Please help ID this tool ...

[357magster]

A co-worker brought this to work to see if anybody could ID it. We couldn't. But I'm guessing one or more of you probably can. It's about 8" long. It belonged to his father, pictured below, front row center, He was part of a B25 flight crew in the Pacific Theater during WW2. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[StrawHat]

That is a 310 tool, at one point made by Lyman, for handloading cartridges.

It used special reloading dies and did a serviceable job. I have a couple and dies sets for all of my rifle cartridges except the 50-70.

It also makes up into a nice portable kit to pack with if you think you would reload while hiking or camping.

That one looks to be aluminum and the finish is flaking from it.

They are no longer made.

Kevin

 

[Alk8944]

What StrawHat said is correct. Early Lyman 310 tools were iron, later ones were aluminum as that one pictured is. I believe it was the 1970s when Lyman stopped making them. I have several die sets for it but never use them as using a reloading press is soooo much easier and less work.

 

[357magster]

Thank you. I appreciate the detailed information! Will pass it on.

 

[22lrfan]

My first center fire rifle was a Rem. 700 in .22-250. It came from an older gentleman and came with a 310 tool, dies, brass and bullets. I’ve loaded hundreds of round for it with that tool. It would shoot 5 rounds in one ragged hole if I did my part.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

A basic limitation of the Lyman 310 tool is that the dies performed only a neck resizing on the fired case, leaving the case body fire-formed to the chamber in which it was fired. Generally satisfactory, assuming that the reloaded ammo is used in the same rifle.

The more common method, using a full-length resizing die, is intended to reload ammunition suitable for use in any rifle of the same caliber.

 

[Iggy]

I started reloading with one of those back in 1957. Fourteen years old and loading a 300 H&H Magnum.

 

[DWalt]

I have one. They use a special smaller diameter (Junior) die. I use mine for reloading .45-70 for my trapdoor Springfield. They bring good money on eBay, very desirable to some shooters. As noted, they are best for someone who does not have multiple guns in the same caliber as the dies neck size only in rifle sizes.

 

[StrawHat]

As I mentioned, I use mine to reload for my rifles. In a good year, I MIGHT shot 10 shots from any one of my rifles. Usually, 1 (one) to check if the sights/scope are still aligned and 1 maybe two when hunting. But, with three rifles capable of taking deer, it doesn’t take many shots to fill the freezers. The 310 is very nice for that modest reloading chore.

My handguns are a different story. I have an old Dillon 450 and a couple of Lee Square Deals to handle the handgun cartridges. The 450 is set for loading the 148 WC, 38 S&W Special cartridge. The two SDs are set up for the 45 ACP, one for a full wadcutter and one for the SWC.

Kevin

 

[Alk8944]

..."they are best for someone who does not have multiple guns in the same caliber as the dies neck size only in rifle sizes.

The 310 tool only neck sizes for any caliber as the distance the extractor is capable of pulling the case out of the sizing die does not allow for full length sizing of even any pistol calibers except, possibly, very short ones. I would have to check my dies to be sure, but I believe the Tru-line Jr. dies that are used in the 310 tool are only designed for neck sizing even in pistol calibers.

 

[DWalt]

I have Jr. die sets in .45-70, .222, and .38 Super. I have not used the latter two for a great many years, but for sure the .45-70 and .222 neck size only. I do not remember what the .38 Super die does, but I think it was FL. I also have a couple of thread adaptors that allow the TL Jr. dies to be used in a 7/8 x 14 press. Somewhere I still have a TL Jr. turret press. Have not used it in many years either.

 

[TIMETRIPPER]

Lyman 310 tong tool handles. Here's a link with some info: https://www.lymanproducts.com/media/user/file/r/i/rifle_set_of_310_tool_dies.pdf

As said previously they have been discontinued but you can usually find dies on Ebay.

John