Reloading kit from the 1920's
 

This is an Ideal reloading kit from the 1920's in Caliber 30 Luger. A friend brought me this stuff last weekend 'cause he knows I like to shoot and reload 7.65 Parabellum. Interesting enough, it's marked Marlin Arms Corporation. Along with the reloading tools were several bags of old brass, some marked "WRA, USCC, REM-UMC, Peters, and DWM." The mold is an Ideal #308244 which is thought to cast a 90 grain .311 bullet, but I'll have to cast a few to be sure. You can actually reload ammo with these tools, but I don't think I'll try;

Cool tools!

"Somewhere" I have a set of Lyman 310 tongs like that with dies for .44 magnum, and possibly .38 special and 9mm. I wonder where I put those? :rolleyes:

Lyman still makes these and they work, older ones are very collectable, very nice old set!

What a wonderful gift from your friend!! To be in 30 Luger just makes it that much better. I have never tried to use tongs for reloading brass, but I know it can and was/is done. Thanx for showing us your unique setup. I am so jealous...:rockon:

Just a note that these tong tools were never designed to full length resize the brass... they only neck size the fired cases. I do remember that I used to use the tongs to prime cleaned cases as I watched TV... at least until Lee introduced their small priming tool which was even easier...

This morning I casted up some bullets with my new mold, the base band measures .311 and they weigh 96.5 grains, which is a little heaver than I would have thought. I included a pistol as well as some very old DWM cases;

Very cool items! Would make an interesting diorama! :thumbup:

sheepherder, I've been casting bullets since I was 8 years old (a long time ago), if you're really interested, I can take some pics and try to describe my technique. There are basically two schools of thought in bullet casting, one is dipping and the other is bottom pouring. I dip - cast my bullets with an old Lyman ladle. The old Ideal molds are generally excellent and will cast perfect consistent bullets, if you know how. :thumbsup:

Since 93 gr .30 Luger bullets are generally not available, casting seems like the way to go if I want to reload my saved brass. Although Rich might want to avoid your fine details about casting techniques, I would be interested in your treatment of the subject! Perhaps a new thread about it would be appropriate, and subsequent comments in it would bring out even more info, it would put it all into one thread, which would be handy as well as informative.

At this point, I've never cast bullets, but I cast dozens of lead counterweights for a mechanical sculpture I made years ago. I can attest that my experience pouring them led to somewhat inconsistent results--tiny voids and rounded corners--your mention of "dipping" sounds interesting as it seems it might avoid this problem and result in a more integral structure to the casting.

ithacaartist, casting bullets is more an art than a science, and I've always enjoyed it. I'll put together a thread with some pictures, but now.....I need to find a photographer who will stand next to me and take pics while I cast bullets.

Rich; to answer your question.....with a rifle bullet mold I probably set it down for 30 to 40 seconds before I pull the sprue plate open, with a pistol mold, not quite as long. You need to pull the sprue plate open slowly so you don't deform the base of the bullet.

Casting bullets is an interesting hobby. Its also a nice feeling knowing you can make part of your ammo needs from what would often be considered scrap.

Ive used the Lyman 310 tools a fair bit, and sometimes supplement my bench press reloading with some steps done with the 310 tools. I like taking 310 tools along when travelling so I can keep my ammo topped off, most laces I travel to are shooting friendly people and places. I usually also throw in the RCBS full length size die, which I can use on friends presses, then finish loading on my own at leisure.

If anyone is interested in learning about casting, Id suggest visiting the castboolit forum. Theres also likely info specifically about 30 Luger casting and loading.

I watched and helped my grandfather, he used the dip method I think and I thought pouring into multiple bullet heads.