My little collection of reloading tools|What's New!|Forum|Winchester Collector

 Stefan.

If you want more I have a collection I’m piecing out. These tools can be addictive, but if you have the bug buy nice, quality not quantity. You’ve got a good start, have fun! T/R

Stefan,

Thanks for contributing to my survey. You asked me to relay what I knew about your 1880 Tool & 1882 Tool in 22 WCF. 

Your Boxed 1880 Tool Set is a very nice and in excellent condition considering it being 140+ years old that is. All “Boxed” tools are hard to come by, how many of us today keep the boxes for the things we buy, and an early boxed Spoon Handled 1880 Tool is hard to find. Also due to the fact of the shear weight of the tool with much use or handling its easy to see why the boxes didn’t make it. Your set has been well taken care of and is fairly complete merely missing the original brass tear drop style 75 Grs powder measure along with the instructions sheet. 

It is my opinion that your boxed 1880 Tool Set dates to the 1880-1882 timeframe. Likely after the September 1880 Tool patent and before the May 1882 De-capping Pin patent. The box lid label is the early 1880 Tool box label. Winchester did produce a slightly earlier label that is the Pre-Sept. 1880 Patent label. Also they produced a later label (1884 & post) with the image of the Tong Handled type tool, which replaced the spoon handles. Both the Tool & Mold don’t have the 3-Line Manufacturer’s address marking that came into use in 1883. The de-capping pin in the set is the pre-1882 style pin without the bevel for widening the cartridge case mouth. The tool and bullet mold are in excellent shape. At some point someone has reinforced the interior sides of the bottom half of the box. As it is too stark white in color compared to the rest of the box materials. But it is a good thing that a prior collector did this to help preserve the shape of the box. You have two berdan style chisels in the set, which one was likely added later, as they originally only came with one berdan chisel. 

Your 1882 Tool with adjustable chamber in 22WCF can be broadly dated in the timeframe of 1889-1920 range. The location and style of markings on the tools were done this way from 1889 till the end of production. Although Winchester produced many 1882 Tools with adjustable chamber, I don’t believe your 1882 Tool is in its original configuration. As I have never seen one quite like it and I believe the adjustable chamber was done outside of the factory. This is due to the style fit and finish of the adjustable portion of the tool. It appears in the white and not factory blued.  I also believe it was likely modified by someone in Europe. The markings “4 Plomb” on the bottom of the die seem to indicate this to me. As the word “Plomb” in French is the word for “Lead”.  It is no doubt an interesting tool, but to the purist collector not their main concern regarding collectability. 

Hope that helps shed some more light on your pieces. You have a great start to Reloading Tool Collection. Just be careful not to catch the Tool collecting bug, as it is a Niche within a Niche of collecting. 

Sincerely,

Maverick

steff said
The bottom of the box seems to me to be made of thin wood with a white cardboard stuck on the inside. Is that normal or is it part of a later modification?

Can I still get the missing powder measure anywhere?

Greetings from Germany
Stefan  

Stefan,

Someone added the thin wood at a later point in time, as they do not have them originally. The only wood that some boxes have is, like seen in yours, a wood block spacer that is secured with one nail. Which is used to help hold the tool and mold securely in the box. Originally they would have also had a red colored wax type paper sheet separating the mold and tool from touching or rubbing against each other. Most of the time these will be missing from the boxes, but occasionally will be found. 

The original boxes are all technically “Paperboard” and not cardboard. Paperboard is thicker than average paper, but it is usually still just one layer thick. Paperboard can be single or multi-ply. Cardboard is three layers of heavy paper, two flat with a wavy one in the middle. To the best of my knowledge all Winchester Reloading Tool boxes are made with Paperboard and I have never found any made with Cardboard.

You can find powder measures for sale on eBay or other auction sites. It may take some time to find the one for the proper 75 grains.

Here is a good example I found on the Internet of the various sized early tear drop type powder measures that Winchester made. 

Sincerely,

Maverick