Now those are familiar to more of us than the S&W tools! Of course, they are also pretty old, especially the two with bullet moulds made on them. It appears that the tool on the left of the picture is a much later Lyman 310 tool, perhaps with aluminum handles? These were still available from Lyman in limited calibers until a year or two ago. There are still quite a few shooters who are actively buying, trading and using them. The two tools on the center and right are a lot older... they were initially made in the late 1800s and were being phased out by Lyman even before WW II.

These days many shooters are going for high volume production with progressive presses and lots of high tech equipment, but I for one think that every loader should spend at least a little time loading ammo on some of these old tools, both for the satisfaction of seeing ammo emerge from simple equipment, and perhaps more importantly to really understand what is happening, step by step, when the ammo is being loaded. If a person can use one of the old S&W sets, or one of the Lyman (or its predecessor, Ideal) sets and produce good ammo that shoots accurately and reliably, that person is a real reloader! If they cast their own bullets as well, that's even better.

Thank you for sharing with us, Daniel. I wonder, are those tools seen very often in France, and if so do many people still use them? They are becoming more and more of a curiosity here and the old tools with the mould are now about as likely to show up in an antique shop as in a gun shop.

Best regards,
Le Grenouille Verte

Froggie,

As you probably recall, I am a 32 fan also. I'd love to have any info you can share.

Thanks

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SWCA 3417 HF 642 NRA-TC

I have a good friend up in Washington State named Tom Quigley who is an expert in vintage reloading tools.

He is also part of a museum that has primarily vintage reloading tools, etc.

Drop me an email if you would like Tom's contact information.

Cheers!

Cartridge reloading tools of the past / R.H. Chamberlain, Tom Quigley | Smithsonian Institution

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Tom Graham SWCA #2303

reccpd101.
The article I wrote for the ARTCA Journal was slanted toward the S&W tools in general, it just happened that the one I had was for the 32 S&W ("short"). If you would like an digital copy of that article and a couple of others I used in my research, drop me a PM with your e-mail and I'll send them to you. They are too big to put in a PM.

THREEDFLYER, Tom Quigley helped me in the preparation of the article. The chapter on S&W tools in his book was what got me started on S&W tools in the first place. I was fascinated by the "Peanut Handle" moulds and just had to have one! Tom is very knowledgeable about all things relating to early reloading tools and a great go-to source.

Anyone with an interest in any or all things having to do with old reloading tools owes it to themselves to look into the Antique Reloading Tool Collectors Association (ARTCA) and their website at
< http://www.antiquereloadingtools.com/forum/ >

Froggie

Froggie,
The tool on the left is an Ideal but without mold and with a screw for adjusting the depth of the Bullet.

DSC_0132.jpg


these tools are also rare in France and people reload rather on modern presses in RCBS, Lyman, Lee, Hornady

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Daniel
SWCA#2471

That's what I get for trying to understand anything from a small picture on my iPad!

I wouldn't call those tools exactly rare here in the US, but they have certainly fallen out of common usage. My comments on how helpful they are to train oneself on how reloading actually works still hold true though.

A couple of questions, if you don't mind. First, is reloading a very common pastime in France now? Second, does the practice of reloading have a long history in France? In other words, would there have been a large number of reloaders commonly at work at the time (80-125 years ago or more) when your Ideal tools and the S&W tools would have been in use?

Friend El Pasota really kicked over a hornet's nest (in a good way) when he started this neat thread!

Le Grenouille Verte

Hello Froggy,
Thanks for your comments.

Today, Ideal tools can be found with antique dealers and costs between 250 and 350 euros.
Reloading bullets has started for target shooters because of the lower price than manufactured one. But I would say that the last 10 years, the reloading is going down because cartridges are cheaper !

Well,hundred/fifty years ago, each family had a hunter and this one almost always reloaded its cartridges.
But only cartridges in cal 12 or 16 for hunting small game (maximum deer or wild boar) loaded with buckshot.

Stay safe !

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Daniel
SWCA#2471

Thank you for your response, Daniel. It seems like next time I go to Europe I need to carry along a suitcase full of old Ideal tools! They haven’t reached those kinds of prices here for any but the most sought after calibers or sets in pristine condition.

From time in Central Europe I knew about the dominance of shotguns over rifles for hunting. A couple more questions if I’m not going too far afield (please forgive me, El Pasota. ) First, in your part of France, did/do many hunters use drillings with a pair of shotgun barrels and a rifle barrel under (usually) the middle, and second, were there rifle shooting competitions (“schuetzenfests”) in your part of France as those found in the German and Scandinavian regions of Europe?

Thanks in advance for your response; as you can tell, my shooting interests extend across a broad range.

Regards,
Froggie

Yes I know several hunters who use drilling, mixed or express for hunting but these are often quite heavy weapons.
There are some "Shuetzenfests" in France but exclusiv to member clubs,the majority is rather in Swiss or in the south of Germany. There are especially guns show or antic fair in France.

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Daniel
SWCA#2471

Merci', Daniel. I thought about where you are in France, so wondered whether there might be that Schuetzen connection as well. This has been a most informative opportunity for me and I really appreciate your willingness to share with a fellow enthusiast.

All the best,
Charlie the Frog

Here is a photo of the manual in the 44 Russian tools I have. I have 2 boxes of tools and they both have this sheet in them. These tools came to Australia with the South Australian police 44 russian contract guns.

Might not be explained as well as some of the posts, it is however the instruction sheet that S&W included with these loading tools.

Attached Images

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Aussie collector,

Could you please post photos of your kits in their entirety?

Thank You!

Murph

+1 to Murph's request, Aussie Collector. Although I'm not planning on doing a rewrite of my article any time soon, I'm still collecting all the information about the S&W reloading tools I can find "just in case."

TIA ~ Froggie

El Paosta,

Here are some pictures from a box for the 44 Russian loading tools you have. Hopefully you can enlarge the box image so you can read the instructions. I have used old S&W tools to load cartridges, but it much better with more modern reloading equipment.

B. Mower

Attached Images

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	IMG_9155.jpg (90.6 KB, 11 views)

El Pasota,
You might want to contact Tom Quigley at [email protected].
He is a very advanced cartridge and reloading tool collector and has an extensive variety of manuals, instruction, etc.


I just called him and he will be more than happy to help you out.
He said that a few pictures would be much appreciated.


Dean

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446