You guys are youngsters to the loading game.My first press that I still have was a Rock Chuck Bullet Swage press.. it was sold by the inventor(Fred Huntington) in 1947. Got it in 1959 with the original swaging dies. I also have a few of the older RCBS presses..The A A2 2A and A3..also one RCBS B press. Still use 'em all for certain loading. Today I bought a Herters Super Model 3 at the Billings Gun Show paid 10 bucks. It has an RCBS shellholder adapter in it so I will use it to deprime cases.. I also have and use CH H presses Dietmeyer and Bair H presses. But I also have and use Dillon 1050(4) 650(2) and 550(2) presses as well as an AT500 I use to load rifle hunting ammo. This reloading thing is more of an addiction for me. I no longer enjoy reloading...haven't for years. I kinda look on it as a chore. But I literally loaded in all my spare time when I was a kid. Most of it was shotshell loading for our pigeon shooting business though. On the other hand I still enjoy casting bullets mostly for handgun shooting. I probably have 3 lifetimes of them all cast sized and lubed.
Anyone out there still reload with older equipment?
- Thread starter gustmez1
- Start date
I finally broke down and sold my Lyman 310 tool and the dies for the 300 H&H Magnum that I got back in 1957.
I have and still use a RCBS single shot press that I bought back in the early 70's for everything.
I have and still use a RCBS single shot press that I bought back in the early 70's for everything.
10mmauto
Member
When I want to relax, I go out to the garage and load a few .45-70's with a Lee Classic loader. Something about loading one round at a time, by hand.
The Lee Classic turret is my higher output go-to.
The Lee Classic turret is my higher output go-to.
GrayGhost99
Member
Pacific swaging press. Huge heavy thing that is like 3 single stage presses welded together. 3 side by side die holes with 3 rams that each hold a shellholder. Lotta leverage. Nice for case forming.
My father and a buddy who lives nearby have Star Universal presses. My father's has all the dies and parts for .45 ACP, .38 SPL and .32 Long Colt. My buddy's press can be set up for .45 ACP and .223. They are top notch machines.
Squarebutt
Member
I've loaded pistol rounds on a Dillon 550 since the 80's, but I still use the Pacific 007 and the old Lyman Orange Crusher for rifle ammo. Sometimes it's worthwhile to set up the sizer-decapper in one press and the seating die in the other to save time. I could reload every caliber I own without the Dillon press, but I couldn't without my single-stage presses.
keithherrington
Member
The Dillon 1050 shown on the left was built by Dillon when he was still working out of his garage. It has been completely rebuilt by Dillon three times in its life, each time for free. They are one great company.
The single stage shown is a very old Bonanza Co-Ax, at least 30 years old. Still puts out superbly precise long range rifle ammo.
Keith
The single stage shown is a very old Bonanza Co-Ax, at least 30 years old. Still puts out superbly precise long range rifle ammo.
Keith
Frank237
Absent Comrade
Started in the game in 1970 at 19 yoa. Still have most of my original Lyman mould blocks, my Lyman #45 sizer, my original RCBS single stage and powder measure. The powder measure came with a GLASS reservoir which broke in a move. But most of my original gear is still in good shape and very useable.
Today I was loading some .300 Win Mag for my cousin, using H-4831 with a price tag of $1.47 for the pound. Used some 180 gr Nosler partitions that were $8.90 for the box of fifty. So Yeah. I still have a LOT of old stuff. LOL.
But DO have a circa 1985 dillon 550 and a much newer 1050. A circa 1995 Bonanza Co-Ax press and a new STAR luber/sizer for my cast slugs.
FN in MT
Today I was loading some .300 Win Mag for my cousin, using H-4831 with a price tag of $1.47 for the pound. Used some 180 gr Nosler partitions that were $8.90 for the box of fifty. So Yeah. I still have a LOT of old stuff. LOL.
But DO have a circa 1985 dillon 550 and a much newer 1050. A circa 1995 Bonanza Co-Ax press and a new STAR luber/sizer for my cast slugs.
