I just bought what appears to be an old RCBS "A" press. It uses the long shell holders ie about 3" long. I was wondering where these very good presses?? Also it has a pin that attaches the shell holder to the piston ram, is there anything special to removing this, or do you just hit it with a punch to remove it.

You can get a detachable head ram insert for your A press, making it more convenient. I have that on most of mine. You could cut down a regular C type ram easily enough.

I have at least a dozen of those old shellholder inserts, but they serve as museum utility only now.

At one time RCBS would recut old shellholders to accept the new shellholder head for a few dollars, but I suppose that service has gone the way of the bullet swages the A presses were made for. Look to see if the lower pivot has the early rotating pivot pin. It allowed the user to convert the press to a short stroke for swaging bullets.

I have presses marked "A", "A-2", "2-A" and "A-4". I'm still looking for an "A-3".

Be sure to get any new top bushings from either RCBS or Huntington's. You can have one fabricated locally, but the cost of the double-start thread will run the price up.

Cheers from Darkest California,

Ross

You should give RCBS a call. They have great customer service. If you have to replace a part they send it to you free.