What’s the oldest piece of reloading equipment you regularly use?

[Wheres-Waldo]

Just out of curiosity...

RCBS RS (Jr) press from 1984. Got it in 12th grade, the day I started reloading, from the guy that taught me the basics.

Every reload I’ve ever produced has been made on it. 16 years I’ve been using it.

Whuddaya got?

 

[Mainer]

I got a RCBS Rockchucker press, Ohaus 1010 scale, set of RCBS FL 308 dies and Uniflow powder measure in the late 60's. All still in use.

 

[lash]

 

[Sean the Nailer]

Lyman Spartan Turret press, from the 60's
C-H Auto Champion Inline progressive press, I can't remember the age of it.
10/10 scale, it too is old.

Numerous other things, and they ALL work beautifully/perfectly. Especially for my low-speed/high-drag self.

 

[isofahunter]

@lash do you know year? My dad bought his in late 40's

 

[lash]

@lash do you know year? My dad bought his in late 40's
View attachment 7280768

I do not. I inherited it almost 40 years ago from a great man long since passed. It has produced tens of thousands of rounds of all sorts of ammo for me. I expect it will do the same for a grandson someday.

 

[never_summer]

Herters super model 3 is what I do all my reloading on

 

[lash]

By the way @isofahunter, it’s good to see that I am not alone in having a messy garage with no real dedicated reloading space.

 

[never_summer]

By the way @isofahunter, it’s good to see that I am not alone in having a messy garage with no real dedicated reloading space.

mines on a rolling tool cabinet. Roll it into the living room and watch tv as I reload in this Texas heat

 

[isofahunter]

I do not. I inherited it almost 40 years ago from a great man long since passed. It has produced tens of thousands of rounds of all sorts of ammo for me. I expect it will do the same for a grandson someday.

My dad used it until his death in 2012 and then I became caretaker and someday my son will take my place. They are great presses.

 

[supercorndogs]

I have a set of Bonanza 280 Remington dies, I suspect them or my rock chucker for 74 is the oldest.

 

[isofahunter]

Mine is mounted on the old kitchen island we had, put casters on it so I can roll around the garage.

 

[isofahunter]

mines on a rolling tool cabinet. Roll it into the living room and watch tv as I reload in this Texas heat

You are right, I schedule my reloading Jan to April, or I'd melt. West of you down I10 a peice.

 

[DanGroves]

I still use a Belding & Mull powder measure. Look that up...

 

[MarinePMI]

I still use a Belding & Mull powder measure. Look that up...

Got three of those, two with the vernier measure drop tubes. Great powder measures.

Hard to believe they're (literally) antiques now!

 

[lightman]

My oldest tool is probably my Herters beam scale that my Grandfather bought in the late 60's. I think Redding probably made it. I load using a Chargemaster but the old Herters keeps it honest.

I've upgraded most all of the Herters stuff that we started with but the scale. I may have a set to Lyman dies from that time period too.

 

[MotorOilMcCall]

Why, of course, the finest piece of equipment I own. My Lee Safety Beam Scale!

 

[never_summer]

My oldest tool is probably my Herters beam scale that my Grandfather bought in the late 60's. I think Redding probably made it. I load using a Chargemaster but the old Herters keeps it honest.

Is it an old Herters model 5?

 

[whitetailnut]

I got a Dunbar 200 press I use to seat bullets. Don't really know how old it is.

 

[Ryridesmotox]

Why, of course, the finest piece of equipment I own. My Lee Safety Beam Scale!

I nearly spit my coffee onto my phone

 

[m1match]

I'm still using my RCBS Jr. single stage from about 1981, and the Dillon 550B that I load my .45 ACP, 308, and 6.5 CM on dates to about 1994.

 

[ashworth]

I still use a Belding & Mull powder measure. Look that up...

