Schofield 45 “FRANKFORD ARSENAL” RELOADING TOOL

[BMur]

Just got this tool today. I’ve been looking for years. Thought I’d share.

The Military issued reloading tools are very hard to come by.
This tool was introduced in about 1882 and was discontinued prior to 1907.

It’s a multi-caliber Prime/De-prime tool. See photos.

The Military records list only about 700-800 reloading kits and likely only about 100 replacements over a 25 year period. So these tools are quite rare.

With various adaptors all Military calibers at that time could be de-primed and primed using this tool. This included the following calibers:

45/70 Gov
50. Gov
45 Colt
45 Schofield
30/40 Krag
38 Colt
38 Smith & Wesson Special

Literally millions of rounds were reloaded using these tools that included the 45 Schofield revolver.

My research strongly supports the end of this tools use was due to the introduction of automatic actions which required machine loading and reloading to prevent a jam.

Murph

 

[BMur]

Gill priming tool

Here is a copy of the original patent drawing.
Titled the Gill capping and de-capping tool.

Murph

 

[johngross]

Nice item. Here's one I own in the original box with accessories and instruction manual.

 

[johngross]

Here's a couple of additional pictures I found of the instruction manual. It has a nice foldout diagram. Also note the dates on the cover, with 1917 being the most recent printing.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

Many of the Cowboy Action Shooters use period or reproduction handguns. Those that shoot Black Powder like to deprime ASAP after shooting and have depriming tools on them. I don't think it will do 38 Special cases but will do 38-40 and larger, up into 45x 2.4" and similar 50 cal. cases. It uses a scissors type action on an hinged X design. There ia a rim notch close to the decapping pin. On one of the handle ends is a straight slot screwdriver that doubles as a primer pocket scraper. They were marketed as authentic to the 1880's, but who knows?

Ivan

 

[Inusuit]

The museum where I volunteer recently received two US issue reloading kits. Out of my expertise, willing to learn. In one of the kits, there were several small pins, almost equivalent to wire brads in the recess under the teardrop shaped lid in John Gross's picture. What are those things?

 

[BMur]

Kits

The early Military kit’s actually served two purposes.
One was to train personnel the Art of reloading
Second was to provide viable black powder ammo “on site” at often remote locations.
Black powder ammo did not have a long shelf life so reloaded ammo was actually often more reliable when compared with ammo received by the Frankford Arsenal.

Murph

 

[BMur]

Case cleaners

The museum where I volunteer recently received two US issue reloading kits. Out of my expertise, willing to learn. In one of the kits, there were several small pins, almost equivalent to wire brads in the recess under the teardrop shaped lid in John Gross's picture. What are those things?

I believe the tool you are talking about is the case and primer pocket cleaner.

 

[Inusuit]

BMur, thanks. When I get deeper into these kits, I'll need help and will post some pictures.

 

[johngross]

there were several small pins, almost equivalent to wire brads in the recess under the teardrop shaped lid in John Gross's picture. What are those things?

What you refer to as brads are extra "primer ejecting pins" (so called in the instruction manual). They are small and fragile and can be easily broken or lost, so the box has that little storage area for the extra pins. I've included three additional pictures below in reference to these pins.

And if I may, since we are on the subject of Frankford Arsenal reloading tools, I've added some additional pictures of three complete reloading sets I owned but have since sold. They are, top to bottom, 50 caliber, 45 caliber, and 30 caliber.

 

[TripleLock]

Congratulations, Murph, on locating a Frankford Arsenal de- and recapping tool... with both spindles! These tools more frequently turn up with the spindles missing, and the individual spindles themselves are rarely seen.

I acquired one of these F.A. tools, handles only, probably 30 years ago, and only just recently was able to get my hands on the spindles. As you are probably already aware, recapping is possible only with the .45 caliber spindle. The smaller diameter spindle, for .30 and .38 calibers, will decap only.

The handles that were part of the decapping and cleaning kit shown posts 3 and 10, while visually similar to what is shown in your original post, have a somewhat longer arm and the decapping spindle is, therefore, also necessarily longer to accommodate the greater length of the .30-'06 cartridge case.

