Ideal No.1 Lubricator and Sizer

The result of my lengthy search for a used, but not abused, example of this little dandy from days now long gone, I turned up this one, complete with its original wrench and clamp. A bonus for me was that it came with a 0.308 die and a 284 top punch - what a coincidence that my .30-1903 chambered Winchester Model 1895 loves the No.311284 sized to 0.308"!

This dainty little gem won't see a lot of use from here on out, but for those times in the loading room when the "old school" mood is upon me...

Attachment 196309

Wonderful machines. I still have three of them. If you use a Lee push-thru sizer to size your boolits before running them through it, then the No. 1 only has to act as a lubricator and it has hardly any stress on it and should do bazillions of boolits then.
Good luck and happy lubing!!!

Nice find Jr, enjoy!

Thats really cool. What year range is this from?

The #1 has been around a long time. Begins about 1902, give or take and ended in 1946/7 when the #45 came out. There is a far superior #2 lubesizer as well, though I only know of a single working example, it is that rare.

Ken

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Originally Posted by Bazoo

Thats really cool. What year range is this from?

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Based on changes made to the pressure nut over the No.1's production span (and assuming the one in mine is original), and the "New Haven" address cast into the operating handle, my best guess is that my little No.1 was probably made sometime between 1908 and the Lyman takeover in 1925.

Nice find, and ditto Beagle333. Don't do heavy sizing it'll last 10 life times.

I had and used one of these quite a bit and 50-50 worked fine as long as it was over 75 degrees.......during the winter a light bulb of 60 watt for about 2 hours got the juice flowing.............

Was just given one with multiple dies and nose punches its still got part of the original box:)

Nice snag! Limit your sizing and hardness to the "end of Black powder and the beginning of Mach3 velocities" era and it will outlast you.
nice!

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Originally Posted by ravelode

Was just given one with multiple dies and nose punches its still got part of the original box:)

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Very cool! 8-) I've never seen a box, or even part of one

I've just sealed the deal on a second one, a Middlefield to go with the New Haven.
These things are like peanuts!!

I found mine at the Nation's Gun Show about 15 years ago. It was a little loose but the black paint was nearly intact and it had the dedicated clamp, all for just $30! It was missing the wrench, but I found one on flea-Bay from a vendor who said he almost threw it away because he didn't think anyone would want it! :shock: I use it to lube and true up the .515 bullets for my Maynard.

Froggie

Looking for a wrench

Geoff in Oregon

Thanks for sharing. Pretty neat information.

jr, what a nice find, with die and top punch, it's easy to picture the previous owner sitting and lubing bullets for his 30 US or '03.

You just don't have that visceral urge to fondle a piece of equipment with the drab utilitarian new stuff like you do with tools and what not from before the war,,,,,,

I use mine all the time .

Eddie