An interesting reloading press

[JCHannum]

As a part of the continuing saga of my forming 219 Zipper from 30-30 cases, I only had a Lee press, and felt it was straining to resize the cases. I was considering building a stouter press for teh purpose.

I went to a gun show today and brought this press home;

http://i320.photobucket.com/albums/nn351/jchannum/P1060624.jpg

http://i320.photobucket.com/albums/nn351/jchannum/P1060626.jpg

It is a Big Giant Reloading Press made by AA Easton. These were made during the late 40's and 50's, and are a pretty stout appearing press. Easton also made dies and other reloading accessories, and a cast body press that followed this one. That was the Easton Super Press.

The presss itself is simple enough, and would be easy to duplicate in the shop. The uprights are 3/4" square and the cross bar is 1" X 1-1/4". It accepts standard 7/8-14 dies, but requires it's own shell holders. If making from scratch, it would not be too difficult to adapt it to standard shell holders.

About a year ago, I saw a similar press, scaled up to 50 BMG size. Food for thought.

[Skunkeye]

Looks like it compresses on the upstroke...that's different. Nice find.

[andy_b]

Looks like it compresses on the upstroke...that's different. Nice find.

i was thinking that too at first, but i think JC just let the operating handle flop down. if you lift it ALL the way up, i think the linkages will fold back into the frame and it should work on the downstroke, like a normal press. the press does look like it would be easy to build for a HSM.

andy b.

[JCHannum]

It does work on the upstroke. There is a flat bar on the rear of the press that holds the primer feed. This could be moved to the front, or done away with (I prime cases with a hand tool), and the linkage massaged to provide downstroke if that is your preference.

The basic frame and simple construction is what attracted me. The price helped too, as it was probably very close to what materials alone would have cost.

[Highpower]

That is one tough looking press, but (based on my own experience) I think you will find that is has one annoying drawback if you intend to seat your bullets using that press . That dreaded angled ram.... :mad:

You will need to place your projectile in the case neck and hold it there while guiding the cartridge well up into the die before you can let go of it. If you don't - 1) the bullet will fall out before it reaches the die opening, and 2) depending on how much slop your shell holder has, the case mouth will catch the edge of the die and crumple the case neck. :(

Years ago I bought an early model Redding T-7 press and installed a couple sets of competition dies. (.223 and .308) This press has the same type of angled ram, and has been nothing short of a pain in the posterior to use. Of course not long after I bought my press, Redding suddenly had a change of heart and started producing them with a vertical ram. :mad:

After adding a few more subtle refinements...
http://www.redding-reloading.com/pages/t7turretpress.html
Go figure....

[JCHannum]

The angle of the press is not as great as some are, and it is easily enough changed should it prove to be a problem.

I installed it last night and tried resizing a few more cases. As I suspected, it is much stouter than the Lee, and I am able to eliminate one partial draw and annealing step.

[CLARKMAG]

http://www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/view/mb/file?username=6mmbr&id=526899

A year ago, my brother got this press for $20 at a gun show.
I thought it was a one off custom press, but after reading this thread, I am re thinking that.

[JCHannum]

That press resembles the Big Giant, but it is probably a custom built. It may have been influenced by one, but differs in several respects. It is wider, the action is reversed and the shell holder is different.

It is still a good stout press. I can see things that I would do differently if I were to build one, but they are so minor, it is not worth the exercise.

[38_Cal]

It's just what's needed to reload your 297-230 Morris Short! http://tinyurl.com/cbrwb9

David
Montezuma, IA