Home Forums Reloading Shotshells Pacific 366 Shotshell press

Does anyone use one? I have a chance to buy a used one for $250 that is currently in use and appears to be in good condition. As always, thanks.

Got a friend who loves his. Only person I personally know using one. Other reports I've read are good. My experience starts and ends with MEC. Got a few and like each.

Watch on line sales for real value. Check for availability of replacement parts. I believe Hornady now owns Pacific. Don't know if they are continuing support of older models.

Good Luck

For $250.00 you better buy it. The Hornady 366's are built like tanks, you just can't wear it out.

I am using 366's in 12-20-and 28 gauge and would not consider using another reloading machine and I have 4 MEC's in storage.

Parts are readily available from Hornady and I suggest you obtain an operation manual along with the mounting legs to raise the machine off the bench so your loaded rounds fall in a catcher box.

Doc

Thanks for the input. Hornaday does own the Pacific brand and presses and parts are available. FWIW Hornaday has suspended production for the time being but plans to resume production sometime in 2014. Doc, I agree with you that the 366 appears to be very well made. I too have a MEC, and while it does work I have never been happy with the overall quality. My machine won't be available till March, but once I have it up and running I will post the results. IF there are other 366 users out there I would enjoy hearing from you. As always, Thanks

Currently down to one, 366 - 12ga - which I am 'resurrecting'. Used to have 5 of them - 2, 12ga, a 20, 28 and 410. When I moved back to Wisconsin, I sold all but one 366 and went the MEC Grabber/9000 route. (I'm 10 min from Mayville so parts and service are really close at hand).

Recently decided to bring back to life the one remaining 12ga 366 that I have. Probably use it for a dedicated 1oz machine with AA hulls. Parts availability has somewhat dried up - even direct from Hornady, probably due to Hornady suspending production. Was able to get most of the 'misplaced parts" from Hornady, but lack the primer drop tube has held me back. doc_encore seemed to think he might have an extra. Others have offered to forward the dimensions of the tube, so I can source material from a metal supplier.

The one thing that is kicking my a$$ on the 366 is the shell ejection. The machine I have is a later model. For the life of me, I cannot seem to get shells to eject consistently. I've played with the plate tension and spring position, but have yet to come up with the right 'combo' of spring setting and plate tension. Loaded shells seem to want to ride up over the lip on the platen and not slide towards the discharge hole. I don't remember ejection being an issue with the 366s when I used them almost daily in TX. I'll keep trying . . . . .

I am a MEC guy but 366 presses are really good and for $250, would be hard to pass up.

If you buy the 366 but don't really want or need it....contact me.

Doc

^^^ Truth

The more and more I think of it, I'd buy all the 366s @ $250 I could find. Then sit on them until the sub-guage conversions became available again and I could replace my Grabbers and 9000s. The 366 is a stout machine, and while it can be finicky at times, no more so than a MEC progressive.