[Speedo66]

I've got an original 1873 Winchester in 38 WCF (38-40), ammo prices are frightening.

Saw an old Ideal reloading tool on Ebay with a bullet mold in front, bid on it, and got it.

No decapping pin, but read somewhere that the Lee trimming gauge would work to deprime.

So, just for fun I started to play with it, and yes, the Lee 38-40 trimming gauge did work, rather easily actually. My thought of the tool just being a neat accessory for the gun changed when I saw how nicely the decapping worked. I went from depriming one cartridge to doing the entire box of 50 in short order.

So let's see how the priming part works. Very nicely also, easily primed the entire box.

Do I dare waste a bullet to see if the loading part works? Why not. Measured out a charge of Trailboss and, wow, that seated and crimped easily too. Yup, then the whole box.

So what did I learn? That just because something is old doesn't mean it doesn't work well, as it was supposed to. Whoever designed this tool did a great job, and the quality is obvious.

The tool was patented in 1884, and while it may not be that old, I wouldn't doubt it's over 100 years old. Got about 80% of it's nickel plating still, it's tight, and the little spring activated cartridge removal part still works like it should.

It also has a bullet mold that appears to be in good shape, and a pin that pushes the bullets you make through a hole in the tool and sizes them. It's like a one man band of reloading tools.

Hard to imagine most things made in today's disposable world will last this long and still look good and work like it should 100 years from now.

Did I mention how relaxed I felt going with the pace of the tool?

Yes, it took a while to load the whole box, but I felt it was time well spent, and got an idea what a shooter 100 years ago felt like. Kinda' liked it.

Best $31 I've spent in a long time, less then half the price of a box of Winchesters in this caliber. And I can make more.

There is no doubt in my mind that this tool could be around for another 100 years and still work just as well. At a relaxed pace of course.

[ants]

Cool. Story ain't no good without pictures, though.
Thanks for the thread. Let us know how it shoots, Speedo66.

[ljnowell]

I am pretty sure that I read a skeeter skelton article one time when he described one of those.

[Canuc Shooter]

Need pictures of your new(old) acquisition. Sounds interesting.

[Remo-99]

Sounds like it might have some collectors value, I might be inclined to retire it and buy some newer tools for the purpose of reloading, and keeping the older tool in good condition, or at least until I found out if it had any collector value.
Nice pickup, though. :)

[Speedo66]

I'm sure it has some collector's value, but they're on Ebay all the time, and not too expensive. I happened to get this one at a good price. Search under "Ideal tool", or "Winchester tool", they're mostly for the older black powder cartridges.

I guess the modern equivalent would be the Lyman 310 tool, but this does it all with no extra dies.

My wife is out of town with the camera, so I won't be able to post photos until after April 1st.

[Borg]

If you use the Lee trimmer pilot as a decapper, you'd better check the length it cuts now.
The pin is just glued in and can go deeper into the shaft, making your cases too short when you trim with it.
Just get the Lee decapper and base to decap.
Borg

[Speedo66]

Went to the range today, and the cartridges I loaded worked fine.

I loaded ten at a time in the tubular magazine and checked for bullet set back, but there wasn't any.

It was firing accurately also, I got a nice group with it.

Another shooter there looked at the rifle, and admired it. I told him he could try it. Fired one round in a rifle he'd never held before into the bullseye at 25 yards.

Turned out he was a sky marshall.

So I am happy with the way the reloading turned out. Need to make more.

[PO2Hammer]

You're just killing us here.

Please post a pic of the tool and the rifle.

[RandyP]

I'm guessing that the tool is just like this flea-bay offering?

http://cgi.ebay.com/VINTAGE-IDEAL-LOADING-RELOADING-TOOL-IN-32-40-M-MARLIN_W0QQitemZ120395973684QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item120395973684&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50

[tasco 74]

i have used the old heavy cast BAIR CO. press i bought from brother in law for $30 over 20 years ago since i got it.... i have bought new dies but that old precise press makes all my ammo in conjunction with a lee single stage reloader press..... i love to just relax and load a batch of ammo in the loading room to get away from it all..............

[Speedo66]

RandyP

Yes, the tool on Ebay you link is about the same except for caliber and condition.

I will post photos of rifle and tool upon camera's return.

[Speedo66]

OK, my apologies, 6 months later is way too long to post pictures. :eek:

Anyway, here they are.

[Roccobro]

Well I missed this thread the first time around. I got all excited until I saw the date and closed evil-bay item.

But a happy day it still is! Happy belated congrats!

Justin

[Oyeboten]

What a nice read...


Good going..!


I love old stuff, especially when it is 'Excellent'...and so much truly was excellent, too...



Funny...I've been brooding for months now on wanting a Winchester...never had one, never shot one....have virtually no Rifle experience.


Brooding has been on 38-55, or, 40-82.


And, you bet I will be seeking a Re-Loading Tool like that, if I get one!

[kelbro]

Use it! You won't wear it out.

[qajaq59]

Sounds to me like you certainly had $31 worth of fun from it.

[rcmodel]

The thing that always intrigued me was how tough those old-timers must have been to cast bullets with an all-steel loading tool with steel handles!

Seems you would need an asbestos mitten to hang on to the thing by the time you got it up to operating temperature and casting good bullets!

rc

[rfwobbly]

Sounds like it might have some collectors value, I might be inclined to retire it and buy some newer tools for the purpose of reloading, and keeping the older tool in good condition, or at least until I found out if it had any collector value.

In the vintage motorcycle hobby we have a saying, "Don't hide 'em, Ride 'em". Which means the machine was designed and built to be used repeatedly. The machine cannot be fully or truly appreciated unless it is used. And as long as it's serviced properly and used soberly, there's no fear of wearing it out. Especially so, when you consider the state of today's lubrication technology versus the age when it was built.

I fully applaud Mr 66 for using the tool. Like riding a motorcycle built in 1920's, it must have given him a deeper insight into owning and using the gun in the 1880's.... A time when the big-box outdoor hunting store on every corner was replaced with some sort of low-life desperado or carnivore. A time when the Winchester and Ideal reloader were tools necessary for everyday survival, and not just a weekend hobby.

Wow! What an insight.

[Gadzooks Mike]

Speedo66 - way cool! I was pretty excited when I got mine in 303SAV and got to sit and use it one evening. As you said, it's very relaxing! You won't reload 500 rounds an hour, but ... Not everything is based on speed. Enjoy!

rcmodel - they didn't need asbestos mittens - they were TOUGH back then!

[Speedo66]

Sounds to me like you certainly had $31 worth of fun from it.

And much, much more.

I can't think of a better way to run off small batches of trial loads.

As far as the hot handles, I haven't tried casting in it yet, but I figure they must have used wet rags or such to hold it. It's a heavy piece and would take a long time to get hot, but an equally long time to cool off.

People were also probably less inclined to load hundreds of cartridges at a time, if they even owned that many. Probably just loaded what they needed for immediate use. I can see sitting around a camp fire and melting some lead in the fire and then loading 20-30 at a time.

Lot simpler with black powder too, no measuring. Just fill the case, or close to it, stick a bullet in it and squeeze. So much for hundreds or thousands of dollars of reloading equipment. :rolleyes:

[fourdollarbill]

Did the "old timers" carry a lot of lead around with them to melt or did they retrieve it from the animal they just shot and remelt it?