintage Reloading Gear section and look at the post: Random Photos of Your Old Stuff. Scroll down and see photos and explanations of the Texan Turret Press.

Thank you for your comments to this newby. I am still just learning about this site and I am happy for any guidance.

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[abunaitoo]

Pictures of the black one I have.
Attachment 201339Attachment 201340Attachment 201341Attachment 201342

[mdhillbilly1]

Thank you for your comments to this newby. I am still just learning about this site and I am happy for any guidance.

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Thank you

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[Scorpion8]

Does anybody have reliable color-code information on old Pacific presses? I have the light blue Multi Power-C press that I would love to refinish to stand out more.

[Bent Ramrod]

Register (for free) on the Antique Reloading Tool Collectors' Association web site and scroll down the forums to "Pacific." If you have any further questions, the savants there will be glad to answer them.

Abunaitoo's press picture is the one I recommended. A ram made to take the RCBS snap-in shell holder design would save a considerable amount of disassembly and reassembly in order to change calibers.

I had a 1960's-early 1970's Pacific Super as my first reloading press that was robin's-egg blue. I think a lot of the others were the same color around that time, but can't be sure. Pressman and the other guys are the experts on that kind of stuff.

[Scorpion8]

Register (for free) on the Antique Reloading Tool Collectors' Association web site and scroll down the forums to "Pacific." If you have any further questions, the savants there will be glad to answer them.

They be sloooooooooow in answering....

So when folks refurbish their old presses, do they spray paint them or powder coat them?

[TNsailorman]

Both. I spray paint with Rustoleum Hammered Finish paint. I like it's looks. Does a great job for me. james

[mdhillbilly1]

Don.....The pacific C press came out in the early 30s. It was the first press to use the 7 X 14 dies that we I consider standard today. It was the progenitor of modern reloading presses. Priming arms were available for large and small primers either flat face or round face primers so it took four for a complete set.

The shell holder Rams were solid and you needed a different one for each case head.

If you are interested I have a mid 1930s press that is in good working order. It was missing the handle when I got it, so I fitted a new one. If you are interested in it along with a set of four primer arms, a shell holder ram that takes the newer removable she'll holders. I also have quite a few of the older solid shell holder Rams for the guy that is interested in old school stuff. I would like to sell it all as a package.

I have no internet to my computer until next Wednesday. So no pics until then.

If the Pacific c presses were not sold as yet send me a PM and drop a note on here that you sent a PM to make sure it got thru.

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[3006guns]

Just thought I'd ask...........all of you are aware that the old Pacifics work on the UP stroke, right? You need a good, solid bench anchored to the floor.

The original Pacific "C" press was introduced at the Camp Perry matches back in the thirties and was an immediate sensation as it introduced the idea of the C frame and 7/16 x 14 interchangeable dies. Because they were single toggle linkages, they're kind of relegated to easier sizing jobs......try sizing a 30-06 sometime and you'll see.

If you find one of those old Pacifics with the "S.F." (San Francisco) address cast into one side, you've got a real find. Those presses were made for a very short time before they moved from Hayes St. to their new location in Palo Alto, California if memory serves.

I believe RCBS still makes a replacement ram that takes modern shell holders......a GOOD idea.

The original finish was a black, crinkle type paint which you can find though automotive and antique radio supply houses. I just used a Rustoleum satin black on mine.......looks great.

[DonMountain]

Just thought I'd ask...........all of you are aware that the old Pacifics work on the UP stroke, right? You need a good, solid bench anchored to the floor.

The original Pacific "C" press was introduced at the Camp Perry matches back in the thirties and was an immediate sensation as it introduced the idea of the C frame and 7/16 x 14 interchangeable dies. Because they were single toggle linkages, they're kind of relegated to easier sizing jobs......try sizing a 30-06 sometime and you'll see.

After setting up my "new" Pacific press, it became obvious that this press wasn't going to reload anything very large. But it works great on small pistol cases like 9mm Luger, 380, 32 Acp and 38 S&W. Since I only have the small primer arm made by Lyman in the press when I bought the press, this works out pretty well. As the larger primer rounds would probably be too hard to resize. Although my 45 Acp brass is all large primer and I bet it would resize them OK if I had the proper Lyman large primer punch to fit the Lyman primer arm.