old reloading equipment?

[Andy Griffith]

There is a chance that it could be an ancient progressive press, like a CH or a Starr, both of which are great presses!

I've got a late CH Auto Champion press myself- it's one well built press.
Can be a bit finicky though if you want to change anything.

 

[cjw3]

I bought a pile of older reloading tools back in the '80's. One interesting thing was a powder scale with an oil reservoir that buffered the swing of the beam. I don't recall the make but it worked perfectly.

There are some new gadgets around these days that make things a little more convenient but perfectly good ammunition can be put together with older tools. Enjoy the stash!!

 

[speedyquad]

If you're going to load for .40 S&W you will need a die set for that.

i expected, not only because the .40 hasn't been around that long, but dad was not a hand gun guy. he had the 586 and a remington xp 100. the 586 was bought as a show piece for the few years he had his ffl.

i'm looking forward to leaning. and trying to find components...lol

 

[Green Frog]

WAIT! Are you saying they still have been making new reloading equipment since the mid-'80s? Wow, who'd thunk it?

Yep, that stuff is good and you should definitely dig it out. It will help remember good times with your father as well... you'll see more into his thoughts and plans and practices by seeing what he liked to work with.

Regards,
Froggie

 

[Roy W.]

I have a 1940's vintage Pacific single stage press I still use for rifle cartridges.

 

[oberon]

I use an RCBS jr. for resizing. Other operations I use one of 4 (four!) Lyman truline jrs and Lyman #55 powder measures. I think the 55s are better than the Uniflow that just sits in the box.
My truline jrs are 50s & 60s vintage and are comletely adequate for what I use 'em for. the truline dies are a little scarce, but can be found. I also use the Lyman 310 for some things, like priming.
Old gear is at least as good as what you can get new. Use it with dignity, pride, & confidence.

 

[rwsmith]

I have heard of these

I bought a pile of older reloading tools back in the '80's. One interesting thing was a powder scale with an oil reservoir that buffered the swing of the beam. I don't recall the make but it worked perfectly.

I've heard of those and they probably work better than my magnetically damped beam scale. Of course mine probably works better than no damping at all. Anyway, if I had an oil damped kind I would have oil all over the place except in the reservoir.

 

[Plottman Pops]

I used my RCBS Jr press that I bought in '73 yesterday.
matter of fact I use it all the time....

 

[ArchAngelCD]

i expected, not only because the .40 hasn't been around that long, but dad was not a hand gun guy. he had the 586 and a remington xp 100. the 586 was bought as a show piece for the few years he had his ffl.

i'm looking forward to leaning. and trying to find components...lol

You might get lucky and find components with the equipment. Primers would be a score right now alright!

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Someone posted earlier their concern about the old scale. The older 5-0-5 and 5-10 scales were made by Ohas and can be serviced/repaired with currently made parts. I paid about $100 for a new one about 6 months ago. Ivan

 

[Maximumbob54]

The only worry I would have is if the press doesn't use the now standard RCBS sized threads that everyone has now moved to or the shell holders. Other than that unless he beat on everything with hammers and never oiled anything then I bet it all still runs.

 

[Engineer1911]

Speedyquad,

You still run just fine, why shouldn't your Dad's reloading equipment? Manuals can be found on line at the manufacturer's website.

 

[speedyquad]

Speedyquad,

You still run just fine, why shouldn't your Dad's reloading equipment? Manuals can be found on line at the manufacturer's website.

i wouldn't say that i run fine...i'm about to turn 40 and 32 years of being a speedyquad is starting to catch up to me...those 50+ mph dismounts that i didn't feel 20 years ago are felt now...lol

my guess would be the manuals are still there. the man was meticulous about everything. i mean everything...if we used a garden hose and it was not cleaned and wrapped up with perfectly same sized circles. it would be uncoiled and done again until it was right. his circular saws, drills, power tools, etc all were wiped down and placed back in the original box. when i brought home his router last summer, it still had the price tag, from 1982, taped to the inside of the lid. with that being said, my guess is these are on good shape...

 

[brucev]

dad passed away a little over 2 years ago. i vaguely remember when i was younger...we're talking late 70's and early '80's here, that he had some reloading equipment. i had thought he sold it. I was at my mother's house on the range with my oldest daughter today shooting my 15-22 and i was having her help me pick up the brass. mom was watching and asked why i picked up the brass. i told her because i don't want to leave it out and i want to start reloading(40 s&w, not the .22lr). i just need to buy the stuff to reload. she then said all of dad's reloading equipment was in one of the rooms and i could have it all. i'm not sure what is there.

given the age, would it be worth while to dig it out? i know he didn't reload much of anything. has there been that many advances in equipment in the past 30-40 years?

thanks for your input...
tim

Sit down and take a long look at the press, etc. Then, once you've figured out what you have on hand, use it just like your father once did to produce ammunition. Have your son sit down with you and watch, maybe later even help you produce ammunition. Share time with him shooting what you have made together. Be sure and tell him about your father and how he used the tools.

 

[setxn]

What you are calling "old" is newer than 95% of the stuff I still use. If not abused and/or rusted beyond recognition it will perform like a set-up with that new reloading equipment smell.

 

[lebomm]

I still use my 1962 310 tool, and back then I also had the Redding oil-damped scale. And you're right, rwsmith, it got oil all over unless you could find a place for it and never move it.
So speedyquad, get that old gear cleaned & lubed, it'll probably serve you another 50 yrs.

Larry

 

[fyimo]

My reloading press an RCBS single stage is from the 80's and still works like new. That and a book on reloading that describes the way to do it correctly that also has load information and a set of the right reloading dies and you should be good to. Currently it's difficult to buy the actual components like primers, powder, and bullets but hopefully that will ease off in the future.

 

[olskool]

here is some photos of some of my old stuff, thats all i use. i hardly buy any new, to me the old is a lot better. the presses i use are long forgot about, i have 2 rcbs 2a one rcbs a2 made in the late 50s and early 60s and a rcbs RC from 1973 my measures are belding mull and saeco from the 40s the 2a and a2 presses are about twice as big as the RC presses. i have added more outdated stuff since these photos were taken.

 

[mstuhr]

Use it and smile

Howdy,
Sorry to hear about your dad.
If the gear is up to it I'd use it.
I have an old C&H that I use that does not even have shell holders. When you switch calibers you change out the ram.
I like the old stuff.
Good luck
Mike

 

[speedyquad]

mstuhr, thanks. even after this long, it's a day to day process for me. i find myself gravitating more towards the things from my youth that we used to do together. we always made time for each other, but the activities changed over the years.

nice set up there olskool...make me want to repurpose the garage...i could buy a lot if i sold the 4 wheeler...lol

brucev...no son, two daughters ages 3 and 11. the 11 year old likes to shoot. she hasn't got to shoot much, a few rounds through a mossberg 715t before i sold it, a few rounds through the new 15-22, and one from my 40c. she liked it, once i get the hang of things, i will invite her to watch/help. she may surprise me.


fiyimo. i have not bought a book yet. i was waiting to see what was there. i just hope mom was right and he did not sell the stuff. i don't recall him ever using it, although i do remember him saying why he never used it, but don't remember the reason.