FN in MT
Pacific
A great press. Not really made for swaging but would work for it.. Called a Pacific Super Mag. Got 2 of 'em Heavy heavy duty. I used mine quite a bit for case forming. Like many of the older Pacifics you could make them work on either up or down stroke.
A great press. Not really made for swaging but would work for it.. Called a Pacific Super Mag. Got 2 of 'em Heavy heavy duty. I used mine quite a bit for case forming. Like many of the older Pacifics you could make them work on either up or down stroke.
I have a single stage and a turret press. i also ride a motorcycle with a carburetor. I have an electronic digital scale powder dispenser and a few manual items that have not changed much since Elmer and Col Whelen were still reloading. I don't feel left out at all.
Old gear
After reading the above posts I don't feel alone anymore....I also still ride motorcycles with carb's, load rounds on my 1970 RCBS Rockchucker, dump charges with my Herters (1960's) drum powder measure, weigh charges on my Ohaus 10-10 beam scale, cast bullets with 40 year old pots, use 40-50year old moulds and have powder on the shelves that date back to the 50's & 60's along with loading manuals from the same era....and it all works for me.
After reading the above posts I don't feel alone anymore....I also still ride motorcycles with carb's, load rounds on my 1970 RCBS Rockchucker, dump charges with my Herters (1960's) drum powder measure, weigh charges on my Ohaus 10-10 beam scale, cast bullets with 40 year old pots, use 40-50year old moulds and have powder on the shelves that date back to the 50's & 60's along with loading manuals from the same era....and it all works for me.
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venomballistics
Member
these things don't really antiquate.
you might grow around an old single stage, but you don't really grow out of one.
you might grow around an old single stage, but you don't really grow out of one.
Using my 1972 Rockchucker still......
I'm in no rush when reloading.
The Lee Classic turret sits and have never set it up or used it...
I'm in no rush when reloading.
The Lee Classic turret sits and have never set it up or used it...
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I started reloading about 10 years ago with a used Lyman "All American" Turret press (red with a long wooden handle) that also had a Lyman No.55 powder measure with it, along with a set of 30-30 dies and a case trimmer for the Princely sum of $60. A few days later a friend sold me his barely used RCBS beam scale for $25. I bought a new set of 38 Special dies, and the friend that sold me the scale taught me how to reload.
To this day (and many thousands of rounds and a few different calibers later) this is the only press I've ever used.
To this day (and many thousands of rounds and a few different calibers later) this is the only press I've ever used.
silentflyer
Member
I use a Lyman All-American turret press from the early 70's that has cranked out 10's of thousand's of rounds still works like a charm. Sits just below a Harmon-Kardon stereo amp/tuner I built from a kit in the 60's, which plays old tunes for an old guy while loading on an antique press using Unique,2400 and 296/H110 for old wheel guns made of steel ....yea I am a fossil....
wheelgun1958
Member
RCBS rockchucker
RCBS reloader special
Lee challenger
RCBS reloader special
Lee challenger
Ivan the Butcher
Member
I have a couple of Lyman 310 tools that have 1946 postmarks on the boxes and a Ideal 310 complete 30-30 set that is well before the war. I use a couple of Ideal 45-70 moulds that haven't been made since before WW I. The first loading equipment I bought was a Lee Loader for 303 British. It was around $6.00 in 1978. My brother's in-laws started loading before WW II with a 310 tool in 38 special and an older tong tool (probably a Winchester) in 45-70 for his '86. As you can see by the short life span of some of our equipment, this reloading thing is just a passing fad! Ivan
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Still use my Bair press for decapping I bought in the 60s for 10 dollars.
mr-mom
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Bought most of my reloading equipment used many years ago. I have no idea what year the RCBS Rock Chucker was made, but I've had it for well over 30 years. It fits well into my life style (old and slow) and have never really seen a need for anything else.
Dave
SWCA #2778
Dave
SWCA #2778
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