I'll start off by saying I'm addicted to cool reloading tools! Old tools that are rare or cool, or new tools done in the fashion of old tools. Doesn't matter, as long as they're extremely high quality, and work great. I've got old tools from various companies like Ideal, Marlin, Winchester, etc, and custom made tools by famous makers like HM Pope, George Schoyen, etc. And some by newer guys like Simmons, Bud Barnes, BW Darr.
But I just received a re-decapping tool that is about as cool as any tool I own old or new! It's made for de-priming, and re-priming cases, and is made by Gerald Cleave in California. Gerry has built other tools for me, and also rebuilt my Simmons re-de-capper when I first bought it and the decapping pin was messed up. I asked Gerry to make me a very special tool that could do the calibers I wanted to do most frequently.
Those are .45-70, .40-63/70 Ballard, .38-55 Ballard, .32-40 Ballard, and .25-20. So here's what came in the mail this morning:
These tools are loosely based on the HM Pope Stevens tools made when he was employed at Stevens. Gerry's uncle Charlie made copies of them, along with copies made by Simmons, Meacham, and others. After Charlie passed, Gerry took up the mantle and makes these one of a kind custom tools. Each serial numbered, and recorded as to who got them, and what caliber(s) the tool was made for.
I plan to use one of my spare display cases to make a fitted interior, so I can be sure I wont lose any of the parts! There are knurled decapper nuts for each size caliber, along with sleeves for the neck size of each cartridge. And a small and large priming rod for the different primer sizes. The knurled nut is taken off the decapping rod, and the various sleeves are a slip fit over the rod. Then the correct sized knurled nut reinstalled to hold the sleeve in place. The various shell holders are threaded internally, and have a setscrew to hold them in a detent on each shell holder. The end of each handle holds a primer pocket cleaning tool also for small and large primers.
These are a tool to use, but a piece of gun art to be used also! Like the breech seating tool he made for me, this one is serial numbered the same number assigned to my Hepburn breech seater.