cap & ball cylinder press

[Patrick Henry Brown]

Yeah, I actually emailed him and then sent an additional amount to cover the newest model as well. Looking forward to getting it.

[Pappy Myles]

The 1st and only press I bought was DD tower of power.  I use is with my Ruger old Army's 7 1/2 barrel.   Though I'm a novice at black powder pistol shooting, I like mine very much.  I esp like the hight of mine. gives me plenty of work room while I'm powdering.  The plunger tip can be screwed out some for compression of light charges.  I'm looking at attaching it to a "platform" of "some" design (yet to be designed) that will fit on my guncart and hold both powder jar and bullet/ball.
The leverage on the handle doesnt take much force to seat and always lines up.   
Very good product if you ask me.

[PJ Hardtack]

Unbelievable!   

We choose to shoot C&B guns dating from the 1850s and '60s and we need 'high tech' gadgets to reload them ? .... ;>)
While I appreciate good design and workmanship, there is something about the concept that doesn't register. The only one that I wouldn't be embarrassed to show up with at a CAS match would be the wooden model.
I quickly learned that dismounting the cylinders fom my Walker, 3rd Model Dragoon, '60 Army and '51 Navys to reload was counterproductive to my enjoyment of them. I made up a fixed wooden stand for the Walker and Dragoon and a neat folding one for the other guns. With minor modification, it was adapted to my '63 Remingtons.

One of the reasons I like shooting C&B once in a while is that I appreciate the archaic nature of the type. What can go wrong will go wrong, especially when you least need it to go off the rails. That's part of the charm. I met up with a bunch of Montana Red Necks once who shot only C&B. I asked why and they told me - "It's real 'Cowboy'. Let the gamers chase after their own tails; we shoot amongst ourselves for fun."

You pays you money - you takes you choice

[Mako]

Unbelievable!   

We choose to shoot C&B guns dating from the 1850s and '60s and we need 'high tech' gadgets to reload them ? .... ;>)
While I appreciate good design and workmanship, there is something about the concept that doesn't register. The only one that I wouldn't be embarrassed to show up with at a CAS match would be the wooden model.
I quickly learned that dismounting the cylinders fom my Walker, 3rd Model Dragoon, '60 Army and '51 Navys to reload was counterproductive to my enjoyment of them. I made up a fixed wooden stand for the Walker and Dragoon and a neat folding one for the other guns. With minor modification, it was adapted to my '63 Remingtons.

One of the reasons I like shooting C&B once in a while is that I appreciate the archaic nature of the type. What can go wrong will go wrong, especially when you least need it to go off the rails. That's part of the charm. I met up with a bunch of Montana Red Necks once who shot only C&B. I asked why and they told me - "It's real 'Cowboy'. Let the gamers chase after their own tails; we shoot amongst ourselves for fun."

You pays you money - you takes you choice

HORRORS!!!!!

You use a non-authentic wooden stand to reload your revolvers?  Say it ain't SO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hardtack, the reason people use cylinder loaders in CAS shooting is to make it more enjoyable.  150 years ago you didn't shoot 60 to 80 rounds in a few hours at bad guys two or three times a week.  I can pretty much guarantee you they didn't have the attitude of, 

What can go wrong will go wrong, especially when you least need it to go off the rails. That's part of the charm.

They cursed weapons when they didn't go bang.  It's not about gaming,  it's about having the time to enjoy the stages, keeping the pistols functioning and being the least bit competitive all at once.

Just my opinion, one man's wooden loading stand is another man's 6 pound cylinder loader....

Have a great day Hardtack, I just had to give you a hard time.

Regards,
Mako

[PJ Hardtack]

I hear ya, Mako, but I think ya get my drift .... Just seems incongruous, is all. No worse than spittin' out wimp loads from a .45 Colt at a CAS match or even from a C&B with half the chamber filled with cornmeal. ;>)

[Mako]

I hear ya, Mako, but I think ya get my drift .... Just seems incongruous, is all. No worse than spittin' out wimp loads from a .45 Colt at a CAS match or even from a C&B with half the chamber filled with cornmeal. ;>)

Hardtack,
I load 30gr of FFFg behind a Ø.454 ball with a lubed wad in-between.  That's not a wimpy load, in fact it is higher than what the average paper cartridge load of the War Between the States was.  It is the original martial bad guy thump'n load.  Not everyone who uses loaders are gamers.

I don't think you'd call me a gamer using a pair of 1860s gunfighter style with a '66 rifle or carbine shooting 200 grain .44 bullets on top of as much FFFg or FFg I can get in a case and Colt's pattern hammer double gun now shooting 1 1/4 ounces of shot and Fg powder for the fire and smoke.  Technically I am competing in the Gunfighter classification against all of those rascals shooting Rugers with .38 spl mouse loads, slicked up '73s with those same mouse loads and a pumpgun shooting those Win Low Recoil/Low Report shells (less than an ounce).

