Early 1900 Bench reloading Press
- Thread starter BMur
- Start date
Ivan the Butcher
Member
I have a press and dies I picked up about 25 years ago. While it is in no way at all like yours. It is a "Knock Off" of a real press and home/shop made. I estimate it's from the 50's/60's and the dies are for 3" belted mag brass in the 40-41 caliber and a 45 caliber. Both wildcats! I didn't pay much and the 100 unformed NORMA Belted Mag Basic brass were worth 2 or 3 times what I paid!
This press works horizontally and could be used by hand for bullet seating or bolted to a table or pick-up tailgate for FL sizing. I have never found a cartridge that matches the fired brass. (think 458 Lott with a small shoulder and a 416 version, but some differences) I think the LGS I bought it at made his money selling the projectiles and maybe primers and powder.
When I was in High School (mid 70's) there were lots of retired machinists with complete shops in their basements, they would make their ideas come to life, just because they could! No reason out forerunners didn't do the same. A lot of old-time wildcats are industry standards now. Think 22 Hornet, 22-250 Rem., 270 Win & 280 Remmington for a few. Canada and Australia use to have lots of wildcats based on 303 British.
Those "50-70" big bore/odd ball dies are what intreags me. I always wanted a "Big Fifty"!
Ivan
This press works horizontally and could be used by hand for bullet seating or bolted to a table or pick-up tailgate for FL sizing. I have never found a cartridge that matches the fired brass. (think 458 Lott with a small shoulder and a 416 version, but some differences) I think the LGS I bought it at made his money selling the projectiles and maybe primers and powder.
When I was in High School (mid 70's) there were lots of retired machinists with complete shops in their basements, they would make their ideas come to life, just because they could! No reason out forerunners didn't do the same. A lot of old-time wildcats are industry standards now. Think 22 Hornet, 22-250 Rem., 270 Win & 280 Remmington for a few. Canada and Australia use to have lots of wildcats based on 303 British.
Those "50-70" big bore/odd ball dies are what intreags me. I always wanted a "Big Fifty"!
Ivan
Overall
Every angle I’m looking at supports this press being very old.
I looked closely at the numbers stamped on the round nose plunger and from my studies of die stamps, those are very early machine stamped numbers.
The style pre-dates block numbers so likely pre-1920’s. Those numbers also represent a part number.
The plunger fits the 38 cal case perfectly so the number 416 can only mean one thing that I can think of. A part number.
If anyone has another explanation for that early die stamped number I’m all ears.
So that’s going to be my focus. Early 1900’s in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Murph
Every angle I’m looking at supports this press being very old.
I looked closely at the numbers stamped on the round nose plunger and from my studies of die stamps, those are very early machine stamped numbers.
The style pre-dates block numbers so likely pre-1920’s. Those numbers also represent a part number.
The plunger fits the 38 cal case perfectly so the number 416 can only mean one thing that I can think of. A part number.
If anyone has another explanation for that early die stamped number I’m all ears.
So that’s going to be my focus. Early 1900’s in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Murph
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venomballistics
Member
From what I see.
If I never saw a modern reloading press, and had to shoot from the hip to create a tool to reload with.
What you have would be in the ballpark of what I might have come up with.
Not necessarily optimal, but a logical start point.
The size of the dies seems possibly industrial rather than personal use.
You're thinking garage bench home gamer when you might have to think industrial lab tool made for dies ment for a n industrial production press
If I never saw a modern reloading press, and had to shoot from the hip to create a tool to reload with.
What you have would be in the ballpark of what I might have come up with.
Not necessarily optimal, but a logical start point.
The size of the dies seems possibly industrial rather than personal use.
You're thinking garage bench home gamer when you might have to think industrial lab tool made for dies ment for a n industrial production press
Major breakthrough!!!!
I just started my research and hit a homer right off!
I totally forgot about GREAT WESTERN DISTRIBUTORS!!
See photos. They were actually in Pittsburgh from the 1860’s up to 1923!!!!
So now I’m going to focus on their catalogs from 1900-1923!!!
I think this is where this press came from!!! This is a huge lead.
Murph
I just started my research and hit a homer right off!
I totally forgot about GREAT WESTERN DISTRIBUTORS!!
See photos. They were actually in Pittsburgh from the 1860’s up to 1923!!!!
So now I’m going to focus on their catalogs from 1900-1923!!!
I think this is where this press came from!!! This is a huge lead.
Murph
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AJ
US Veteran
Do you mean Pittsburgh, Pa.? There are Pittsburg's in at least five different states? Confused??