I have two Belding and Mull complete with boxes. First one was $49, which was a lot back in 1965. First purchase came with a simple brass tube. Second was bought used years later that came with the new adjustable tube and an extra large tube for loading my 264 mag . The 1960’s 1010 scale is still being used to check the RCBS Chargemaster. Started w/ a Lee hand press / bathroom scale to load 12ga with Herter wads to sell to uncle (duck nut). His money bought my gear to load for my 22-250. After talking to some guy named Mike Dillon on the phone around 1983 and my old RCBS presses were too slow for pistol so, I took Mike up on his offer and I purchased his new RL450. I’ve updated it early on and is still being used for only 45 Colt. Lots of old gear from the early sixties on still working fine and so are the 450 to a 550, newer 550, SL900 and the two 1050s. Buy once cry once.

 

[lightman]

Is it an old Herters model 5?

Yes it is!

 

[Pvt. Joker]

My dad's ( may God bless his soul ) late 1950s- early 1960s Lyman Spartan 6 die turret press. I saw him use it all the time as a kid. I'll be 65 in May.
I used it for all my reloading work when I started in the early 1980s.
After buying two Dillon 550BS later on I set them up for .233 and .308. The Lyman was then retired again and went into a plastic bag covered with oil and greased to prevent rust.
I got involved in HP match shooting with ARs then M14s in the early 1990s, that's when old reliable gained a place back on the bench. I use it for SB sizing my .308 LC brass for the M14s and the M40 I recently put together. I never was satisfied with the powder drop of the Dillons. Ball power stays pretty consistent, stick powder like IMR 4895 and 4064 no way.
So all the .223 still gets the Dillon treatment, .308 gets sized and decapped on the ole Lyman and then trimmed, etc. on an RCBS machine if needed. I hand prime each .308 round.
I hand trickle each round of .308 and load the bullet in the .308 Dillon.
I still have a few of dads data books, powder scoops, his old beam scale, handheld pocket primer tools, brass stands made of drilled nicely finished plywood of various ammo sizes, boatloads of early 1960s loading books.
You should to see some of those guys in the HP competion books, white collared shirts, flattop haircuts and Buddy Holly glasses, the ones we called BC's (birth control) in the army. You older vets know what I'm talking about ! LOL !
My son will carry on the tradition , he'll be well setup for it.

Sorry for the rant, I get a bit long winded in my older age.

 

[mark5pt56]

Lyman Spartan single stage. I'm guessing 40-50 years old? It works and is tight. I remember when I tried finding a primer catcher and call Lyman, the lady said we haven't made that press in 40 years! I've had it about 5, traded 50 rounds of OOB for it.

 

[RRG]

Lyman Spartan Turret press, from the 60's
C-H Auto Champion Inline progressive press, I can't remember the age of it.
10/10 scale, it too is old.

Numerous other things, and they ALL work beautifully/perfectly. Especially for my low-speed/high-drag self.

That made me laugh out loud!

 

[Pvt. Joker]

Lyman Spartan single stage. I'm guessing 40-50 years old? It works and is tight. I remember when I tried finding a primer catcher and call Lyman, the lady said we haven't made that press in 40 years! I've had it about 5, traded 50 rounds of OOB for it.

The 6 stage Lyman Spartan I have never had a spent primer catch that I remember as a kid watching dad reload. When I used it years later I ended up putting a small plastic trash can under it as when the primer slid down the groove in the piston 90% of the time it hit the can, the others deflected onto the floor.
I still use a trash can.

 

[mark5pt56]

Yeah, I cut a plastic bottle to fit and a couple strips of duct tape. I did have a plastic tote underneath for a while. When I did call Lyman, the lady said they sold all of the parts to that model to a guy in Kansas. Called him and he told me he would be rich if he was given $5 for every time someone called asking for a primer catcher for it. He did have them at one time but sold out, told me they didn't work for shit anyhow.

 

[mojavejim]

My Cabelas dry tumbler, out lived many RCBS tumblers. Tracked down another last year, hopefully it lasts as long as the other (15+ years).
Made by Berry's bullets BTW

 

[chevy_man]

Pacific tool and die press. Has Hornady branding, but Pacific cast into the frame. Built some 6.5 Creed this afternoon, and the primer catch misses 90% of the spent primers.

Still have the Dillon 450 setup with 223 dies, used it today to crank out some varmint loads.

 

[Mainer]

Pacific tool and die press. Has Hornady branding, but Pacific cast into the frame. Built some 6.5 Creed this afternoon, and the primer catch misses 90% of the spent primers.

