Can anyone ID this tool?

[gunwonk]

Got this as part of a larger reloading deal, and never seen one before. The lever & knob makes me think it's a "hand" tool, and the offset pivot (and some light wear marks) suggest that it pushes on whatever gets clamped into the other end, but what? Any insights appreciated.

Pic:


The inside diameter of the clamping end is .895", and there's room w/ the split to close it up another .020" or so.

Thanks for looking!

[Green Frog]

Could it perhaps be some sort of bullet seating tool? It reminds me somewhat of the tools we use to breech seat a bullet in the chamber of a schuetzen rifle, but that's a lot bigger than anything I've used.

Froggie

[Bent Ramrod]

Both C-H and Herter’s made those. The ring clamped around the top of a swaging die so the cam on the lever pushed down the plunger at the top to dislodge the bullet. Otherwise, you’d use a leather or wooden mallet to tap on the head of the plunger to knock the bullet loose.

They were used with the “half-jacket” dies that both companies made for use on reloading presses, that swaged a rather rudimentary bullet in one pass. I would imagine they could be used on the core swaging, core seating and point forming dies that make more sophisticated jacketed bullets, but removal and replacement would be a chore.

Herter’s that I’ve seen are unmarked; otherwise it will have a tiny “C-H” stamped on it somewhere.

[Ajax111]

It's a handle for the old single bullet swaging dies. It fits around the die, with the wheel against the rod coming from top of the die.
When the bullet is formed by pushing the punch/bullet up inside the dies. It takes the place of smacking the top rod with a hammer and pushing the bullet back out of the die.

[gunwonk]

Thanks, guys!

Somebody else got the swaging dies from that larger deal, but evidently missed this. I'll see if I can connect with them, and put things right.

FWIW, there's no maker's name on the tool, unless this is "C-H":

[lotech]

I got one of those years ago in with some swaging stuff. It was probably a C-H as just about all the other items like dies and a cannelure tool were, but I don't recall any markings.

[Bent Ramrod]

I looked at the two I have. The Herter's has the straps and top welded to the die holding ring, where the C-H has screws and a mortise holding theirs together.

The C-H logo has the "H" inside a slightly larger "C". That circle looks like a punch mark, maybe.

[gunwonk]

I looked at the two I have. The Herter's has the straps and top welded to the die holding ring, where the C-H has screws and a mortise holding theirs together.

This one's welded.

I got one of those years ago in with some swaging stuff. It was probably a C-H as just about all the other items like dies and a cannelure tool were, but I don't recall any markings.

The C-H logo has the "H" inside a slightly larger "C". That circle looks like a punch mark, maybe.

It almost looks like a "C", but no "H", and the same mark is in the same place on both arms. Agreed, maybe a punch mark, or perhaps a mark left by a holding jig for the weld.

Anyhow, I've just located the guy who should have gotten this item in the original deal, so it'll get to where it belongs.

(Which wouldn't have happened until I knew what the item was -- so thanks again for your part in this!)