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  #1  
Old 10-06-2018, 03:43 PM
Psweigle Psweigle is offline
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Default S&W reloading tools

A very fine gentleman who is a member here showed me a photo of his set of reloading tools. I was unaware until that point they even existed. Are there many different styles of s&w tools?
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  #2  
Old 10-06-2018, 04:16 PM
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Hi. I was aware of them, but my question is just how much $ can you save? I would be primarily reloading .38 & .357. How much for the equipment?
Is it worth it? I shoot about 100 rounds a month.
Thanks.
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Old 10-06-2018, 04:36 PM
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My estimate is about 19 dollars per 100 in 357 but that will very a dollar one way or the other depending on what bullet, primers and power you use, and more if you don't have brass.

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Old 10-06-2018, 04:46 PM
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I started reloading in the early 80's.. I had purchased a TC Contender in 7mm TCU, If I wanted to shoot it I found out I had to roll my own..

After that it just makes sense, picking up a gun with those calibers that factory ammo is expensive, allows me to enjoy any caliber I want.

The initial cost to start takes a while to overcome. But you may find yourself looking at other gun differently.
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Old 10-06-2018, 04:57 PM
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The cost osnt really the issue for me, I really like the old tools of yesterday. My question is how many differnt types and styles were made. I can reload 38 special with fired brass and my cast bullets for around 6 cents a round. Thanks.
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Old 10-06-2018, 05:20 PM
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My bad, was responding to jlpgumbo.

You mean like these..

s.w reloading tool kit-m-p-reloading-set-jpg
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Old 10-06-2018, 05:56 PM
Psweigle Psweigle is offline
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Yes! Just like those! Thank you. Is that the only reloading rools s&w had their name on?
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  #8  
Old 10-06-2018, 06:20 PM
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From what I see here, most all S&W calibers.
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Old 10-07-2018, 09:29 PM
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Didn't mean to hijack your post. Just had questions on reloading.
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Old 10-07-2018, 09:55 PM
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Nope, its all good.
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Old 10-08-2018, 12:57 PM
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Ummm, why would reloading using S&W tools be any more/less costly then Lee or RCBS, etc.? (second post). Many Gun and reloading equipment manufacturers have had tools and components "rebranded" with their name. I think I have some S&W 38 Special brass..
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Old 10-08-2018, 03:55 PM
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It's part of the history of Smith & Wesson. Way back you didn't run to the Local Gun Shop for ammo. You made your own. 100 year old tools to go with your 100 year old gun..
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Old 10-09-2018, 12:37 AM
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That is precisely why I asked. This way I will know what to look for. Thanks again for all the help.
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Old 10-09-2018, 03:24 PM
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Default loading tool kit

bigggbbruce, thanks for displaying my s.w, tool kit. Bill
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Old 10-09-2018, 05:51 PM
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bigggbbruce, thanks for displaying my s.w, tool kit. Bill
Is that set the only style s&w put their name on, or are there other types of reloading tools as well. I have lee loaders and am in negotiations for an ideal #4 tool. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
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Old 10-09-2018, 07:04 PM
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Is that set the only style s&w put their name on, or are there other types of reloading tools as well. I have lee loaders and am in negotiations for an ideal #4 tool. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.
I suggest you buy Quigley reloading tool book,will answer all your questions. Bill
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Old 10-09-2018, 07:34 PM
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There were several variations and modifications over the 25+ years that S&W sold their own reloading tools, starting with a relatively simple set and proceeding to become more complex and of different patterns until they were discontinued prior to WW I. Attached please find a picture of the 32 S&W set I gathered which would approximate what would have been available about the turn of the last century. Note that the original wooden decapper is replaced with a rod from Lee and the original mallet is replaced with a crab hammer from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. The special feature of this set, in my mind at least, is the combination double cavity bullet mould and primer seating tool with the wooden "Peanut" handles. I also included the earlier single cavity iron handled mould and priming combination tool.

