Help ID press

[Helka]

I’m thinking this is a homemade press as the welds are pretty large and it weighs a ton. Also has no markings on it. It also came with a primer seater that’s is also quite heavy.

 

[bertn]

for sure a machinist special.
Looks well made.

that is quite the leverage on the bench primer.

 

[Rust]

Those are incredibly cool pieces.
Looks like the guy based the press off an RCBS A2.

 

[Helka]

I was thinking of selling these but it’s really smooth. May sell my older RCBS and keep these.

 

[bertn]

I was thinking of selling these but it’s really smooth. May sell my older RCBS and keep these.

Before you sell your rcbs mount them both and see which one you like better when in use.

Personally i would sell the bench priming tool since it needs to be fed one primer at a time. A decent hand primer with tray will be a lot easier and faster.

 

[call2arms]

The Bench primer looks like it would be nice to use

 

[bearhunter]

I was thinking of selling these but it’s really smooth. May sell my older RCBS and keep these.

Whoever welded those well machined pieces together knew their trade well.

Before you decide to sell the RCBS factory press, check the cartridges produced by both of them, with the same set of dies, for run out.

Keeping it all true to the axis center, while welding it all together, had to be difficult at best.

I very much appreciate the skill set required to make up and assemble that press.

 

[Helka]

Thanks for all the info. Again the action is so smooth on the press. I will test it for run out

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Two thoughts come to mind - is it appreciably bigger or has more power than a commercial press? and, there have been times when commercial equipment was either unavailable or unaffordable. I wonder if this piece isn't 60 or 70 yrs old under the fresh coat of copper paint?

 

[Helka]

On further inspection I put my RCBS IV ram all the way up and there is some movement maybe a thou. But on this press there is 0. So that’s promising.

 

[270 totheend]

Is the leverage better on the machinist press, I am thinking possibly bullet swaging? Some of the .22 bullet swaging dies could be used on a rockchucker perhaps easier with this one.

 

[fingers284]

Is the leverage better on the machinist press, I am thinking possibly bullet swaging? Some of the .22 bullet swaging dies could be used on a rockchucker perhaps easier with this one.

This ^^^or a press specifically for brass forming, i have an old 50's-60's vintage Herters press of equal strength that I keep mounted just for brass forming.

 

[bearhunter]

On further inspection I put my RCBS IV ram all the way up and there is some movement maybe a thou. But on this press there is 0. So that’s promising.

It's more about straightness

 

[Helka]

Ok good to know. I just got it mounted this evening. Going to find some brass I’ve fired and check the concentricity. Then size them in each press with the same die. See if I see any deviation/improvement.