Hello, How about a survey on the oldest loading tool/bullet mould in use by our members? I,ll go first,: My all time hands down favorite sizer is an original Ideal pat. May 31,92'. Now you don,t want to do any heavy sizing with this old machine, I use mainly for .22 & 6mm. But for precision of alignment of punch to die mouth and lack of loosness in guide-rods, it frankly makes the current 450 look like so much junk. I just finished casting Ideal#358395. this is a hollow-base wadcutter design by Ed McGivern sometime in the 30's. How those old timers ever got in a supply with these seperate base-plug moulds is a puzzle..but then they didn,t have TV or these new-fangled computors did they? Haven,t tried this one out yet but will let you know. Thanks guys!:idea1:
vintage loading tool survey
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- Last Post 18 October 2016
I compete with a Winchester high-wall in schuetzen matches, so the Ideal #5 (micrometer adjust) powder measure I use looks right in place. I too have one of the early lubers/sizers from Ideal and am currently looking for a proper wrench to get it “up and running."
Froggie
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.22-10-45; I like your “moniker", being a fan of single shot rifles.
FWIW, I shoot a lot of .38 wadcutters but have settled on a double ended wadcutter. Some nice gentleman on the Cast Boolit Forum sold me a six cavity H&G #251 bullet mould. The mould is VERY heavy but I can run 20 lbs of finished, match quality, bullets in an hour with that mould. They shoot well under an inch at 25 yards with my Model 14 S&W with Bomar Rib or my Model 520 with a Simmons Red Dot.
I have shot my share of hollow based wadcutters but just “shake my head” at the thought of trying to make enough with a single cavity hollow base bullet mould to really get out and shoot. There is talk of a group buy multi cavity hollow base mould on Cast Boolits - if you are interested, you might want to check it out.
Me, I will stay happy with my solid based wadcutter mould. Lyman is no longer listing a dbl ended W/C (necessary in the Model 52 S&W auto) but still show the 358091 button nosed wadcutter. This bullet works well in a revolver, of course.
I hate to see Lyman dropping the old favorites from the line (they no longer list a four cavity mould in the Keith 452424, as an example:X). I don't know what this world is coming to.
Fortunately, some custom mould manufacturers have stepped up to the plate and we have some really nice bullet moulds from them (Mihec, NOE, and LBT come to mind).
FWIW Dale53
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I used a Ideal Perfection adjustable mold for awhile .
I'd say that one was out of the teens or twenties .
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I use a Lyman 45 sizer purchased when i started loading back in the early 60s. it works fine but I take care not to abuse it.
Jim
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I have 2 old bullet molds that I use all the time. Both made by Winchester. One marked 45-70 FN and one marked 44-40. The 45-70 is a 405 gr and the 44-40 is a 200 gr . Both make good bullets. I don't know but I think Winchester stopped making molds back in the 1900s. These are original cowboy action shooting.
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Let's see... I have, and still use regularly, a Herter single stage “Super Model 3” press that I bought (mail order) sometime in the middle '50's. It cost $15.75 plus shipping. (I still have the catalog, too.) I use a Lyman 450 Lubrisizer I bought new in either '69 or '70. I use two Star Loaders, one set up for .45 and the other for .38. The one set up for .45 I bought in 1971, well used, along with a Star sizer- lubricator and I still use that one for all my pistol cast bullets. The other Star loader (also bought used) is older, I think. It has a brown aluminum powder reservoir tube instead of the clear plastic one on the later loaders. I have a couple of Hensley and Gibbs molds for .45 bullets that I used very heavily for over 30 years when I was shooting bullseye pistol, and I bought both of them used, so I have no idea how old they are.
Of course, I'm not exactly a spring chicken, either.
Wes
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I use a Lyman Tru-line Jr. regularly.I also use a Lyman 310 with steel handles & 5 die set,made some time between 1947 & 1957.
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I use a Lyman Tru-line Jr. regularly.I also use a Lyman 310 with steel handles & 5 die set,made some time between 1947 & 1957.
