[Kamicosmos]

When did reloading for the home firearms enthusiast start? Handloading as we know it, that is?

I'm curious because I've never seen 'antique' reloading gear. Oldest I've seen is mid-50's. (Which, yes is antique, but you know what I mean.)

On a related note, how was manufactured ammo made in the 1880-1910 period? Did the factories have machines doing everything, or was it tons of people doing various steps like an assembly line, or did one person do the whole process, leading to reloading type equipment?

[lee n. field]

Watch Ebay. People auction old reloading gear as "antique", usually the old Lyman tong tools and accessories. Those date way back.

[David Wile]

Hey Kami,

If you check some of the recent Lyman reloading manuals, you will see some of the history of their reloading tools. They are still selling a Lyman 310 Tool, often called a "Nutcracker" too, and it has been in production since 1947. The Lyman Gunsight Company was started in 1878 - obviously making gunsights, and they are still known for making the same high quality products today.

The Ideal Reloading Tool Company was started in 1884 when it patented the Ideal No.1 Reloading Tool. While there are obvious differences between the two, the No 1 tool looked pretty much like today's 310 tool and operated in the same hand pressure fashion. The No 1 was available for a variety of small pistol cartridges, and it also incorporated a mould in the tool for casting the required bullet. The Ideal hand tool went through a number of changes over the years (Nos. 2 through No. 8), and, in 1900, the Ideal No. 10 tool was introduced with some new features, although it no longer included a bullet mould with the tool itself.

The Lyman Gunsight Company bought out Ideal in 1925, and they continued with the Ideal reloading tool lines. The No. 10 tool was apparently made until it was replaced in 1947 with the "modern" 310 tool which incorporated interchangeable dies for a wide variety of calibers. The 310 tool, like all the similar Ideal hand tools which preceded it, neck sizes the brass rather than full length resizes. Believe me, neck sizing with a "Nutcracker" tool is plenty tough enough to do.

Between 1884 and 1925 when the company was sold to Lyman, Ideal also introduced a number of other reloading tools including moulds, powder measures, full size bench presses, and other related equipment. Lyman continued to market the equipment using the Ideal name which was as well known for reloading equipment as Lyman was known for gunsights. Lyman continued to use the Ideal name on new products developed by Lyman personnel. I don't know exactly when Lyman dropped the Ideal name from their lines, but it seems to me that I can remember in the 1970s that Lyman was still selling some reloading products with the Ideal name while other products were being sold with the Lyman name.

Lyman has a very interesting history, and most of what I related here is available in recent editions of their reloading manual, along with many drawings of the old reloading tools.

So, in answer to your question as to when modern reloading began, I would have to say it began about the same time that modern cartridge ammunition began. It could also be argued that reloading started when folks moulded bullets for muzzleloading use.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

[Mike Irwin]

My gunsmith had some very early Ideal loading manuals right at the transition between the blackpowder and smokeless powder ages...

I used to frigging drool, sweat, and cry everytime I went to his shop and saw them...

He passed last year. :(

I wonder what happened to them... :(

[BigG]

The buffalo guns were mostly fed by reloading. The large Sharps were fired all day and the shooter reloaded all night for the next day.

[Kamicosmos]

Thanks, David Wile for the history lesson! That's the sort of info I was looking for. I was kind of theorizing that there must have been reloading equipment out around the 1880's in order to develop metalic cartridges in the first place. Stuff was probably pretty expensive for the average joe to be able to buy it.

I just looked in my Lyman 48th edition, and other than a sentence stating that they've been putting out manuals for 100 years, there isn't any history otherwise. Oh well.

[David Wile]

Hey Kami,

I do not have the 48th edition of Lyman's manual, but I have everyone since about the 43rd. I keep the 46th edition here at my computer, and that is where I found the information. I am pretty sure the 47th edition also has the same information, and I think Lyman's Cast bullet manual also has the information. It is a shame they dropped it from the 48th edition. It is quite interesting to see drawings showing what some of the early reloading equipment looked like. If you ever get a chance to buy an earlier edition for just a few dollars, I would recommend getting just for the reference value.

According to the information furnished in the Lyman manual, the Ideal No. 1 cost $2.25 in 1884, the Ideal No. 10 cost $2.50 at the turn of the century, however, they did not give the price for the first 310 tool introduced in 1947. I know the 310 tool with one set of dies lists for nearly $100 today, but Midway seems to sell the set for about $75. I have a 310 tool for 45-70 use, but the truth is that I rarely use it. I can take it out in the woods or wherever and reload 45-70 cartridges on the spot, but it really is work compated to reloading the same cartridges on a single stage bench press. It is fun to show it off sometimes, however, and people are always interested if they have never seen one before.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile