Have a few presses already, inc. my favourite, a PW 375C

Managed to get a used PW 800B the other day, which has been upgraded to "C" specification
Aside from that it is stock, from what I can tell - though I think a few internals have been swapped out

Serial no. is: 13162

Will get the week out of the way and give it a try out at the weekend. I had a quick run through it the other day and it's slick as anything, so looking forward to putting it to good use.
Once I get 'er choochin, I'll need to see what parts or gizmos would make 'er chooch betterer...
I saw the nice handy new die holder assembly, which allows the removal of the die at any station; then I saw the price! Ouch.

Open to suggestions on what parts to upgrade or change, etc.
The good thing is it has the C crimp dies as I mainly reload to feed the hungry hungry pumps and autos with slug and buckshot....it does have the original "B" set with it too.
I have a good selection of powder and shot bushings with the machine, so I'll be able to add them to the sets I've built up over the years. It came with the conversion housing to allow use of the MEC bushings too, a handy extra.

As I also use 20-ga and 410 I may check out conversion sets in the future - so input on how easy it is to swap over caliber would be nice to hear from those familiar with the process.

Photos to follow, will get a few taken tomorrow in daylight. It's in really good condition considering I am the third owner that I know of - the machine having come into the UK via owner #1 who purchased it in South Africa

Take a look at the top of the primer assembly and the size of the cross plate slot for the primer assmbly. If the machine started off as a 12 gauge B, it has the wide slot, top of primer assembly will be flat across, and this will need to be changed to use the machine for sub gauge.

On the primer assembly, easy enough to mill the sides of the top of primer assembly to work with narrow slot cross plate.



On on the cross plate, can get the narrow slot insert from PW to mill the cross plate and add in the insert.



So the gist here, the 12 gauge B had a wide slot, since the wide slot worked prevent the 12 hull brass rim from being driven out of the sizer during deprime.
On the B sub gauge machine, then came factory narrow slot, since the narrow slot is sized to support even a 410 hull rim through the machine.
When the C machines came out, all of them were narrow slot with the top of primer milled to work with the narrow slot (even the 12 gauge machines).

So the C machines were all gauge changeable with just new tool set, and the upgrade to the CVT machine from the C machine, was the plastic plate at the hull insertion post (to the right of the insert in that photo), that allow you pull the plastic plate to drop the sizers out of the machine during gauge changes, without having to pull the cylinder on the older and B machines.

Also, keep in mind that when you get tool sets for the machine, will need the solid spring loaded wad ram, and not the new thread in style wad ram if you are going to use the older tool head that machine may still have.

your 375 will be a lot handier for those buck and big ball loads.

Appreciate the replies so far. Thanks!

One thing I forgot to ask/mention.
I've seen an after-market addition from P-W of the die cleaning brush, which screws into the tool-head from below. When were the 800 series tool-heads drilled and tapped for this part, as mine has no option for this to be fitted?

My 800+ has the threaded adapter. My 950 does not. I was able to fit one to it though.

Dano523 posted pics of a retrofit here https://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=484844

I use the clamp on adapter on my 800+.

https://www.reloaders.com/collections/a ... ng-bracket

The downfall to the clamp on, is that you have to find longer mops, so when the cross plates is all the way up, mop is about 1/2" out the bottom of the sizer to clean/lube the bottom sizer initial ring as well.

Thanks - a pity that the bracket is out of stock though

IF it's a bit on the short side I will see about sourcing a longer wool mop, or get someone with a lathe to turn a spacer which I can add to the standard rod/assembly - maybe one of the gizmos that allow use of UK thread mops on US thread rods would be a handy addition - and no need to buy one as I have a few to hand

Need to do more reading up on some of the options and above posts.

While I do have mates who could do the required milling, etc. to allow smaller gauge priming systems, I may pass on this and just use my machine for plain old 12-ga loads. Maybe if I find a good deal on the other gauge tooling that may be a motivator to do more to my 800B ("C")

As always - great advice and ideas from everyone, esp, @Dano523 - a man with some Jedi level Ponsness Warren knowledge...!