Pittsburgh?
The press came from an attic in a house during an Estate sale in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Great Western Gunworks was also in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania from the 1860s until 1923.
Please look at photos of catalogs I posted.
Murph
The press came from an attic in a house during an Estate sale in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Great Western Gunworks was also in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania from the 1860s until 1923.
Please look at photos of catalogs I posted.
Murph
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AJ
US Veteran
Thanks, now it makes a bit more sense. Was stationed there many moons ago (or as the locals say "Picksburgh").
Pittsburgh Steel
I knew a few shipmates in The Navy from Pittsburgh. They all bragged about getting jobs at the Mills when they got out. That was before we sold them out to China. They must have been devastated by that.
Murph
I knew a few shipmates in The Navy from Pittsburgh. They all bragged about getting jobs at the Mills when they got out. That was before we sold them out to China. They must have been devastated by that.
Murph
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Does anyone know what the RWS case number for .38 Special was? It might pay to look in an old RWS catalog. Since the threads are odd, it could be European.
AJ
US Veteran
It was devastated, lots of folks out of work and no jobs to find. City went from Blue Collar to White Collar. Where the mills were was all torn down and grass planted. That was 30+ years ago.
Model19man
Member
There were two Ford Model "A" cars - I assume that is what you mean? Ford first used the Model "A" designation in 1903. Later Ford started the alphabet over and in 1928 the Model "A" was used again. In 1908 Ford built the Model "T" and did not use SAE standards - Ford used its own standards.
So I am not sure what you mean.
Catalog research
I can see why this press hasn’t been documented.
In looking for post 1900 catalogs from GREAT WESTERN GUNWORKS I find none readily available.
So it might take some time to locate and examine early 1900 catalogs.
Murph
I can see why this press hasn’t been documented.
In looking for post 1900 catalogs from GREAT WESTERN GUNWORKS I find none readily available.
So it might take some time to locate and examine early 1900 catalogs.
Murph
AJ
US Veteran
Not many left in existance....
None left
AJ,
That’s definitely true but it’s an amazing thing when you actually search for them a lot of great information comes to light.
I already located a 1901 catalog and a full SPRING/SUMMER catalog from 1905. Those might help.
Waiting to hear from sellers about reloading tool illustrations contained within.
There is so much out there. When you actually look? You find new information every day.
The more you correspond with other collectors/sellers the more you learn. It’s never ending.
Murph
AJ,
That’s definitely true but it’s an amazing thing when you actually search for them a lot of great information comes to light.
I already located a 1901 catalog and a full SPRING/SUMMER catalog from 1905. Those might help.
Waiting to hear from sellers about reloading tool illustrations contained within.
There is so much out there. When you actually look? You find new information every day.
The more you correspond with other collectors/sellers the more you learn. It’s never ending.
Murph
AJ
US Veteran
Mass Produced
Well,
My research is not fluent at all. I’m hitting dead ends. My theory of Pre-1910 is obviously wrong so I’m going to start looking into the 1920’s.
I also stripped the press completely and you can clearly see the body of the press is one solid piece fabricated from 4 1/2” tubular steel 10 1/2” long.
It screams “mass produced”. Very common sense milling, slotting, mounting holes in perfect line with handle cut outs. 1” center drilled with 1” rammer and 1” dies. Very well thought out.
I also noticed the rammer has a small set screw that allows the operator to change parts without dismantling the press. So you can change from de-prime to prime and also case mouth expand feature very quickly.
This design must be patented. It’s too well done not to be. Multiple calibers, multiple numbered plungers? Equals mass produced in my book.
So into the 1920’s we go.
Murph
Well,
My research is not fluent at all. I’m hitting dead ends. My theory of Pre-1910 is obviously wrong so I’m going to start looking into the 1920’s.
I also stripped the press completely and you can clearly see the body of the press is one solid piece fabricated from 4 1/2” tubular steel 10 1/2” long.
It screams “mass produced”. Very common sense milling, slotting, mounting holes in perfect line with handle cut outs. 1” center drilled with 1” rammer and 1” dies. Very well thought out.
I also noticed the rammer has a small set screw that allows the operator to change parts without dismantling the press. So you can change from de-prime to prime and also case mouth expand feature very quickly.
This design must be patented. It’s too well done not to be. Multiple calibers, multiple numbered plungers? Equals mass produced in my book.
So into the 1920’s we go.
Murph
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AJ
US Veteran
Try here, you may find a book on the subject: Reloading Tools - AbeBooks
