$258 for a set of 310 dies on eNay

[Green Frog]

Eddie,

One of my first steel handled tools was a 32-40 ANIB, but stripped of its dies... fortunately, I already had cadged a set of dies from another source. I also got almost of a set of 38-55 dies from that “other source” so I was good for loading my two most critical hyphenated rounds for Schuetzen. I’ve never actively sought after a set of 38-55 handles, so I don’t think I can help you much.

Now for whatever reason, I was able to find a couple more sets of steel 32-40 handles that were priced right and they should show up on S&S in my proposed November Super Sale. Stay tuned! I keep finding sets of dies I forgot I had, stashed away in random places after coming home from gun shows, winning auctions, etc, etc. I should be able to put together a pretty good list for you enthusiasts while retaining what I need to keep loading what I still load.

Froggie

[georgewxxx]

I wouldn't get too uptight about those extremely high auction prices. My son sells my excess on Ebay for me, and all that money generated, goes into my grandchildren college fund. One of our casting friends here on this forum died a couple years ago, and I bought most all his equipment from his wife. I kept a few items, but most was sold at that auction, or at least tried to sell by my son. One mould a, 3089, that I knew would sell well went for an astronomical price of $500 plus the first time. The buyer had only been registered a couple weeks on eBay and when asked to pay, they refused. As a seller, you're at the buyers honesty, and all the rules eBay has set fourth aren't worth beans if the buyer is basically fraudulent. Having said that, that same mould was put up again a month later and somehow the same buyer was able to bid again doing the same thing. That scenario has happened several time from different buyers that failed to pay the gavel price. Ebays rules are worthless at times when buyers and probably a few sellers try and work around what we consider fair trade rules.

So don't get your hopes up thinking some of your equipment is worth a fortune, when you see a sold price way beyond anyone's imagination. I've a feeling some of those buyers are working on term papers to show how people get caught up in buying at auction as a test only. And we all know the internet being what it is, there are always going to be someone who wants to steal and run!

[Eddie Southgate]

Froggie , I got a set of .32 Winchester Special handles that should do 38-55 no problem just need a reasonably priced set of 310 dies . Of course if I can find a complete steel set for a good price first , I will go that route .

[beltfed]

I wonder what my nice C.C.Johnson RED HEAD press with two turrets might be worth?
beltfed/arnie

[Green Frog]

I wonder what my nice C.C.Johnson RED HEAD press with two turrets might be worth?
beltfed/arnie

I don’t know, but after I set mine up dedicated for 40-40 Maynard (with custom shell holder for the big 1873 rim) and Charley’s grandson gave me a second turret NOS out of his shop, I don’t want to know... mine means too much to me to sell. I’m chasing a set of dies for the second caliber, but I don’t know whether Jerry has the oddball shell holder that would be required(??)

Truth to tell, I’m not all that sure the Red Head is any better (or worse) than the TruLine Jr, but the cool factor is way off the scale!! When I found my press at an OH GCA, many years ago I knew very little about them, but it spoke to me through the hubbub of the show and the price was right ($35 with 30-06 dies and SH, IIRC.). Since it has such a neat history now with me; and since it isn’t eating anything when not in use, it’s not likely to leave the lily pad.

Froggie

[beltfed]

Good point,Froggie. I had been mainly using my Red Head for 25-20 and 32-20.
works well. I had picked it up very cheap yrs back. I asked about value what with all the high price talk on this thread.
Now I have a very nice TLJ that was expertly converted to 7/8-14 and I am now
using the TLJ more.
beltfed/arnie

[Pressman]

Looking for Swiss dies the locals advised me to go to the Minnesota Arms Collectors show this weekend at the fairgrounds in St. Paul. I would find them there for sure.

Looked high and low, dug through several lots of big boxes of used dies, no Swiss dies. It found the rifle, but since I have one I decided that I didn't need twins.

Standing and chatting with a dealer about our Army days I glanced down and there was a 310 die box. Looking closer it's NIB. He told me $10.00 and take it home. My messed up shoulder screamed in pain I whipped out my wallet so fast. Caliber .41 S&W for the Tru-Line Jr press. Shellholder and priming punch were not included.
Original selling price was $6.40, back then.

This turned out to be the 1st of 2 real treasures I found at the show.
the other is in the vintage tool section.

Ken

[Green Frog]

For those interested in the Red Head portion of this discussion, I have re-established contact with Jerry Johnson, grandson of the major maker of the Red Head presses and he said he would be willing to try and answer any questions we have about them. I was in his shop many years ago and he inherited much of his grandfather's stuff, both for the reloading game and the actual rifle building. The rifle records are actually pretty thorough but I didn't get into just how much he has on the Red Head. He did gift me a spare turret head for mine and was able to locate a shell holder or two back then.

Froggie

PS Apologies to the OP for thread drift/hijack. Sometimes I can't help myself!

[3006guns]

Pressman, seeing that boxed set (for the Tru-line Jr. I believe) reminded me of one of the two good deals I got on 310 type equipment. The first was a full set...new....dies for the 6.5 Swedish Mauser. No other bids, so for $9.95 they were mine. The other was a full set of boxed 6.5 Japanese dies at the same price. Combined with the other sets I've acquired, I have my military calibers completely covered.

I actually think the fad of finding 310 "stuff" will back off after awhile. Lyman made a LOT of those tools/dies, so the market will become so saturated that prices will begin to drop.

