Antique Ideal Multi-function Molds & Reloading Tools

[inuhbad]

Where can I find a place to find / buy those older Ideal reloading & casting tools?

I think they were made in the late 1880's and around the turn of the century... Like the old Ideal #4 or #8 tool with Mold Block, sizing/lubing opening, and capping/loading all in one Pliers-style tool?

I've been searching high & low for one of those in 45-70 with a bullet mold block too... Can't seem to find one.

Does anybody know of a website where you can find/purchase them?

Every now & then I'll see one at a gunshow in other calibers like .32-20, .44-40, etc., but I can't ever seem to find one in 45-70.

Know of any potential sources?

[totallycustom]

It would be cool if they made those again. Compact all in one tool. I would love one too but I think you just have to keep and eye out on Ebay and Gunbroker, etc.

[beagle]

You'll have to keep watching the auction sites and also look at the Antique Reloading Tools site

http://www.antiquereloadingtools.com/

Someone on there may have one for sale or trade.

With the renewed popularity of the .45/70, most have been scarfed up, especially by the BPCR shooters who are hunting authenticity.

Those tools are neat but a PITA to cast with as the handles get very hot. Great idea as far as portability but not so great in practice./beagle

[Tom Trevor]

Beagle, The Antique reloading tool site now requires that you buy a membership in their group before you are allowed to get on the site. I think that will slow the group down quite a bit.

[Green Frog]

Quote: Those tools are neat but a PITA to cast with as the handles get very hot. Great idea as far as portability but not so great in practice./beagle

+1 to Beagle! I know of very few folks who actively cast with one of these contraptions, although they do look good with the gun in a case or display. I still use the tong tools a fair bit, but would only use an iron handled bullet mould in sheer desperation! BTW, if you want one and don't want to travel to lots of gun shows, FleaBay still lets those tools on (and they show up occasionally as Ideal under reloading for search words.) You might also put a WTB on this board.

Tom Trevor, I agree with your assessment of the situation on the Antique Reloading Tool Forum... I wonder just what they are really hoping to accomplish by taking an action that has to have severely curtailed their traffic. Oh well, collectors of any sort are by nature a breed apart!

Froggie

[Catshooter]

Yes, the Antique Reloading Tool site was nice, but not much traffic. Now that you need to pay to join, well. I can't imagine that does anything but slow them down even further.

I for one decided not to pay the fee to see a little traffic grow less.


Cat

[Springfield]

I've got a very nice one in 45-70. I can send a pic to anyone interested. The mould isn't perfect but it is certainly usable. Even has the primer remover tool.

[Bent Ramrod]

Everybody ought to cast a few boolits in a #1, #4 or #6 Ideal tool to see what the old timers had to put up with. "There were giants on the earth in those days."

[notenoughguns]

I've got a very nice one in 45-70. I can send a pic to anyone interested. The mould isn't perfect but it is certainly usable. Even has the primer remover tool.

I might be interested in the tool if the price is right .

[KCSO]

I have a few and I am connected with a big collector of them. Remember those tools do NOT resize the cases so they work with only the gun you fired the case in. The bullets were held in place by the compressed BLACK powder and a crimp. If you want to reload with them, say for camp use or such, you might be better off with a 310 tool that at least neck sizes. I have a tool for my 45-70 and one for 45 colt and 38 Smith and Wesson. All are in good enough shape to actually reload and cast bullets and i do use them with BLACK powder. With smokless I wouldn't want to put the rounds in a tube magazine because of the lack of neck tension and the light crimp. The piece I wrote fot the Shootist on using them if I remember right from start to fiish a box of 50 cartridges took 4 hours over 2 days, casting at nigth on a wood stove and pan lubing . The nezt night finishing the process. I used heavy leather gloves to finish casting the 64 bullets that weeded out to 50 finished bullets.

[Springfield]

I have cast with my 45-70, 44-40, 45 colt and 38-55 tools. They are hard to keep hot as the handles act as heat sinks, but it can be done. Never actually loaded a compete round in them. They are pretty cool looking sitting on my old loading tools shelf, though. My 45-70 tool has a dent on the top, which would be the bottom of the bullet, but it looks worse than it is. The bullets come out OK, especially after resizing, but it certainly wouldn't be good enough for BPCR type stuff. You can see the little divot on the base of the bullet. Mine aren't technically for sale, but I might if someone offered some rediculous amount for them!

[notenoughguns]

Nice piece of history there , if it could only talk .

[Dean D.]

Here is a picture of my Ideal #4 in .45 Colt. This tool was owned by an old friend of my Dad's family. You can see his solution to the heat problem. The handles are wrapped in multiple strips of denim and secured with rawhide lacing. I have used this tool very often and can cast comfortably with it for hours.

[inuhbad]

Wow! Those really ARE beautiful!

As much as I want one of these, I guess I'll have to keep waiting & looking for one at a decent price... Or else just get the Lyman 310!

[Green Frog]

+1 to KCSO! I lucked into a set of post WW II cast iron handles intended (and marked) for .45-70, still in the box with a complete set of the then current 310 dies. Have happily loaded many rounds on this set as well as a TruLine Jr with an original set of dies for it. Since I have 3 or 4 moulds for .45-70 bullets of various weights, I've never felt the need to have that extra weight hanging out on the end of my loading tools, nor to get them hot enough to cast with!! I have done the same for my .32-40. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!!

Froggie

[Hank10]

I had one of these in 44/40, a friend has it now, but the unique thing about it was the mold attached to two prongs with screws just like on the Lyman mold handles . The mold was removable and any other lyman mold could be attached to replace it. Wasn't something that someone jury rigged, was a factory job but never saw another like that, also never saw one pictured in any of their loading manuals and I have most of those since the 1920s.
H10

[Catshooter]

Hank,

Some pictures of that Ideal tool and especially the mould attachment area would be very much appreciated by many here, if you could.

Thanks.


Cat

[Bent Ramrod]

Some of the later #4 and #6 tools were made with tangs for detachable mould blocks. You don't see them very often, but they do show up occasionally.

[Hank10]

Catshooter, the person with the mold is in Cal. but I'll see if I can get a pic from him.
H10

[3006guns]

I have a number of the old Ideal tong tools, inherited from a dear friend. Most of them are in pistol calibers or the smaller Winchester calibers. He too must have had a hot handle problem as at least two of them have very non-authentic but sensible heavy plastic tubing shoved over the handles.

I've used at least one of the tools to cast, size, prime and load. They work well, just slow......perfect for around the campfire.