Very Old Ideal .32-40 Sizing Die

[David LaPell]

I recently found this old Ideal full length sizing die in .32-40, never seen one like this. It reminds me of what the Lee Loader is with it's sizing die, but this is just the die itself, no decapper, just a way to knock out the cases. Any idea how old this might be?

[Pressman]

The yellow label puts it pre WW2 era, though it carried over till supplies were exhausted after the war. They date to sometime after 1926. I have not studied the old Ideal Handbooks to determine the start date.

[Wayne Smith]

Those were companion to the 310 tool which only neck sized. Eventually the case needed full length sizing. Back then most everybody had a vice around somewhere. These tools were full length sizing dies to be used in a vice and then the case knocked out with a rod. The cases could also be driven in with a mallet or hammer, but a vice worked better.

[Green Frog]

I have one like it in 45-70 and one in 25-20 SS in the yellow label boxes as well as several orange box versions in 32-20, 32-40, etc. These early ones work just like the later ones in the orange boxes. Of course they aren’t carbide so proper, careful case lubricating is definitely required.

Froggie

PS in one of my shop classes we were tasked with making a cute little arbor press. I requested and got permission to alter the specs on mine to give it enough travel to use it with the Ideal shell sizers. It came out kinda neat!

[GARD72977]

I love these old tools. The the hand written 32/40 looks different.

[Green Frog]

I love these old tools. The the hand written 32/40 looks different.

Pretty standard back then... somebody in packing or shipping was quite the penman.

Froggie

[turtlezx]

i have 1 for 218 mashburn bee think it was modified when rifle chamber was done no box from 1950s

[jrmartin1964]

The yellow label puts it pre WW2 era, though it carried over till supplies were exhausted after the war. They date to sometime after 1926. I have not studied the old Ideal Handbooks to determine the start date.

The Ideal Shell Sizing tool appeared in the very first Ideal Handbook (1891), and continued to be listed in successive Handbooks thru Lyman's 41st Edition (1957). After this edition it is missing from the handbooks, but is listed in Lyman catalogs and price lists into the early 1960s.

I have noticed that the earliest Shell Sizing dies have the cartridge marked on the face of the die, where the shell enters. This continues under Lyman, but sometime before WWII the cartridge designation is moved to the side of the dies, where it remains until they were discontinued.

Jim