Ideal tool labeled 32-40M

[DonMountain]

I was browsing on eBay and saw an old hand tool listed for "32-40M". I was looking for tools related to the 32-40 Winchester lever action rifle John Wayne Commerative that I am reloading with conventional dies in my bench reloader for this years deer season. Anyway, I came across this listing for an Ideal reloading tool that has a mold on the end of it for boolets, and then going down the handle, what appears to be a sizing chamber with a hook extractor, then what looks like a hole/primer punch chamber, then maybe a boolet sizing chamber. It looks to be in pretty good/usable shape. I don't see any fixture for depriming the casing. Can anybody describe how this tool is used or where I might get instructions for it? I would like to learn how to use it to relive the way the old timers did things. I was looking through my collection of reloading manuals and found a Lyman Ideal Handbook No. 39 that has a picture on page 170 of an Ideal No. 6 reloader that was available in 32-40 Marlin, Ballard and Winchester that looks just like mine.

[adrians]

I think I have the same type , is it?
If it is THESE SUCKERS GET HOT hence the leather wrap,,,:twisted:

Click to expand

[DonMountain]

I think I have the same type , is it?
If it is THESE SUCKERS GET HOT hence the leather wrap,,,:twisted:

Click to expand

Yes, that is identical to mine. So, it appears that I need to wear a good set of insulated leather gloves when I use it? Do you use yours and do you know what model it is and how to use it?

[catskinner]

adrians is right. That tool gets hot when casting bullets. I have used the identical tool. The original decapping pin is almost always lost. I use a Lee decapping punch.

[adrians]

I haven't used it to it's full potential as like catskinner says decapping pins are most always missing as is the case with mine, but I do cast with it ( now and then ) and it drops a good boolit.
I have some old ideal handbooks so i'll look and see what mdl# it is.

[jrmartin1964]

Your Ideal No.6 would have originally been sold in a box similar to this:
178791

Instructions for Ideal No.3, 4, 6, & 10 dated 12/1938
178789178790

[adrians]

The #6 pictured has the adjustable chamber on it and the #4 doesn't have that, are ours #4's.

[jrmartin1964]

The No.4 was made for revolver-length cartridges. The No.6 was made for rifle-length cartridges. Both tools, in later years, were available with removable (310-type) dies in addition to the fixed chambers. Both were also available in later years with removable mould blocks as well.

Ideal No.4:
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour01.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour02.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour03.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour04.html

Ideal No.6:
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberSix02.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberSix03.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberSix04.html

[DonMountain]

The #6 pictured has the adjustable chamber on it and the #4 doesn't have that, are ours #4's.

In my Lyman/Ideal Handbook No. 39 the Ideal No. 4 tool has a fixed loading chamber and was available for the larger handgun/rifle rounds up to the 45 Colt. The Ideal No. 6 that you pictured is the same as the photo in my book, and also has a fixed nonadjustable loading chamber and was available for rifle cartridges like the 38-55, 32-40 Marlin (which is what I have) and on up to the 50-70 U.S. Gov't. They also had an Ideal No. 3 Special with the double adjustable chamber and also an Ideal No. 4 Special with the adjustable chamber for Pistol cartridges. And as seen in a previous post they also had an Ideal No. 10 with an adjustable chamber. In all of these photos though I haven't seen a picture of the decapping device and how it works in the apparent Ideal No. 6 tool that I have?

[DonMountain]

The No.4 was made for revolver-length cartridges. The No.6 was made for rifle-length cartridges. Both tools, in later years, were available with removable (310-type) dies in addition to the fixed chambers. Both were also available in later years with removable mould blocks as well.

Ideal No.4:
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour01.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour02.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour03.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberFour04.html

Ideal No.6:
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberSix02.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberSix03.html
http://www.wawyckoff.com/IdealTools/NumberSix04.html

Thank you very much for this information. The picture you have listed as: NumberSix02.html is the tool I have, and your picture shows the deprimer tool. I assume the tapered end of the cylinder drops down into the B. Loading Chamber and rests on the bottom of the tapered end, and the cartridge case slips down over it and the pin removes the primer when closing the handles? I wonder how I could make one of these or if something is available that will do the same job?

[jrmartin1964]

I have never tried one, but have read that the Lee Case Length Gauge for their case trimming setup will work for a substitute depriming pin in the old Ideal tools.

http://leeprecision.com/case-conditioning-tools/case-trimming-tools/case-length-gauge-holder/
I don't see one specifically for .32-40, but the one for .32 Winchester Special would likely work.

[DonMountain]

I have never tried one, but have read that the Lee Case Length Gauge for their case trimming setup will work for a substitute depriming pin in the old Ideal tools.

http://leeprecision.com/case-conditioning-tools/case-trimming-tools/case-length-gauge-holder/
I don't see one specifically for .32-40, but the one for .32 Winchester Special would likely work.

I took a look at the .32 Winchester Special Lee case-length-gauge and think it may do the job for me. Or if not maybe I can add to or modify the length of it to work with my Ideal No. 6 in 32-40M. The .32 Win Special has a 0.133" shorter case than the 32-40, but the threaded stud on the bottom is an undetermined length that may have to be shortened anyway. Or maybe a short piece threaded and screwed on to reach the proper length. Thanks for your suggestion.

[Landy]

If you put a brass acorn nut on the Lee case-length-gauge it protects both tools and gives you a small amount of adjustment in the fit.