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Thread: What is this press?

  1. #1
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    What is this press?

    A guy posted on another page, any one know what it is?
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master

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    Pressman or one of the other resident big brains will give you a great answer shortly! There is some different stuff going on with this one I think,,,,,
    More "This is what happened when I,,,,," and less "What would happen if I,,,,"

    Last of the original Group Buy Honcho's.

    "Dueling should have never been made illegal in this country. It settled lots of issues between folks."- Char-Gar

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    That is the Pre WWII Ideal Armory press in it's last configuration. Lyman redesigned and simplified the Armory press in 1935. It is known as the Tru-Line press. Not to be confused with the tiny turret press that is the Tru-Line Jr press.
    In 1952/53 the design was once again modified into the Easy Loader press. Thankfully it went away in 1957, ending a line of presses that began in 1901.

  4. #4
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    Thanks. Is it a good press? Worth cleaning up and making it work again?

  5. #5
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    It's a very good press that takes a unique style of dies that aren't readily available.
    Lyman J shelholders can be used.
    It looks like the ram travel stop and cartridge guide are in it. I can't tell if the size or seat die is installed. The primer punch is missing.

  6. #6
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    Neat old piece of reloading history.

  7. #7
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    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    Ken, does it use the 310 dies or another design of die? Would the current Jr. primer die fit it?
    Wayne the Shrink

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  8. #8
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    Wayne, it uses the old die arrangement of the Armory press. There is nothing today that is adaptable to it.
    Priming is the nearly the same as the Easy Loader.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

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    Oops, you forgot to call it the queasy loader,,,,,,,

    I wonder what the other thing was that attached to the baseplate.
    More "This is what happened when I,,,,," and less "What would happen if I,,,,"

    Last of the original Group Buy Honcho's.

    "Dueling should have never been made illegal in this country. It settled lots of issues between folks."- Char-Gar

  10. #10
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    Rusty
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    He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

    "I don't have hobbies - I'm developing a robust post-apocalyptic skill set"
    I may be discharged and retired but I'm sure I did not renounce the oath that I solemnly swore!

  11. #11
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    For Wayne and others who were wondering what dies this press uses. These are the dies and priming lever for rimmed and rimless cases.


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  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Thanks, Ken - I thought it used very unusual dies.
    Wayne the Shrink

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  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy nhyrum's Avatar
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    That does take very strange dies. It doesn't even look like it could even take standard dies, even if you are able to get it threaded to take them... Kinda neat looking though.

    Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    So interesting to see the evolution of the parts and pieces.

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    The Stop Post Assembly caught my eye as I was just looking at a thread on the Lee case flaring tool, which I stay away from if at all possible, having learned how easy it is to turn a case mouth into a Blunderbuss facsimile. Sometimes in setting up a case mouth die I cannot bottom it out against the ram so I adjust the press arm to bottom out against the bench. Sometimes it works out to use a washer or other length of spacer over the cartridge to bottom out the ram against.

    And not 5 minutes ago I was thinking how handy it would be to have an adjustable stop. As I have two of the later 3 hole Ezy-Loaders, I will have to think on this,,,,,

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    Would love to see how the parts are used. Spring loaded locking?

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    This baseplate makes my brain itch. What was attached in the two empty holes? Powder drop? And the shape of the plate. A drop in and lock into another fixture? A leftover punch out from a stamping operation?
    More "This is what happened when I,,,,," and less "What would happen if I,,,,"

    Last of the original Group Buy Honcho's.

    "Dueling should have never been made illegal in this country. It settled lots of issues between folks."- Char-Gar

  15. #15
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    If it's worth fixing up then I would remove all of the rust. Consider taking it apart, bead blasting it, and refinish.
    Last edited by Sixgun Symphony; 10-18-2021 at 03:41 PM. Reason: spelling & grammar

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sixgun Symphony View Post
    If it's worth fixing up then I would remove all of the rust. Consider taking it apart, bead blasting it, and refinish.
    DO NOT take this press apart. Reassembly is all but impossible if you expect it to work. Getting correct alignment of the three rods without a special jig almost cannot be done.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check