Marlin Firearms Co. Casting/Reloading Tool

[Red Baron]

Hey Everyone,

I am going to attempt uploading some pics of a tool that was with some reloading equipment of my grandfathers. It's a Marlin tool and has a PAT. OCT 4 1881 date on it. The casting part of it seems pretty straightforward. The largest diameter of the casting mold measures 0.40". There is a W.38 stamped on it also but still not clear what caliber it is. Maybe if I could find some description of what all these holes and bevels are for on it this would give more clues. If anyone has seen something like this feel free to share how all these things work. It looks like the swiss army knife of reloading tools.

Thank you,
Jeff

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[762 shooter]

38-40 should be the caliber.

762

[Green Frog]

+1 to 762 shooter. They would have marked it 38 W or WCF to avoid using the whole name of their biggest competitor. Also, it has the pick type de-capper for Berdan primer removal, and apparently a "station" to re-cap and one for bullet sizing. It must be a very early one or meant for the European market. I can't tell from your close ups exactly how everything is laid out, but it probably will also seat the bullet as well. You are right, these early tong tools were sort of the "Swiss Army knives" of reloading.

Froggie

[Wayne Smith]

And in case you do not know, the 38WCF or 38-40 uses a 40 caliber bullet, not a .38. Don't bother asking, nobody knows.

[762 shooter]

True. The 38-40 Winchester is a 150 year old 40 S&W.

762

[Red Baron]

That's very interesting. Thank you all for your help.

[Bent Ramrod]

I just posted a picture of mine on the Ideal No. 6 thread. The Marlin Fire Arms Reloading Tool was patented by John M. Browning and his brother Matthew (U.S. 247,881). It deprimed Boxer primers, as well as the Berdan ones, but typically those decapping pins are lost. It would seat either type. According to Chamberlain's book, the second hole in the handle with the big plunger was a wad cutter rather than a boolit sizer. The book also has a copy of Marlin's instructions for use. All the tools were serial numbered.

Could you show a picture of the mould cavity? The .38-40 should have a rather stubby boolit. That's a lot of tool to load such a small cartridge, although there is one that is marked "44W" as well.

[Red Baron]

160185

I cast a boolit from Hot Glue... :D

[Bent Ramrod]

That's it, all right. The .38-40 Winchester. The Antique Reloading Tool Collectors' Association has a web site which includes a roster of Marlin 1881 tools, with calibers and serial numbers. If you want to add your example to the roster, log onto the ARTCA Site and get onto [Website / Tools / Marlin & Ballard / Marlin 1881 Database].

Chamberlain notes that the highest number recorded was 7088, so there aren't a lot of them out there. They were made like guns, of precision-machined and finished steel forgings. Truly the Holy Grail for a tong tool collector.

[JSnover]

And in case you do not know, the 38WCF or 38-40 uses a 40 caliber bullet, not a .38. Don't bother asking, nobody knows.
I dunno either but in the strictest sense ".38-40" is actually a .40-38, which I believe was Winchesters original load.

[Fishman]

Red baron, you visiting from tractorbynet.com? :) Welcome to the site and I will warn you that if you stick around you will have a new hobby. That's not a bad thing sometimes. Lots of good help here as you can see.

[Red Baron]

Red baron, you visiting from tractorbynet.com? :) Welcome to the site and I will warn you that if you stick around you will have a new hobby. That's not a bad thing sometimes. Lots of good help here as you can see.

Yea, its me. :D They call me JLGurr over there. How neat to meet someone from there on this forum too.

Jeff

[enfield]

Those old reloaders are fun, I take them in the woods with BP and other components and load on the fly. the ones I have are Ideal and Winchester tools but very similar to the one you have. Don't be afraid to use it.

[LuckyDog]

160185

I cast a boolit from Hot Glue... :D
I see wrinkles... I think your mold needs to be hotter. [emoji12]

[badbob454]

SHOULD A TOOL LIKE THIS BE CLEANED UP, OR IS RUST THE PATINA COLLECTORS LIKE ? oops cap lock .

[Dframe]

I have a similar tool in 25-20

[Red Baron]

SHOULD A TOOL LIKE THIS BE CLEANED UP, OR IS RUST THE PATINA COLLECTORS LIKE ? oops cap lock .

I've been told it's better to leave "as is" than to clean them up. If they want it cleaned up seems like they could do it their way and be better off.

Jeff

[merlin101]

Yea, its me. :D They call me JLGurr over there. How neat to meet someone from there on this forum too.

