Antique bench reloader. Modern-Bond

[BMur]

I’ve wanted one of these for my collection but refused to pay what most sellers are asking for them. Finally found this one for $25.

I was wondering if some Modern-Bond collectors can educate me as to how this was suppose to be bench mounted? C’ clamp?

Few more questions:

Very odd thread size for dies?
The plunger seems to be specific to one caliber?

What is that threaded boss for behind the plunger seen in photo?

Thanks for any input.

Murph

 

[Skeet 028]

You don't see many Modern bond Products. Usually more bullet molds. Somewhere I think I still have a couple MB dies. Do you have an idea of caliber? Rimmed

 

[BMur]

Caliber

The plunger has the Stamp K 462. I think you can see it in one of my photos. Photo 3.
That must signify the caliber but I don’t have a chart.
A 45 Auto kinda fits the shell holder.

I was looking at later models and they actually have a bench mounting worm screw. This is an early one from the 1930’s so I have no idea how it mounted to the bench.

Murph

 

[Skeet 028]

I may be wrong but I had a recollection of them being made for pistol cartridges. Not much mechanical advantage. I may have that wrong. Dumbar Glass Works only made rifle dies so I may have 'em mixed up. I do have a Modern Bond price/product sheet here too...somewhere.

 

[BMur]

Pistol

That actually makes perfect sense. The loading lever only pushes the plunger a total of 7/8”. That’s not even long enough for a 38 Special case.
It would work for;
32 Auto
38 Auto
380
9mm
32 S&W
40 Auto
45 Auto

The threaded die holder is very small also so I would need to see an original die to understand how the cases are sized & loaded.

Definitely a light duty tool but very functional with smaller calibers I think.

Murph

 

[Eddie Southgate]

Cornell Publishing has several Modern Bond reprints and you can occasionally find originals on Ebay .

 

[BMur]

More info

I actually found some very early catalogs. Looks like mine is their first press that was applied for in about 1930.
See figure 2. I think you actually have to use a C clamp to bench mount it. Very early press but it’s pretty solid. I’m going to fabricate some dies for it to load 32 cals.

The later press with bench clamp came out in about 1934.

Their prototype press was actually brass.

Murph

 

[BMur]

Fabricate

Well,
I doubt that I’ll ever find parts for this antique press but I want to put it back to work. I decided to fabricate two plungers for now. One in 32 Auto and the other for 32 S&W. Those smaller calibers will apply a low load to the press so I’ll start with that and see how it goes.
I used two grade 5 bolts, cut them to match the existing plunger. Then machined a slot to fit the press. I’ll drill them out after the weld.
I’m gonna weld two modern cartridge holders onto the fabricated plungers.
I know I could have fabricated a universal shell holder but that’s no fun!

Murph

 

[TripleLock]

The Modern-Bond Model "C" press used a clamp very similar to that used by the old Ideal No.1 Bullet Lubricating & Sizing Press, as well as M-B's own Bullet Lubricating & Sizing press. The clamps are, evidently, among the first items lost when these tools change hands. They don't show up often, but they do show up. I've seen three on eBay since 2021.

The Model "C" press was introduced about 1927, and was finally discontinued sometime in the 1950s. The tool was listed in M-B catalogs with dies for rifle cartridges from .22 Hornet to .45-70, and for pistol cartridges from .32 Short Colt to .45 Colt.

FWIW, Modern-Bond lists show that your shell-holder, marked with the number "462" (M-B referred to it as an "anvil"), was correct for .25 Krag (.30-40 Krag necked to .25 caliber, at one time a popular wildcat cartridge), .30-40 Krag, .303 British, .35 Winchester, .405 Winchester, .44 Russian, and .44 Special.

Jim

The green clamp below came to me as part of a Modern-Bond Lubricator & Sizer, the black clamp with one of the Model "C" presses I picked up along the way...

 

[Skeet 028]

I have one of the MB Lube clamps down in the vault....and a couple of their Lube dies too. Old stuff that was used years ago is really neat. Today at the local gun club sale/swap meet I picked up an old Herter's bullet puller with three dies or 5 dollars. Nothing special...but it was made for Herter's by...RCBS. Herter's didn't make much of anything

 

[ReloadforFun]

That clamp looks similar to one Redding has.

 

[Green Frog]

Any time I have a question about old reloading tools I mosey over to ARTCA.com, the website of the Antique Reloading Tool Collectors Association. I believe they even have a page devoted to Modern Bond.

Froggie