Marlin 45-70 loading tool

[Guncase]

I've had this Marlin 45-70 loading tool for quite some time but today I decided to play with it a little. I cast a few bullets to see what the mould was. The bullets drop at .458 and weigh 420 grains with Lyman #2 alloy. I can see how to prime a case, and seat a bullet, but I don't know what the other two stations are for. One looks like it might be to stake the bullets in, but the seater appears to roll crimp, so I don't know if this is right. The other station must be to expand the mouth, but I don't know how it works. De-capping must be done with another tool as I don't see anything on this tool that would work for that. Here's some crummy pics.

[2ndovc]

Neat!!!!

jb

[Chuck 100 yd]

Those slugs hold a lot of lube. Obviously ment for black powder.
I never tried to use one,maybe there was more tools in the set at one time.

[Sixgun]

Send it all to me right away! Now! before you change your mind!

'Ya know, I've got a few of them myself and I came to the conclusion that these were designed to be used with blackpowder, so crimping or expanding was not in the tool. To knock the primer out, mine has this other thing-of-ma-jig that screws in where you resize (or seat) the cartridge and has this needle thing poking out.
One end of the handle will have a hole where you push the lead bullet through to size it. Lube was meant to put on the bullet by hand.

When examining old tools, think "simplicity". Don't over-analyze as people then lived simple lives.

Yep, those grooves are big for all of that lube that was needed for BP. If you want to sell it, I'll pay your asking price. ------------Sixgun

[Guncase]

Sixgun,
The de-capper as you describe makes sense. Looking down the sizing/seating hole with a flashlight, I can see a small hole at the bottom. Maybe it is threaded as you say. I thought about one of the holes being a bullet sizer, but on this tool, the smallest hole is tapered and is about .470 on the inside and .480 on the outside. Also, the bullet drops at .458, so I assume no sizing.

[Guncase]

I took a closer look, and the second station is a bullet sizer. It is .460 on the inside and tapered so the bullet can be removed by hand. I imagine that when new, the sizer was closer to the correct size. I am amazed at the craftsmanship of this tool. after all these years, it is still tight and in great shape.

[S.B.]

Mayber get in touch with Lyman, looks like an old Ideal tool, to me? Or does it say Marlin on it some place?
Steve

[Grizzly Adams]

The case head sets in the half moon slot. The pin in the frame is for decapping the old berdan (?) primers - I think!

[kimwcook]

Those old hand loading tools are too cool.

[Guncase]

Says Marlin on it with city/state and has patent date of 1881. It is also stamped 45-70.

[awp101]

Those old hand loading tools are too cool.

+100!

One of these days I'm going to get something like that or a Lyman 310 (?) and learn how to use them.

[Tycer]

The case head sets in the half moon slot. The pin in the frame is for decapping the old berdan (?) primers - I think!

So, It kind of crushes the primer off to one side?

[Grizzly Adams]

The case head sets in the half moon slot. The pin in the frame is for decapping the old berdan (?) primers - I think!

So, It kind of crushes the primer off to one side?

I believe so. I have an old Winchester tool with the same set up, and have a copy of the instructions. The case head sets in the slot at the top of the half moon, presenting at a 45 degree angle to the pin. The pin then punches into the spent primer which is then pried out by lifting the mouth of the case.

These old tools had provisions for decapping two types of primer - "single fire vent" and "more than one fire vent." The pin is for decapping those with more than one fire vent.

Single fire vent primers where decapped using a separate "primer extracting plug" which was inserted into the tool and pushed the primer out in a more conventional manner. Typically, the extractor plug is missing!