Ideal no5

[Ozark mike]

Anyone running one seen one on ebay im sure i could find a use for it. Just about anything made in the good ole days catches my eye

[Bent Ramrod]

I used mine, with the accompanying integral-handle Ideal 457124 mould, for my Garrett Sharps carbine in .45-70. It neck-sized the shells, sized and seated the boolits, re- and de- (after I made a replacement for the missing punch) capped the shells. The handles are big, so there was plenty of leverage, as tong tools go.

Once the .45-70s started multiplying around here, I mostly went to more conventional loading arrangements.

[Green Frog]

I have a couple of #5s and several #5 Ms. They are excellent powder measures. I find them a little quicker to adjust than the #55, but that may just be me.

Froggie

[ascast]

powder measure or loading tool ?

[Ozark mike]

Powder measure
267454

[Bent Ramrod]

Sorry, thought you were talking about the loading tool. I use my #5 measure all the time for BPCR loads. Most charges stay within 0.5 gr, can get closer by judicious use of the knocker.

[Ozark mike]

I figgured they would be just as good as a 55 if it isnt wore out. My theory is the older the better

[Green Frog]

NEWS FLASH!! The measure in the picture is not a plain old #5... it is a #5 Micrometer. This one doesn’t work well for very small charges but for medium on up to magnum, the micrometer adjust is awesome. I have several and it is the best I’ve found for the old IMR 4759 for 32-40. For a long time this measure was a well kept secret, but a select few are beginning to catch on. I grabbed mine while they were less well known thus cheaper to buy.

Froggie

[Ozark mike]

Thats just a google picture i thought id show the youngins what one was

[ascast]

I think fleabay has a couple no. Of course, 1 is priced in the clouds. they come by quit regular.

[too many things]

one problem is the the cylinder is steel. and if you leave power in it can rust
they made the 55 with brass to stop that
its nice to put in the curio cabinet works there better

[John Boy]

Spray the powder cavities with Rust-Oleum primer paint that stops rust

[John Boy]

Green Frog, I use a No 5 Micro to reload 22LR with BP. Drops 4.5gr of Swiss Null-B with every crank ... honestly

[MOA]

Hmmmmmmm.
Ideal No. 5
Yup.
https://i.postimg.cc/vTP6Snp6/Screenshot-2020-09-14-19-08-27.png (https://postimg.cc/K3Mz11cZ)


No problem with rust in Arizona. Lol. Made around the turn of the century.

[Ozark mike]

Hmmmmmmm.
Ideal No. 5
Yup.
https://i.postimg.cc/vTP6Snp6/Screenshot-2020-09-14-19-08-27.png (https://postimg.cc/K3Mz11cZ)


No problem with rust in Arizona. Lol. Made around the turn of the century.
That looks exactly like the barrel in my 55

[Pressman]

MOA, yours was made by Lyman between 1926 and 1946. There no model variations of the No 5 other than the 5M so precise dating is impossible. The only distinction is the address. All Middlefield are Lyman, all New Haven's are Ideal or Marlin but for some reason Marlin never put there name on the No 5 or the No 1 sizer. They did on the moulds, tong tools and the big Armoury press.

The No 5 has a large drum and two small slides. The early 55 has two small slides, though they are completely interchangeable. I put a 55 micrometer drum in a No 5 and called it the No 5-55. Just because I could.

[Ozark mike]

Thanks for that bit o info now im really wanting one just for dropping blackpowder we'll see maybe one of these days

[MOA]

Pressman. Thanks for the info. Guess I was going by the information on other side of the hopper. Most likely patent dates not mfg dates.

[Green Frog]

Pressman. Thanks for the info. Guess I was going by the information on other side of the hopper. Most likely patent dates not mfg dates.

You can just be fairly certain that production dates come after patent dates (unless they say “pat pending”.) you wouldn’t believe how many folks will try to convince you that a ‘30s vintage Ideal item is “turn of the Century” because of the molded in patent dates.

