doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Slightly OT, PW 800B Loader??

Was given one of these by a couple friends who had decided to hang up their primers and buy ready mades. No instruction book and it hadn't been used for a few years so things were a little seized and
stiff and the learning curve was a little steep ( ie. a few hundred pellets and a few charges of powder hit the deck ), but I think we have it figured out and functioning. Any comments or things I should be aware of?? Thanks

First thing you might do is call their 800 number and ask them to send you a manual and catalog of accessories. Maybe the manual can be printed off the website, I don't know. One great accessory is the thingy that allows you to change bushings without taking the whole top off the loader, if that accessory is not already on your loader. Most 800B loaders were not equipped with this when first manufactured. A lot of stiffness can be eliminated by keeping the charging assembly clean, dry, and free of powder residue. Keeping the posts oiled helps also.

There's a lot of subtleties to the proper function of a PW press. More than we can go over here. If you think it's seen a lot of use, you may want to consider having them rebuild it. I have 2 PW presses and had problems with one I chased for over a yr. It was a press a group of us bought 20 yrs ago. It had been used by a friend who was heavyhanded and some things in the indexing system needed changing. Also, get a few of the plastic wad guide fingers to keep around and change it now. This little plastic part can look o.k. but give you headaches. Personally, I'd pull the top off the press and take the indexing plate off and clean it, and the gears, lube and reassemble.

Hi Terry,
I just fell into love with PWs recently. Jim Cunningham knows more about them than PW, I think. He has a booklet of tests and adjustments that goes far beyond the factory booklet. I paid PW $10 for a factory manual reprint that was so dark the pictures were very hard to see. Jim has been very helpful to me. http://www.jimsearneye.com/PWREPAIR.html
Contact him.
PS, you can also get reprints of the original manual that have clear, bright pictures. He also has new and used parts.

All I can add, is that after years of useing MECs (which I can't knock)I bought a P-W. They are the way to go! Only thing that slows me down is having to get more wads,etc.

Thank you all for the suggestions

Terry,
One thing I recently did was order all the reasonably possible shot bushings and a powder "adapter" bushing from Ballistic Products Inc. that allows you use MEC powder bushings. You'll not find the powder or shot bushings common in most stores and will likely have to order the bushings each time you need them. I'm hoping this will help my loading be more flexible timewise.

I made a MEC adapter bushing from a Hornady powder bushing that I had on hand. I have lots of MEC bushings to choose from.

I guess we wouldn't be reloading at all if we weren't concerned with price. How much does it really cost to send a PW loader up to Idaho and get them to fix it up? One of my 800B .410 loaders needs a major part and reassembly but I can probably buy a low mileage used machine for $300, so I don't want to pay that much to have my old one fixed. Anyone send one up there recently?

Bill,
You'd make out well for a good machine at $300. They're over $700 now.