Ponsness-Warren Bargain

Another project completed. Few months back I got a PW press from Win7stw to try out and I liked it. I thought I would like to have one in 410. New press runs about 500 bucks and the die sets are around 200. Well I found an online auction and seen a press that was suppose to be 20ga. I put out my max bid(40) and thought o well maybe I will get lucky. I forgot about it. When I bid I put my credit card on file. Well last week a box showed up on my door step. Looked in side and there it was the PW press. I logged on and sure enough I won so total with shipping 80 bucks. It was pretty bad shape and wouldn’t even slide up and down. I was a little disappointed, but after looking closer it looked like 410. Bonus. So spent the week cleaning and painting, ordered the missing parts and finally completed tonight. Made the initial adjustments and she is ready to rock-n-roll for tomorrow night.

The PW 410 ready to go.

Thank you sir. Got a question about the C. I think I have a tool set with 2 or maybe 3 different era dies. I have just a rod to remove the finished shell from the sizer. My finished shell is flat with the top of the sizer and the rod puts a flare on the shell when ejected. I think I have the C pre crimp and an old version of the final crimp head. It doesn’t seem to change the taper on the shell no matter what adjustments. I have done some research to come up this this but hopefully the pictures will tell you for sure.

I found this on the web. Mine is like the one on the left, which according to this guy it’s the non taper.

Little update on the PW bargain. I ordered a new taper crimp set from PW. I got it installed and tried it out today. This new crimp set makes some pretty good looking 410. Still need to make final tweak but pretty satisfied.

On this press I wanted to use the gaep pre crimp so had to adapt it. It took some work but it can be done. It spins on a bearing so indexing isn’t required anymore. You can see the old lines on the crimper from its mec days. Then the sizing die had to be shortened to work with the gaep tool. You can see it in the picture.

Little update on the PW as I think this one is as good as it gets. Installed some clear reservoirs cause the other ones turn a nasty color and you really can’t see the level of shot or powder very easy. If you order new ones from PW you will get the powder sticker. So, I added it just in case I get confused.

The new reservoir does not have the baffle. It can be installed in the powder tube if you spread the baffle out. The glass inside is slippery so took a couple tries, then I figured out there is a ledge in the bottom of the powder tube, so I just pushed it down against that ledge. I have the factory one for the shot tube but no sure it's needed. I will test it out and report back. I am in about 350 bucks for this reloader with new taper dies and the clear res. (approx. 180), and some time, so not too bad. PW is a year behind according to their web site. I'm happy with its turn out and it makes some pretty nice 410. I have a couple more to do and a new model coming so more fun to continue.

They are way nicer then the PW plastic ones. Very well made and I will agree they make for a rock solid mount. The shot tube is bigger around then the powder. I think it makes for a very clean set up.

Couple more 375’s showed up so I will post some difference in these machines. The newer ones have a plug on the top plate to access the powder/shot bushing without removing the top plate. The older machine may not have the hole, so while I’m refurbishing them I add the hole to make life easy.

I use a hole bit that I found at harbor freight. It is 1-1 1/8. Take some careful measurements. Chuck it up in the drill press and drill out the hole. The new plug is available from PW.

One of the older machines, had a different primer deflector. It’s made out of thicker( maybe cast) aluminum. The new style is made out of stamped sheet metal( cheap) and really don’t like them. I called PW today to inquire about it and was told that the old ones were cast, but had no pin. Maybe this is from a different machine, but so far no luck with identifying it. It’s went on the 410 machine.

Not sure there is a loader out there that the drops won’t vary some with vibration of using the machine. I will check when I’m up and running. I know my mec has that problem. I usually sized and deprime and prime in a separate session if I needed to be that accurate.