Old 45/70 reloader

[stepmac]

In 1961, when I was 16, I bought an old, but nearly like new Trapdoor Springfield in 45/70. It was a cadet model used for college students while attending military schools. I still have the rifle.

I recall paying $58 for the rifle and something like $25 for an original 1891 Winchester reloading tool. The late great Dangerous Dave Cunningham sold the stuff to me. Ol'Dave didn't know how to use the device and it took me quite a while to figure it out. He instructed me to hammer the cases into the reloading chamber with a mallet and I used the machine that way for years. It was actually a screw device.

Those Winchester reloaders were made for a specific bullet. You could buy one for the 500 or the 405 grade bullets. Mine is a 500 grainer and when used correctly it reloads a perfect cartridge, resized perfectly with the ideal crimp in the proper place on the bullet. The winding and unwinding of the tool does kind of mess up the base of the cases, but that's okay, I think.

It is fun to take my Trapdoor to the range and reload those long 45/70 cases with BP using that old tool. The tool has a decapper, capper and resizes and seats and crimps. I'll try to post a pic of it.

[Dave Bulla]

I'd be interested in seeing pic's.

[725]

Would love to see photos.

[TheGrimReaper]

I'd be interested in seeing pic's.

Same here....sounds neat.

[1Shirt]

Yep, need pics!
1Shirt!

[GOPHER SLAYER]

This is a picture of the Winchester reloading tool described in the post. Mine is for the 38-55. I reloaded one or two cases with it just to see how in worked and work it did, if somewhat slow. You can resize, prime and seat the bullet. I am not sure how you would deprime unless you used a punch and hammer. The tool is stamped, pat. Feb 13, 1894.

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I forgot to attach the pictures, AGAIN. They say the mind is the first thing to go. In my case it was the third thing. I also forgot to mention that you can expand the neck after resizing. There is a tapered nipple on the bottom of the tool and to expand the case neck you place the neck of the case over the nipple and tap with a mallet. Anyway here is the picture.

[douglasskid]

Im still not seeing the picture. Am I missing something? Would love to see it.

[Horace]

They are the "Winchester Model 1894" a three piece loading tool. A quality tool.

Horace

[Green Frog]

Still no pix to be seen here... :confused:

Froggie

[Char-Gar]

I started loading the the 47-70 Trapdoor many years ago with an old Ideal tong tool that contained the mold. My gunsmith and mentor took a length of 3/8 hardwood dowel rod and chucked it in the lathe. With a small drill bit in a tailstock chuck, he drill a hole dead center in the dowel. He tapped in a small wire nail and nipped of the head with some cutters. He then handed it to me.

I would take the case, set it over the dowel with the nail in the flash hold. Holding the case, I would tap the dowel on a hard surface. The spent primer would pop right out.

He told me some of the old tools came with a wooden deprimer like this.

[Bent Ramrod]

Does it look like this? (Sorry, swiped from an auction site; had no idea it would be so small.)

87137

The 1894 reloading tool was very sophisticated in that it full-length resized the shell while the bullet was being seated. This was accomplished safely and slowly by turning the threaded body on the right into the tool head on the left until resistance was felt. The lever would be pushed outwards like in the picture by this action. The lever was then squeezed back until it contacted the tool body and the threaded part screwed in again until resistance was felt and the lever went back out. Three or four repeats of this operation were necessary and then the body was unscrewed and the sized, loaded cartridge shaken out.

I've seen them in most of the 1894 Winchester rifle calibers but never one in .45-70. As a blackpowder cartridge, that one could be reloaded multiple times with just neck sizing in a tong tool. The drive-in-and-out Ideal full length sizing die could be used if the shells were too swollen after many reloadings. But the higher pressures of the smokeless calibers plus the springiness of the lever actions meant that the cartridges would need full length sizing each reloading.

[stepmac]

I'd be interested in seeing pic's.http://i200.photobucket.com/albums/aa23/GermVMA211/Gun%20Stuff/GunStuff0012.jpg (http://s200.photobucket.com/user/GermVMA211/media/Gun%20Stuff/GunStuff0012.jpg.html)

[country gent]

Step mac, That is an interesting tool, Ill bet lot more of those style were used back in the day than actuall presses and or bench mounted tools. A dipper for powder and the whole set up fits in a pocket, or saddle bag

[MBTcustom]

Look at that priming system! It's a worm and the center is the priming ram. Genius!
I'll just bet the whole thing screws together the same way.
Fascinating design.
I want to make one.

[country gent]

Goodsteel, think about this now. The machinery and equipment of the day used to make that tool. All was more than likely Flat belt machines running from a common power source on a jackshaft at the ceiling of the plant. Special reaamers and handtools to finish and fit. Those old boys brought pride and craftsmanship to levels unheard of now. A file was a prized preccision tool back then. Ive looked at the ideal one piece molds from the day Seen one I could handle. simple no halves to line up no alighnment pins Just a simple tube and nose form / ejector with a single handle and sprue plate on top. Ive been going to pick up a chunk of castiron and make one but havent gotten around to it yet.

[Bent Ramrod]

The Model 1891 Winchester tool is not often found; only made for three years. Reputedly very slow to use.

It was superseded by the 1894 tool.

[John Allen]

I have never seen this version. It is truly beautiful. Thanks for sharing.