I use my press to make me the least bit competitive in the class of my choice and help me keep my pistols purring.  It helps me manage my time and serve all the duties of a posse as well.  I get my small victories when I wax some young shooter hosing down the countryside with "suppressive" fire on a stage.  Their three misses and 15 seconds of penalties  are beat by my clean stage and it urks them no end when the rest of the posse points it out.  So then they get wilder on the next stage and so on until they realize they had better slow down or they will be outscored in the overall match.  I live for those victories.  If that is being a gamer, so be it...

My loader really isn't anymore imposing than your wooden loading stand, it's lightweight and allows me controlled recharging and inspection time for my pistols:

http://i627.photobucket.com/albums/tt358/Mako_CAS/Cylinder%20Loaders/Mako3.jpg

I have had several loaders, the problem is when they begin to resemble my Dillon XL-650 I think they might be a bit too large for my range box.  I don't begrudge anyone who uses the holy black for their Cowboy Shootn'  anything to help them out and make it easier for them.  I wish there were more. They could just buy their .38 spl loads and Win Ultra Lights at Walmart and not go to the "trouble" of shooting BP.  I have friends that do that.  I'm just glad they shoot as well, but I'm trying to win them over.  

Regards,
Mako

[Bushrod]

boys,boys, boys, no don't go gettting your panties in a bunch.
Regards,Bushrod

[Mako]

boys,boys, boys, no don't go gettting your panties in a bunch.
Regards,Bushrod

Let me be eloquent... HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?

[PJ Hardtack]

Mako

You are obviously not in the group I was referring to. You make a very strong case for yourself and your cylinder loader. I'd love to see you perform as you describe. Spread the word! This might catch on and change the nature of the sport back to 'Cowboy'.

Bushrod - I think the era correct expression yer lookin' fer is:  "Don't git yer knickers in a knot."  "... panties in a bunch ..." would be modern Drugstore Cowgirl ;>)

[TwoWalks Baldridge]

Hardtack,

I use my press to make me the least bit competitive in the class of my choice and help me keep my pistols purring.  It helps me manage my time and serve all the duties of a posse as well. 
Regards,
Mako

Well said Mako, I feel the same way, I just could not have said it as well. 

[Patrick Henry Brown]

I'll add my $0.02 worth as well. As a former N-SSA shooter, where we shot breakable targets offhand at 50 & 25 yds with these revolvers, we found that best accuracy resulted from using a slightly reduced load with corn meal filler and bullets seated at a uniform depth in the chambers. You can only get uniform depth using a loading press. WHile I realize that CAS doesn't demand the same standards of accuracy, I'll offer no apologies for using the most accurate loads and means of obtaining such in either my SASS or NCOWS matches. Believe me, I induce enough margin of error into the equation without my loads or loading procedures joining in. For my money, it isn't any different than the folks that measure each powder charge on a scale and check OAL on each cartridge they load. It's not about being a "gamer". I might remind everyone that the Army reduced the loads in 45 Colt so that soldiers could be more accurate and proficient with them. It is also why the Springfield Trapdoor Carbine powder charge was made lighter than the rifle loading.

[cpt dan blodgett]

Used my Powder Inc. press a couple of weeks ago for the first time.  Works great but...   I failed to include the allen wrench in my range gear.  The bar worked loose and slid down on top of the cylinder.  Kinda a pain.  Tightening the set screw tighter may have eliminated the problem.  Will keep the allen wrench as part of the range gear.

Set the press up with the small cylinder bushing for 58 remmies.  Had no problem loading a cylinder of my 1860 army.  Just use a little care when locating the chamber under the ram.

[rickk]

The Allen screw working loose on the Powder, Inc loader is a definite flaw. No amount of tightening it or Locktite seems to work.

A MIG welder however does fix it.

[Dick Dastardly]

The Tower of Power is welded.  Nothing to work loose.

DD-DLoS

[Paladin UK]

Fer Capt. Dan.

Regardin yer Powder, Inc loader

I put a thin brass washer at the base of the bar, a reeeeeel  good tighten and it hasn't come loose since!!
........ Worked for me!!

Paladin (What hopes he`s helped  ) UK

[cpt dan blodgett]

The Allen screw working loose on the Powder, Inc loader is a definite flaw. No amount of tightening it or Locktite seems to work.

A MIG welder however does fix it.

Wonder if figuring out where I want the bar and a bit of a socket drilled for the screw in the drill rod shaft would work