Was sizing some Lapua 30-06's last night as I'm in the middle of load R&D with 150 TSX's and all of a sudden my press linkage falls apart and stuff is all to hell on the floor...

One of the E clips must have broken or popped off and the pin backed out. In any case finding the E clip on the floor, or where ever it went to was hopeless so I figured I'd just hit up maintenance here at work for a replacement, no big deal.

Well to round off the evening last night I figured as long as the thing was partially apart I would take it all apart and clean it up. Over the years I've kept it lubed but never really took it apart and cleaned it. The over the years lube jobs left a build up of old oils at every joint, dust and spent primer debris was built up in all the nooks and crannies of the press...things in general were in a sad state.

Having had this press since 1982 it was more than deserving of a little extra TLC, so it got it last night. I degreased every part of it anddug all the junk out of all the hidden places and wondered why I couldn't get this area of the front part of the "O" clean. I scrubbed on it for several minutes with a rag soaked with alcohol but I just couldn't get off what I thought was dirt/grime.

Then it dawned on me it wasthe area that my lefthand rubs against when I place a shell in the shell holder/bullet in the shell.I had worn the paint down to bare metal. Sitting there with that realization my memory drifted back over the years of using this press and all the rifles I had loaded for with it. It's been an old friend through a lot of hunting, load development,plinking and semi formal silly wet shootin'......

Wilst recalling all the good times this press has provided meI began inspecting other parts, mostly to see what the age/use has doneto them. Lot's of wear, chipped paint, shined up spots....thehandle ballis worn to a polish and the "bluing" on the handle rod has been worn through under the ball. I discovered the ram is not tight" in the bore anymore so I measured both and found things had wornbetween 5 to 8 thousandths over the years despite the religous lubing. My old friend has simplyreached the end.

It's one of those things, despite being "worn out", I can't get rid of. It's just been on my benches too long. And yes it is benches not bench. I can recall at least 5 different benches it's been mounted to. I'll put it back together tonight, lube it up again,and finish doing this current load development. I'll relegate the old thing to loading pistol rounds for the .45LC and the .44 Special...but it's days as my rifle press are nearly over. It's been a good run with a good tool.

Now, where are my supply catalogs, I need to shop for a new press................