Texan press back in use

[Frank Srebro]

Here are some pics of a 1960’s Texan M-11 progressive press that’s now back in use. Member Harry G found and advertised it here on the forum and I picked it up for a good price while at Hausmann’s. Thanks again Harry. It’s a heavy duty press made with Timken roller bearings and convertible from 12 to 20-gauge. The 20g parts came with it. I finally had some time to study its operation as designed to load period felt wadding and bare shot, and to make some improvements for modern plastic shotcups. First was to adapt a deprime punch from a MEC 9000 to flare the front end of hulls to facilitate loading shotcups. Also made a bushing on the lathe to increase the diameter of the first stage wad ram to better position the shotcups when starting them into the wad guide. I found a complete set of Texan shot and powder bushings on-line; and for the powder bushings I did a volume conversion spreadsheet from MEC numbers to Texan letters to “get in the ballpark” before weighing the powder drops. That’s because the old Texan powder bushing chart references long obsolete powders. The shot bushings range from 3/4 to 1-3/4 ounce of lead shot and the larger ones will be useful for heavier loads of bare bismuth than I can get into plastic shotcups in my 9000.

The Texan isn’t as fast as the 12-gauge MEC 9000 progressive for my volume practice loads but it’s much faster than using a single-stage press for specialty loads in either paper or plastic hulls. Neat thing about the Texan is that I can load mixed Remington and Winchester HS hulls and get great crimps, something I can’t do with my 9000 without having to fiddle with many adjustments for one maker hull and then revert them for the other brand hull. Next step is to set it up permanently on the press bench for the load I regularly use in my vintage 12-gauge double-guns. That will keep me from switching the 9000 back and forth.

.

[Stan Hillis]

Nice looking press. My first shotshell reloader was a single stage Texan. Never could understand why MEC put them out of business, if indeed that's why they "closed up shop". I loaded thousands of shells on that old black Texan.

Thanks for the pics Frank, I'd never seen a Texan progressive.

[CraigThompson]

That thing looks like it may have been the predecessor to the PW 600 .

[cory leist]

That's a great looking press. Congrats on getting it back into operation.

[Dean Romig]

That thing looks like it may have been the predecessor to the PW 600 .


it sure looks like it was as well made!!





.

[Mike Koneski]

I loaded thousands of shells on that old black Texan.

You can't say that! That's raaaaaacist!! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!:rotf::rotf::corn:

[charlie cleveland]

that's some fine looking crimps....charlie

[William Davis]

Did I read somewhere Texan bushings are the same as something else ?

William

[Frank Srebro]

Did I read somewhere Texan bushings are the same as something else ?

William

I've read that Texan bushings are very similar to vintage Lyman press bushings. Also see that someone is selling polymer "anti static" bushings for Texans on E Bay but I don't know anything about them beyond that. My bushing sets are genuine Texans made from aluminum.

[Timothy Tietz]

Texan powder bushings about .800", about same size as Mec bushing flange. I sleeve them in a 12 gauge hull body. Shot bushing .875, or same size as Pacific type powder bushing. Can drill/ream to approximate shot volume.

[Timothy Tietz]

118192

118193Hope this works

[Timothy Tietz]

sorta worked. Texan letter to approximate Mec bushings.Will try to post Mec sizes. New to site.

[William Davis]

I have made custom PW bushings out of “DELRIN” rods it’s a plastic product sold in many sizes and shapes. Turns or mills very well. Idea was use Delrin to prototype then turn final from Aluminum. Delrin bushing worked well no need to make another out of Aluminum. If you want to do the same make sure the rods are real Delrin, marked on the rod. Plastics have lots of variety not all machine well.

However it’s often easier to buy lighter change bushings used-off eBay & ream out to desired size. Sleeving another good option. Sleeves to mount MEC bushings in PW presses are available, use them as examples to sleeve another brand

William

[Frank Srebro]

Sleeves are practical for using MEC powder bushings in a Texan press and so are custom bushings turned/drilled/reamed from Delrin or aluminum. Me, it's easier to use the proper Texan bushing for a certain powder throw or to modify a smaller one that's not likely to be used, on the lathe.

[Keith Doty]

I've purchased and used some of the 3D printed ones for my Pacific/Hornady presses, worked just fine. I DID check the weight thrown on a good powder scale. Found them to be spot on. No static issues at all.