Anybody ID This Seater - I Believe?

[DenverDuck]

Anybody ID Who Made This Bullet Seater - I Believe? Frankly I am not positive that is what it is. There are no markings on it. I am thinking it might be a home made item. I have 3 in different calibers.

Many thanks in advance.. Duck

[Bent Ramrod]

Belding & Mull. Generally they have their name and the caliber along the side.

Looks like it's missing the base.

[DenverDuck]

Thank you SIR!

[catskinner]

If not marked B&M might be custom seater die made for bench rest competition.

[VHoward]

Could it be a hydrolic decapper? http://www.dave-cushman.net/shot/hydraulic.html

[Bent Ramrod]

Here's a couple of mine; .25-20 Single Shot and .25-20 Repeater. All I've seen are of the same diameter, and the base is a standard knurled counterbored piece that the chambers stand in, with a hole through the center so the primer isn't touched during the seating operation. It's the piece that's usually lost for good while the chamber and the seater are kept together.

Attachment 174150

It was offered with (I think) the Belding & Mull Model 26 loading press, which deprimed, necksized and primed, but did not seat the bullet. The later ("Improved") Model 28 had the chamber threaded at the top and fit on the press like a seating die. That chamber was smaller in diameter and shorter, but still had the knurling and the markings of the earlier one.

The knurling, size of caps/adjusters on the bullet seater and lettering varied; some said "BELDING AND MULL / PHILLIPSBURG PENNA USA" (2 lines), neatly stamped (like the 25-20), some rather sloppily stamped (like the Repeater), but all of those I have are stamped with "B&M" and the caliber, at least. Never have seen an unmarked one, or one with an unknurled body, but it is possible. You might have a gunsmith copy, as catskinner says, but it's pretty obvious what they copied.

You stuck a screwdriver in the slot on the bottom to pry the completed cartridge out, if it was reluctant to fall out.

Again, the usual advice, check the ARTCA web site; they have a Belding & Mull section on there.

Do you know what the caliber is?