Log In
June 4, 2017
Offline
Mike, That 26 pages will help you a lot. PM me your address and I’ll send you a poor copy. T/R
November 7, 2015
Offline
Maverick said
Yearout’s monogram is out of print. On occasion copies will be sold on Ebay or at some gun auction lots.
TXGunNut said
I’m looking for a book to help me understand the growing number of Winchester reloading tools and bullet moulds taking up residence on my coffee table.
Mike
Tom Rowe & Ed Curtis Reloading Tool book is a good book that covers the broad strokes of most of the manufacturers including Winchester. You can find it on Amazon, Ebay, etc.
I’m still planning on publishing and working on my book on the topic. But it is still a process.
Sincerely,
Maverick
Thanks Maverick! I know you’re working on a book and will buy a copy at the earliest opportunity. It seems I enjoy collecting reference books as much as I enjoy collecting Winchester firearms and lately, Winchester loading tools. I’ve learned that some reference books pay for themselves by helping to guide buying decisions. I still think of Amazon as a reseller of out-of-print books. I’m trying to use Abe and other sources but have been pretty happy with Amazon.
Mike
November 7, 2015
Offline
TR said
Mike, That 26 pages will help you a lot. PM me your address and I’ll send you a poor copy. T/R
Thanks!
Mike
March 31, 2009
Offline
I have no knowledge of this book. I just saw it listed today. Call Randy to get details.
Duckett’s Publications | Rdgunbooks / Duckett’s Publications
Brady,
I thought I would add these pictures of my 1891 reloading tools and bullet molds so everyone could see them. Not sure how many pictures I can down load at one time. Here are the first three sets. 32-40, 38-55 and 38-56. I have to attend to some things for the Mrs. so it will be awhile before my next post. I hope this adds to the survey.
Glenn
Brady,
Here are the next set of pics. 40-60, 40-82 and the 45-70 set. Like I said I do not have the 45-70 500 bullet mold.
Glenn
Brady,
This is the last group of pics. They include the 45-90 and 50-110 EX. If you need any other angles from what I have shown let me know I will be happy to provide. I have also included a pic of one wall of my gun room showing how I display the reloading tools.
Glenn
May 13, 2020
Offline
I just got a wooden handled bullet mold. There is no patent date, just Manufactured by the Winchester Rep. Arms Co…. on the block. The handle engraving reads:
38 COLTS LIGHTNING
Is this of any interest or rare?
May 23, 2009
Offline
AZshot
Yes, Thank you for contributing to my survey. It is indeed of interest to me. I wouldn’t call it “Rare” more like “Scarce”. You have what collectors call the 5th Model Mold. It should have the standard “3-Line Address” on the right side of the mold block. There is no patent date, nor should there be. I have yet to find any record in the US Patent Office of any Winchester Bullet Mold as having been patented by the Company. I have only ever found one mold with a patent date. It was on the bottom side of the sprue cutter. But I can’t determine what patent that date corresponds to, if it does at all.
Can you please post, PM, or email me pictures of the mold cavity and close ups of the Caliber marking?
Are you sure it is “.38” and not “.32”? As the caliber marking is hard to make out from the photo.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
May 13, 2020
Offline
Sure, the mold seems to measure about .368. Allowing for the lead shrinkage of a cast bullet, I’d say it’s a .357. It definitely is a .38. I measured it because I know the Colt Lightning revolvers used two diameters, settling later on the .357.
July 31, 2005
Offline
I purchased this 1880 1st issue tool at the CGCA show in Colorado Springs. It’s a daisy! No Winchester markings, just the caliber and patent date. No decapper pin.
I call myself a collector as it sounds better than hoarder
May 23, 2009
Offline
It is a Dandy for certain. That is about as good as it gets concerning condition. Not to bad for being 140+/- years old.
It was likely made between late 1880-1882, sometime in 1883 they started putting the 3-line address on them. They also made some earlier ones that are the pre-patent date of Sept. 1880.
At least it still has the Berdan chisel de-capper. Those are often broken or missing.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
November 7, 2015
Offline
Bill Hockett said
I purchased this 1880 1st issue tool at the CGCA show in Colorado Springs. It’s a daisy! No Winchester markings, just the caliber and patent date. No decapper pin.
Wow. Congrats.
Mike
June 26, 2013
Offline
Hi Maverick,
It seems you were keeping track of the Winchester factory cartridge gauges as well. Anyway, I recently found this 25-20 S.S. cartridge gauge at a small local gun show. Guy selling it didn’t know what it really was and couldn’t pass it up for $10. There are no markings on it other than the caliber. However, I’m a little bit puzzled since I did already have an old WRACO 25-20 S.S. round and it does not seat entirely into the gauge. Per the below photos, the cartridge is inserted as far as it will go. There is no corrosion inside the gauge either. Maybe my one round is out of spec?? Anyway, this is the second one of these I have found recently. The other is for a Winchester 1895 in .38-72 WCF and included photos of that one as well.