Attached are photos of the two types, with their respective spindles:
1 - Tool with spindle for decapping .30-'06, .30-40 and .38 Colt, from Decapping & Cleaning kit;
2 - Tool with spindle for decapping and recapping .45-70, and spindle for decapping .30-40 and .38 Colt;
3 - Comparing the respective spindles;
4 - Comparing the two tools.

The Decapping & Cleaning tools were still an issue item as late as 1917. The manual in post 3 above (which I am also privileged to have a copy of, as well as a boxed Decapping & Cleaning kit) was originally issued Dec 13, 1907, with revisions dated Jun 1, 1909, Oct 9, 1912, and Oct 8, 1917.

Jim

 

[BMur]

Great info

Jim,
Great collection and info.
My research on the Military records stops in 1895. I’m not aware of records beyond that point that have survived regarding the Frankford Arsenal issuing specific detailed numbers or amount of tools issued to various forts/armories.

I know the instructions list a “re-issue” date post 1907 however I can’t prove tools were still being “manufactured” after 1907. It’s possible that early tools were being replaced after broken but I honestly don’t believe new tools were being issued beyond replacement of damaged or broken tools. So I believe that overall inventory remained the same.

We know from the records that the issuance of the tools was only to forts and armories. I see no evidence that individual units were issued tools or individual solders. I believe that is why they are so hard to find. Not a lot of them were actually manufactured.

Ok, now to my opinion. Reloading or basic reloading is applicable to bolt actions and revolvers.
The next step up is match loading for accuracy.

Now to automatic actions that include semi-autos and machine guns. Once those became issued items in the Military these tools were made obsolete. Since reloading for automatic actions is truly an art. You have to get it perfect or you “will” induce a malfunction. To be perfectly honest these tools are not good enough to load or reload for automatic actions.

I have no doubt that they remained on shelves after 1907 and likely did load and reload for revolvers and bolt actions but after smokeless powder was introduced the shelf life on ammo was literally limitless unlike black powder during that time.

So, in my opinion these tools were obsolete after 1907 and very few if any would have been manufactured other than replacement of broken or missing tools after that time. So a rare item indeed.

Murph

 

[BMur]

Dating the tools

You can see from the attached photo’s that my tool dates to the 1890’s. This is directly from Military records of the Ordinance inspector listing. Likely early 1890’s since he is listed as an inspector at that time.

This also supports my position of Pre-1907 as I have not seen any tools inspected from listed Military inspectors beyond 1909 and those are only bench tools that were likely repaired with replacement parts that are stamped.

Murph

 

[Heinz]

BMUR and all, great thread and exacting research. As a 45-110 Shiloh Sharps owner, I appreciate the history behind these tools.

 

[BMur]

Cross reference

The latest Military inspected Loading dies I have documented are circa 1905. See photos.

These dies from my collection are the last ones made and inspected from my research.

The first adopted Military machine gun was 1904. It would not have gone well loading a belt and feeding that early machine gun with reloads. Doesn’t take much of an imagination to visualize what kind of response the Military would have had at that time.

Murph

 

[TripleLock]

You can see from the attached photo’s that my tool dates to the 1890’s. This is directly from Military records of the Ordinance inspector listing. Likely early 1890’s since he is listed as an inspector at that time.

According to the records maintained by the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Colden L'H. Ruggles was assigned to Frankford Arsenal twice: from January to October 1894; and from October 1896 to February 1900.

Jim

 

[BMur]

Your tool

Thanks Jim,

What inspector markings are on your tools?

Murph

 

[TripleLock]

Thanks Jim,

What inspector markings are on your tools?

Murph

Of the three tools I have:

1) marked C.L'H.R., Colden L'Hommedieu Ruggles, assigned to Frankford Arsenal from January to October 1894, and again from October 1896 to February 1900;

2) marked O.M.L., Ormond Mitchell Lissak, assigned to Frankford Arsenal from July 1900 to July 1904; and

3) unmarked. This tool is part of a "Decapping & Cleaning" kit, having the longer arm (for lack of a better word) to accommodate the .30 Model 1906 cartridge, and lacking provision for the knurled-headed screw for seating primers.

Jim