Education for older cast iron or steel C presses, please?

[Canuck Bob]

I was looking at the little Lee C Reloader press to dedicate to loading only my 32-20.

Someone i respect highly suggested I might like an older cast iron press instead.  I am a nostalgia buff and this struck home.  It is hard to research because I have no idea were to start.

I'm trying to build a list of suitable older C presses to start looking for one.

This press will be deicated to load only 32-20 and push some cast bullets through a push through die.  I don't think I need compound leverage but opinions please?  I understand some presses have smaller threads for dies, I can drill and tap with confidence.  However, the issue of shell holders seems important.  I would count out any press that doesn't use easy to find shell holders or adaptors for same.

Please don't bother to advise that I should step up to an Ultramag or a RCBS O press.  I fully understand the insanity of wanting to resurrect old equipment back to a productive life.

[LHitchcox]

Keep an eye on Ebay and Gunbroker. These come up for auction regularly. Sometimes they go at a good price and sometimes they go for a ridiculous price. Also, shipping will be stiff for a heavy cast iron press. I bought an old Pacific shotshell reloader from Ebay and shipping was more than the press.

You are right to be wary of presses that do not use standard shell holders. I started reloading with my uncle's Spartan C press. It wasn't very good. The press cammed over at the top of the stroke. I much prefer the O presses we have today- even the Lee Challengers are a good buy.

[Hairtrigger]

RCBS makes an adapter (ram) for the old Pacific press for using shellholders. well worth the price if you have the press

[bilmac]

Watch out for old Herters presses, they took a special shell holder. Some of the old Lyman presses also took special shell holders.

[Dand]

I think some of the old C-H brand presses required a whole separate ram for each different case head size. But the presses were fine. 

I would not rule out the RCBS Jr press.  Its an O press without compound leverage but a darn nice press for moderate duty. And the come up on Ebay pretty often. I think RCBS makes a light duty press for modest cost these days tho probably more (and more durable) than the Lee.

[wncchester]

The Lee Reloder presses are compact but quite strong and exceptionally rigid and has compound linkage.  I've measured the die movement when FL sizing .30-06 with my Rock Chucker and two Reloaders; the RC moves 3 thou, the red presses didn't move enough to measure.  A Reloader would do what you want very well and would last two lifetimes.

The old "C" presses were and remain MUCH stronger than most people think.  After all, they were used to reload everything made prior to the advent of the O design in the late 50s - early 60s!

Some of the oldies, such as the Lyman Spartan, have "normal" rams for universal shell holders, actually most brands did by the mid 60s.  Most of the really early presses had screw-in shell holders or, (Pacific, not C-H) had entire rams with shell holders cut into the top.  Those rams and screw-in shell holders show up on eBay from time to time and you can also get an adapter but it would be best if you could have a ram with a top for today's universal shell holders.   Actually, most of those old rams had common diameters and lengths so you could swap in a newer ram and obtain what you might need that way.

Me, I like old stuff too, but for what you want I'd get a Lee Reloader and be done.

[Canuck Bob]

I am getting educated so I can know what I am looking at if I bump into a serviceable unit.  Fleabay doesn't work for me unless the item is in Canada.  The shipping and duties kill any deal.

I am buying a Lee C press reloader anyway to get started since reading your report.  I figure I ever get a decent older press I can set the Lee up for decapping or seating GCs.

The Lyman Tru Line is jumping to the top of the list because I plan on tracking down a Lyman 310 for a field kit.  Again Lee also offers a nice little hand tool.  For all the talk about Lee they sure offer the working guy lots of useful options.  Youtube is full of tutorials for Lee tooling in action by happy customers.

[wncchester]

"I can set the Lee up for decapping or seating GCs."

I have two near my main press for de- and re-capping (AutoPrime II).

Lyman's small thread dies interchange between the Tru-Line and 310 so that will work.  You may still have a problem with shell holders for the Tru-Line.

[Canuck Bob]

This started out as a good idea but is rapidly heading into "hair brain scheme" territory.

I'm going the Lee Reloader route.  I can setup to reload a 32-20 for well under a 100 bucks if I use Lee's dippers.  If I load 500 rounds it owes me nothing.  Later a Lee hand press gives me portability for $45. 

[Kmrere42]

Hi Bob,


I hope you are not thinking of the Classic Lee Loader.  That would be painfully slow. 


For a start-up in handloading get the Lee Anniversary Pack for  $44.00 P/N: 90700 

Just add a die set and powder scale,     YES!!! You need a powder scale



Most gunshops that I have been in have a small used section with older presses that you can get for cheep money. Plus, watch E-Bay for deals.





Paul

[wncchester]

"I'm going the Lee Reloader route."

Wise decision.  And, with the dippers you really won't need a scale. 


"Later a Lee hand press gives me portability for $45."

Suggest you attach your little press to a 12" length of 2x4 and attach the board to your bench with a C clamp.  Instant portability for nothing.

[P.A. Myers]

These old Spartan presses cans be found very cheaply and are a nice chunk of iron. Lee stuff works OK but its so low-budget.

[bilmac]

+1 on what Kmrere says. The Lee dippers will get you started, and if you follow their loading tables you certainly won't get in trouble, problem is they are far from accurate as far as what Lee says they will hold. You can be pretty consistent with their dippers, , but as far as their holding what the tables say, forget it. My recommendation, get the Lee tool, and make some ammo. Then with all the $s you are going to save, get just a simple balance beam scale. You don't need a high dollar electric scale, the balance beams have made good ammo for a long long time. Then make yourself a few dippers that hold what you want them to, not what Lee lawyers limit them to. Make some more bullets, and someday if you're still wanting to upgrade, a measure will be the next step.

Advertising has convinced lots of folks to buy expensive do dads that are really unnecessary.