My 310 Tong Tool Storage Box

[Ben]

Recently I purchased a 310 IDEAL Tong Tool set, in caliber 30 - 06 Springfield ( circa 1945 - 47 ) . I needed a few extra items, so I phoned the " 310 Shop " a few days ago and was able to finish my set . Rick Morrill is a pleasure to deal with. If you need .310 items, please contact him :

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

The items that I ordered from Rick arrived today, I now have 100 % of the items that are necessary to size my cast bullets to .310 dia., de-prime, size the necks, flare the necks for my .310 cast bullets, prime the cases, throw the charges, and seat the bullets with multiple cast bullet seating stems to fit spire pt and round nose .30 cal. cast bullets.

People say all this will fit into a cigar box. I've not found that to be the case with cans of powder, containers of cast bullets, loading blocks, etc.

I've come up with what I think is a pretty portable set up for all my 310 equipment.

[nicholst55]

Looks pretty slick! I recently bought a used set of small handles for handgun cartridges off of GunBroker for a very reasonable price. Both my large and small sets are newer aluminum handles. I like the nostalgia and durability of the steel handles, but I prefer to be able to load different (head size) cartridges on one set of handles.

I've got a set of .30-30 Win dies; now I need .45-70, .38/357, .44 Mag, and .45 Colt dies. I might also add the bullet sizing dies for the rifle cartridges at some point.

[Catshooter]

As always Ben, nice work.

nicholst55,

I think you could be in trouble. I have both a large and a small set of all steel 310 handles that accept the threaded adaptor dies, so Ideal/Lyman did make them.

Have fun in your new searching!


Cat

[nicholst55]

As always Ben, nice work.

nicholst55,

I think you could be in trouble. I have both a large and a small set of all steel 310 handles that accept the threaded adaptor dies, so Ideal/Lyman did make them.

Have fun in your new searching!


Cat

I'm aware that Lyman did make steel handles that take the adapter rings. Unless I'm mistaken though, they're nowhere near as common as the caliber-specific steel handles. I'm going to keep my eyes open, and maybe I'll stumble across one or two when I have the spare cash to buy them.

Gee, for a hobby that was supposed to save me money, this sure has been an expensive trip! I started in 1976, and I'm still buying tools!

[Ben]

nicholst55

You will save money ...........AFTER...........you've
invested $43,000.00

Don't ask me how I know that to be a fact.

[Green Frog]

I'm aware that Lyman did make steel handles that take the adapter rings. Unless I'm mistaken though, they're nowhere near as common as the caliber-specific steel handles. I'm going to keep my eyes open, and maybe I'll stumble across one or two when I have the spare cash to buy them.

Gee, for a hobby that was supposed to save me money, this sure has been an expensive trip! I started in 1976, and I'm still buying tools!

You're right about the relative abundance (or scarcity) of the steel handles that take adapters, but they actually show up fairly often (or at least did not too long ago.) I was all excited when I got my first one until I noticed that it was a SMALL and I had really wanted it for rifles. I kept looking for a LARGE set until I found one of those too. I don't think I paid more than $15 for either of them, but that was 10 years ago... they will be a little higher now, no doubt.

You don't save money reloading, you just get more ammo for the same money, so you get to shoot more. Oh yeah, and you get to shoot some weird calibers for which commercial ammo is no longer available.

Froggie

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ben: you're killing me! I am having a difficult time keeping up. I just got my Lee Hand Press and started packing stuff into a Craftsman Plastic tool box for my protable tool kit.

Now you've gone down a completely different road.

I didn't even know they made all that stuff for the Lyman Tong tools. Boolit sizing dies?

Here's a pic of my Lee based kit with .30-06 dies, Cast Boolits and 5744.

Randy

[nicholst55]

Ben: you're killing me! I am having a difficult time keeping up. I just got my Lee Hand Press and started packing stuff into a Craftsman Plastic tool box for my protable tool kit.

Now you've gone down a completely different road.

I didn't even know they made all that stuff for the Lyman Tong tools. Boolit sizing dies?

Here's a pic of my Lee based kit with .30-06 dies, Cast Boolits and 5744.

Randy

All you need for your hand press are some Lee push-through sizers; much more readily available and less expensive than bullet sizers for the 310. Just a thought...

[Ben]

I clearly think that the Lee Hand Press is the hands down leader in a portable reloading tool. The tool is head and shoulders above the Lyman Tong Tool system. The Lee can F/L size an 06' case , the Lyman 310 system cannot .

I'd always wanted an IDEAL tong tool system, found one and bought it. It appears to be older than I am based on what some knowledgeable people have told me about my particular set, It even looks and works better than I do.

Ben

[Green Frog]

If you want the ultimate in handheld reloading tools, look at the ones from Huntington and Pak-It. The former is still in production, the latter, I fear is not. I now own all but the Pak-It, and find that each has its strengths and desirable features and each has its drawbacks. BTW, of all of them the 310s have been used the most (and longest) but the Huntington is looking real good for a lot of new purposes.

Froggie

[1Shirt]

Ben, A definate class set up, and I guess I will just have to try to duplicate it with the exception of having it large enough to accomidate dies for two or three ctgs. Then I will have to think about boolit quantities, powder (probably unique and or 2400), and primers, so box will have to be larger. Like the drilled 2x4 (I think that is what it is), and the lables as well. Have always thought that the old 310 tools, are sort of a link with the past, and of a time period when Americans were not subjected to Political Correctness.
1Shirt!

[firefly1957]

Nice looking setup.

I have a set for 30-06 and 303 Brit. I am thinking of letting the Brit dies go I also have a Wilson full length size die that can be used in arbor press or vise.

[Ben]

1Shirt

Thanks for those nice comments, this one is a piece of history. I wish it could talk, I'd like to hear what it has to say, it is older than I am.

Ben

[edward hogan]

Nice.

I've found that one 310 die set fits just fine in a .30 Carbine magazine pouch. No way to confuse the dies. Just be sure you buy a lot of spare decapping pins.

Have a Lee Hand Press also. Damn thing pinches the web of my hand consistently. The Lyman is very fast and produces very fine quality loads. Not like I'd choose the Lee for FL sizing... Lyman used to make a bench mount press that had some dorsal-fin like frame work that you could hold in your hand and operate. Never used one, but likely a better solution than the Lee.

As far as a backpacking rig goes, or campact setup for RV/auto would be hard to find a faster tool than the 310 used with a set of Lee Dippers. YMMV.

I recall Skeeter Skelton doing an "If I could have only one gun" article. He chose his 5" S&W 27 and a musette bag with a 310 tool and variety of slugs for walk-about. Hard to beat, unless you live in bear country or want to take an elk or moose from time to time.

Hope you enjoy your gear!