310 Ideal Hand Tool - 30-06

[Ben]

I ordered a 310 Ideal 30-06 hand tool with dies from Bealzybub.
He indicated that it had some light surface rust. The tool and dies were just as he described.

When I received it today, I began cleaning the rust inside and out of everything.
Took some time, & once clean, I've re-oiled everything, looks nice in my opinion.

By using links below, I hope to save Ken some bandwidth ...........

This is like taking a trip back in time.

Anyone care to guess the age of this one ?

Ben

Photos below :

#1 , http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/002-28.jpg

# 2 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/003-21.jpg

# 3 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/004-21.jpg

# 4 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/005-13.jpg

# 5 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/006-17.jpg

# 6 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/007-12.jpg

# 7 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/008-16.jpg

# 8 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/009-13.jpg

# 9 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/010-13.jpg

#10 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/011-15.jpg

# 11 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/012-12.jpg

# 12 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/013-14.jpg

# 13 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/014-7.jpg

#14 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/015-7.jpg

#15 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/016-7.jpg

#16 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/017-7.jpg

# 17 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/018-7.jpg

#18 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/019-4.jpg

#19 http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/020-2.jpg

[scrapcan]

Nice set. also good to see all lock bands match and the knurling on the dies match. The straight knurl on the expander also matches the same time frame of dies.

I have some work done by others here and with the ARTCA that will get you to the nitty gritty of age, but it is best to say nice set enjoy them.

[Ben]

I still wonder just how old these are. The machine work on this set of dies and handles is amazing.

This was done when the American craftsman took real pride in what they were turning out.

Ben

[scrapcan]

Ben,

Send me a pm with your email address and I will forward some info that the ARTCA crew has put together.

Just a teaser, your handles would be the first iteration of the 310 tool. The second would have had the id stamp instead of caliber stamps. Not a lot of the id stamped ones around, it is felt that less than one year and maybe on the order of weeks or months of production.

The third set would be the stamped L or S type plum steel handles with insert.

The dies and lock rings also can be dated based on characteristics

lots of other research has been done by the group.

so after reading all that stuff, your handles are likely later than 1945 but before 1957.

Helpful sort of guys aren't they!

[Ben]

PM sent with my Email address

[scrapcan]

Ben

I have a set that are just like yours, same cartridge same dies, came to me in same condition. mine have just a bit more wear of the plum on the handles. One thing we are both missing is the powder scoop. Then they would be complete sets minus the box.

Who needs the box when they are meant to get lost in the drawer with all that other cool stuff!

[Ben]

manleyjt

What age do you " guess " yours to be ?

Ben

[Ben]

I loaded 5 rounds of 30-06 with my IDEAL 310 tong tool, with 11.0 Unique and a .310 sized Lee 160 gr. tumble lube spire.

Smooth as silk, a truly quality tool :

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v494/haysb/030-3.jpg

[1Shirt]

Have one just like it in 06, and one in 257R, and complete die sets for 243, and
38S/357, and am bidding on a set of 222. You can load 308 w/06 dies, and 223, and 222Mag. with 222 dies. One in 222 was what I started with, and foolishly sold it, complete for 25.00. If I was going to load at the range, it would be with a 310 tool. We get to soon old and to late smart.
1Shirt!:coffeecom

[Green Frog]

I like them for my old Winchester rifles, so I have a steel handle set marked .32-40 and one marked .45-70. Other than those two, I have a set of large and a set of small steel handles that take the inserts when changing calibers plus the dies to load for my other "classic calibers." The iron/steel handles with the plum colored bluing date from right after WW II to about 1954 or 55. The style of caliber stamping on yours makes me lean toward the early end of the date range mentioned.

Froggie

[Ben]

Thank you Froggie

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ben: I just caught up to you with the Lee hand press and now you are off on the Ideal Tong Tools.
How the hell am I supposed to keep up?

My Springfield is coming along nicely, you'll like it See Special Projects.

Randy

[Ben]

I'll go check it out Randy.

Thanks,
Ben

[scrapcan]

Ben,

I am with Froggie on this, I think you have an early set. I need to re read the die stuff to make sure, but I think the weeding band stem lock rings and the wide straight knurl on the die lock rings gives us a type I 310 die set. I would estimate your set the same as mine and I think they are 1945 to 1952-53. I will do some more digging to see if we can narrow it down a bit. If we had the boxes that would help, if they were original to the tool. And sometimes that doesn't help either as they used up old stock even after tooling changes occurred.

Froggie,

Got any more comments on estimating age for Ben?

[Ben]

Thanks for all the help fellows.....we are beginning to narrow things down.

I was born in 1949, this one could very well be older than I am.

Ben

[Green Frog]

[QUOTE=manleyjt;1626640

Froggie,

Got any more comments on estimating age for Ben?[/QUOTE]

Heckydarn,JTM... I was just making my estimate based on gut instinct! I looked at the style of marking the caliber and without consciously doing it factored in the wedding ring style lock rings, and it just "looked old" to me. So now you've all been lead around by the reading of FROG GUTS!! :roll: :mrgreen: :kidding:

In all seriousness, though, it looks like this unit has those little touches of finish, etc that seemed to become less abundant with the passing of time and probably the increase of production volume that came through the '50s. My .32-40 handles are almost definitely later and they look almost crudely finished by comparison. The .45-70s fall somewhere in between.

[.22-10-45]

Hello, Ben. I too think they are late 40's..early 1950's. I collect & use these neat old tools, I have been working with an original Ballard in .25-25 Stevens. & though I did spring for a modern RCBS die set, I find I use it only for slight neck sizing & a Lyman M for mouth expanding. I do all bullet seating with an Ideal nickle plated No. 3 double adjustable chamber No. 3 special.
Few years ago, I was working with .38 long-colt. I could size & expand & seat bullet using std. .38 spec. dies..but case was too short for crimping. I used another old nickle plated No. 3 marked .38 spec..this came with blued dies like yours, & since there is no shellholder..the seat/crimp die can be adjusted as far down as needed.
These old tools are fun..but those old-timers must have been tough..squeezing in is no problem..it's the pulling apart those handles to get a sized case out that's a bear..gives you a pretty good arm workout!

[Ben]

Thanks to all of you for your valued input. This give me a much better idea of what I'm holding now.

Thanks again,

Ben