Froggie

PS ... and yes I have actually loaded some 32 S&W rounds using bullets cast with this mould then using the rest of the "set."
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File Type: jpg A09BF2E7-B66A-4E23-806D-8AA77907DFE9.jpg (75.7 KB, 45 views)

Last edited by Green Frog; 10-09-2018 at 07:37 PM.
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Old 10-09-2018, 07:44 PM
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In the later years the shape of the expanding and seating tools was modified (probably for simpler manufacture) from the domed top to knurled sides. This is a picture of a partial set sold recently on eBay.
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File Type: jpg Landy's 38s.jpg (18.1 KB, 53 views)
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  #19  
Old 10-10-2018, 12:22 AM
Psweigle Psweigle is offline
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Thanks again, Mr. Green frog, and Bill, I will be on the lookout for said book. You guys are the best for real.
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  #20  
Old 10-10-2018, 11:33 AM
Green Frog Green Frog is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Psweigle View Post
Thanks again, Mr. Green frog, and Bill, I will be on the lookout for said book. You guys are the best for real.
I recently wrote an article about these tools for the Antique Reloading Tool Collectors’ Association, so I had the pix and info near the top of my electronic mess. I also was involved in a couple of rather long threads about these tools on the ARTCA forum as well as the Cast Boolit Forum. Apparently they had been pretty much ignored except by a very few hard core collectors, but they were solid, easy-to-use tools and made good ammo with little bother. If you can use a Lee Loader, the S&W tools will make perfect sense to you.

Regards,
Froggie
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  #21  
Old 10-10-2018, 12:50 PM
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thanks for displaying my s.w, tool kit. Bill
psweigle brought it up and my search found your post, I have never seen them either, but now I'm looking..
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  #22  
Old 10-10-2018, 05:05 PM
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I just figured now that I have an old s&w revolver, I should start looking for the old reloading tools to go with it. And yes, the tools are right along the lines of a lee loader.
I have a lee loader for every revolver and pistol I own. The 60-70's era guns have the black box set. The 80's guns have their generation and so on.
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  #23  
Old 10-10-2018, 07:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Psweigle View Post
I just figured now that I have an old s&w revolver, I should start looking for the old reloading tools to go with it. And yes, the tools are right along the lines of a lee loader.
I have a lee loader for every revolver and pistol I own. The 60-70's era guns have the black box set. The 80's guns have their generation and so on.
s.w. reloading tools in original boxes are very rare to find 30 some years of collecting the only one I seen for sell Bill
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Old 10-10-2018, 09:35 PM
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s.w. reloading tools in original boxes are very rare to find 30 some years of collecting the only one I seen for sell Bill
I guess the fun is the hunt,right?
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  #25  
Old 10-13-2018, 11:22 AM
Green Frog Green Frog is offline
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Originally Posted by bill skebeck View Post
s.w. reloading tools in original boxes are very rare to find 30 some years of collecting the only one I seen for sell Bill
I concur, Bill. I only found a part here and a part there, most recently on everybody’s favorite, flea bay. It seems like I started looking for them a couple of decades too late... so what else is new?
Psweigle, if you’re looking for a way to save money as you shoot, this will probably not be a very fruitful pursuit... I would be surprised if you could put together a working set for less than a couple of hundred bucks, quite a bit more for an original complete set in the original box. OTOH, if you want something nice to display with your mint, cased Second Model tipup and have deep pockets, well...

Froggie
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Old 10-14-2018, 06:08 AM
Psweigle Psweigle is offline
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I concur, Bill. I only found a part here and a part there, most recently on everybody’s favorite, flea bay. It seems like I started looking for them a couple of decades too late... so what else is new?
Psweigle, if you’re looking for a way to save money as you shoot, this will probably not be a very fruitful pursuit... I would be surprised if you could put together a working set for less than a couple of hundred bucks, quite a bit more for an original complete set in the original box. OTOH, if you want something nice to display with your mint, cased Second Model tipup and have deep pockets, well...