Jeff
It's a small world! I hang out some over there too.

[Mk42gunner]

SHOULD A TOOL LIKE THIS BE CLEANED UP, OR IS RUST THE PATINA COLLECTORS LIKE ? oops cap lock .

My opinion is that if you have it for a collectable -- leave it rusty. Oil it, but use no abrasives.

On the other hand, if you buy one to use -- clean it up. Gently of course.

Robert

[Speedo66]

I have a similar Ideal tool in .38-40 (.38 WCF). There was no decapping piece, I use a modern one for that. I've loaded a few boxes of ammo with it, a little slow, but very satisfying just the same. Does wonders for your grip. LOL Makes you wonder who held it before you?

Haven't cast with it, but see no reason why it wouldn't be fine.

[georgerkahn]

I have a similar tool, purchased years back at a local gun show. I cleaned it up, prepped some brass, assembled some cast boolits, and proceeded to load a few hours worth of range shooting with a 1892 Winchester .38WCF I used to own. The first round came out perfectly, and the second? It got stuck better than one could hope for with the best epoxy glue, silver solder, or a weld! I tried heat; cold; a shop-modified EZ-out; and even a collection of cuss-words which didn't help. I ended up taking it to an elder (in his 80s) gunsmith in a nearby village who added a few choice expletives of his own -- before literally boiling the tool on a pot of some magic liquid he had atop a small propane burner. He then used snow in expanding pliers, and made me promise to not use the tool again! He told me the brass for which tool was made was different than today's -- including balloon cases -- and the odds of my getting another stuck case were in my favor. The good news is he would take no money for the repair, so I bought him some beer.... Never did again try loading with it, although I still have this delightful tool. I AM certain there are lots of folks out there who use these NOW with no problem -- but I thought I'd share my tale of woe so you do have something to consider before you attempt using yours.
BEST!
geo

[flyin brian]

I have a few vintage reloading tools that I collected over the years; one of them is the same type marlin as the OP but it is 40-60. Here's some of the bullets from the mold:

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q295/Flyin_Brian/reloading/40-60%20Marlin/1422332834083_zpsdf17cuor.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/user/Flyin_Brian/media/reloading/40-60%20Marlin/1422332834083_zpsdf17cuor.jpg.html)

Here is where those bullets end up :)

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q295/Flyin_Brian/reloading/40-60%20Marlin/20150127_122100_zpspyw1nayn.jpg (http://s139.photobucket.com/user/Flyin_Brian/media/reloading/40-60%20Marlin/20150127_122100_zpspyw1nayn.jpg.html)

[Bent Ramrod]

flyin brian,

What's it like casting with that tool? Does it take a long time to warm up? Do you need welder's gloves with cloth gloves inside? How many boolits can you cast in a session? As far as I know, you're the only one who has actually cast with yours.

[flyin brian]

flyin brian,

What's it like casting with that tool? Does it take a long time to warm up? Do you need welder's gloves with cloth gloves inside? How many boolits can you cast in a session? As far as I know, you're the only one who has actually cast with yours.

Well I'm pretty much a beginner, which is probably why I tried it since I didn't know any better!! haha

You definitely need welder gloves, and my tool is a little "sprung" I guess you would say. I fixed that problem by clamping a
woodworker/home depot-type squeeze clamp onto the handles to hold them tight. I use a hotplate for my molds so I just
heated it up with that and surprisingly it worked very well. I loaded the boolits with my Forster 40-65 WCF dies and they
shot ok, but I wanted something modern that I didn't have to clamp.

I tried an RCBS 412 mold that I got with an 1886 Winchester, that didn't work because they were too large at .412 and sizing
to .406 would remove the shallow lube grooves :(

I ended up buying a Lyman 403-169 and that thing is the ticket!!

[flyin brian]

Here's a better look:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q295/Flyin_Brian/reloading/40-60%20Marlin/20150127_122258_zpsnqdirjci.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q295/Flyin_Brian/reloading/40-60%20Marlin/20150126_213821_zpswhzviigc_1.jpg

http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q295/Flyin_Brian/reloading/40-60%20Marlin/1422333336105_zpsqlsxixrv_1.jpg

Here's the Lyman 240 grain boolits that I got to test fire last night- very happy with these:
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q295/Flyin_Brian/reloading/40-60%20Marlin/20160229_191440_zpswciowa9z.jpg

[Bent Ramrod]

Thanks for the info, flyinbrian. I guess I'll have to try mine out sometime.