.44-40 reloading tool

[Moonlitin]

After much searching, I finally found a decent reloading tool in .44-40. We won't use this one to load any ammo, but I thought it would be a nice accessory to have for our 1873. Would anyone with knowledge about these tools share some information? Does anyone still use these?

http://home.comcast.net/~t.vandyke/pwpi ... 0_tool.jpg

Thanks

Moonlitin

[ollogger]

I use the old tool for my 1873 32-20 also use the bullet mold
the 3 came together when i bought, I use a Lee FCD the old tool
does not crimp

ollogger

[Gobblerforge]

Why wouldn't you use it?

[Shasta]

For anyone interested in old reloading tools, I highly recommend the paperback book "EARLY LOADING TOOLS and BULLET MOLDS" by R.H. Chamberlain, published in 1988. I have been priviledged for many years to be personally acquainted with him, and although he is getting well on in years, he maintains his interest in all things firearm-related.

Per the mentioned book, of all reloading tools made by arms manufacturers, Winchester tools are the most numerous. Along with Ideal, they account for more than 90% of the old tools found today.

Yours appears to be what is referred to in the book as the fifth type Winchester reloading tool, which they referred to as "The Lever Tool", patented October 20, 1874 & November 7, 1882 and was the one manufactured over the longest period of time. It was offered for sale from 1882 up through 1914, after which Winchester no longer sold tools and molds. It would originally have been accompanied by a single cavity wooden-handled bullet mold, a decapping pin, and a small brass powder charge cup.

Almost all Winchester tools were of the non-adjustable type, designed to use one bullet shape and weight and seat it at a fixed depth with a uniform crimp, although some did not have the crimp feature.

Modern reloading tools have greatly speeded up the reloading process and these old tools have been relegated to just novel collector items. Still, they will indeed do the job of reloading a cartridge for those with plenty of time to do so.

SHASTA

[Ray Newman]

Yes. Neat old hand loading tool. Always thought the Lyman 310 was a better -- more versatile -- tool if one wanted to hand load in a more period correct fashion:

http://www.cnyauctions.com/the310shop.htm

[w30wcf]

Moonlitin,
Nice tool for the 1873. Fortunately, I have one and it produces fine black powder ammunition. The tool originally came with a decapping pin and powder scoop for black powder.

It will not work for loading most smokeless since it is intended to load as fired cases since it does not size the case. The one exception would be a capacity load of RL7 which would support the base of the bullet. Of course cases could be resized in a standard die and then the bullets could be seated in the Winchester tool.

One other thing. The primer seating stem is sized for small rifle primers which were used in 44 WCF cases up until 1930 after which the primer size changed to large pistol. I do have some of those early cases and have used the tool to prime them. I have not tried to seat large pistol primers though. It may work ok.......

ollogger,
Thankfully, the tool I have does crimp the case, otherwise the bullet would not stay in place in the as fired case.

w30wcf

[KCSO]

I have a number of 310 and old ideal tools in various calibers and have done a lot of reloading with them. I reloaded a box of 38 S and W at camp on time making the bullets in an Ideal fire ring on the wood stove in the camp. I think I did an article for the shootist on it. The ammo isn't resized in most of the old Winchester and Ideal tools but is just held in by the crimp and therefore can not be changed from gun to gun. For sizing you had to have a seperate pound in pound out die.