equipment for loading the 1876 cartridges

[pinto beans]

Greetings All,

Been a while from my last posting what with life happing.  With nasty winter causing lots of time to be available to read and think on things got to wondering about reloading tools and the 1876 cartridges.  I know some folks use original hand reloading tools from the era and it is always a treat to read about loading with them.  What about the other method most all of use, that of press and dies?  Like the majority of folks I use modern dies, in my case RCBS legacy, to load the 45-75.  What is a little bit of vintage is my press.  The old Lyman Spartan has been in my family from the day my Father bought it brand new from the old Gander Mountain mail order service.  I will post a close up of the old press that is still going along today with no signs of slowing down.  Set up to prime two ways with the Lee Primer II system that goes in the standard die hole and the original Lyman primer feed system, it offers a good bit of versatility.  The original system from Lyman seen in the pic is the version that will work on the Spartan and the turret model called the Spar-T.  There is another version for the Spartan only but this one was at a gun show we went to when I was a kid and Dad added it to the press.  Over the many years the old press has been in service I have had very little problems with it, as a press has one or two more moving parts than an anvil!!  Today it is the only press I have, for no other reason than I never used others with this one being on the bench.  It has its short comings, lack of leverage that new presses have, lack of support from OEM, older C press shape/design, etc.  While it ain't perfect by any means, I enjoy it and like the older era it comes from (just like me!!) it is un-complicated. Loading the 45-75 is very easy and the case fits the press in what I think is a good match.  We all got to squeeze the brass with something, what do you use to mount your dies in?!

[Coffinmaker]

  Pinto Beans

Are you sure??  I think I have seen Anvils with as many if not more moving parts 

I think it's great to see perfectly serviceable tools being maintained and used.

[Bullshooter!]

Not ancient but I use an RCBS Rock Chucker 2 that I bought new many years ago.

I sometimes think about upgrading, but then wonder why.