Hollywood Presses - I know nothing!

[skrapyard628]

Good morning everyone! Currently I have someone who may want to trade me some gear for a scooter Im selling. Im not really in the need for a new press, but I hear good things about these Hollywood presses.

Supposedly this is a Senior Turret. From the pic its missing the swage bar and I dont see any shell holders. What else could I be missing? I have been digging around and doing some searches on the castboolit site, but I am totally new to these presses so Im curious what any of the experts here could help with. What questions to ask the guy who has the press and what am I looking at here?

I apologize for the seemingly vague post. But the help of the collective group here would get me farther along a lot quicker than I could do by myself in a short period of time.

[mdi]

What are you asking for the scooter? May be a good deal, may not be....

[skrapyard628]

What are you asking for the scooter? May be a good deal, may not be....

Im asking $1700 for the scooter. Im not sure if the press would cover the asking price of the scooter. So the guy may need to sweeten the deal to get me to bite. Im seeing prices from $800-$2000 listed for hollywood turrets on the auction site we all love. Thats what is throwing me off. Is there some major differences between any of the Senior Turret presses?

Ive been looking up a bit more online as I go. But the price differences for what seem to be the same press are throwing me off because today is the first day Ive ever even looked into Hollywood presses

[Pressman]

Senior Turret is worth what you can get for it. All Hollywood tools have some type of cult appeal that raises the price. That said, $300/$500 on eBay. Hollywood powder measure, hard to see but looks like 1st model would be about $125/$150.
Three Vickerman seating dies, $75/$100 each. Lee tool, not much. Assorted dies depending on caliber maybe $100 total.
Of course the price is a SWAG. You need to collect a lot to sweeten that deal, especially if you wish to resale the tools, figure the cost of your efforts to sell.

Ken

[skrapyard628]

Thanks Pressman. Seems like what you said "Senior Turret is worth what you can get for it." explains the large discrepancy in prices I see for the same press currently for sale. The differences in prices seemed to be fairly large and it didnt really click for me.

But its understandable. Its not like you can go buy one of these new off the shelf today. So if someone really wants one they have to pay whatever they feel is acceptable for one.

I received an answer from the guy, and it does not have the swaging rod and only has one shell holder (no clue what it fits). I see that you can get a shellholder adapter on ebay to use the newer style shellholders, so thats good. And Im sure I could fabricate a swage rod if I ever decided to use the press that way.

Im going to stew on it for a bit and see if the guy comes up with anything else to add to the pot and get me interested.

If anyone else has any golden nuggets of info while Im thinking it over, Im all ears. More info to file away into the brain is always welcome.

[1hole]

Hollywood made some good stuff, fully as good as anything you can buy new today, but that shell holder issue can be problem.

[labradigger1]

The lee press ram is a direct fit for the A series rcbs presses.

Senior Turret is worth what you can get for it. All Hollywood tools have some type of cult appeal that raises the price. That said, $300/$500 on eBay. Hollywood powder measure, hard to see but looks like 1st model would be about $125/$150.
Three Vickerman seating dies, $75/$100 each. Lee tool, not much. Assorted dies depending on caliber maybe $100 total.
Of course the price is a SWAG. You need to collect a lot to sweeten that deal, especially if you wish to resale the tools, figure the cost of your efforts to sell.

Ken

[John Wayne]

The shell holder is not a problem since a universal shell holder is available on ebay for around $25.
The swage bar/tie down rod and nuts with your choice of knurled nuts or hex are available from Hollywood Bob. He is the owner of Hollywood and the remaining inventory. He also manufactures many of the parts that may be missing when these machines change hands. He also has primer posts and turret handles if you need those. If your deal is completed you can contact him through email at sedroc@centurytel.net

[Kevin Rohrer]

Yes, Hollywood-specific and other shell-holders are readily available on ebay. Hollywoods are made to closely fit the holes in Hollywoods, while other makes may be small and move around. I own both.

The true Hollywood in the biggest one. The others were made by RCBS, CH/4D, and ?

[dverna]

On the auction site, look at completed transactions for to see what folks are paying. Also, in the last few months people have been driving prices up. I would not buy a press as an investment unless I got a good deal on it. If you already have one or two good presses, do you need another one?

Makes more sense to me to buy a new RCBS RC for $180 or Co-Ax for $350 (I have both). But I am not a collector.

If your scooter is worth close to $1700, I would sell it for cash. No single stage press is worth close to $1700 IMO.

[DSW]

To put it nicely, the guy is trying to take advantage of you if he thinks it would be a even up trade.

[gwpercle]

Also ... make sure all the parts are there . Pressman would know ... and make sure there is some means for installing shell holders .
In the worth of something ...missing parts and shell holder adapters have to be considered ... some are easy and cheap ...others are harder to find and expensive.
Pressman looked at a press I was going to buy , Eagle Cobrs 300 , told me where to get a adapter to use snap in shell holders ... I bought the press for a cheap price and the adapter from CH4D and the press is back in service on my bench .
If you plan on using this press and need parts CH4D might have some universal parts.
Gary

[skrapyard628]

Thanks for all of the replies everyone. Got some good info here and also from reading a bit more online about this press. I like the press, but even with some other items the guy was going to toss in I didnt feel that it was a good enough deal for me to make the trade.

I sold the scooter for cash and Im happy about what I got for it. Definitely a better value than what I felt I would have got out of the trade for the press.

The best thing about this (other than cash in my pocket lol) is now if I ever come across a Hollywood press at any of the swaps or gun shows I feel a bit more comfortable determining value and knowing what Im actually looking at/for. To me, that knowledge has a lot of value.

[eastbank]

not a good deal for you, run away. i bought these two universal hollywood presses for under 100 dollars, i just need the find the time to clean them up. they both work and i have loaded shells on them with a rcbs shell holder adapter.

[jaguarxk120]

You won't find Hollywood presses for $100 anywhere now.
I paid $350 for my Universal years ago and will never part with it!!