Froggie

[metricmonkeywrench]

Here’s one for anyone looking along with some other nice stuff... was going to contact them on either the sizer or the 55

https://spokane.craigslist.org/spo/d/spokane-re-loading-equipment/7186855867.html

[Ozark mike]

Oooph.... boy i wish i had a way of getting that box o stuff. Swore id never go back to Washington after what i witnessed years ago so no go

[Pressman]

There are a couple of oddities in the #5 line. One is a Lyman made measure with a wood handle. I have seen only one though this looks factory made so there are probably more. Unusual is the handle casting, it is not taken from an earlier #1-4 and it is not a modified #5 handle. A mystery yet to be solved.
267840

Then there is this one with a modern bench clamp thumb screw. I have two of these so I know it was not an owner modification and the staking involved is beyond most home shop capabilities anyway. Both are also Lyman made.
267839


Just for fun these two are the 1899, early (top) and later (bottom) Ideal #1 measures. This is were is all began. The difference is in the drum and how adjustments are made.

267841

267842

[Green Frog]

Love my old #1... came to me with a replaced, shortened reservoir tube and no top, but it just feels good to use when I'm doing black powder revolver loads. Also, it looks good next to the old lubri-sizer! :bigsmyl2:

Froggie

[Pressman]

Love my old #1... came to me with no top, but it just feels good to use when I'm doing black powder revolver loads.
Froggie

It's missing the top for a reason, there was no top. The #5 and #6 were the first models to get a top.

[Green Frog]

Thanks, Ken. I think I recall hearing that now that you remind me. Of course my reservoir is just a little short piece of nickel plated brass instead of the rolled steel stovepipe type from the original. It just keeps chugging along though! :bigsmyl2:

Froggie

[Pressman]

If you can find it, there is an excelent article covering these early measures in the May-June Single Shot Rifle Journal. Of course it is written by an esteemed Castboolits member.

Not me.

[memtb]

And, I thought my #55 was pretty old....it’s a mere child. It was well-worn when I bought it in 1972. So....when did production start for the #55? memtb

[jrmartin1964]

So....when did production start for the #55?

The earliest mention of the No.55 thai I've seen is in a small (3-5/8 x 8-11/16, 20 pages) catalog of Ideal Reloading Tools and Accessories published by Lyman, dated 3-47 (March 1947). So, it was in production at least by that time.

Jim

[memtb]

Thanks JR, when I bought mine, used around 1972, it was well used! memtb

[Green Frog]

Thanks JR, when I bought mine, used around 1972, it was well used! memtb

If you’ll post a picture or six of yours, we can probably make a better guess of when it was made by its specific features.

Froggie

[memtb]

Thanks Froggie, I can handle that....I think!

I attempted to photo the interior....that was a challenge, and not very good! memtb

https://i.imgur.com/QMTcxMWl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/BVh5uyel.jpg

[Pressman]

The gray color is from 1969-1978 when Lyman was under the control of Leisure Products.

[memtb]

Thanks Pressman, I guess that it’s not as old as I thought it may be! memtb

[Pressman]

Yeah, to those of us who came of age in the '70's it is not old. Like it was just a couple of years ago.

[memtb]

Yeah, to those of us who came of age in the '70's it is not old. Like it was just a couple of years ago.

:grin: memtb

[Green Frog]

I don’t remember seeing the decal like that on a grey press? Ken, is that normal?

Froggie

[dsh1106]

I don’t remember seeing the decal like that on a grey press? Ken, is that normal?

Froggie

I was thinking the same thing, I have a orange 55 with a sticker like that. Near as I could tell from the research I did it was born between 55 and 58, but then again you can't believe everything you read on the internet.

Scott

[Pressman]

Yes, the decal is normal for a couple of years. Remember this is Leisure Products managing everything. It would appear that existing stock of decals was used up and no replacements ordered.