I thought we were talking about old stuff... I count TL Jrs and 310s among my modern stuff! :coonskin:
Kidding aside, it's easy for age to sort of sneak up on some of us and to forget just how old some of our stuff has gotten to be. I wonder how many of us regard our B&M powder measures as new technology? :thinking:
Froggie
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I have several Ideal molds that still have the orange box with the metal corners. Someone tried to determine the time period these boxes were used a while back on this forum but never did figure it out. I'd bet the oldest piece of equipment many of us have is ourselves.
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I regularly cast bullets with Winchester molds and have loaded 32 Special with a Winchester model 1894 tool. Winchester stopped selling molds an loading tools about 1915 so they are 85 or more years old. I have also loaded black powder 32-40 with an Ideal tong tool with the mold blocks on the end. I believe it it the No. 6 tool. I've cast bullets with it and when the mold is hot enough to throw wrinkle free bullets it is almost to hot to hold even with welding gloves on. I have also loaded 38 special with a Modern Bond tong tool. Using these old tool really makes me appreciate the modern equipment available today. Norm
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Setting next to my RCBS A2 press is a Hollywood Universal, 12 stations, six two die sets or four three die sets, what ever I need.
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Several years ago I found a pristine Ideal .32-40 mold (ca. 1920), with integral handles, at a local gun show. The bullet looked something like Ly. 31141 crossed with a Loverin design, but had a plain base. Although it cast wonderfully, I had no use for it and have since sold it...for quite a bit more than I paid. Btw, those CB's sized to fit my SKS were surprisingly accurate.
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I use a few old Ideal moulds with the handles attached. One 30 cal. spitzer bullet with no grease grooves, just a gas check.
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Vintage molds, reloading tools etc. I haven't flown since the morons of TSA questioned my 40-65 “nutcracker” carried in plain sight. Three agents and one supervisor. The morons didn't know what it was and I wouldn't tell them. I was glad they didn't notice the “patented Winchester Repeating Firearms 1890". Nutcracker is what we settled on. “If you don't know what it is, you can't be looking for it” was my position. Unlike the ATC sleeping on the job I think they're asleep eyes open standing up.
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I use Lyman 310 tools, I like to load at the range I have set up out in a large arroyo out in the desert. A very relaxing way to shoot. Load a few,shoot a few. But my oldest stuff is 2 Belding&Mull powder mesures. They both came from the same original owner. They both have there original boxes and the bottoms are lined with Little Falls MN newspaper dated 6 May 1908. I use them most every weekend. I have owned 8 or 9 other current modern ones and these 2 are the most consistant. I also have for my 1906 mfg Winchester 1892 38WCF 26” rifle, a Ideal #4 tong tool/mold with original powder dipper and decapping pin. It came with the rifle when I got it. When relitives and friends come to visit that like to camp I take them along and we cast by the campfire and load with blackpowder. then shoot what we loaded the next day. I have no idea what the handles are wrapped with but you can cast with a elk skin glove. Gets very warm but if you have working hands it is fine. They are rawhide with something under but I can't tell what it is. The widow of my friend that passed the rifle and tool on to me said that it was his grandfathers. he purchist them new. I keep a hard bound book, with the story and who owned each rifle, pistol, and major old reloading tool I have. As much info as I can put togather.
Have a nice Easter everyone,
Rick
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I have several sets of Winchester 1894 tools with bullet molds. One of my favorites is a set complete with decapping pin for the 405 grain 45 govt bullet. I also have several of the old Ideal one piece molds and tong loading tools that I like to use once in awhile. Doc
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Thanks so much for that useful information, bjland5. I plan to travel to Peking the next time the hold a schuetzen match there, or an antique loading tools seminar, or when Hell freezes over, whichever comes first. Putting that kind of random trash on a board of this type is two steps lower than a whale's navel.
On a positive note... I found the missing wrench referred to in post #2 and now have my first model Ideal Lubrisizer complete and ready to use. :D I'm thinking of using it for one of the old Maynard bullets, just to stay near the right time frame. :cool:
Froggie
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I have a six cavity GE Hensley mould in 38 button nose wad cutter, 503581146. I use a H&G 4 cavity at the same time and can't tell the bullets apart from the Hensley when I size them. I also have a powder funnel made from a piece of Pepsi can and duct tape that is pushing 30. It's not all that old but it's lasted a lot longer than it was supposed to if that counts.
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