But the important thing is that I USE them! Some pre-cast boolits, some powder and primers along with the tool, fits perfectly in a 50 caliber ammo can for trips to the desert. End result: At the end of the weekend I'm still shooting while my buddies burned up their "drug store" ammo the day before.........

[Green Frog]

Pressman, seeing that boxed set (for the Tru-line Jr. I believe) reminded me of one of the two good deals I got on 310 type equipment. The first was a full set...new....dies for the 6.5 Swedish Mauser. No other bids, so for $9.95 they were mine. The other was a full set of boxed 6.5 Japanese dies at the same price. Combined with the other sets I've acquired, I have my military calibers completely covered.

I actually think the fad of finding 310 "stuff" will back off after awhile. Lyman made a LOT of those tools/dies, so the market will become so saturated that prices will begin to drop.

But the important thing is that I USE them! Some pre-cast boolits, some powder and primers along with the tool, fits perfectly in a 50 caliber ammo can for trips to the desert. End result: At the end of the weekend I'm still shooting while my buddies burned up their "drug store" ammo the day before.........

“My sediments exactly!” I was at an Ohio GCA show a few years back and got a LNIB TL Jr set in 32 S&W for about $10 and at another a NIB set for the 310 tool in 9 mm Para for about the same. At that time the madness had not set in from flea-Bay sales, but some bargains can still be found if you look. . If we don’t give in to the trend to pay blue sky prices for every piece of 310 stuff we see, the market will self correct eventually (I hope!)

Froggie

PS I use mine too!

[Pressman]

3006, yes that is a 310 set, surprisingly to me it does not include a shellholder. There are bargains out there, we just have to be prepared to pounce when we find them.

I have been doing well on eBay this week picking up unusual items without bidding competition. I added a strange little shotshell reloader tool, a bench clamp for a No1 lubesizer and a S&W mould that is beyond scarce. The mould was the most expensive at $36.00.

Ken

[3006guns]

Many years ago, back in the late eighties, my old mentor attended the gun show in Reno, Nevada. Upon his return he presented me with a set of almost new Lyman 310 steel handles, with the removable bushing. Also included were two sets of dies, one for .303 British and the other for 8mm Mauser...both still in their original boxes. My cost? Twelve bucks for all. I thanked him, but they languished in a drawer for about five years until I got curious and began loading with them. The result was very good ammunition from a system that could be carried in the field easily. I started on a mad hunt, looking for other die sets to suit my milsurps.....to the point that I have a set for each gun now, each set having neck expanders for both jacketed and cast. I found that the 310 shop was my best friend during this time!

I have several sets of older Ideal/Lyman tools for .45 Colt, 32-20, etc. that I inherited after than man's passing in the early nineties. Most of them have the usual problem of a missing decapping pin, some rust, etc. but I refuse to give them up. I also got his original Tru-line with the compound linkage, and have used it to reload .38 special. It works well within its limitations......and it's so darn cute! I'll never have a collection to the extent of Pressman's, but I have a good solid link to the past with tools that do the job quite well.

Yeah, the prices have gone up but mostly from opportunists that think they're sitting on a gold mine. Again, Lyman made a LOT of those tools over the years so just keep your eyes open at the shows. The bargains (or at least fair prices) ARE out there.

[Drm50]

I figured out the crazy high bids on line several years ago. It is caused by retired Navy Chiefs. As usual when the squibs hit the beech the local economy sky rockets.

[Eddie Southgate]

Lee dippers are next ! Singles on ebay only $6.99 each . Nice boxed Redding scale for $20.00 buy it now , go figure !!

[usmc69]

I was surprised at the price for the dies on ebay. I started out in 1973 loading with a Lyman 310 Tool in .38 Special and .45 ACP. I progressed to a Lyman Spar-T (gave the 310 to one of my Marines who was using a Lee Loader after he set off some primers on my back porch while loading one afternoon).and then a Dillon Square Deal B. Have since sold the Square Deal B and up graded the Spar-T with a Lyman Turret Press.
Last summer (2018) a friend gave me a 310 Tool with .45 ACP dies for old times sake. This summer (2019) one of the Rangemasters at the local range gave me a Tru-Line Jr press, another set of 310 handles and dies for .30-06, .222 and .38/357. They now set on a shelf in my Reloading/Gun Room on display as part of my collection.

[Char-Gar]

I have eleven box sets of caliber specific 310 tools, most of them steel handled. I also have about eight sets of dies for various calibers. I bought these all for less than $75.00 per boxed set and less than $40.00 per set of dies, but that was a few years back.

Between the Cowboys shooters and the oh spit, oh spit, lets hide in the woods folks, prices on these things have taken a sharp upturn. It is a sellers market and I don't expect a correction any time soon.

[44magLeo]

I was just cruzing Ebay and spotted a Lee loader for a 2 7/8 " 10 ga. Buy it now of $233. The box looked very pretty.
Right close was another one at $125. The box was a bit rough.
Leo

[Green Frog]

I’m getting old enough now for my wild flights of fancy to tempt me less, so maybe I should go ahead and sell a bunch of stuff as I’ve been threatening... it could finance the next phase of my retirement! I don’t know whether I should have a big “reveal” or just dribble stuff out a couple of items at a time.

Froggie

[Pressman]

Dribble. The anticipation of what's next will make the winter warmer.

[Eddie Southgate]

Dribble. The anticipation of what's next will make the winter warmer.

I don't know from personal experience but I would think dribbling would tend to have a cooling effect in an old person .