Froggie
im pretty sure you're right about spending big bucks on the set, and im willing to wait. Im still pretty young, and who knows what lays in wait. I plan to start small as in a lee loader, then on to an ideal, then so on. I am fully well aware its very costly and my beat up hand ejector and i can wait it out.
You guys are the best, here and at other forums. Your willingness to help and steer us noobs in the right direction is much appreciated. Thanks again.
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Old 10-14-2018, 08:26 PM
Green Frog Green Frog is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Psweigle View Post
im pretty sure you're right about spending big bucks on the set, and im willing to wait. Im still pretty young, and who knows what lays in wait. I plan to start small as in a lee loader, then on to an ideal, then so on. I am fully well aware its very costly and my beat up hand ejector and i can wait it out.
You guys are the best, here and at other forums. Your willingness to help and steer us noobs in the right direction is much appreciated. Thanks again.
As someone who 40 years ago was about where you are now on this, I would suggest you might want to go straight to the 310 tool as it is the only one still in production and reasonably available. You can easily still find a complete 38/357 set with handles used for a very reasonable price. I have actually used the S&W set, a Lee Loader, the 310 tool, and various presses to load ammo and this is my advice based on what you have said in this thread... I believe the Lee Loader is probably unavailable in 38 special (I could be wrong, but I haven't seen one for years), the S&W is only a little more available than a unicorn, and you don't seem to want to go all the way to a bench press.
Send me a PM if you wish to discuss further off of this thread.

CORRECTION: I just checked and Lee does still catalog a 38 Lee Loader set... surprise, surprise! I'd still prefer the 310, but that's just me.

Froggie

Last edited by Green Frog; 10-14-2018 at 08:34 PM. Reason: Correction/Addition
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  #28  
Old 10-15-2018, 06:25 AM
Psweigle Psweigle is offline
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I have the lee loader in 38 special. Love it to death. The lee loader im currently looking for is in .32 s&w long. Every now and then they show up on the auction sites. The last one i saw went for somewbere around $50, if i recall correctly. And yes, the 310 tool is also a very viable option. I actually see those more often than the lee loader, in 32 s&w long.Thanks for the advice. I ennoy it.
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Old 10-16-2018, 08:55 AM
Green Frog Green Frog is offline
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Several years ago I bought a 32 Lee Loader (transparent red box) off of the ‘Bay. Notice I don’t say which 32, because it was some sort of modified unit to load a couple(?) of rounds, notably 32 S&W and 32 acp. Since I have Lyman 310s and full size dies to do these calibers, I haven’t bothered to do anything with this set. Maybe this Winter i’ll get a round tuit from somewhere and try out yet another method of loading the 32s.

Froggie
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Old 10-17-2018, 06:44 AM
Psweigle Psweigle is offline
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Anything for an excuse to load some 32's.
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Old 10-17-2018, 08:51 AM
Green Frog Green Frog is offline
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Anything for an excuse to load some 32's.
Amen to that. I've settled in on using a dedicated Lyman TruLine Jr for loading my 32 S&W Longs and a Lyman All American for most of my 327s.
So the thread drift isn't too objectionable, I'll mention that I hope to get back to my S&W tool set with a specially made deep base so I can load S&W Longs with the die set actually intended for 32 S&W. That will be my "traveling" set.

Froggie
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Old 10-27-2018, 07:19 AM
Jaxenro Jaxenro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Green Frog View Post
There were several variations and modifications over the 25+ years that S&W sold their own reloading tools, starting with a relatively simple set and proceeding to become more complex and of different patterns until they were discontinued prior to WW I. Attached please find a picture of the 32 S&W set I gathered which would approximate what would have been available about the turn of the last century. Note that the original wooden decapper is replaced with a rod from Lee and the original mallet is replaced with a crab hammer from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. The special feature of this set, in my mind at least, is the combination double cavity bullet mould and primer seating tool with the wooden "Peanut" handles. I also included the earlier single cavity iron handled mould and priming combination tool.

Froggie

PS ... and yes I have actually loaded some 32 S&W rounds using bullets cast with this mould then using the rest of the "set."
I’d like to put together a set like that in 32 S&W as well. Where did you get it and about how much was it?
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Old 10-29-2018, 10:15 AM
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I found a "peanut handle" mould at a gun show about 25 years ago and IIRC paid about $125 for it then. It was for a 38, but I later traded it for the 32 I needed with an e-friend who had the 32 and needed a 38. I got the steel handle moulds on e-Bay several years ago for something like $50 +/- and just recently got the main reloading tools as a partial set on e-Bay for about $100 or so as well. The mallet is a crab hammer from Bed, Bath and Beyond (about $3) and the decapping rod was "borrowed" out of a Lee Loader set. If you want a complete boxed set, be prepared to search the gun shows and auctions for a while and bring your checkbook... I would be surprised to see a set available for much under $350-400. I wish the news were better, but it ain't!

Froggie
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