Early 1900 Bench reloading Press

[TIMETRIPPER]

Do you mean Pittsburgh, Pa.? There are Pittsburg's in at least five different states? Confused??

But I believe there is only one Pittsburgh with an "H".

John

 

[BMur]

Spot on

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

I think you hit the nail on the head.
This looks a lot like a high voltage industrial connector assembly press from the early 1920’s.

Pictures of patent drawings are identical at the rammer area of the press where it meets the die.

It likely started out as an industrial electric connector press and was later modified to function as a reloading press AFTER the patent expired. Or after the electric connector was improved thereby making the press obsolete.

I have to research further but it fits so far.
The primer drop through the rammer could have been a later alteration. I’m thinking someone likely purchased leftover stock of electric industrial presses and made them into loading presses.
That’s likely why it’s not marked but still doesn’t answer that part numbered 38 Special loading plunger with early die stamps.
The stamps do fit the early 1920’s time frame.

I do think we are on the right track. A conversion press from one to another purpose.

This also might be the missing link that introduced the later C press in the late 1920’s. The origin of the bench reloading press?



Murph

 

[dwh]

Murph, given that both Westinghouse Electric and Union Switch and Signal were very prevalent in the Pittsburgh area. It makes perfect sense someone would repurpose a conductor press and put it in the lunch bucket. A lot of things ended up in lunch pales.

Ps: Pittsburgh didn’t officially add the H unit 1910 after a long dispute with USPS. Although the original city charter is spelled Pittsburg.

 

[BMur]

Closer evaluation

Ok,
Last look for now. I’m behind on some priority projects.

I was able to get two of the 3 dies apart.

See photo 1;

You can see the die is clearly designed to except multiple bullet plungers. Example, in this case is a Round nose bullet.
Pop the keeper pin, unscrew the height adjustment and change plunger type. It’s very slick.

Photo 2 &3;

Shows the set screw removed to easily replace the feature in this case from De-prime to spring loaded priming.

Photo 4 simply shows the quality of the work.

I’m leaning towards this press being manufactured in the early to mid 1920’s and it was very likely a multi-purpose press design.

I don’t think this press was converted. I think it was a common design that was used for multiple purposes.

It’s just too well done in its present condition it’s a reloading press by design. Bubba or Bob the machinist didn’t convert this press. The dies alone are obviously for reloading and fit the press perfectly as machined.

So I’m believing it’s a multipurpose design and would be found used in multiple industries at that time.

Murph

 

[AJ]

Ok,
Last look for now. I’m behind on some priority projects.

I was able to get two of the 3 dies apart.

See photo 1;

You can see the die is clearly designed to except multiple bullet plungers. Example, in this case is a Round nose bullet.
Pop the keeper pin, unscrew the height adjustment and change plunger type. It’s very slick.

Photo 2 &3;

Shows the set screw removed to easily replace the feature in this case from De-prime to spring loaded priming.

Photo 4 simply shows the quality of the work.

I’m leaning towards this press being manufactured in the early to mid 1920’s was a multi-purpose press design.

I don’t think this press was converted. I think it was a common design that was used for multiple purposes.

It’s just too well done in its present condition it’s a reloading press by design. Bubba or Bob the machinist didn’t convert this press. The dies alone are obviously for reloading and fit the press perfectly as machined.

So I’m believing it’s a multipurpose design and would be found used in multiple industries at that time.

Murph

As Churchill said A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Good luck, Sir!