Old Ideal #311359

[trooperdan]

I bought a mould off of eBay that is the first of it's type I've even seen. The mould blocks are not separate from the handle jaws! It is marked 311359 on one side and Ideal Mfg Co New Haven Conn on the other. Looks like some previous owner made it a flat base instead of a gas check and there is some light rust in the nose cavity that I hope will clean up OK. Might make a good .30 M1 Carbine boolit! Wonder how old it might be?

[Bret4207]

Floodgate could probably tell you when the design first surfaced, but I know a little. It was originally a 32-20 design, not an MI Carbine design as has been reported. I'm fairly sure it goes back to the 20's. The one piece moulds go back to the begining of the Barlow/ Marlin/ Ideal moulds. Again, Floods the man on this, but I believe the separate handles appeared in the late 30's or early 40's.

[beagle]

It does in fact make a good .30 Carbine bullet. I've shot thousands in the carbine. Be sure to use a #359 top punch or you'll bump the nose.

That's an oldie. floodgate will get on here and tell you how old but the one piece jobs were made way back when./beagle

[georgewxxx]

Since Floodgate hasn't spotted your question yet, I'll fill in some of the blanks of the question From the literature he's sent me on dates and numbers, Ideal 311359 started in handbook #22 that would be approximately 1911 or so I've got a #18 handbook that show gas checked boolits starting to be available then, but mould number 319 is the highest given at that time. Bret is right on the 32-20 in single shot rifles only of course. My 1919 Ideal #29 handbook shows the new separate blocks and handles being offered, but it may go farther back than that.

Doug(Floodgate) got a multi part Castpics article yet to be posted that will answer the bulk of the questions on old Ideal/Lyman equipment and catalogs. ...Geo

[scrapcan]

If you have not seen Floodgates article on ideal/Marlin/lyman moulds, you will be impressed when it becomes available to you. More than likely Floodgate will be along soon to add upon Georgewxxx statements.

[floodgate]

Here I be, but my (ahem!) disciples have answered all the important questions. No. 311359 did come on the scene as a gas-check design "...for .32-20 RIFLES, when used as a single shot. When cast of No. 2 Ideal Bullet Metal weighs about 109 grains. Powder charge 5 1/2 grains' weight Du Pont 'Unique'....Special List $1.50...Price of Gas Check Cups per thousand...[*Sob!*] $1.00"

This example was probably made under Marlin's ownership before they shut down for WW I production at the end of 1915, though a few may have been left in stock when Lyman revived the Ideal line in late 1925, before they developed their loose-block moulds (around 1928).

Have fun with it!

floodgate