Still have the Dillon 450 setup with 223 dies, used it today to crank out some varmint loads.

I also have a Dillon 450. I use it for all my pistol loads, 38\357, 9MM, 357SIG, 40S&W, 45ACP, 45LC . I have loaded enough ammo on that thing to fill a dump truck.

 

[lash]

My Cabelas dry tumbler, out lived many RCBS tumblers. Tracked down another last year, hopefully it lasts as long as the other (15+ years).
Made by Berry's bullets BTW

I have one of these too. Bought it when I had a Cabelas gift card and it was on sale. That thing is an absolute workhorse.

 

[Milo 2.5]

Cool stuff guys! I have older equipment, the only older things I use still are my first Redding comp seaters and Redding Competition 10X pistol powder measure, talking mid 90's at best.

 

[SnowMan]

Dillon 550. Got it in the mid 80's still going.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Bullet mold from about 1860...

For Snider Enfield.

Sirhr

 

[502Chevelle]

I also have a Pacific/Hornady single stage, but it is from 1983, not nearly as old as some of the stuff here. Still works good. Used it today to load some 22 Grendel (which isn’t shooting up to my expectations).

 

[locutus]

Lyman-Ohaus 1005 balance beam from mid 60s.

Lyman 310 :"tong tool" also from the 60s.

 

[Mag 300]

RCBS Rockchucker 1978

 

[Shoots 700's]

My parents bought me an RCBS starter kit when I was 14. I still use the pieces in that kit today, 40 years later.

 

[Mag 300]

40 years ago RCBS was the only reloader other than lee

 

[fxdrider]

My Dillon RL550B. Bought it in April 1995. 25 years ago. Still going strong. I load 9mm, .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .45 ACP, .45 Colt, .223, .30 Carbine, .30-30, .308 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, and 8mm Mauser on it. Had a Lee Progressive before that. It work okay, but I was always fiddling with adjustments on the Lee. With the Dillon, once you get it set up for a load - it stays set until you change it. Don't regret that purchase one little bit.

 

[Driftr76]

Got three of those, two with the vernier measure drop tubes. Great powder measures.

Hard to believe they're (literally) antiques now!

Same here.

 

[Driftr76]

I also have a Pacific/Hornady single stage, but it is from 1983, not nearly as old as some of the stuff here. Still works good. Used it today to load some 22 Grendel (which isn’t shooting up to my expectations).

Like this one? Besides for the pivot pin walking out of the handle after about 25 cycles, mine works good enough for my shooting ability. A buddy of mine upgraded his stuff, and gave me the Pacific.

 

[truck1]

RCBS jr. , first press bought in 1975 now used for setting primers only. 2 RCBS Rockchuckers from early 80's set up in tandem on the bench. Ohaus 505 beam scales from the same era. It is slow, but accurate and repeatable. Redding powder trickler from the same era. It's therapy for me being an old fashioed kind of guy.

 

[Old_Longhair]

The oldest equipment that I still regularly use is my Bonanza Coax that I bought new in '77. I have a lot of older stuff that I still use, but not on a regular basis.

 

[pilotjoe]

The oldest item I still use is my beam scale. it's the first and only one I bought, going back to probably 1976 or so. The brand is "Texas". I got it as part of a starter kit that I bought. I still have the "Texas" press too, but it's not even mounted to the bench anymore.

I also have an RCBS powder measure and bench-top priming tool that I've had for a long time. Everything else has been replaced with something newer at one point or another.

 

[sierracharlie338]

Inherited my grandfathers rock chucker when he passed. It’s a 60s model I believe. Use it for various tasks on a regular basis. Have several smaller tools and such that are just as old. Bullets casting stuff etc.

 

[texastonk]

I have my fathers Rock chucker from the early 70's along with the powder dump and beam scale. Have a few dies form the late 70's and early 80's. A complete Lee powder scoop set form the 70's., though I have never used it. Ive loaded thousands of rounds on that RC my father loaded 10's of thousands on it. Still going strong making great ammo.

 

[sandwarrior]

Ideal No. 4 circa 1914. We used that for the .32-20, the 25-20 the .22 Hornet, and the johnny-come-lately the .218 Bee.