Old reloading die

[Ron in PA]

Hi all
Can anyone help indentify this old reloading die. Its made by Heatbath Mfg.Co. Indina Orchard, Mass. Thanks Ron116367

[Char-Gar]

I am working on some very old memory, but I "think" that is a taper crimp die most likely for the 45 ACP. No promises here, but a strong inkling that come from somewhere in the distant past.

run a 45 acp case into the die and find out. It also might be a 45 acp seating die. Does the top part screw out and if so what does it look like? Looks like an air or lube vent hole in the top.

Heatbath made gun bluing tanks and burners back in the day. I think they also made taper crimp dies.

[462]

I have one that is its twin, but without any kind of markings. It was in a box of used Hornady .45 ACP dies, and I figured that it was a home made seating die. Measured with an inside micrometer, the opening is .472".

Whatever it is, at least two of them exist.

[Janoosh]

Make that three. I have one also. I believe Char-Gar has nailed it.

[Char-Gar]

I did some polishing up of old memory and checking into my files and I hate just to go on an "inkling" with the detail just a part of the fuzzy past.

Bulleye shooting really came into being following WWII and for the next ten years or so, folks learned how to make the old 1911 shoot better and how to load the 45 ACP round for ultimate accuracy. Most of what we know about how to load the round for accuracy came from that time.

It took a good gunsmith who knew what to do, to turn the "Government 45" into a reliable target puncher. These days with CNC machine, all one has to do is write the script and push the start button. The pistols that come out would make the old time gunsmith turn green with envy.

There were many experiments done with case mouth tension and crimping with cast bullets. The end result was the taper crimp proved to be much more satisfactory and some folks jumped into produce taper crimp dies for the public. Heatbath was one of the first. I don't know how long they continue in this enterprise, but the die pictured above was part of their production.

The die is not only an interesting piece of vintage reloading equipment, but should do a great job at it's intended purpose.

[texassako]

Looks a whole lot like the Mardan Inc. 38 Special or 357 mag taper crimp dies a seller on ebay has listed for quite a while. It has the same town on the pictured box as yours and the die looks identical in several pics except for one with a different lock ring. I bet the .38 cal on the seller's box really means it is for taper crimping .38 ACP or Super

[Sghinds]

I love to see when the vast knowledge of reloaders comes to the surface when a fellow reloader is looking for answers.

[Ron in PA]

Thanks All, I have 2 dies 45 ACP & 38 cal.

[462]

Char-Gar, many thanks for the information.

After a more thorough inspection, it makes more sense that the die is a taper crimp die, opposed to a seating die.

To answer your question: No, the top does not unscrew from the body. I reckon the slot is for depth adjustment using a screwdriver, in case the die body is too far into the press to use one's fingers. The hole goes all the way through the die body, evidently to relieve pressure as the round is inserted and forced up into the die.

I'll be giving it a try.

Thank you, sir.

[Char-Gar]

It will be an air vent hole. about 1962 I bought a new set of C-H dies and every time I tried to size a case it collapsed. I could find nothing wrong with the die, so I asked my gunsmith/mentor friend. One look at the die and case and he said C-H had forgotten to drill the air vent hole in the side of the die. He drilled a small hole where it should be and the dies worked perfectly for many years.

Reloading tool makers produced a few bum products, even "back in the day", that we all like to talk about in such glowing terms about quality.