What are these things?

[stocker1042]

I got a bunch of these in a load of parts the other day. They are new, but have some surface rust. I know they look to be part of a press but I have no idea which one.

Any help? Value?

[44Vaquero]

You are kidding right?

They are reloading press rams. If each one fits a different shell case head they are from old presses like a Pacific, Herters or lyman. At one point in the past the entire Ram was swapped out between calibers.

The small dies a Lyman 310's for the hand tongs or the True-line Jr. press.

[stocker1042]

I kinda knew they were rams, but didn't know which one. They accept shellholders. In addition, they have set screws in them...which I have never seen before in a press ram.

[44Vaquero]

LOL! I hoped you did!

Pressman may be able to help you figure out what they belong to. Diameter, length and shape of slot will be the key. It may be tough, I think lost of old presses used similar sized and lengths.

[leadman]

I had an old Lyman Turret press that had a set screw in the ram to hold the shellholder in place.

[fguffey]

The name of the manufacturer should be stamped into the top of the ram. Most of my integral rams are stamped RCBS. When trying to determine when the deck height of a shell holder became .125" I decided it was after Pacific made their rams. The Pacific rams I have are off by as much as .008"

F. Guffey

[Pressman]

The ram's are standard. Pacific set the standard in 1931. Just who made them will be tough to find out. While the basic dimensions are the same the way the bottom was machined can be different. This in no way effects function.
Most were never stamped with the makers name. And many more are not marked for caliber.
Some used a set screw to hold the shellholder (if using the RCBS shellholder) while others used a spring. Of these there are two types, the spring curls around the ram in a groove with a hole through the ram for a short projection of the spring. The other is similar with the spring being rotated around the ram with a tiny handle on the spring.

All presses following the Pacific design used this ram until 1955/56 then switched to the RCBS shellholder on the same ram. RCBS designed the current shell holder in 1955 and never patented the design. It proved to be one of the greatest improvements since the Pacific press.

It is interesting to note that the early RCBS shellholders for the A and earlier presses was the same diameter as the Pacific, only just 3.5 inches long as it attached to the end of the main ram.
Ken

[stocker1042]

The length on the rams are 4 7/8" long. Does that help at all?

[Floydster]

C/H also used these dedicated rams in the single stage presses.

[fguffey]

Most were never stamped with the makers name.
Ken

All of my rams are stamped.

F. Guffey

[EDG]

Bair presses used rams that interchanged with Pacific. The RCBS Junior uses a similar ram.

[Rory McCanuck]

The length on the rams are 4 7/8" long. Does that help at all?

Just measured the ram on my old Pacific, it's also 4 7/8" and uses a set screw to retain the shellholder.

[stocker1042]

I guess that settles it then.

[higgins]

Without taking it out of the press for a more exact measurement, the ram in my old Lyman Spartan is about 4 7/8", has the pin through the lower end, and the shellholder is held in place with a set screw (which needs constant tightening!).

[Rory McCanuck]

I measured my CH Champion as well, 4 7/8" also, but has the groove for a spring to hold in the shellholder.
Stamped RCBS at the bottom end, too.

[762 shooter]

Without taking it out of the press for a more exact measurement, the ram in my old Lyman Spartan is about 4 7/8", has the pin through the lower end, and the shellholder is held in place with a set screw (which needs constant tightening!).

+1

762

[Pressman]

What all of you are finding out by measuring your rams is all presses use the same ram, they are completely interchangeable. Exceptions are the big RCBS A series and Rockchucker presses along with some new models from Hornaday. Everyone else uses the ram invented by Pacific in 1930.
Ken

[GOPHER SLAYER]

Some people prefer this design because it eliminates the lack of uniformity in all the shell holders made by different manufacturers, or at least they used to. Many shooters that reload today don't know presses were ever equipped with these single case size rams. My first press was a Pacific I bought used in1959 and it was equipped with this type of ram so I bought a new ram that used replaceable shell holders. I still have that press but I don't use it. Sentimental attachment I guess.