Abstract: A punch retainer which, in one preferred form, includes at least one bolt head seat formed in the retainer's body for receiving a bolt by which the retainer is fixed to a punch press's mounting plate. The seat is defined in the retainer's bottom face adjacent a peripheral side wall, and a section of the peripheral side wall is removed from the retainer's body to provide access to the seat in a direction generally parallel to the plane of the retainer's bottom face. The punch retainer, in another preferred form, includes a backing plate and a body. A method of assembling this latter punch retainer with a punch press' mounting plate includes press fitting a registration dowel in assembled relation with the retainer's backing plate and body in a tight press fit relation so as to connect firmly the backing plate with the body.