Ponsness warren 800b question

B

birdbuff

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Hello everyone,

I'm looking at purchasing a used p/w 800b in 28 gauge. The owner was given the reloader as a hand me down that he doesn't use. He does not know what powder or shot bushings are in it. How can one tell the bushing sizes? Would anyone know which bushings came with the machine originally. Any advice would help out.

Thanks,

Birdbuff
 
The 28ga came with a #3 shot bushing or 3/4 oz lead and a B powder bushing but I would say that is not the powder bushing in it now
They have to be matched to the powder being used etc and are normally marked in a letter or a letter number combo
You have to check out the charts on the web page once you figure out what exactly you are going to be using for 28ga components
Just an example for IMR
http://www.imrpowder.com/pw.html
Cheers
 
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Thank you for the information. I will have to find out what it has and what I'm planning on loading and go from there. Do you have any opinions on the 800b, I'd be curious for feed back, ie. Pros and cons.

Thanks
 
Birdbuff You sound like a person just getting started in reloading. Good for you for getting into it. Please understand the following comments are meant to be helpful and not to be critical. The P&W 800 is a great progressive loader but I would not recommend it for a loader just starting out. However if that is the loader you are going with just don't try to get going too fast. Regarding bushings, you are going to need several bushings for powder and shot. Not sure what components you have lined up. Do you have a supply of empty cases? Have you found a dealer that stocks 28 ga wads? Check with a couple loading manuals to see what combination of case, powder and wad will produce the load you are looking for. Some cases perform better with a particular wad and powder while a different brand may be better with a different wad and powder. You may end up trying several combinations of powder,wads and cases. That is why you are going to need a selection of bushings. You will also need a powder scale to check what your bushings are actually dropping. You should also try and find an experienced loader who is familiar with the P&W 800 to help you get set up and get your press adjusted properly.
 
Rokoro, I appreciate the advice. I think I will look into something that is single stage. I am just starting off and have done much reading and research, but there is always more to learn.

Thank you,

Birdbuff
 
birdbuff said:
Rokoro, I appreciate the advice. I think I will look into something that is single stage. I am just starting off and have done much reading and research, but there is always more to learn.

Thank you,

Birdbuff
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Smart move.Look for a MEC jr or sizemaster. The 800 is a machine one either loves or hates and something one would get after they have reloaded a while on a single stage. Me I am not a fan
Cheers
 
Birdbuff I am not going to run down anyones single stage loader. But before you spend any money I strongly suggest you look at a P & W model 375. I have used Lyman, lee,Pacific, Mec and the P & W and the P&W is the best for my money.
 
This is like the old Ford vs Chevy :) and everyone has their own opinions and experiences so might as well give a bit more of mine

First you have to look at price
175US for a JR, 275US for a sizemaster and $ 475US for a 375
The 375 is a fine reloader for sure but is the 375 worth that much more over a sizemaster not IMO and that comes from using them

To me the MEC Sizemaster is probably the best single stage reloader ever made for the money. It has a collet design re sizer is really the only true way to properly size hulls. It comes with an automatic primer feed which you will grow to love. It reloads way faster than the P/W 375 because you do not have to push the shell out of the shell holder and does a reloaded shell in less strokes.
The P/W 375 does have the advantage of holding two sets of tooling but that will set you back another 165 US .
Also who still sells 375 in canada? That was one of the reasons I switched since I could not get parts but that was years ago VS hummason has everything you could ever need in MEC in stock

At one time I owned three P/W 375 and they are all gone. Now I just own probally a dozen and a half or so MEC in all gauges and models
Cheers
 
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Hopefully there is awareness that the 800b is obsolete, and as such parts will become an issue.
I am a great fan of PW loaders, and have all gauges.
Wisest thing I ever did was buy the powder bushing adapter from precision reloading.
Let's me use mec powder bushings which are more widely available.
See the website from sw supply -Whiz White has several very good articles on his website on the care and feeding of PW loaders.
 
thegunnut said:
Hopefully there is awareness that the 800b is obsolete, and as such parts will become an issue.
I am a great fan of PW loaders, and have all gauges.
Wisest thing I ever did was buy the powder bushing adapter from precision reloading.
Let's me use mec powder bushings which are more widely available.
See the website from sw supply -Whiz White has several very good articles on his website on the care and feeding of PW loaders.
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You are right. Never even thought of that. The 800B was made 1970 to maybe 1982 then replaced by the 800 C and so on and so on
I bet parts would be hard to locate right now for a 800B
Cheers
 
3macs1 said:
You are right. Never even thought of that. The 800B was made 1970 to maybe 1982 then replaced by the 800 C and so on and so on
I bet parts would be hard to locate right now for a 800B
Cheers
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PW is still doing service/repair jobs on the 800B.

They are located not too far from where I live, and I took Dad's 800B to them for a complete overhaul just before he died. I went and picked it up a few weeks later and they presented me with the bill, complete with the listed parts that they had replaced as "worn". I talked with them a bit about reloaders; they didn't say anything about being nearly out of parts, shortage of parts, etc. Maybe they are, but they didn't say anything like "you might want to stock up on some thingamajigs while you're here".

Dad died just after the PW arrived back home; it's still sitting in the basement with his canvas cover over it. I don't even know if he got a chance to use it before he died. He never wore that PW out, but he sure spent a few decades trying to do just that. I should probably put it up for sale on the Exchange, but it is so heavy I am not sure I want to deal with the shipping issue. Maybe trot it out at the local gun show next year. Seems to be less interest in reloading for 12 gauge every year, however.
 
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