Don
April 15, 2005
Offline
Don,
Your 25-20 S.S. cartridge was not fully resized properly. If you decide to sell that cartridge gauge, I have a home for it.
Bert
WACA Historian & Board of Director Member #6571L
June 26, 2013
Offline
Bert H. said
Don,Your 25-20 S.S. cartridge was not fully resized properly. If you decide to sell that cartridge gauge, I have a home for it.
Bert
That’s strange since it is a factory loaded WRACO cartridge and not a reload. I’ll keep you in mind if I ever decide to sell it.
Thanks,
Don
May 23, 2009
Offline
deerhunter said
Hi Maverick,It seems you were keeping track of the Winchester factory cartridge gauges as well. Anyway, I recently found this 25-20 S.S. cartridge gauge at a small local gun show. There are no markings on it other than the caliber. However, I’m a little bit puzzled since I did already have an old WRACO 25-20 S.S. round and it does not seat entirely into the gauge. Per the below photos, the cartridge is inserted as far as it will go. There is no corrosion inside the gauge either. Maybe my one round is out of spec?? The other is for a Winchester 1895 in .38-72 WCF and included photos of that one as well.
Don
No doubt on the 38-72 being a Winchester Factory Cartridge gauge. The 25-20 S.S. item, is a horse of a different color.
If it is in fact a Winchester item and not another manufacturer’s item or a home made item, it is a bit more unusual and slightly puzzling.
I’d love for you to send me some dimensions of it. PM me if so desired. Also if you could make a wax casting and compare it with your cartridge. That would be nice to see. You can make one using a kids crayon if need be.
If it is of Winchester make, it is likely not a factory (factory used in house or departmental) cartridge gauge or chamber gauge. But rather a marketed and sold item. It appears to be more likely to be a “Shell Reducing Die”. Which typically will be found with a rod for pushing out the casing from the die. Why exactly Winchester marketed and sold “Shell Reducing Dies”, I’m currently uncertain other than as the name suggests. Reason being if a person wanted to “reduce” or re-size the cartridge brass they could do so in the Reloading Tool they bought.
But in Winchester catalogs from 1875-1914 listed for sale are “Shell Reducing Dies” for $2.00. The few items that I’ve seen and believe maybe Shell Reducing Dies made by Winchester are marked in a similar manner and in the same location as your 25-20 S.S. die.
These Shell Reducing Dies are different and not to be confused with Factory Gauges used by the Factory’s Gage Department. Like this 25-20 factory chamber gauge.
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
January 8, 2025
Offline
Mav,
I got this off eBay a few years ago. I know nothing about it.
May 23, 2009
Offline
Its known as the 1882 Tool a.k.a the Lever Tool and its chambered for the 38 W.C.F. (38-40) cartridge. You can hand reload 38-40s with it until your hearts content.
I would imagine that on the back side of the tool it has the standard 3-line address, “Manufactured by the Winchester Rep. Arms Co. New Haven Conn. U.S.A.”
In about 1883 Winchester started putting the 3-Line address on the Tools. Some time between 1883 to 1890 or so they moved the 3-Line address to the same side of the tool to be located on the top handle. So likely your tool was made from sometime 1883-1890.
If it is missing the 3-line address on the back of tool then its pre-1883. Since it has the patent date of Nov. 7th 1882, it wasn’t made any earlier than that date. Some early Lever Tools will be missing this 1882 date.
It would have came from the factory with a de-capping pin, a powder measure, a set of instructions, and also most likely a bullet mold in the factory box.
That is about the jest of it, Do you have any other questions about it?
Sincerely,
Maverick
WACA #8783 - Checkout my Reloading Tool Survey!
https://winchestercollector.org/forum/winchester-research-surveys/winchester-reloading-tool-survey/
January 8, 2025
Offline
Maverick said
Its known as the 1882 Tool a.k.a the Lever Tool and its chambered for the 38 W.C.F. (38-40) cartridge. You can hand reload 38-40s with it until your hearts content.I would imagine that on the back side of the tool it has the standard 3-line address, “Manufactured by the Winchester Rep. Arms Co. New Haven Conn. U.S.A.”
In about 1883 Winchester started putting the 3-Line address on the Tools. Some time between 1883 to 1890 or so they moved the 3-Line address to the same side of the tool to be located on the top handle. So likely your tool was made from sometime 1883-1890.
If it is missing the 3-line address on the back of tool then its pre-1883. Since it has the patent date of Nov. 7th 1882, it wasn’t made any earlier than that date. Some early Lever Tools will be missing this 1882 date.
It would have came from the factory with a de-capping pin, a powder measure, a set of instructions, and also most likely a bullet mold in the factory box.
That is about the jest of it, Do you have any other questions about it?
Sincerely,
Maverick
Thank you for the information, it does not seem to have the 3 line address or I would have included a picture. It was advertised as Winchester. What would be an approximate value?
Thanks,
Adam
1 Guest(s)
