Found a Vickerman die at the Wanenmacher Show

[Dumpstick]

Here's one you don't see much. A Vickerman seating die:

Here's how it's put together:

It works like this-
The (caliber specific) center pin, or punch, is stationary during use. The (again, caliber specific) sleeve at the bottom left of the picture slides up and down in the die housing.
The sleeve is chamfered too rest on the (bottleneck) cartridge shoulder:

Screw the die in the press, put a case in there and run it up to get some pressure on the spring. Drop a bullet in the groove - in this case 30 cal; there are different punch/sleeve combos.

Push the case up, the groove holds the bullet centered, the punch sets the depth. The bullet never moves during seating; only the cartridge case, captured in the sleeve, moves. In effect, you are pushing the case onto the bullet.

This pic shows how filthy the die was at purchase. I dropped it in some carb cleaner for 30 minutes.

The punch adjusts at the top, held with a small headless screw.

Here's a shot after cleaning.

It works as well as the newer version - many other makers have a version similar, but most without the window. I know Forster makes one, and all the more 'boutique (read: more expensive) makers have something like it.

I had an old Pacific window die for 6.5x55, but I let it go when I sold my M96. I shouldn't have let either the rifle or the die go, but...

 

[red dirt shootist]

The old Vickerman, go's way back. Funny when you compare the old stuff with all the new stuff. The old stuff was so simple and basic, and the new stuff is everything but. About 40 years ago I shot bench rifle, my whole reloading setup consisted of the dies, which were cut with the same reamer that cut the chamber, a plastic hammer, a Lee priming tool, and a Belding and Mull powder measure. I know what you mean about either letting go of the rifle or the tools, sometimes the accessories are more meaningful than the gun. Thanks for putting that up.